Fun Summer Activities for Kids in the Portland Area

Looking for something fun to do this summer? We have a few ideas…

AIM High Academy of Martial Arts (Beaverton)

Martial arts school offering a variety of styles and programs with experienced instructors

Call: 503-640-8628

Avid4 Adventure (Portland)

Summer camps take Pre-K to 9th graders of all ability levels out to the city’s most spectacular outdoor settings, helping them master a wide range of adventure sports in local spots they can keep coming back to for years to come.

Clackamas Community College

• Free virtual summer camps
• Environmental Learning Center

Crafty Mindz (Beaverton)

Art classes, after-school programs, virtual camps, emergency daycare

Call: 503-516-8525

Hands On Art and Play (Portland)

Hands On offers summer programs for children ages 3-6. Children may attend two or four days a week for either a two-week or four-week session. Note: Class sizes are limited due to COVID cohort guidelines.

Where: 2800 SE Harrison St., Portland, 97214

Mad Science (Portland)

Check their website for availability of specific age camps (only some camps are for kids going into kindergarten and younger).

Cost: About $200/week

Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp

MHKC partners with the US Forest Service to help empower children and adults with disabilities through overnight, outdoor, recreational programming.

National Inventors Hall of Fame (Portland, multiple locations)

STEM-focused for all ages. NIHF inspires emerging creators and entrepreneurs through their education programs and honors the history of innovation through their museum and Hall of Fame Inductees.

Nike Sports Camps

Complete Skills Junior Basketball Day Camp: Focuses on the crucial keys for young athletes to become excellent at the game of basketball. Camps are specifically designed for the younger athlete. The intensity, curriculum, and schedule are much more conducive for a younger athlete, and they highly recommend this camp as a starting point for younger players before going to an overnight camp. They teach four focus areas: individual offense, defense, shooting, and team skills. Campers are separated into teaching groups and teams based on their age and ability.

Nike Rose City XC Camp: Experience top-notch coaching, breathtaking views, and miles of gorgeous trails while having fun in this great city. Boys and girls, ages 9-18, develop the fundamental skills to becoming successful runners.

Many more options! Call: 1-800-645-3226

North Clackamas School District: Kindergarten Jump Start

Jump Start helps children and families have a successful transition into kindergarten. Children meet new friends, learn routines, enjoy recess, and discover school is fun!

NW Children’s Theater and School (Portland)

Summer camp for theater lovers!

Call: 503-222-2190

OMSI (Portland)

OMSI is dedicated to helping people build the confidence and skills they need for whatever the future holds through hands-on, high-quality learning experiences in the museum, at their world-class resident camps, and as part of the largest statewide science education program in the country.

Parks & Recreation Summer Programs

• North Clackamas
• Happy Valley
  Portland (adaptive and inclusive recreation, arts classes and camps, free lunch and play, summer camps, swimming pools and lessons)
• Oregon City
• Tualatin Hills
• Hillsboro

PDX Education Collab

Outdoor adventures and exploration in neighborhood parks and greenspaces. Available for existing pods or for kids looking to join a pod in their neighborhood.

Available weekly, Monday through Friday, from June 14 to Sept. 3. Camp runs from 8 am to 3:30 pm each day. Daily drop-off is based on your neighborhood.

Cost: $200 per student/week

***Unsure of availability for those outside Portland; contact for more information

Pedalheads

Beginner (ages 2+): Pedalheads’ beginner levels are great for kids who are just starting to ride. The most popular camp is Level 1 Newbees where kids move from training wheels to two wheels. Many campers take off their training wheels within a week!

Advanced (ages 4+): Once kids are comfortable riding around on two wheels, they can keep developing their bike-handling skills and learn how to ride on the road safely.

Soccer Shots (Multiple locations)

Soccer programs for many ages

TimberNook (Damascus)

TimberNook intricately weaves the therapeutic aspects of nature with its unique understanding of child development to create an invaluable outdoor program that supports every aspect of the growing child. Single-day experiences (Fridays only)

Where: Chrysalis Farms, 21410 SE Highway 224, Damascus, 97089

Cost: $55/day

YMCA

The Y’s day camps provide fun, child-centered activities and opportunities for learning through discovery, and challenge children to grow in imagination, creativity, self-directed initiative, and leadership.