The Complete Guide to Summer Camps in St. Louis City, County & the Metro

Summer camp season in St. Louis starts earlier than most families expect. The best day camps in Kirkwood, Webster Groves, Chesterfield and the Central West End fill their first two weeks by February, and scholarship deadlines often land before spring break.

Start with the format, not the theme

Before you compare themes, decide what your week actually needs to look like:

• Half-day AM or PM — great for preschool and early elementary, and usually the cheapest option.
• Full-day — typically 9am–4pm with before/after care add-ons. This is what most working families need.
• Overnight / resident camp — usually ages 8 and up, one to two week sessions.
• Weekly drop-in programs — flexible, useful for filling gaps between longer sessions.

Once you know the format, the theme is the fun part: STEM and robotics, art studios, nature and farm camps, theater, cooking, and every sport you can think of.

Where camps cluster around the region

Camps are spread across the whole region, not just the city:

• St. Louis City — museum, zoo and arts-district camps, plus community center programs.
• Mid County — university and school-campus camps, strong STEM and academic enrichment.
• West County — the largest concentration of sports academies and multi-week day camps.
• North County & South County — parks-department and YMCA camps with the friendliest pricing.
• St. Charles, Jefferson County & the Metro East — nature centers, farm camps and church-run programs.

Filtering by area matters more than parents expect. A camp that looks perfect on paper stops being perfect when it adds forty minutes to your commute twice a day.

Budget realistically

Across the metro, expect roughly:

• Parks and community programs: $75–$175 per week
• Private day camps: $250–$450 per week
• Specialty sports and STEM: $300–$600 per week
• Overnight camps: $600–$1,200 per session

Many organizations offer sibling discounts, early-bird pricing and need-based scholarships. Ask directly — a lot of scholarship money goes unclaimed simply because families don't know it exists.

A simple registration timeline

1. January–February — browse listings, note which camps open first.
2. February–March — register for the weeks you're certain about.
3. April — apply for scholarships and financial aid.
4. May — fill remaining gaps with drop-in and parks programs.
5. June onward — watch for cancellation spots opening up.

Browse open camps now

Every camp on Play Time Stl includes dates, ages, grade ranges, enrollment type, area and a direct link to the organizer's registration page — no dead links, no guessing. Start with the camps hub, filter by your area and your child's grade, and shortlist three before you commit to one.