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Know a young person who’s fascinated with the weather? How about someone who wants to save the planet? Or become an outdoor adventurer?
There’s a summer camp for that.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the coolest camps out there to inspire your summer plans. In addition to these resources, don’t forget to check with your local science center, museum or planetarium. Some of the best camps might be right in your own backyard.
Note that many camps have winter or early spring application deadlines and might already be full, but it’s never too soon to plan for next year. That’s especially true if applying for scholarships or financial aid, which nearly all of the camps listed below offer.
Camps For Budding Meteorologists
-NOAA Middle School Science Camp in Seattle introduces 6th, 7th and 8th graders to exploring the many mysteries of Earth’s oceans and the atmosphere.
-CIMSS Student Workshop on Atmospheric, Satellite, and Earth Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is for students entering grades 9-12. The five-day camp includes meteorology, astronomy, remote sensing and geology. There’s also an online version.
-Launch Your Career in Meteorology at Blue Hill Observatory in Readville, Massachusetts, teaches kids about weather observing, forecasting and broadcasting. The program only accepts eight students per year. The recommended age is 14 to 18.
-University of Nebraska-Lincoln National Weather Camp is aimed toward students in grades 10-12 or recent high school graduates. Campers spend the week learning about a wide range of weather-related topics including forecasting, collecting data with special instruments, drone research, climate science, tornadoes and blizzards.
YMCA members and a Student Conservation Association intern explore nature with a National Park Service park ranger.
(NPS Photo)
Get Out There Camps
-YMCA Boys & Girls Outdoor Leadership Development, also known as BOLD or GOLD, is available through about two dozen YMCA centers in several states. Ages and programs vary, but adventure is the focus with hiking, rafting, climbing and fishing among the expeditions offered.
-The National Park Service partners with the The Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the YMCA for science and nature programs. This includes year-round activities as well as summer camps.
-New York State Department of Environmental Conservation summer camps give kids an opportunity to learn about backpacking, camping, canoeing and ecology in the state’s diverse habitats.
Out Of This World
-Camp KSC at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center visitor complex is a cheaper day camp alternative to NASA’s Alabama Space Camp. Open to students ages 7 to 16, the full slate of activities includes simulated Mars missions, a microgravity simulator and robotics.
-Cosmosphere Camps at the Cosmosphere space and science museum in Hutchinson, Kansas, include half-day and overnight camps at a range of prices. Open to kids from grade 3 through high school, subjects include Mars, astronomy and the moon. Bonus: There are camps for teachers, or any adult space enthusiast.
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This story is part of the United Nations Development Programme’s Weather Kids campaign. Click here to learn more and take action to fight climate change.
Weather.com reporter Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between.