As school is wrapping up, it’s time to pull out your summer calendar and plan for some enjoyable activities to keep your kids entertained. We’ve located the best selection of summer day camps and away camps, reading programs, craft events, and more. The goal is that your children will have a grand ol’ time while away from the school grind. So get ready to register them now, before these fun-filled camps fill up!
Summer Camps
Calhoun County offers a wide array of day camps, as well as some traditional “away” camps. Let’s dive into the options.
Camp Mac has been a staple in Calhoun County for years, situated in Munford, Alabama. Its reputation precedes it as the go-to away camp for kids that really want to dive into adventure. Activities like horseback riding, water sports, wilderness survival training, tennis, baseball, basketball, swimming, canoeing, fishing, team sports, crafts, dancing, and more are all offered in their summer program!
Dates:
6-Day mini-terms run from May 30-June 4, June 12-17, & July 10-15
11-Day Junior terms run May 30-June 9, June 12-22, & July 10-20
Cost: $1,985 for 6-day/$3,385 for 11-day
Ages: 1st-3rd grade or 2nd-5th grade (completion of).
There are Senior Term camps also available that last 3-4 weeks.
For more information, call (256) 362-7449 or email office@campmac.com
To register, click here.
Another long-running camp in Calhoun County is Camp Lee, which is owned by the First United Methodist Church in Anniston. This day camp offers 4 week-long day camp sessions this summer with activities that include Bible study, Field Games, swimming, rockslide, canoeing, creek walk, and arts & crafts.
Dates:
Day Camp Session 1–June 5-9, K-2nd grade
Day Camp Session 2–June 12-16, 3rd-5th grade
Day Camp Session 3–June 19-23, K-2nd grade
Day Camp Session 4–June 26-30, 3rd-5th grade
Times: 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Cost: $100
For more information, call (256) 499-6160 or email camplee@camplee.org.
The YMCA in Anniston offers two different day camps during the summer. The first is Kinder Camp which caters to children ages 5-6. It features activities like indoor swimming, learning skills centers, arts & crafts, organized games, playground time, gym time, devotions, and camp songs. This camp takes place at the YMCA, while their other Day Camp, designed for kids 7-12, is held at Camp Hamilton (children are transported to and from there daily by bus). Activities like outdoor swimming, biking, canoeing, hiking, paddle boating, arts & crafts, and archery will be part of their fun outings.
Weekly Themes are part of the program with some being: Let’s Go Camping, Bugs & Butterflies, Treasure Island, Wild Wild West, Decade Week, Camp’s Got Talent. These weekly themes involve dressing up, cooking out, going on nature explorations, and even holding a talent show.
Dates:
Kinder Camp–May 30-Jul 28
Day Camp–May 30-Jul 28
Times: 7am-6pm (Day Camp)
Cost: $110/wk/$100/member; $45 supply fee
For more information, call (256) 238-YMCA or email jenniferkennedy@ymcacalhoun.org.
Alabama 4-H (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) offers summer day camps every Tuesday and Thursday from June 1-22 for youth ages 9-18. There are camps focused on Home Ec., fishing (and frying them up), camping, archery, arts & crafts, and more. Space is limited for all these events and pre-registration is required.
Events:
- Arts & Crafts: June 1st, 77 Justice Ave., 36205, $20
- Archery: June 6th, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 77 Justice Ave., 36205, $20
- Fishing & Fish Fry: June 8th, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM, Jacksonville, $20
- Redbird Willow Farm: June 13th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 1103 Lenlock Ln., 36206, $30
- Camping 101: June 15th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 77 Justice Ave., 36205, $20
- Chef 4-H Beginner: June 20th, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Wellborn High School Home Ec.
Lab, 135 Pinson Rd., 36201, $20
- Chef 4-H Advanced: June 20th, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Wellborn High School Home Ec.
Lab, 135 Pinson Rd., 36201, $20
To Register Online: Email czd0008@auburn.edu
For Questions Call: 256-237-1621
Jacksonville State University offers day camp activities for those ages 5-15. Their Water Weeks activities are: Spring Break, Yay Summer!, Shark Week, and Farewell Summer. Their Dry Activities include: Sports Days, Future Gamecocks, ARC, and Detective Week. Crafts Weeks feature: Costume Week, Mad Scientist, and Animal Week. JSU URec has even added a new event called Date Night Camp with the schedule TBA. A detailed schedule of what is currently on the roster is below.
