Every spring for the past five years, we have felt the same anxiety. Summer is coming, and we have to figure out what camps and activities to sign our kids up for. The best ones fill up fast, which means making decisions early, but kids change so much year to year that predicting what they will actually be into by July feels impossible.

The one thing we have always wanted for our kids but struggled to find is a camp that is both fun and educational. We have tried a lot of things that did not hit both marks, at least not for both of our kids at the same time.

That is actually part of why I created KidPitch. I wanted to fill a gap I felt existed. But I will be honest, I also had a very specific idea of what "educational" meant. I was thinking academic. Financial literacy, real-world skills, that kind of thing. I am proud of what we built with KidPitch, and I think we accomplished that goal, but this journey has also opened my eyes to how many other incredible programs exist that teach kids skills I was not even thinking about. Confidence. Resilience. Friendship. Creativity. Those things are just as important.

So here is our current list of favorites and why we love them. The order will probably shift as our kids grow and we discover new things, but today this is where we stand.

1. Down to Earth Nature Camp

This one is special to us. It was the first camp where our son felt truly seen and free to be himself. It takes place in a beautiful park setting and is both educational and deeply hands-on. What surprised us most was how much confidence he built doing things like starting a fire, identifying plants, and carving wood. Skills we never would have thought to look for ended up meaning everything to him. The real superpower of this program is the staff. The owner is incredibly intentional about who he hires, and it shows in every interaction. Our son thrives there, and it fills his whole summer. We are genuinely grateful for this one.

2. Up With Kids Theater Camp

This program runs year-round and is honestly the best bang for your buck we have come across. Theater is not for every kid since it does require patience while peers practice their roles, but for the right child, it is a magical, confidence-building experience. Our daughter was incredibly shy in her first few years. Now she auditions for lead roles. The summer camps are especially impressive because the kids produce an entire show in one week and even get swim time built in. Solid staff, strong reputation, and a program that delivers every time.

3. KidPitch Entrepreneurship Camps

I am obviously biased and debated whether to include my own program, but I would not be honest if I left it off. Watching kids develop real business ideas and bring them to life is something I never get tired of. KidPitch gives kids a space to play, practice pitching, manage money, and advocate for their own ideas in a way that builds a kind of confidence I have not seen replicated anywhere else. It also builds resilience, which feels especially important right now when so many kids are losing the ability to sit with failure or rejection. All of the programs on this list do that in their own way, but entrepreneurship has a unique way of teaching kids that trying again is always worth it.

4. Girls on the Run Utah

This program impresses us every time we learn more about it. It teaches girls about camaraderie, leadership, and the value of real friendship in a way that goes far beyond running. It is a community-based program that runs year-round, and we would strongly encourage any family with a daughter to find a local chapter and get involved.

5. Little Beakers STEM Camps

These camps strike the right balance between fun and education. What sets them apart is that kids almost always leave with something tangible they made themselves. When our daughter was around five and obsessed with science experiments, we enrolled her in a few sessions, and she came home with a volcano, a sculpture of an eyeball, and a genuine love of how things work. The open lab time is a great bonus for kids who want to keep exploring on their own schedule.

6. Brickyard Boxing

This one might surprise people, but it has been one of the most valuable experiences our kids have had. Both of them learned boxing fundamentals, strengthened their bodies, and left feeling genuinely stronger and more confident. We especially wanted our daughter to have this experience. Learning self-defense and building that layer of protection around her safety as she grows into a young woman in the world felt important to us in a way that is hard to fully explain until you watch your kid throw a confident punch. Both kids have also learned real discipline here and how to push through discomfort to reach a goal. That is a skill that transfers to everything. It is a cool and unique thing to put in a kid's toolkit.

Quick Links

• Down to Earth Nature Camp
• Up With Kids Theater Camp
• KidPitch Entrepreneurship Camps
• Girls on the Run Utah
• Little Beakers STEM Camps
• Brickyard Boxing