Summer programs

Looking for a summer camp or program? Consider a play-filled choice at one of our community centres, parks or facilities.

On this page:

  1. Summer camp registration dates
  2. How to register
  3. Refund policy
  4. Save time on registration day
  5. Kitchener summer camps
  6. Camp readiness
  7. Inclusion support
  8. Fee assistance
  9. BYLD program
  10. YDI - Youth Drop In
  12. School Year programs 

Summer Camp Registration dates  

Summer camp registration for 2026 will open on:

  • Kitchener residents: 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 24
  • Non-residents: 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31

Find out more on our registration page.

How to register

  • by calling 519-741-2907 

Refund policy

Full refunds for Summer Camps are available only for cancellations received before June 15. For more information, visit our refund policy webpage. 

Save time on registration day

A form is now available to complete ahead of registration day, making registration for camp or programs easier and faster! Your answers will be saved and automatically populated in the form during registration, saving you time and helping you check out faster on registration day. 

To learn more, or to complete the form, visit Kitchener.ca/ProgramRegistration

Submit the form

Kitchener Summer Camps

The City of Kitchener offers weekly day camps packed with imagination, adventure, and big-time fun all summer long! With creative themes, hands-on activities, and a brand‑new experience every week, kids get to explore, discover, and dive into unforgettable summertime excitement—all across the city.

Exciting Improvements for Summer Camps 2026

This summer, families will experience a refreshed camp model designed to create more engaging, age‑appropriate experiences for every child. Camps will now be organized by birth year, allowing staff to plan activities that match each group’s developmental stage and interests. Together, these changes support stronger peer connections, more meaningful activities, and a better overall camp experience for kids of all ages.

  • Little Explorers (born 2020-2021)
  • Junior Explorers (born in 2017-2019)
  • Adventure Camp (born in 2014-2016)
  • Swim Everyday Camp (born in 2013-2019)
  • Specialty Camps (born in 2013-2019)

Our weekly Neighbourhood Day Camps include age-appropriate games, outdoor activities, arts and crafts, songs, water days, special guests, and walking trips - all with a weekly theme to engage your child to have a fun summer. Offered to three age groups:

  • Little Explorers Camp- children born in 2020–2021 
  • Junior Explorers Camp- children born in 2017-2019 
  • Adventure Camp -children born in 2014–2016  

Dates: July 6 – August 28 (weekly)  *Breithaupt Recreation Centre runs until Sept. 4  

Time:  9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.* 

Cost: $128.91/week 

* Before and aftercare available from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m. for an additional $14 per week  

Locations (ages vary by site):  

Bridgeport Community Centre (Little Explorers Only)

Breithaupt Recreation Centre (Little Explorers Only) 

Centreville-Chicopee Community Centre (Little Explorers and Junior Explorers Only) 

Chandler Mowat Community Centre 

Country Hills Community Centre 

Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre 

Downtown Community Centre 

Grand River Arena (Little Explorers Only) 

Huron Community Centre 

Kingsdale Community Centre 

Forest Heights Community Centre 

Stanley Park Community Centre 

Victoria Hills Community Centre 

Williamsburg Community Centre 

Dates:  July 6 – Aug 28 (weekly) *Breithaupt Recreation Centre runs until Sept. 4 

Time: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.*

Cost: $145.16/week

This weekly day camp includes all the fun of a neighbourhood camp (arts, crafts, games) as well as a regularly scheduled swim every day!  

* Before and aftercare available from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 5 p.m. for an additional $14 per week  

Locations (age varies by site):  

Breithaupt Recreation Centre: Children born 2015 – 2018 

Kiwanis Park: Children born 2013- 2018  

Grand River Arena/Lyle Hallman Pool: Children born 2015- 2018 

Cameron Heights Pool/High School: Children born 2015- 2018 

Starts July 6 (weekly)

Time:  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (no before/after care)

Location -school site-TBD  

Cost:   $103.13/week  

Calling all young innovators! 

This camp is perfect for curious minds who love to build, experiment, and explore. Each day is packed with hands-on activities, exciting experiments, creative challenges, and problem-solving adventures. Campers will discover how things work, unleash their creativity, and develop teamwork skills while having tons of fun. 

