Summer Camps in Greater Portland, ME

Ages 4–16 · $345–$407/week

Camp Ketcha, operated by the nonprofit Ketcha Outdoors on 107 acres in Scarborough, has run traditional outdoor day camp since 1964, with programs spanning swimming, archery, farm and gardening, drama, arts and crafts, and a ropes course for ages 4-14, alongside specialty camps like Rope & Rock and Animal Camp.

As published: Weekly tuition generally under $500 (e.g., Cottontails $347/week, Bobcats $345/week, Animal Camp $390-$407/week for 2026); $50 weekly deposit plus $25 annual registration fee

Ages 7–17

A Salvation-Army-operated Christian camp on a large 285-acre property on Sebago Lake in Standish serving a wide age range (7–17); the camp's own site does not confirm its commonly cited 1957 founding year, so that detail is treated as unverified rather than stated as fact.

As published: Not published on pages reviewed

Ages 3–14

Cape Elizabeth Community Services runs the town's municipal summer camp programs — Little Cubs (ages 3.8 to kindergarten), Adventure Camp (grades 1-6), and Teen Extreme (grades 7-8) — plus roughly 40 specialty camps, serving over 200 campers per week across seven weeks each summer on the town's school campuses and community center.

As published: Not published

Ages 6–15 · $1,700/session

Center Day Camp, run by the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine on the shores of Sebago Lake in North Windham, has offered coed day camp since the late 1940s for campers roughly ages 3-15, with programming in archery, art, athletics, boating, sailing, performing arts, swimming, and mountain biking.

As published: Session 1 and Session 2 each $1,700; Art Adventures $475; transportation $375; $150 deposit per session; JCA family membership required ($216/family, $120 single parent)

Grades 3 to 5 (about ages 7–10)

A town-run weekly day camp at Greely Middle School in Cumberland for children in grades 3-5, with one beach trip and one field trip each week, plus a separate middle school camp for grades 6-8 at Greely High School. Registration runs through the town's Active.com page.

As published: 2026: $260 per week; before and after care (8:00-9:00 and 4:00-5:30) at no extra fee; hours 9:00-4:00. 2026 weeks ran June 29 to Aug 14

Ages 4–11

A childcare and summer camp program in Cumberland County combining nature-based learning with Montessori principles, with themed weeks (vet, mystery, art, engineering) at Freeport, Falmouth, Pineland Farms, Yarmouth and North Yarmouth locations. Founded in 1999; Kristen Tripp has owned it since 2018.

As published: Not published (directory lists under $500 per week)

Ages 4–15 · $335–$500/week

Farm Camp is a day camp on the 626-acre Wolfe's Neck Center farm in Freeport, with age-based groups from age 4 through 15. Campers do farm chores, care for livestock, tend gardens and explore the forest, salt marsh and coast. Older groups include a cooking and farm-to-table program called C.H.E.F. and an optional overnight on the farm for Farmward Bound campers.

As published: 2026 weekly tuition, standard rate $335 to $410 and "Sustaining Tuition" rate $425 to $500 depending on age group. Counselor-in-training sessions are $200 to $290. Before care is $85 per week and after care is $68 per week. There is a $10 registration fee. Camp runs 9am to 4pm.

Ages 4–14

The Friends School of Portland runs a seven-week summer day camp on its campus in Cumberland Foreside, with Chickadee (ages 4 to 5), Fox (6 to 8) and Crow (9 to 11) groups and a Counselor in Training program for ages 12 to 14. Days include morning and closing circles, games, trips to forest and stream spots, plays, drawing, fort building, singing and sewing, with a focus on connection to the land, community and creative play.

As published: Not published

Ages 7–16

Day camp at L.L.Bean's Freeport Outdoor Discovery Schools with small-group outdoor activities such as kayaking, archery and fly casting; Teen Adventure Week is a one-week program for older campers.

As published: Not published on the camps page (directory says under $500 per week)

Ages 3–12

A nature- and conservation-themed day camp run on Maine Audubon's Falmouth campus, using teen "Environmental Education Assistants" alongside professional educators and citing low camper-to-staff ratios (one example group at 5:1); it benefits from being part of a well-known statewide nonprofit brand rather than needing to build camp-specific name recognition from scratch.

As published: Not published for Summer 2026 on pages reviewed (camp's own 2026 news post says detailed program/pricing info was still forthcoming)

Ages 4–18 · $155–$410/session

Maine State Ballet, based on U.S. Route One in Falmouth, offers summer dance and theater workshops open to all dancers regardless of studio affiliation. The 2026 lineup included a Musical Theater workshop for students entering grades 3 to 12, Young Dancer mornings for ages 4 to grade 2, a Ballet Pre-Intensive for grades 3 to 4, and five weekly Ballet Intensive sessions for students entering grade 5 and up. Every workshop ends with a performance at the company's Lopez Theater.

As published: 2026: Young Dancer $155 per session (mornings, three days), Ballet Pre-Intensive $175 per session, Musical Theater $350 for the week (afternoons), Ballet Intensive $310 per week (afternoon) or $410 per week (advanced morning). Ballet workshops require at least one year of prior ballet.

Ages 2–16

NYA's independent-school campus hosts weekly summer camps for ages 2 to 16 in arts, academics, sports, outdoor adventure and coastal exploration. Partner-led camps include Maine Circus Arts, magic, Lego, dance, soccer and tennis, plus NYA hockey and Panther Cub programs.

