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April 14, 2025Fun Summer Activities for Kids
We are coming to the end of May, when the school year is ending in Sonoma County. Many kids have a lot of time on their hands during the summer. If you are a parent, you are looking for great summer activities for your kids that will keep them engaged and stimulated. We have some great alternatives to gaming or scrolling continuously during the summer. We share some of the fun activities we have used before with our kids to keep summer fun and engaging.
Charles M. Schulz Museum
The Charles Schulz Museum is dedicated to the works and the creator of Peanuts. The museum has week-long summer camps to help inspire any creative and curious kids. If your kid is into Lego, drawing, drama, or science, this is the camp for them. The museum offers camp sessions all summer long. Camp sessions are usually four hours and are available for kids in first through sixth grade.
Doyle Adventure Camp
So many generations have grown up with summer activities sponsored by Santa Rosa Recreation & Parks’ traditional day camps! They have Day Camps, Adventure Camps, Art, Dance & Drama Camps, Boating & Sailing Camps, Science & Engineering Camps, and Sport & Fitness Camps. They have camps for 4–5-year-olds, 6-12-year-olds, 8-12-year-olds, the Boat & Sailing Camp is for 9-16-year-olds, and they even offer work experience to 13-17-year-olds. There is literally something for every child’s interest level and abilities.
Humane Society of Sonoma County Camps
If your kids love animals, have them help out at the Sonoma County Humane Society while learning about animal care. The Humane Society offers two week-long camps all summer. The Animal Adventure Camp gives kids a chance to learn from veterinarians, understand dog and cat body language, and meet different kinds of animals, such as dogs, cats, bunnies, reptiles, pigs, goats, horses, alpacas, sheep, llamas, mini ponies, donkeys, and more. The Week at Farm Camp gives kids a chance to experience farm life at Forget Me Not Farm; they’ll nurture the garden, learn to understand the connections between animals, land and humans; feed, they’ll get to groom and walk animals at the farm; and learn about the ecosystems on a farm.
Legends Summer Camp
If your children can’t get enough softball or baseball fun, this camp is for them. Legends Summer Camp offers the best baseball and softball camps in the North Bay. Week-long camps or bootcamps located in Petaluma give baseball and softball players alike a chance to hone their skills while making great friends with other players.
Sea Camp at Jenner
One Ocean Consulting offers a Jenner by the Sea Camp, a 3-day summer experience for school-aged students, July 22-24 at the Jenner Community Center. Sign up early because this summer camp fills up each year. Designed to expose students to local marine habitats while creating an understanding of how these systems work, students, ages 8-12, will participate in age-appropriate art and hands-on science activities. Activities highlight the marine life that lives along the Sonoma Coast and include an opportunity for students to print a t-shirt, using Gyotaku, the traditional Japanese art of fish printing. Fieldwork will include a low-tide visit to the rocky seashore, an exploration of a local sandy beach, and a visit to the harbor seal haul-out located at the mouth of the Russian River.
Roberta Dean and Bruce Stewart, two award-winning marine education specialists who have enjoyed sharing their love of the ocean with students of all ages for many years, conduct Jenner by the Sea Camp.
Sonoma County YMCA Camps
Sonoma County YMCA Camps are located in many locations in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, and Sonoma. Sonoma County’s local YMCA, offers adventure, sports and overnight camps for kids and teens. Sports camps offer a chance to learn a variety of games and sports, and engage in other fun activities, including arts and crafts, team-building exercises, and more.
Special outings include field trips, swimming, special games, and more. With more than 100 years of camping experience, YMCA camps are a great place where children build self-esteem, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility for themselves and the world around them.
Sonoma State University Super Kids Camp
Sonoma State University offers Super Kids Camp, a summer-long camp that runs from June 10 through Aug. 2. The camp lets kids learn and improve on their sports, drama, science, and art knowledge in a safe environment. Kids have access to the SSU swimming pool and rock-climbing wall. and get to go on field trips. Counselors are SSU students who are positive role models for campers. Competitive pricing is offered compared to other Sonoma County summer camps. SSU Camps have an 8:1 camper-to-counselor ratio, which allows for individual attention.
Sonoma County Regional Park Camps
If your kid wants to learn how to become a lifeguard, Sonoma County Regional Parks has what they want. Check out their Junior Guard Camps, which have multiple openings. The week-long camp enables your tween or teen to learn from an expert open-water lifeguard. They’ll learn new skills and make new friends.
For those interested in a career as a first responder, becoming a Sonoma County lifeguard offers an excellent entry-level opportunity. Many of our lifeguards begin their journey through our Junior Guard and Lifeguard in Training (LGIT) programs, gaining valuable leadership experience and emergency response skills. They have the opportunity for ongoing training and certification as a lifeguard.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin Camps
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin is one of the largest youth organizations in the county. They have your kids prepared for a summer of fun with summer camps in 10 cities and towns across the Sonoma-Marin area. Camps are open to kids in kindergarten through eighth grade and include meals and snacks. Campers have a full day of fun-filled activities, including sports, STEM, art, and expanded learning activities. The week costs $290 per child and ends with a weekly field trip. Locations include Cloverdale, Geyserville, Healdsburg, Windsor, Guerneville, Santa Rosa, Roseland, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, and Novato.
Sessions Climbing Center Camps
Session Climbing has four or five-day camps for your kids. The Summer Monkey Program is for children 7-12 years of age. The Summer Senders Program is for children 12-15 years of age. Their camps are a great opportunity for children and teens alike to begin learning the skills necessary to climb safely and efficiently. Climbing is a great way to gain confidence and self-esteem in a social and collaborative environment. Sign them up for an experience they’ll remember and benefit from for years to come.
Not to leave adults out of the picture, there is a great selection of summer camps for adults in Sonoma County. You have your pick: Grape Camps, Surf Camps, Christian Camps, and a Women’s Retreat at Camp Newman. Free up some time this summer and leave the house cleaning to Crystal Clear Home. Just fill out our Free Estimate form or give us a call at 707-827-3316!