The American summer camp is a tradition like no other: weeks by a lake, a cabin full of new friends, and staff whose whole job is to make it the best summer of a child's life.
What you may be worried about
The distance. An ocean away, for weeks, at a camp you've only seen in photos. You want to know who will look after your child, and that they'll be happy there.
What your child is hoping for
The camp from the films: the lake, the campfire, the cabin, an endless choice of activities, and friends from everywhere.
What makes it work
Camps that know how to welcome international children. Traditional American camps group children by age, let them choose their activities, and have generations of experience with first-timers. For children who already know their sport, there are pro sports camps with serious training instead.
Lucie Straková, kiDay's founder, spent more than twenty years in leadership roles at American summer camps, so she knows how these camps work from the inside. She's happy to help you choose, and to answer every question about sending your child across the ocean.
Talk to Lucie on WhatsApp
LAX
9–17y
Music & creative arts · Girls only
Two weeks of rock bands, songwriting, film, fashion and art for girls, ending on stage at the camp's own showcase.
LAX
7–13y
Music & creative arts · Girls only · Juniors
A gentle one-week first taste of sleepaway camp for younger creative girls, in the hills above Ojai.
SRQ
10–18y
Sports · Baseball · Boys
Two baseball sessions a day with professional coaches on six full-size fields — hitting, fielding, pitching and live at-bats in Florida, almost all year round.
SRQ
10–18y
Sports · Basketball
Ball handling, shooting and real game situations with professional coaches — a week (or a whole summer) of serious basketball in Florida, for girls and boys.
SRQ
10–18y
Sports · American football · Boys
Position-by-position American football coaching from professional coaches, on 20+ fields and a 5,000-seat stadium — for beginners and experienced players.
SRQ
8–18y
Sports · Golf
One professional coach for every two golfers, an 18-hole course, TrackMan and video analysis — junior golf camp in Florida.
SRQ
9–18y
Sports · Football (soccer)
About four hours of football a day with professional coaches on grass pitches in Florida, with evening games in some summer weeks — for girls and boys.
SRQ
10–18y
Sports · Swimming
New for 2027: swim camp in a brand-new 10-lane, Olympic-size pool with professional coaches — technique, starts, turns and race practice.
SRQ
8–18y
Sports · Tennis
About four hours on court a day with professional coaches, at an academy that has helped shape 10 world No. 1s — 62 courts, clay included, in Florida.
SRQ
10–18y
Sports · Volleyball
Serving, passing, setting, attacking and blocking with professional coaches — position-specific volleyball camp in Florida for girls and boys.
BOS
7–17y
Traditional US camp · Lake & choice programme
A private lake in the Maine pines, water-skiing and rock climbing, a schedule your child designs — and free English lessons for international campers.
BOS
7–16y
Traditional US camp · Non-competitive, international
A warm, non-competitive New England camp with a truly international mix — free choice from 100+ activities on a private lake.
JFK
7–16y
Traditional US camp · Adirondack lake
A classic Adirondack summer: water-skiing on a spring-fed lake, sports, arts and adventure, with a famously caring staff.
JFK
14–17y
Language · English in the city
English class in Bryant Park and on Brooklyn's piers instead of a classroom — then Broadway, baseball and a speedboat to the Statue of Liberty.
Traditional US camp · All-choice programme
Campers build their own day from 75+ activities — circus, skatepark, horses, theatre, water-skiing — in the Pocono Mountains.
EWR
7–17y
Traditional US camp · All-choice programme
A family-owned Pocono classic since 1935 where campers choose every activity — and every bunk has air conditioning.
IAH
6–9y
Traditional US camp · Junior starter week
A first week of sleepaway camp made just for 6–9 year-olds: lake, horses and games in air-conditioned comfort.
IAH
7–16y
Traditional US camp · Lake & 45+ activities
Wakeboarding, horses, golf and a schedule built from your child's own top picks, on a big Texas lake since 1968.
Often longer than in Europe. Traditional camps usually run sessions of two to seven weeks, and some offer a shorter first session for younger children. Each card shows the session lengths.
Most European passport holders need an ESTA, an online travel authorisation, for the USA. Rules depend on the passport, so ask us and we'll check what applies to yours.
Everything at camp happens in English, so a basic level helps. Some camps offer English lessons for international campers.
Most traditional camps keep phones away so children can settle in, and keep parents informed in their own way. Ask us about a specific camp's policy.
Each card shows the ages. Some camps welcome children from 6 or 7, often with a shorter starter session.
See also: A first summer camp abroad, for ages 7–9 · English summer camps abroad · Adventure camps for kids and teens