As published: Not published on the summer page; $50 non-refundable deposit per camper per session; $25 early-bird discount for registrations by April 15, 2026

Ages 3–11 · $200–$375/week

Portland Ballet, Maine's professional ballet company, runs weekday summer camps at its studio on Forest Avenue in Portland. Creative Movement and Young Dancer camps serve ages 3 to 7, and week-long Junior Intensives for ages 8 to 11 include ballet technique, stretching, crafts and choreography. A longer Portland Ballet Summer Intensive is offered for ages 11 and up.

As published: 2026: Creative Movement and Young Dancer camps $200 per week (Mon-Fri, 9:30-11:30am), Junior Intensives $375 per week (Mon-Fri, 9:30am-12:30pm). Prices for mini camps and the Summer Intensive are not listed.

Ages 6–17

A day sailing program at Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth Foreside serving member and non-member families, from recreational sailors to race team. Two-week sessions per directory.

As published: Not published

Ages 6–18

A nonprofit outdoor adventure organization running day camps, overnight camps and wilderness treks from Cow Island in Casco Bay. Offers need-based aid and tiered pricing.

As published: 2026 tuition, tier 1 or tier 2 (tier 3 is need-based aid, by application): Zephyrs and Ripples $560 or $535; Waves $625 or $605; Classic Cow and Girls Leadership overnight $770 or $745. Wilderness treks (Intro to Mountains, Mountain Trek, Paddle Trek I and II) $730; Sea Kayak Guide in Training $1,735; Maine Trek $2,250; ROCC day programs (Maples and Pines) $420

Ages 5–17

A nonprofit community sailing organization on Casco Bay in Portland running youth sailing programs for ages 5 to 17 on a fleet of four types of sailboats, with Optimist, 420, racing and adventure-sailing classes. It also runs one-week sessions at Centerboard Yacht Club in South Portland.

As published: 2026: Little Luffers (ages 5-6) $289 per 1-week half day; Fearless Frosties (7-8) $890 full day or $445 half day per 2-week session; 420 race programs for ages 13-17 listed at $890 per 2-week session; Centerboard Yacht Club (South Portland) 1-week sessions $578 full day or $289 half day (ages 8-12); apprentice program $300 for 4 weeks or $500 for 8 weeks. Scholarships from $25 up to 100 percent. Portland 2026 sessions ran in 2-week blocks from June 22 to Aug 14

Ages 14–18 · $1,795/session

Sailing Ships Maine runs a youth overnight program for ages 14 to 18 aboard a sailing vessel out of South Freeport, Maine, with four nights and five days at sea. Students join the crew to learn navigation, sail handling, ship handling and voyage planning, and visit islands by small boat. Each group has 6 students and 2 crew, led by a licensed professional captain and a deckhand educator.

As published: 2026: $1,795 per student for the 4-night, 5-day program, all meals included; need-based scholarships available

Kindergarten to grade 6 (about ages 4–11)

A town-run summer day camp at the Wentworth School in Scarborough for children in grades K-6, running seven weeks plus an optional eighth week under a tent, with a trip and activity calendar. Hours are 7:30 am to 5:30 pm Monday to Friday.

As published: 2026: 7-week program $1,650 per child paid in full, or $1,750 on a payment plan ($250 auto-billed weekly 6/19-7/31); Week 8 add-on $275 per child; no payment due at registration. Tentative 2026 dates 6/29-8/13 (no camp 7/3), week 8 8/17-8/20

Schoolhouse Arts Center, in a historic 1920s schoolhouse in Standish, runs one-week summer theatre camps with both half day and full day sessions. Each session has its own theme, and campers work together to create a production, building teamwork and problem solving along the way. The center's page announced 2026 summer camp registration.

As published: Not published

Kindergarten to grade 8 (about ages 4–13)

A city-run summer recreation camp for South Portland residents entering grades K-8, with field trips, performers, games and arts and crafts. Registration opens in early February each year through the city's online portal.

As published: Not published (a $50 deposit is needed to be eligible for financial aid; deposits refundable until June 9 per the page, year not stated)

Grades 1 to 9 (about ages 5–14)

Breakwater is an independent school in Portland whose enrichment center runs summer camps for rising 1st through 9th graders (the Maine Summer Camps listing describes one- to four-week sessions with arts, cuisines and cultures, recreation, circus, performing arts and overnight expeditions). Registration for summer 2026 opened in January 2026.

As published: Not published (see Summer 2026 catalog linked from the page)

Summer camps at Cheverus High School in Portland, including a multi-sport co-ed day camp for grades 1-7 with weekly beach and pool trips, plus sport-specific, art and theater weeks. Run by the Director of Summer Programming and Youth Engagement.

As published: Not published on the page (2026 registration open; 2027 not yet posted)

Ages 9–17

University of Southern Maine STEM camps for ages 9-17 in LEGO robotics, Minecraft programming, 3D printing, build-your-own-computer and CubeSat topics at sites across Maine. Day camps run 9:00 to 3:30, with some residential options.

As published: Not published on the pages read

Ages 4–16

Summer at Waynflete runs day camps and specialty programs for ages 4 to 16 on Waynflete School's two Portland campuses, across seven weeks. Programs include Mini Flyers, performing arts, sports, STEM/coding, nature, Dungeons & Dragons, and a CIT program.

As published: Not published (tuition is listed per camp session on the registration portal; the site says 2027 information is coming)

Ages 5–12 · $340/week

A co-ed day camp for ages 5–12 at the YMCA of Southern Maine's Casco Bay branch in Freeport, running ten one-week sessions at a sub-$500/week price point with financial aid available — a budget-friendly, straightforward Y day-camp offering rather than a specialty or destination camp.

As published: Not confirmed from a machine-readable primary-source page (camp's own site and PDF brochure/family handbook contain rate info but were not text-extractable at time of research; do not rely on third-party aggregator figures for this field)