Starts July 6 (weekly)

Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (No before/aftercare)  

Location -school site-TBD  

Cost:   $103.13/week  

Take center stage this summer! 

This camp is perfect for kids who love music, dance, drama, and creative expression. Each day is packed with exciting activities like acting games, crafts, dancing, and behind-the-scenes fun. 

Starts July 6 (weekly)

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (No before/aftercare)  

Location - Lions Arena

Cost:   $128.91/week 

Kick, push, and roll into an awesome summer! 

This camp is perfect for beginners and budding skaters looking to learn new tricks and build confidence on the board. Each day includes skill-building sessions, balance challenges, and fun games in other sports like kickball, dodgeball, and soccer.  

Starts July 6 (weekly)

Location -school site- TBD  

Time:  9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (No before/aftercare)  

Cost:   $103.13/week  

Explore the wonders of nature and enjoy outdoor adventure activities, environmental art, nature-based crafts, and science activities. 

Through a play-based learning approach, participants will experience nature in unique ways, deepen their understanding of how the earth works, and see the positive impact they can have on their environment. Each day will include a variety of environmentally informed activities that provide opportunities to be creative and use our imaginations, with a focus on the environment and the impact of our actions on the earth around us. Join us to explore, imagine, learn and grow. 

For children born 2017-2019:

Don Maclaren Arena 

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (before/aftercare available)  

Cost:   $128.91/week  

 

For children born 2013–2016:  

Location 2 school site - TBD- 

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (No before/aftercare)  

Cost:   $103.13/week  

Get ready to move, play, and compete!

Sports Camp is designed for kids who love action and teamwork. Each day is packed with exciting games and activities like soccer, dodgeball, volleyball, and more. Perfect for building skills, confidence, and friendships. Campers will learn the value of teamwork, practice good sportsmanship, and stay active while having tons of fun. Whether they’re trying a new sport or sharpening their favorite skills, this camp is all about energy, enthusiasm, and play.

Starts July 6 (weekly)

Location -school site- TBD  

Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (No before/aftercare)  

Cost: $103.13/week 

Bring your imagination to life!

This camp is designed for kids who love to draw, paint, and create. Each day is filled with hands-on art activities, such as painting, sketching, and mixed-media projects, that let campers explore color, texture, and technique. Campers will learn new skills, experiment with various materials, and express their creativity as they create unique masterpieces to take home. It’s the perfect camp for young artists ready to let their creativity shine!   

 

Inclusive Camps (for persons with disabilities)

We offer Inclusive Camps and support for children and youth with disabilities. 

All camps are built around participants' interests. Campers will enjoy games, guest speakers, crafts, and swimming, while building friendships, developing life skills, and growing in confidence in a fun, supportive, and accessible environment. 

Explorers

Age: 5-8 years 

Week available: July 20-24, 2026 

Location: Williamsburg Community Centre 

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (no before/after care) 

Cost: $180.40 

Explorers is a summer camp designed for children ages 5 to 8 who have a special need and/or disability and do not require one-to-one support.

This program offers a fun, structured, and inclusive camp experience filled with engaging activities, including arts, sensory play, sports, games, and nature exploration. 

With a low staff-to-participant ratio, Explorers provides a supportive environment that is responsive to each child’s sensory, emotional, and physical needs. Our goal is to create a welcoming space where campers can build confidence, make connections, and enjoy a safe summer full of meaningful experiences. 

Weeks available: July 27-31 and August 4-7 (short week)

Age: 9-14 years 

Location: Williamsburg Community Centre 

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (no before/after care) 

Cost: $180.40 (short week $144.32) 

Youth Sense is a summer camp program that has been specifically developed for participants who have a special need and/or a disability and who do not require one-to-one support. 

This camp is for youth who thrive in a camp environment with a variety of activities, including arts, sports, games, guest speakers, and nature. The “staff to participant” ratio is low, allowing for increased opportunities to create a supportive camp environment that meets the sensory, emotional, and physical needs of the participants. Participants will get the opportunity to help design the activities and our staff are specifically trained to work in a supportive camp environment. 

