20 Wild Summer Camps That Kids Can Go To

For a lot of parents, the prospect of finding childcare for the kids for most of the summer can be a bit daunting. One solution — providing you have the funds — is to send them away to camp for a week or two. The concept of “summer camp” started out as something that was pretty simple, but the range of options available today is astonishing. Here are some of the most insane summer camps out there — covering everything from ninja skills to movie stunts experiences.

1. Hollywood Stunt Camp

In life, three things are certain: death, taxes, and kids hurting themselves by jumping off stuff. Imagine, then, a camp that lets kids jump off stuff in a safe environment. Enter Hollywood Stunt Camp, from Pali Adventures Summer Camp based near L.A. This place teaches children how to perform stunts such as fighting, falling, and swordplay like a silver screen pro.

2. Spy Camp

The International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., is dedicated to all things espionage-related, up to and including teaching kids how to become the next James Bond. Recruits spend five days working with real spies, running training missions in the streets, and learning to use gadgets. What better way to find out if you have a future world-saver under your roof!

3. Entrepreneur Camp

Camps tend to appeal most to outdoorsy kids, but what if your child spends their free time learning about business strategy? That’s where Camp BizSmart comes in. This California-based camp lets 11- to 15-year-olds spend two weeks working with actual companies and coming up with product ideas and business outlines. If that’s what floats their boat.

4. Medieval Camp – Arcatheos and Captivenia

If those two names sound like locations from Game of Thrones, that’s no accident. Arcatheos and Captivenia are medieval history-style camps aimed at boys and girls, respectively. Both based in Alberta, Canada, the camps aim to teach Catholic kids about their faith through the lens of medieval immersion. They're good for kids aged between 7 and 12.