Dates and Events:
Camp Date | Early Bird Registration Deadline |
Week 1: May 30- June 2 – Yay Summer | April 30 |
Week 2: June 5-9 – Future Gamecock | May 5 |
Week 3: June 12-16 – ARC Week | May 12 |
Week 4: June 20-23 – Costume Week | May 19 |
Week 5: June 25-30 – Detective Week | May 26 |
Week 6: July 6-7 – Sports Days | June 6 |
Week 7: July 10-14 – Shark Week | June 10 |
Week 8: July 17-21 – Mad Scientist Week | June 17 |
Week 9: July 24-28 – Animal Week | June 24 |
Week 10: July 31 – August 4 – Farewell Summer | June 30 |
Time: 8:30am-4pm
Cost: JSU Affiliate $35 Daily/$140 weekly; Non-affiliate $40 Daily/$165 weekly
To get your child or teen involved, fill out the registration form
Email for more information: kwpearson@jsu.edu.
City of Anniston Summer Day Camps
The City of Anniston is hosting summer day camps at three locations: Carver, Norwood Hodges, and Wiggins Community Centers. For children ages 5-12, these 10-week camps feature nature and science activities, drama, games, sports, arts & crafts, swimming, music, field trips, and more. Parents can pay weekly or for a 10-week block.
Dates: May 30-June 30; July 3-August 4
Times: 7:00 am-5:30 pm
Cost:
Weekly $55 resident/$60 non-resident (Installments can be paid by the week/month also)
Registration fee $25
To learn more and register, click here.
Smith’s Martial Arts is hosting a Martial Arts Camp, as well as Play Days. Located at 1931 Barry St. in Oxford, this martial arts studio will offer 6 weeks of fun exploring martial arts. The camp will feature martial arts classes, fun games, crafts, and even outdoor activities. The camp is weekly, while fun can also be experienced on a per-day basis with their Play Days.
Dates: July 5-9, June 12-16, June 26-29, July 10-14, July 17-21, July 24-28
Times:
Martial Arts Camp 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Play Days 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Cost: $125 per student; Play Day $30/day
To register for the Martial Arts camp, click here.
To purchase Play Days, click here.
For more information call (256) 926-2151 or email smithsmartialarts@gmail.com.
Anniston Museums and Gardens Summer Day Camps
The Anniston Museums and Gardens always come up with inventive ideas for special day camps that entertain kids during the summer months. This year their camps will be Camp Camelot for ages 8-13 and Gross Out Camp for 1st-4th graders. Camp Camelot will delve into medieval times when kings and queens ruled, knights fought, and castles were all the rage. Participants will do projects and activities associated with that era in history.
Gross Out Camp is a series running in multiple locations throughout Alabama, including Anniston. It’s an award-winning science camp designed for kids to explore the grounds of the Anniston Museum of Natural History and learn all about nature. Each group will be taught by an expert, who will instruct them in exploring, journaling, nature-inspired arts and crafts, and more (like creating “gross” slime from scratch). It lasts from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Events:
- Camp Camelot
Session 1 June 21-23; Cost $135/child ($15 member discount); Session 2 July 19-21
- Gross Out Camp
July 10-14; Cost $250 (Scholarships available)
Other Great Summer Opportunities
Summer Reading Programs in Calhoun County
There are all kinds of fun activities for kids at the libraries in Calhoun County Mondays thru Fridays in the months of June and July. They include arts & crafts, movies, puppet shows, special events, and the Summer Reading Program. To learn more about the Summer Reading Programs, click on the links below:
Anniston Public Library Summer Reading Program
Oxford Public Library Summer Reading Program
Jacksonville Public Library Summer Reading Program
The Oxford Civic Center has open registration for upcoming fall youth activities including Cheerleading and Oxford PARD Flag Football. For more information, call the Civic Center at (256)-831-2660.
The swimming pool at the Civic Center will be open to the public daily in the summer from Memorial Day Weekend until Labor Day Weekend, Monday – Saturday 11:00 am – 4:30 pm and Sunday 1:00 pm – 4:30 pm at a cost of $2.
Amstar Cinema 12 at Quintard Mall in Oxford will be continuing its awesome summer movie series featuring great classic children’s flicks. The price of admission is $5 per child which includes their ticket plus a box of popcorn and kids’ sized soda.
Chicken Run | June 13-14 |
Madagascar | June 20-21 |
Megamind | June 27-28 |
The Boss Baby | July 4-5 |
Trolls | July 11-12 |
The Bad Guys | July 18-19 |
Kung Fu Panda | July 25-26 |
Over the Hedge | Aug 1-2 |
Captain Underpants | Aug 8-9 |
Home | Aug 15-16 |
