2021 Guide to Summer Camps in Terre Haute

Hi! Welcome to Haute Happenings! You can find the 2024 version of our summer camp guide at this link.

2021 Info:

With caution, several summer camps in Terre Haute are opening registration for summer 2021. If you’re looking for childcare, fun, or the chance for your child to learn a new hobby or skill, see what the Terre Haute area has to offer! 

We will be adding to and updating this guide all summer long. Check back for updates!

Summer Camps in Terre Haute

Haute Happenings does not approve, evaluate, or report on the safety measures organizations do or do not take in the time of Covid-19. Please make wise and safe decisions for your family and our community! 

All-Day Summer Camps and Programs

Featured Camps: 

ISU Community School of the Arts camps are fun, week-long immersions into a various theme, which will include art, music, theater, games and more. Camps are full-day so that students can enjoy different activities throughout the day and from week to week. All materials are provided unless otherwise specified. You can register campers for one week or all nine! Themes include “Nature Unleashed,” “Discover Your Talents,” “Rock Camp” (for grades 8-12), and “It’s a Small World” Theatrical Performance cabaret for ages 7-17! Register by May 15 for an early-bird discount on all camps!

Summer means longer days, warmer temperatures and endless opportunities for children to explore at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum. This summer, there are so many chances to learn cool science concepts and have hands-on learning opportunities at summer camp.

Summer Science Camp at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum themes include “To Space and Beyond,” “Princesses Do Science,” and “Messy Science.” Registration ends in June. New this year: museum camps are all-day from 8-5:30pm! 

Each camper will have an opportunity to explore the Museum and spend time on the Ropes Challenge Course (if they are at least 48 inches tall).
Register today! Summer camp spots are limited to 15 kids per camp and available on a first come, first served basis.

Camp Navigate 2021’s theme is Sea Change: Navigating Our Future Together. Their program operates on weekdays from 7:00-5:30 for ages 5-14. 

If your child is interested in joining the Camp Navigate community this summer for scavenger hunts, swimming, field trips, and lessons for life as this group “navigates the future together, ” email ASAP as summer spots are limited! Camp Navigate is nearly at capacity for 2021, but now is also a great time to explore their (NEW!) website and social pages to see if your child could be a future Camp Navigate camper. In addition to summer camp, they typically offer camps for spring break and fall break. 

  • Camp Rave operates in the summer starting June 1st through August 7th, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  
  • Terre Haute Boys and Girls Club. Theme: “Get Ready to Time Travel!”  Drop off 7:30 – 8:30 AM and pick-up by 5:30 PM. 
  • Vigo County YMCA is offering a summer of “Friendship Adventure Fun.” Minimum age 5. Bring a swimsuit!
  • Camp with Clay County YMCA. 
  • Deming Park summer camp is happening on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 am-4:30 pm. Activities include games, swimming, community guests. Masks and pre-registration required.

Athletic Camps and Summer Sports Teams:

FEATURED CAMP: Volleyball at the Rose-Hulman Sports and Recreation Center at 5500 Wabash Ave, Terre Haute, IN 47803.

FIGHTIN’ ENGINEER PROSPECT CAMP for grades 10-12. July 9-10. $100. Day 1:  6:00 PM – 8:30 PM; Day 2:  9:00 AM – 3:00PM. The College Prospect Camp is an inside look into the Rose-Hulman Volleyball Program. Designed to help advanced players with their position specific skills, our camp will give players insight to playing volleyball at the next level. Campers will experience similar training and drills used in the Rose-Hulman Volleyball program. In addition to the camp, we will offer an optional campus preview day on July 9th before the first session. 

ELITE SKILLS CAMP for grades 9-12. Cost: $80. Date: July 7-8 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.  The Elite Skills Camp prepares athletes for the next level of competition. All skills will be broken down technically and applied in drills and competition throughout sessions to help players apply skills at a high level.

ALL SKILLS CAMP for grades 6-12. Cost: $80. Date: July 7-8  from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Cost: $80. The All Skills Camp will focus on skill development in every aspects of the game, as well as full team drills and competitive games to incorporate these techniques.

