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Free and Affordable Summer Camps in Boston 2023

Kids can play, learn, and grow at these free and affordable summer camps around Boston. Camp Shriver photo courtesy of UMASS Boston
Kids can play, learn, and grow at these free and affordable summer camps around Boston. Camp Shriver photo courtesy of UMASS Boston
2/19/23 - By Caitlin Dowling

Summer camp offers engaging experiences and fun activities. But not all enriching programs have to cost a pretty penny. Free and affordable summer camps in Boston deliver sunny memories and adventures for Massachusetts kids. We’ve put together a list of inexpensive camps in the Boston area that can provide your child with everything from performing arts classes to sailing lessons. These affordable Boston summer camp options deliver the fun and engagement that kids crave.

Find more great summer camps in Boston. Be sure to bookmark our complete Boston Summer CampGuide and our Camp Directory. You can search for summer camps by type, age, and town. Explore our picks for preschool summer camps in Boston. And don't miss the best sleepaway summer camps in the Northeast,

 

Editor's Note: Summer camp information for the 2023 season is changing daily. Please click the links to the individual camps for the most up-to-date information.

 

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Summer camp fun and friendship awaits Boston kids in 2023! Photo courtesy of Camp Harborview
Summer camp fun and friendship awaits Boston kids in 2023! Photo courtesy of Camp Harborview

Free and Affordable Summer Camps in Boston and Cambridge

Camp Shriver

2023: Applications due by March 31
This unique, inclusive camp accepts campers ages eight to 12 with and without disabilities, with the camp population split half and half, to participate in its summer sports programs at UMass Boston and Stonehill College. There is a $25 registration fee. READ MORE

Camp Harbor View

2023: Applications open March 21
Operated in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, Camp Harbor View takes place on Boston Harbor's Long Island each summer. Campers must live in Boston and be entering sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth grade in the fall and be fully vacinnated against Covid- 19. Free for Boston families, the camp focuses on fun activities like swimming and sports as well as art, music, and developing leadership skills.   READ MORE

Community Boating Junior Program

Note: Children must be able to swim 50 yards
Kids ages 10 to 17 (who can swim 50 yards) can sign up for a full summer of boating classes and open sailing for as little as $1 at Community Boating, located on the Esplanade near the Longfellow Bridge. Along with sailing, they also offer STEM programs and other activities. This is also not strictly a camp, participants can come and go and use the facilities as much as they like from June-August. Fees are based on a sliding scale that ranges from $1 to $425. READ MORE

Piers Park Sailing Center Summer Camp

2023: Enrollment is open for East Boston residents
The Harbor Explorers program is a full-day camp that teaches kids, ages six to nine, about marine life through hands-on experiences. Campers trap lobsters and crabs, observe jellyfish, take pictures with underwater cameras, fish off the dock, and more. Kids ages 10 to 18 can sign up for the Science of Sailing program. The two-week sessions have multiple levels from beginner to expert, and kids can pick up where they left off the year before as the program tracks their progress. The program fees are $0 to $200 per week (Summer Science $0 to $400)... READ MORE

Tenacity Summer Tennis & Reading Program

2023: Registration for this year's program opens in April
To avoid summer slide, Tenacity serves almost 5,000 Boston students with its Summer Tennis & Reading Program, found at 23 public parks around the city as well as in Chelsea and Worcester. Students aged six to 15 meet daily for free three-hour sessions split between fitness fun and literacy skills development. READ MORE

Youth Enrichment Services Outdoor Adventure

2023: Applications due by March 12
Serving kids ages seven to 18, Youth Enrichment Services in Boston offers programs to introduce Boston kids and teens to the great outdoors. Kids engage in fun, physical activities like rock climbing and biking. Visit the Youth Enrichment Services website for registration information. READ MORE

MIT Summer HSSP

2023: Registration for this year's program opens in June 11
Campers from rising seventh graders to students entering their first year of college are welcome to attend MIT's Summer HSSP program. Camp takes place in seven-week sessions on the weekends and covers a range of subjects both academic and non-academic. The program costs $50, and financial assistance is available. READ MORE

Northeastern University Young Scholars Program

2023: Applications are now being accepted
This six-week summer program is open to Boston-area students who have completed their junior year of high school and are interested in participating in a hands-on science and engineering experience. There is a $150 commitment fee. If selected, the student and one parent/guardian must attend the mandatory orientation in June. READ MORE

Free and Affordable Summer Camps Outside Boston

Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass Summer Day Camp

2023: Applications are now being accepted for all programs
With locations in Andover, Reading, Waltham, and Plymouth, the Girl Scouts Day Camps offer classic camp activities, including crafts, games, and campfires that provide opportunities for girls to discover, connect, and take action in ways that build their courage, confidence, and character. Depending on location, girls can swim, try their hands at archery, challenge themselves on a ropes course, and more. Financial assistance is offered for girls living in Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts communities. READ MORE

Days in the ARTS

2023 note: At publishing time, details for camps have not yet been released.
This summer residential program near Tanglewood provides Massachusetts fifth, sixth, and seventh graders the opportunity to be immersed in theater, dance, visual arts, and music for one of eight week-long sessions during the summer. There is a fee associated with the program, but scholarships are available and no student is turned away based on an inability to pay. READ MORE

Trustees of Reservations

2023: Registration is open
The Trustees of Reservations operate summer camps and summer programs all over Greater Boston. The camps emphasize outdoor activities, with farm, coast, and forest adventures at nine locations around Massachusetts. Financial assistance is also available, part of the Trustees' commitment to providing a camp experience to all children. Discounts are available for members. READ MORE

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