Summer Camp 2026
Dandelion camps are all about fun, exploration, collaboration, and play!! Whether exploring a specific interest in one of our themed weeks, or immersed in nature at FDR park, we support campers in building meaningful relationships with themselves, their fellow campers, and the world around them! All of our summer camps run from 9am-3pm and have sliding scale tuition.
Big news! For the first time, we will be running camp all summer long. We have three types of camp offerings:
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Dandelion Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Camp (open-ended play, creative offerings, and a daily park trip)
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Dandelion Themed Camp Weeks (daily offerings related to an exciting theme and a daily park trip)
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Dandelion Camp @ FDR Park (daily nature-themed offerings, sports, and all day outdoor play!)
Sliding Scale Info: The true cost of all of our camps is $400 per week. We use a trust-based sliding scale to make our camps more accessible. If your family needs to pay less in order to afford camp, utilize our sliding scale coupon codes at checkout:
Enter the coupon code camp15 at checkout for the $340 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp20 at checkout for the $320 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp25 at checkout for the $300 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp30 at checkout for the $280 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp35 at checkout for the $260 weekly rate
Your coupon code will apply for your entire order!
Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure Camp offers space for kids to explore their passions, try out new interests, and connect with friends! Kids can explore open-ended play with Legos, dress-up, and art materials or opt into exciting daily offerings like cooking, crafts, storytelling games and more.
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June 15-June 19
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June 22-June 26
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June 29-July 2
Ages 5-11
South 9th st Location
Themed Weeks on south 9th st
June 22-26
Ages 10-15
Teens and tweens are invited to build on their musical skills and learn to play with a group. Campers will form bands, jam as a group, and try out writing their own songs. This week of camp will be led by Beth Cann, a seasoned musician and music educator and founder of Songbird music.
Tween/Teen Band Camp
Music Explorations
July 6-10
Ages 5-11
Join us for a week of open-ended music! Campers will test out new instruments, connect through sing-alongs, and get loud in group drum circles. No previous music experience is necessary! This week of camp will be led by Beth Cann, a seasoned musician and music educator and founder of Songbird music.
*Aftercare offered by Zoomdance for this week of camp! See below for details & registration
Big, Messy Science
July 13-17
Ages 5-11
From creating erupting volcanos, testing different recipes for slime and oobleck, and dissecting owl pellets to learn what they eat, kids explore a range of big, messy science experiments. This week is perfect for budding scientists and curious kids who love to ask, "Why?"
*Aftercare offered by Zoomdance for this week of camp! See below for details & registration
Embodied art
July 20-24
Ages 5-11
Paint with different parts of your body, build and taste edible art, create sound sculptures, and more! This week kids will learn about artists who use the five senses to make art and try fun, sensory-focused art activities.
*Aftercare offered by Zoomdance for this week of camp! See below for details & registration
July 27-31
Ages 5-11
Create a Rube Goldberg machine, make a contraption to protect eggs dropped from the top of the building, test out popsicle stick tower designs, and more! This week will offer hands-on challenges with ample opportunities for experimentation and creative problem-solving.
*Aftercare offered by Zoomdance for this week of camp! See below for details & registration
Engineering Adventures
Tell Your Story: zines, improv, comics, and more!
August 3-7
Ages 5-11
Calling all young storytellers! Campers will play collaborative storytelling games, invent their own characters, and create original comics and zines. We’ll explore several story genres – including fantasy, science fiction, spooky stories, personal narratives, and more – giving kids many different opportunities to dream up stories they love.
Sculpture and Imaginative Design
August 3-7
Ages 5-11
Build a giant cardboard fort, make a creature out of paper maché, use found materials to create dioramas of an imaginary world! Kids will spend this week trying out different tools and materials to bring their original creative ideas to life.
Dandelion Camp @ FDR Park
Young adventurers ages 5–12 are invited to join us at FDR Park for an unforgettable summer of outdoor fun! At the heart of our camp is a commitment to environmental stewardship, and we’re thrilled to offer four unique weeks of programming that bring this value to life in creative and exciting ways. From building shelters and observing the lake’s wonders to playing collaborative games and cooling off with refreshing activities, we know how to make the most of summer in the park!
Dates
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July 27-31
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August 3-7
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August 10-14
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August 17-21
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August 24-28
Daily Camp Rhythm
9:00-9:15AM Student Drop Off
9:30AM Set the Day + Intentions
10:00-12:00PM Environmental Stewardship offerings
(ex: fishing, plant identification, foraging, shelter building, natural material sculptures, bug observation.)
12:00PM Lunch Reminder
12:00-2:00PM Self-Directed Activities/Experiences
2:30-2:45PM Community Clean Up
2:45PM Afternoon Reflections + Gratitudes
3:00PM Parent Pick Up
To note: We are an entirely outdoors camp! In the event of rain, we will alter our daily activities to enjoy the wet weather more fully. We will not move indoors, cancel or refund camp. Additionally, we are committed to helping campers understand the Health & Safety rules at Dandelion Camp and are thoughtful about all the ways we support campers in helping to keep themselves safe. We do need campers to reliably and consistently uphold the rule to stay in the camp boundary, which is clearly marked and monitored.
Sliding Scale Info
The true cost of all of our camps is $400 per week. We use a trust-based sliding scale to make our camps more accessible. If your family needs to pay less in order to afford camp, utilize our sliding scale coupon codes at checkout:
Enter the coupon code camp15 at checkout for the $340 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp20 at checkout for the $320 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp25 at checkout for the $300 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp30 at checkout for the $280 weekly rate
Enter the coupon code camp35 at checkout for the $260 weekly rate
Your coupon code will apply for your entire order!
Cancellation
We are committed to balancing our need to fully compensate our staff for their committed time with our desire to refund families who need to cancel registration. Cancellations are available prior April 30th, less a $50.00 admin fee.
