Christian summer camps

Find Christian camps near you

We list Christian kids’ and teens camps across the country. You can narrow your search by clicking on your city link below. This will take you to our advanced search.

Search ALL CHRISTIAN CAMPS   

Variation among Christian camps, with related suggestions

Church camps and Bible camps

Christian camps are sometimes viewed as synonymous with church camps or Bible camps, but those alternative designations may, in fact, indicate something subtly different. Most camps listed above are de facto non-denominational. Church camps are more likely to be traditionally associated with a specific church or denomination. Bible camps were often associated with the Baptist denomination, though the denotation is appropriate for any camp where Biblical teaching is a regular part of camp programming. You will find all of these listed above, and if you feel you are searching for one of these types specifically, you can sort the list by keyword. 

Some other variations you can find on our site are as follows:

Christian day camps come with a diverse set of other specializations, and may be half day or full day sessions, where kids go home at the end of the camp day. 

Christian overnight camps offer an immersion in the Word, in a traditional camp environment where kids sleep in cabins and spend a week or longer together. 

Christian family camps, which offer programming and amenities suitable to the whole family, and may offer weeklong programming that integrates the needs of all family members. Click on the link above and get details from each camp as to how they operate. 

Related camps

We always encourage people to explore camp options, looking at related camps. Camps in the lists or pages linked to below may overlap with those above, or they might be just a bit lateral, while still sharing in many of the traditional, core values supported by camps that more explicitly consider themselves Christian. Consider these close variants, to thoughtfully broaden your horizons:

YMCA camps are very much rooted in the Christian tradition, while also participating in the wealth of experience that the Young Men’s Christian Association brings to the table. 

Leadership camps are also rooted in, and promote, many values compatible with strong Christian faith. 

Family camps are a fun way to boost togetherness through time together in the beautiful Canadian summer outdoors, both together with your own and other families. 

Traditional kids' camps implicitly promote positive values and clean fun.

Nature camps promote respect for creation, and encourage kids in a personal encounter with the environment, quite often in their own backyard. 

The hidden value of camps for Christian families

Time at any camp is demonstrably beneficial to kids’ and teens’ personal growth. Studies like that done by the American Camp Association (ACA) in 2005, for example, show that camp’s impact extends several months beyond the immediate experience.¹ In the case of Christian camps, this extends to the faith development kids and teens experience at camp. 

The Effective Camp Research Project confirms that there is a “camp high” experience by kids at Christian summer camps. Survey respondents admitted “temporary increases in general happiness and agreement with doctrinal standards.”² The immersion in the experience, that is, sharing stories, singing songs together, discussing issues with peers can be critical to camp graduates’ development of a personal faith. The experience is compellingly unique. Research confirms that the majority of attendees take to this uniqueness and benefit from it. Even kids with some initial resistance or shyness overcome this and reap the benefits.

On the other hand, some benefits are indeed typical to all camp experiences, such as the following:

• The encouragement of independence. Kids learn on their own in situations that challenge them personally.
• Firsthand encounters with nature help them develop a deeper appreciation of the natural world.
• They build skills through hands-on experience — more so at some Christian day camps perhaps — that build skills they’ll use in the adult world.

Read more about these and other benefits of kids’ camp.

Find the right Christian camp for your child

Choosing the right camp starts with assessing your child’s needs and interests, then searching for a camp that fulfills your family’s overall beliefs and interests as well. Additionally, you may want to think about whether you prefer a camp close to home and what kinds of activities your child or teen would enjoy most during their stay.

The Our Kids Camp Expo, held annually every spring, gives parents the opportunity to meet numerous camps face-to-face. It’s worth noting that Christian camps from across the province of Ontario are represented at the expo. Parents and kids can do a direct comparison of options there, and discuss any of their issues and concerns, directly with camps.

Here are some questions you might begin with. 

• What is the camp's overall philosophy and how does it promote Christian values?
• What religious services or activities are offered?
• How deeply is religion integrated into camp life?
• What qualifications do the staff have?
• How are the safety and security of children protected?
• Do camp counsellors have any religious training?
• What is the camper-to-staff ratio?

Narrow down your choices with criteria that are most important to your family and contact the camps directly with any specific questions or concerns, or to attend an information session or book a visit.

Sources and further reading

¹American Camp Association. Directions: Youth development outcomes of the camp experience.  

²Sorensen, Jacob.  “The Lasting Impact of Christian summer camps."

Sorenson, Jacob. “The summer camp experience and faith formation of emerging adults.” Journal of Youth Ministry 13:1 (2014) 17-40.