Des Moines Summer Camps

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Welcome to the 2025 ultimate guide to Des Moines summer camps, programs, and activities for kids!

Summer camps are a great way to keep kids busy and engaged during break. From week-long educational camps to day camps exploring nature, there is a camp for every interest and budget.  Use this guide to help you plan a fun and stress-free summer for the kids.

Plus download our Summer Planner to plan out all your summer adventures.

The 2025 Summer Camp Guide is sponsored by our featured programs, but it is a comprehensive guide to all summer camps in Des Moines. We so appreciate the support of the community and the opportunity to present our readers with valuable resources.

 

Climb Iowa

climb iowa summer camp

Climb Iowa is the perfect place for kids to explore, grow, and have fun in an exciting and active environment. As Iowa’s largest indoor climbing gym, with two locations in the Des Moines Metro, we offer youth programs designed to challenge and inspire. Our climbing camps provide a unique opportunity for kids to build confidence, develop problem-solving skills, and learn teamwork—all while having a blast scaling walls and tackling new challenges. With expert instructors, engaging activities, and a supportive atmosphere, our camps are a great way for kids to stay active and make new friends. Whether your child is new to climbing or already a little adventurer, Climb Iowa’s camps offer an encouraging space to develop skills and gain independence. Plus, our programs are a great alternative to traditional sports, offering a fresh and exciting way to stay engaged and active. Let your child reach new heights with Climb Iowa this summer! 

515-986-2565

3605 SE Miehe Drive, Grimes, IA 50111

kids climbing wall des moines summer camp

Premiere Dance Project

premiere dance - des moines summer camp guide

Premiere’s Summer Camps provide an exciting opportunity for your child to grow in confidence, explore creativity, and build friendships through dance. With a variety of camps offered at both our Waukee and West Des Moines locations, each camp combines movement, music, crafts, and games in a fun and supportive environment- no dance experience required. At Premiere, we are dedicated to nurturing confidence, discipline, and lifelong friendships through dance. Get ready to dance, grow, and have fun with us this summer!

Steve & Kate's Camp

steve and kate summer camp

Since 1980, Steve & Kate’s has put kids in charge at camp. Campers choose from a variety of activities in real-time, including sewing, coding, maker crafts, sports, and more!

Families can buy any number of days, to use at any time–no weekly commitments required. Any unused Passes are refunded in full mid-September. Lunch, snacks, & all hours (8am–6pm) included. Ages 4–12.

Artfull

Artfull Des Moines Summer Camps
Artfull is a family focused maker space with a mission to connect kids, families and adults through arts, crafts and creative experiences. Drop in during our open studio hours and create with us! No appointment needed. Projects include canvas, wood, paint and take ceramics, our Splatter Room, and more! You don’t have to be a professional artist to be creative or enjoy the benefits of making artArtfull makes creativity accessible for all ages and skill levels. 
 
We love to celebrate and create! Birthday Parties, Corporate Team building, camps, fundraisers, or adult gatherings the Artfull team can help make your next event a creative success. Contact us to find out more.

Des Moines Playhouse

summer camp guide des moies

The Playhouse creates extraordinary shared experiences through live theatre. In addition to a full season of shows, the theatre offers a wide variety of educational experiences, including classes for ages 4 to adult, theatre trips to New York, and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage. Theatre arts
education at The Playhouse provides students with the opportunity to explore, create, imagine, and express themselves, all within a safe, nurturing environment.

Heartland Youth Choir

summer camp guide Heartland youth choir

Heartland Youth Choir, founded by Barbara Sletto in 2003, provides a performance-based program for youth that emphasizes musical literacy and character development. Heartland Youth Choir provides a unique opportunity for children of diverse backgrounds with a particular aptitude in vocal music to explore that interest beyond their school setting. Quality literature from all styles and periods form the foundation for this exploration.

Devine Dancers

Devine Dancers Facebook

We believe in the power of dance to change lives. We know that dance aids in physical and mental well-being. It will improve muscle strength, flexibility, and motor skills, as well as provide cardio conditioning and endurance training.

Center Grove Orchard

Center Grove Orchard Facebook

Center Grove Orchard hosts Farm Camp each summer, offering children ages 6-11 the opportunity to learn about life on the farm. Campers interact with farm animals, learn about crops, make crafts, play games and enjoy the great outdoors in our 200-acre classroom.

Des Moines Film / The Varsity Cinema

Des Moines Film / The Varsity Cinema Facebook

Travel around the world through movies! Earn a new stamp for your passport each day as we watch a movie from a different country, then explore that country’s culture through fun activities. All films will be PG or G-rated or considered equivalent. 

Des Moines Summer Camps by Category

Ready to be part of our Des Moines Summer Camp Guide?

We want to connect our readers with your business and help them engage their children in summer camps in the Des Moines area. Partnering with us offers your business greater visibility with a large targeted market of local parents. Join us in helping to enrich the lives of the residents of Des Moines. Fill out the form below to get started!

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Kara Knaack
Kara originally hails from northwest Iowa where she met her husband, Lance, through a 4-H fashion show. After a decade of living in central Iowa, Kara is still figuring out which way is north. Wearing the hat of “wife, mommy, employee, chef, ribbon tie-er and family calendar organizer,” Kara knows a bit about juggling life and work. Kara became a boy-mom in June of 2011 to Lucan and a girl-mom to Gracelyn in December of 2014. Most days you can find her mixing up metaphors and oversharing life’s moments via social media. Kara enjoys yoga, reading, gardening, cooking, sewing in straight lines and singing along to musicals. A spender by nature, but thrifty by necessity, Kara is always in hunt of a bargain. She’s an active member of Northpoint Church and a resident of Grimes. Her vision for life includes “doing the best we can with what God gives us.”

2 COMMENTS

  1. Hi! My name is Jessie Schnack and I am opening a nonprofit youth dance theatre. I would love to get my summer camps listed if possible and help get the word out about my studio!

    Thanks so much!
    Jessie

  2. The “2024 Ultimate Guide to Des Moines Summer Camps, Programs, and Activities for Kids” is an outstanding resource for parents looking to keep their children engaged and active during the summer. This comprehensive guide caters to a wide range of interests and budgets, from educational week-long camps to nature exploration day camps, ensuring that every child can find something enjoyable. The addition of a downloadable Summer Planner is a thoughtful feature, making it easier for parents to organize their summer activities. Sponsored by featured programs yet inclusive of all local camps, this guide reflects strong community support and serves as a valuable tool for planning a fun and stress-free summer for kids in Des Moines.

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