Nantucket Children’s Camps & Activities
Nantucket island is the perfect destination to create lifelong memories with your family. Whether you are here for a week or two in the summer or live here year-round, there is no shortage of fun activities for children of all ages.
During the summer months, the island offers endless opportunities for kids to learn, play, make new friends, and simply enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds them. There are several camps for children of all interests, commonly starting at age three and a half. Strong Wings Adventure camp is the perfect choice for kids that love physical activities, including, “rock climbing, biking, high and low ropes course activities, kayaking, archery, farming, cooperative games, team building, and explorations of the island’s diverse outdoor environments”(strongwings.org). Another popular choice is Murray Camp which offers similar enriching activities with an emphasis on helping children build friendships and work together. The Nantucket Community School, the Nantucket New School, and the Boys and Girls Club also offer popular full-day camps that are sure to provide engaging activities for various learning styles and abilities. There are plenty of choices for families with varied budgets and time commitments.
For those interested in a more specific camp experience, there is an abundance of options. For your aspiring surfer, we have Ack Surf School where kids can learn a skill to enjoy for the summers to come. If you don’t want to commit to camps, you can have private or group lessons at Ack Surf as well. Other water-based camps include the Nantucket Community Sailing program and the Watersports Camp from Next Level Watersports. Your budding young scientists may enjoy one of the offerings from the Maria Mitchell Association, and fantastic theater programs through Dreamland Stage Company can build your child’s performance skills and confidence.
If family time is on your mind there are plenty of ways to enjoy the island together with your children. You can take them to one of the many popular beaches, playgrounds, walking trails, or family-friendly restaurants. Surfside Beach, Children’s Beach, and Jetties Beach are all great choices as they offer restrooms and dining options to make a family beach day a breeze. Jetties and Children’s also have their own playgrounds to keep kids entertained. Out on the east end of the island? No problem! The village of Sconset has a wonderful playground in Cod Fish Park with phenomenal ocean views. Make sure to bring some sand toys because the playground doubles as a huge sandbox. The largest and newest playground is the Discovery Playground off of Old South Road, with equipment that can be fun for many age and ability groups. When you are done there, one of our favorite stops on the way home is 3-Way Scoops just across the street for a refreshing ice cream cone after all that play. However you choose to spend your time on Nantucket, your children are sure to have experiences they will cherish for years to come.