Free and Low-Cost Summer Activities for Kids in Massachusetts
Don't know what to do this summer? Massachusetts public schools, together with city and town governments, local colleges, community organizations, and other nonprofit groups, offer a wide range of summer activities for children and teens. Many of the programs are free, offer scholarships, accept vouchers, or use a sliding fee scale based on income. Some programs offer free meals through the Summer Food Program.
Select your city or town from the drop-down list:
If your city or town is not listed, see "All cities/towns" for statewide listings.
Many Massachusetts city and town recreation departments offer summer programs for youth. This directory provides links to many city and town recreation department web sites. If your community is not listed, see Massachusetts Communities on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts web site. Click on the name of your city or town, then find the link for your city or town's official Home Page. On the Home Page, look for "Departments - Recreation and Parks" (or something similar) to find out about summer recreation programs offered by your city or town.
The Girl Scouts have put together a list of free activities for children in communities throughout Massachusetts, including free weekly movies, workshops, museums, hobbies, outdoor programs, and field trips.
The MIT Center gives suggestions on how to find a summer camp and includes a Camp Database Search that allows you to search for a summer camp by city/town, availability of transportation, type of program, and age.
The YMCA operates a number of boys, girls, and co-ed overnight camps in Massachusetts. Local YMCAs also have day camps and other summer programs for children and teens. To find your local YMCA, see Find Your YMCA. Financial aid is available for camps and for YMCA memberships.
If you're looking for things to do in the Boston area, check out the Summer Stuff web page of the Boston Public Schools. You'll find links to publications, web sites, and other resources with information about summer activities and programs for children and teens, including:
Summer Stuff 2009 for middle and high school students (PDF)
Sports and outdoor adventure programs; academic programs; volunteer opportunities; summer internships; music, dance, and theater programs; leadership and skills training; summer jobs; day camps and overnight camps
Boston Centers for Youth and Families - Summer Programs (PDF)
Summer day camps and programs; employment and skill-development programs for teens; recreation, sports, and fitness programs (baseball, football, golf, hockey, roller hockey, soccer, softball, tennis, wrestling)
Boston Public Schools - Summer Academic Programs (PDF)
Wide range of academic programs for Boston public school students, including programs for students who have not met promotional benchmarks; programs for English language learners; and accelerated enrichment programs
The Summer Stuff web site also includes information about summer jobs for teens, summer reading book lists, and the Summer Food Service Program.
BOSTONavigator is a search tool that allows families and youth to find out-of-school programs and activities in their neighborhoods. You can search by age, zip code, and type of activity. Check "Yes" in the box next to "Summer Program" to limit your search to summer programming.
Click on a program/activity name to see a description, location, dates/times, eligibility, contact information, transportation, accessibility, and fees.
Brockton Public Schools summer programs include theater arts, reading and math camps, sports camps, preschool and K-1 camps, basketball programs, swimming and diving instruction, driver education, academic summer school, and a special afternoon camp for children taking part in morning programs. Free lunch is provided. Most programs are also open to non-residents.
The MIT Center gives suggestions on how to find a summer camp and provides information about a wide variety of local and non-local camps. Includes a Camp Database Search that allows you to search for a summer camp by city/town, availability of transportation, type of program, and age.
Summer programs include the Durfee Summer Enrichment Program (performing arts, junior chef, computers, woodworking, pottery, summer sports, basketball, floor hockey, aquarium/science, and cosmetology) and a free Forensics Science Camp. Check the FRPS web site for additions and updates.
The Framingham YMCA offers a variety of summer programs for children and teens. Camp OCP is a full-day program with a new theme each week for elementary school children. The YMCA also offers swim lessons, fitness classes for teens, enrichment programs for young children, gymnastics and dance, a Leaders-In-Training program, adventure camp, and youth sports leagues and clinics. Financial assistance is available.
The Pearl Street Summer Program is a full day program of activities for children age 5 to 14. The program is run by the Boys and Girls Club. Scholarships are available.
Healthy Summer is a public-private partnership that offers educational programs, healthy meals, and fun activities each summer for Lowell's youth. Activities include swimming lessons, field trips, art classes, sports, and educational programs at locations throughout the city. Free meals are served at many of the sites.
UMass Lowell offers sports camps, band camp, science and engineering camp, and Tsongas Industrial History Center camps. Scholarships are available for some programs.
Funding for Lynn's Project Learn Summer Program is still not certain. Check the web site for updates. The Lynn Special Needs Camp offers recreation, field trips, cookouts, and other individualized activities (Camp Application).
Girls Inc. offers the Fundance summer program in July and August that includes nature and science activities, sports and games, cooking, field trips, beach outings, and arts and crafts.
The Lynn YMCA offers a full-day summer program for children, a drop-in summer program for youth members, as well as swim lessons, youth sports, and other programs. Financial assistance is available.
ArtWorks offers a variety of summer classes in theater, painting and drawing, sculpting, storytelling, and other arts. Scholarships are available. For more information, visit the ArtWorks! web site.
Quincy Public Schools offers almost 100 summer programs for pre-K through grade 12. Programs vary by school and age. Options include theater, dance, reading and writing, English and Spanish language instruction, science and math, art, cooking, engineering and robotics, sports, business, academic summer school, and programs for children with special needs. Free lunch is available at many locations.
The Quincy Recreation Department offers a wide range of summer sports programs for children and teens, including soccer, lacrosse, rock climbing, tennis, boating, basketball, baseball, swimming, mountain biking, cheerleading, track and field, and softball. Other clinics include theater, dance, arts & crafts, tv production, and baking.
The Guide to Summer in the City lists a wide range of summer programs offered by the public schools, recreation department, and community organizations. Programs include:
Adventure Summer Camp offers a variety of activities based on a weekly theme for children in kindergarten through grade 6. Vouchers are accepted. The Somerville Public Schools runs the camp.
Children entering 7th through 9th grade can join the C.I.T. (Counselors-in-Training) Youth Program to help with the Adventure Summer Camp and learn leadership/life skills. A sliding fee scale is available.
The Somerville Recreation Department offers many summer activities for children and teens. Options include a day program at the West Somerville Neighborhood School (ages 5-13), KidStop at Tufts Park (ages 3-6), sports clinics (football, soccer, baseball/softball, golf, basketball, track, speed and conditioning), summer basketball leagues, SPARKS (for school-age youth with disabilities), ceramics workshops, and a theater camp. See the Recreation and Youth web site for updates.
The Springfield Parks Department offers a variety of science, arts, and fitness summer day programs for children and teens. They also have learn-to-swim, tennis, and outdoor adventure programs.
This is a listing of traditional day and overnight camps, as well as sports, arts, and academic enrichment camps in the Greater Springfield area. Some programs offer financial aid.
The Summer Program Resource Guide is an alphabetical list of academic programs; teen leadership training; art, music, and dance programs; day camps; sports activities; and other summer programs for Worcester children and teens. The Guide was developed by CommunityBuild.
WPI offers many summer programs for kids interested science, math, engineering, and robotics. Some of these programs are free, and others offer financial aid. All programs require an application that is available on the WPI web site.