LITTLE ENGINEERS CAMP for grades 2-5. Date: July 5-6 from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Cost: $50. The Little Engineers Camp is designed to give young players their first exposure to the basic skills and strategies of the game of volleyball. This camp stresses fundamentals, while giving fun and enthusiastic instruction.

For questions contact Coach Sellari-Delsi at sellari@rose-Hulman.edu.

Fine Art, Music, and Theater

Let your child’s imagination run wild with the Community School of the Arts immersive Theatre Performance Camp experience! Directors Dan Rodriguez and Courtney Dosch, along with choreographer Avery Finn, will center the camp around a Disney themed cabaret style show. Singing and dancing to the magical musical selections of some of Disney’s most popular songs from movies and Broadway! Campers will grow artistically and socially as they stretch their singing and dancing muscles and exercise their natural creativity, all while gaining confidence and presence on the stage.

The final day of their three week-long camp will culminate in a showcase for family and friends! Students ages 7 to 17 are invited to register. Auditions will take place for featured roles during camp.

Featured Camp: Summer Art Studio with the Swope Art Museum

June studios will be held at Hawthorn Park the weeks of June 7, June 14, and June 21st from 9am-11am and 12pm-2pm.

July studios will be held at the Swope the weeks of July 12, July 19, and July 26 from 9am-11am and 12pm-2pm.

Summer Art Studio themes include:

  • Clay: Adventures in Mud! with Korinne Cantin (ages 4 – 7) 
  • Park it and Draw! Observational Drawing in Hawthorn Park with Korinne Cantin (ages 9 and up)
  • Dress to Mess with Sarah Trover (ages 4 – 6)
  • The Process of Pastels: Oil Pastel Techniques and Tricks with Kasey Chew (ages 7 – 10)
  • The Art of Theater with Tina Ginoplos (ages 7 and up)
  • Clay Creations with Lacey Lewis (ages 9 – 13)
  • Painting through History with Hayley Bean (ages 4 – 6)
  • Creative Explorers with Lacey Lewis (ages 7 – 10)
  • Recreating Terre Haute through Mixed Media with Hayley Bean (ages 7 – 10)
  • The Wondrous Mandala with Jude Irving (ages 7 – 10)
  •  Colorful Quilling and Paper Shaping with Jude Irving (ages 9 and up)
  • Tiny World: Sculpture and Miniature Making with Korinne Cantin (ages 9 – 13)
  • Super Psychedelic Drawing Doodles with Korinne Cantin (ages 9 and up)

Additional Fine Art Camps: 

  • River City Players will have “Applause Camp” for ages 7-9, “Bravo! Camp” for ages 9-12, and “Center Stage” for teenagers at Community Theatre of Terre Haute. 
  • KinderMusik at KinderCenter Summer Classes for infants to age 8. Summer 2021 classes begin the week of May 18 and end the week of July 26. All classes meet at the KinderCenter, 4389 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute 47803. 
  • Theater, Art, and Music camp from Terre Haute Music School. TAM Camp will have students acting in a play, doing summer art projects, and learning about many different instruments! Camps run Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. (bring a lunch) with a showcase on Friday at 2:00 for families. Camps run June 21-25 for ages 9-13 and July 19-23 for ages 6-9. Cost for the week is $150.
  • “In the Studio” Art Specialty Camp from the Vigo County YMCA.

STEM

Featured Camps: 

Museum in the Park from the Terre Haute Children’s Museum is a series of two-hour science sessions at various local parks for 1st through 6th grade. The day will be from 9:30am – 11:30am and limited to 15 children each. Participants and staff will wear masks. $15 Non-members; $12 Members. 

Expand the science in your child’s life with the Summer Learning Lab program from the Terre Haute Children’s Museum!  SUMMER Learning Lab is a series of all day (8 am-5:30 pm) drop-off programs for kids in 1st-6th grades. Each session is stand-alone and will be one, action-packed day and a major project (included in the supply fee) will be taken home! Sessions are on select Thursdays throughout the summer. Bring a sack lunch from home! Staff and children will wear masks. Member Pricing: $35 per session + supply fee. Non-Member Pricing: $40 per session + supply fee.