Weeks available: August 17-31 and August 24-28 

Age: 13-17 years 

Location: Stanley Park Community Centre 

Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (no before/after care) 

Cost: $180.40 

It’s All About YOUth Camp is designed for youth 13-17 years old with a special need and/or disability. Campers will participate in a variety of activities, including sports, crafts, and cooperative games, in a supportive camp environment that meets participants' sensory, emotional, and physical needs. Activities are designed with the interests and abilities of participants and will encourage building friendships, social skills and life skills. 

To register for Inclusive Camps, an inclusion membership is required.  

If your camper requires 1:1 support, please register them for the corresponding week of inclusion support (only available for Youth Camp).

Camp readiness

To be camp-ready, all campers must be able to:

  • take direction and instruction from a staff person
  • interact and participate within the camp environment (based on the camper’s abilities)
  • interact and participate in a way that is safe for themselves and others
  • attend school successfully (if school-aged)
  • be toilet-trained

Some campers may need more support to help them be successful at camp. 

City of Kitchener’s Every Kid Counts program can provide support for children and youth with disabilities attending City of Kitchener summer camps. The City of Kitchener also welcomes Private Support Workers into our programs.  

If a camper is not demonstrating they are program-ready, they may be removed from the program.  

Inclusion Support

Our goal is to make city-run programs accessible to everyone. Summer camp inclusion support is available for children and youth with disabilities  

Our Inclusion Support Workers will be there to make your camper’s summer fun and safe. Families may register for up to 2 weeks of inclusion support each summer, subject to availability.  

Personal Support Workers and volunteers may also attend with a camper. If you provide your own personal support worker, you must indicate this when you register for camp and fill out our Support Worker Agreement. To learn more, visit our inclusion page. 

 Visit our inclusion support page, or call 519-904-5793 for more details. 

Fee Assistance

If program fees are preventing you, or a member of your family, from joining a city or neighbourhood association program, you could qualify for a yearly amount of $400 per person in Leisure Access fee assistance. 

To learn more, or to apply, visit  Leisure Access (fee assistance) page or call 519-741-2892. 

BYLD program

Our Building Youth Leadership Development (BYLD) gives young people aged 12 to 15 the opportunity to learn leadership skills, responsibility and self-confidence.

Learn more and register on our BYLD program page.

Youth Drop-In (YDI)

Youth Drop-In will be available all summer long at local Kitchener community centres. Sign up at the door and make new friends each night while enjoying games, sports, arts and crafts, food and fun activities. All YDI programs are FREE. No pre-registration required - simply drop in!

Dates: July 6, 2026 – August 28, 2026 

Ages: 12-17 

Days: Monday to Friday 

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

Locations: 

· Centreville Chicopee Community Centre (141 Morgan Avenue) 

· Chandler Mowat Community Centre (222 Chandler Drive) 

· Country Hills Community Centre (100 Rittenhouse Drive) 

· Doon Pioneer Park Community Centre (150 Pioneer Drive) 

· Downtown Community Centre (35 Weber St. West) 

· Forest Heights Community Centre (1700 Queens Blvd.) 

· Huron Community Centre (80 Tartan Avenue) 

· Kingsdale Community Centre (72 Wilson Avenue) 

· Stanley Park Community Centre (505 Franklin Street) 

· Victoria Hills Community Centre (10 Chopin Drive) 

· Williamsburg Community Centre (200 Rosenburg Way) 

If you have any questions about Youth Drop-In, contact youth@kitchener.ca 

Looking to volunteer at Youth Drop-In?

The Kitchener Youth Crew provides kids ages 12 to 17 with opportunities to share their skills and talents by helping at any of our Youth Drop-In (YDI) programs across the city. To join the Kitchener Youth Crew, talk to staff at any YDI program. It’s a great way to earn your community volunteer hours for school while gaining leadership skills and having fun! 

Discover more about the Kitchener Youth Crew

Mobile skatepark

Visit our mobile skatepark page to find the skatepark schedule and more information.

School year programs

We offer these programs during the school year:

  • after-school programs
  • weekend programs
  • winter holiday break camp
  • Easter Monday camp
  • March Break camp
  • P.D. day camps

Learn more about school year programs.

Contact Us

City of Kitchener
200 King Street West,
Kitchener, Ontario
Telephone: 519-741-2345,
TTY: 1-866-969-9994
mailto:info@kitchener.ca