It’s great to look back as an adult and remember all the good times you had as a kid during summer breaks. Here are some suggestions for helping your child(ren) build wonderful memories, develop skills, and stay occupied over the summer. Most programs serve particular age groups, with some working with teens/high school students. Be sure to go through this list as soon as possible—you can expect available spots will fill up soon, especially the free ones!

Durham Magazine lists wide variety of camps run by organizations including the Durham Arts Council, Triangle Youth Ballet, Schoolhouse of Wonder, and the Piedmont Wildlife Center; click here for more info.

The Durham Summer Camp Guide lists a wide variety of camps in Durham and neighboring towns. Art Camps: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Durham School for Ballet and the Performing Arts. Sports Camps: Bull City Gymnastics Camps, USA Ninja Challenge Summer Camps, Mid-South Fencers Club Summer Camps, Hollow Rock Racquet & Swim Summer Camps, Triangle United Soccer Camps, Modu Martial Arts Academy, Trinity School Summer Programs. Academic Camps: South Square Kindercare Summer Camps, Museum of Life and Science Summer Camps, The Goddard School Summer Camps, Summer Ventures in Science & Mathematics, Immaculate Catholic School Summer Camps, The Lerner School School’s Out Camps. Specialty Camps: Technology & Creativity Camps at Kramden Institute, CodeREV Virtual & Day Camps, SEEDS Summer Camp, Piedmont Wildlife Center, ISLA Verano Spanish Outdoor Exploration, Schoolhouse of Wonder, Civic Engagement & Leadership Programs, Emily K Center Summer Camps, Durham Academy Summer Camp & Institute, Our PlayHouse Preschool and Kindergarten. Click here for more info.

Durham Tech Summer Camps and Programs cater to middle and high school students and they’re free! Check out the Power of Us Camp, Summer Success Academy, and DPS Summer Quest. Click here for more info.

Summer Opportunities for Young People

Below is a listing of summer programs and internships offered by the City of Durham, Durham County, and Durham Public Schools. If you'd like to add a program hosted by these organizations, or would like to update the information listed, please email ooy@durhamnc.gov.

Also check out these other lists of summer offerings!

City of Durham

Durham Parks and Recreation Summer Camp: Durham Parks and Recreation offers a variety of traditional summer day camps for all ages and interests. Campers ages 5-17 enjoy fitness fun, arts and crafts, friendship-building activities, swimming, day trips, and much more at our Youth Summer Camps. Teen Camps and other opportunities like the Teen Zone Summer Program provide an opportunity for Durham teens to engage in activities focused on their interests.

Durham Police Department Summer Camps: The Police Department is hosting four 1-week long camps from June 22–August 7. Apply using the Police Athletic League registration packet, and return the packet to the front desk of the Police Department Headquarters (602 E. Main Street in Durham) or email it to DPAL@durhamnc.gov. Registration is open until the camps fill up.

Durham YouthWorks Internship Program (Office of Economic and Workforce Development): Durham YouthWorks offers paid summer opportunities for youth (ages 14-24) to develop critical skills and explore career options with top employers. [APPLICATION IS CLOSED]

Durham County

Durham 4-H Summer Camps (Cooperative Extension): Students participate in field trips and other hands-on learning opportunities about agriculture, horticulture, leadership, citizenship, healthy living, and science. Camps are available for ages 5-18. For more information email Durham’s 4-H agent at rawilso9@ncsu.edu. [DEADLINE April 17]

Durham County Library: The County's libraries host programs and events throughout the summer for all ages. Events can be found on the Library's calendar, and programs can be found on the Program and Services menu at the top of the homepage.

Kids Voting Durham Internship: (Cooperative Extension): Kids Voting Durham (KVD) offers young people (ages 14-24) in-person, paid internship summer opportunities for Team Leads and Youth Civic Leaders. KVD is looking for youth who want to deepen or develop their outreach, research, technical, creative/design, and community-building skills while supporting other youth to be civically engaged. [DEADLINE April 10 for Team Leads, May 15 for Civic Leaders]

NC Resource Conservation Workshop: (Durham Soil and Water): The Durham Soil and Water Conservation District will be sponsoring a rising high school student to attend the 2026 NC Resource Conservation Workshop from June 14-19. This is an overnight camp for students interested in conservation and natural resources. Students will spend the week at NC State University learning about a wide range of conservation areas of study for college and careers after graduation. [DEADLINE MARCH 31]

Durham Public Schools

DPS Summer Learning Opportunities: Durham Public Schools offers a number of enrichment opportunities for students to advantage during the summer months. They include reading programs and enrichment programs that assist high school students in meeting graduation requirements.

DPS Summer Camps: Enjoy day camps that combine enrichment activities with traditional recreational opportunities. Sports, games, field trips and crafts combine with interesting learning themes to create an exciting summer.

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