  • Early Explorers at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum for ages 6 months to 3 years. During the summer, this program takes place at Hawthorn Park. Parents and caregivers can engage in quality time with their child and fellow caregivers while playing, singing, and learning together. Staff and caregivers will wear masks. 
  • Discoverers ages 3-5 will engage in stories, songs and play alongside their parent or caregiver during this hour-long science exploration with the Terre Haute Children’s Museum. Play through hands on S.T.E.M. experiences, while increasing their developing language and literacy. Preschool Discoverers love to dive into the messy, the silly, and fun of science all around them. Best part…we clean up! During the summer, this program takes place at Hawthorn Park. Staff and caregivers will wear masks. 
  • Connecting with Code through Rose-Hulman is FREE and virtual again in 2021. Each camp consist of videos that you receive by email each camp day, Scratch material, Code.org material, and opportunities for Zoom meetings for help from college students.
  • Does your child dream of being a Youtuber? Check out this INTEREST form from a local teacher who is considering hosting a camp. Recommended for ages 9-12. 

Dance and Tumbling 

Featured Camp: “Try Everything” Dance Camp from Terre Haute Academy of Dance

This camp is designed to give the student a taste of all the dance styles offered at Academy of Dance! Throughout the week students will be given lessons in ballet, modern, tap, and jazz and will offer a studio showing on Friday for family and friends. A light snack break and craft time will be provided daily.

Since students are just “trying out” different styles, special shoes are not needed for this week.  Socks can replace ballet slippers and jazz shoes.  Dress shoes can replace tap shoes.  Modern is done in bare feet.  Leotard and tights are preferred.  Dance skirt optional.

Entering 1st  through 2nd Grade: June 21 – June 25 from 10:00—12:30 p.m.

Entering 3rd through 5th Grade: July 12 – July 16 from 10:00—12:30 p.m. 

  • Princess Dance Camp for ages 3-7 from Nancy Sauer School of Theatrical Dancing. 
  • Mini Creative Camps for dance instruction, tumbling, and crafting. Sessions for ages 3-5 (“My Dolly and Me Tea Party,” “Candy Craze,” and “Under the Sea” themes) and ages 6-9 (“Candy Craze,” “Tik Tok Inspo,” and “Feelin Villian-Esque” themes). 
  • Hip Hop Summer Bash from Indiana Invasion Dance Studio for ages 4-18.
  • Tumbling and cheer clinics at Illiana, Wabash Valley, Tumble Express (Brazil), and Terre Haute Cheer University. (These tumbling/gymnastics opportunities are unconfirmed for 2021.)

Horseback Riding Camps and Farm Camps

Sleepaway Camps

  • Rock Camp! is an intense seven-day, six-night residency program that runs from Saturday, July 25 – Saturday, July 31 for grades 8-12. Students choose to play one of five traditional rock instruments: guitar, drums, bass, keyboards or voice. ISU music faculty and professional musicians lead the program, with ISU music students assisting. Rock Camp Early Bird discount ends on June 1st!
  • Camp with Crossroads of America Council, BSA. Individual Scout registration is only available for Belzer Day Camp and NYLT. Registration for week-long resident camp at the Ransburg Scout Reservation is by troop.
  • Girl Scouts of Central Indiana. No matter which camp you choose or whether you stay a day or week, you will have a ton of fun making new friends, trying new things, practicing new-found skills, and creating memories that will last a lifetime.
  • Wabash Park Camp and Retreat Center. Summer youth camps and family camp available. 
  • Camp Wabashi. Located 8 miles south of Terre Haute, Camp Wabashi has cabins, a chapel, campfire, sports, and more. 

Specialty Camps

We love helping you find summer camps in Terre Haute for your kids, but typos happen and event details change (especially in a pandemic!). Please confirm information with hosting organizations before making your plans. Thank you to our featured sponsors who help keep our site operational and free to our readers!