Summer Camps In Central Vermont

Vermont summer camps can be hard to find, especially in Central Vermont where demand is high but there are few camps available.  Still, you can find camps near Montpelier and the surrounding areas in Washington county if you know where to look.

Options for summer camps in Central Vermont have always been limited, and parents are often left struggling to find care when school is out.  That’s true for both younger children in preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school, as well older kids in middle and even high school.

Usually, the first camps to open registration fill up quickly, sometimes within minutes.

That’s what happened in 2022 when North Branch Nature Center opened its summer camp registration.  They announced on their newsletter that registration would open at 6 pm on a night in early February…and by 6:07 every single space was filled. 

By the next morning, they had more than 250 families on their waitlist.

Tips for Finding Summer Camps in Central Vermont

With registration filling so quickly, how do you find a camp for your children?

• Get on Mailing Lists ~ The best way to know when camp registrations are opening is to get on a mailing list ahead of time.  If you don’t know when registrations are opening, there’s no way to sign up.
• Go In Ahead of Time ~ If your camp has a physical location year-round, like the Waldorf School in East Montpelier or Sunrise Gymnastics in Berlin, consider going in ahead of time and talking to the administrators there.  You may be able to sign up and put in a deposit before registration actually opens (if you’re lucky).
• Consider Community Connections Camps ~ Most elementary schools in Central Vermont, Washington County and the surrounding areas have “community connections” programs that offer before and after school childcare.  They generally offer camps for children during breaks, and they often have more availability.
• Camps Outside of Central Vermont ~ Though it may be a further drive, consider sending your child to camp in another region of the state.  The areas around Burlington tend to have a lot more summer camp availability.  Other regions also offer bussing service, and the Girl Scout camps run out of Camp Farnsworth in Thetford run a bus from Central Vermont.

List of Camps in Central Vermont

This is a list of camps in central Vermont for 2022.  It covers the areas within an hour of Montpelier Vermont, primarily Washington County, but parts of Orange, Windsor, Addison, Lamoille, and Chittenden County.