Ah, summer camp: those long, sticky days when your parents ship you off to some faraway place in the woods to spend your nights in hard, crunchy bunk beds listening to the sounds of crickets, scratching your poison ivy rash and writing pleading letters that insist you’ll never complain again ever if someone will just come take you home – now!

It doesn’t have to be that bad. In fact, there are plenty of summer camps to choose from right here at the College of Charleston that allow kids to have some daytime fun without forgoing the comforts of home. From sailing to STEAM and arts to engineering: There’s a summer camp for everyone at the College. No flashlights required. Check them out!

Summer STEAM Institute 

Held at the College of Charleston, the Summer STEAM Institute offers campers engaging activities that incorporate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) curriculum and athletics to foster imagination, collaboration and creativity. Students work alongside professional artists, educators and cultural organizations to explore different weekly themes.

  • Ages: Rising 3–8th graders
  • Dates: See specific sessions below
  • Time: 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Price per session: $215 (or $185 for 3 or more weeks)

For registration and more information, visit Engaging Creative Minds’ website

Superheroes vs. Sir Isaac: Week 2 campers test out the laws of motion to see how superheroes defy them.

  • Dates: June 26–30

Secret Code: Week 3 campers experience coding and computer science, exploring the world of technology and creating their own apps.

  • Dates: July 3–7

Total Eclipse of the Art: Week 4 campers learn all about space through dance, visual arts, theater and music.

  • Dates: July 10–14

We’re #1: Week 5 campers tour the city and learn why Charleston was voted the No. 1 City in the World by Travel  and Leisure Magazine.

  • Dates: July 17–21

DAT’s Right: Week 6 campers explore DAT (design, animation and technology) in this fun-filled week of cartoons, comics and computer science.

  • Dates: July 24–26

College of Charleston Basketball Camps

Held at TD Arena and led by Cougars Basketball Head Coach Earl Grant and his team, the College of Charleston Basketball Camps offer young men of all ages unforgettable experiences. With one-on-one instruction as well as daily interactive games, campers not only improve their skills and their techniques on the court, but also have a great time.

Boys Basketball Camp: This is an introductory camp to teach campers basketball skills and to give them the opportunity to play five-on-five games. Campers are divided into age groups.

  • Ages: 7–14
  • Dates: (Session II) June 26–29 and (Session III) June 31–August 3
  • Time: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Price: $225

Registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Elite Camp: This camp focuses on honing high school basketball players’ skills and techniques.

  • Ages: Rising 9th–12th graders
  • Date: Sunday, June 25
  • Time: 1 p.m.–5 p.m.; (check in, 12–1 p.m.)
  • Price: $50

Registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Charleston Soccer Academy 

Held at the Patriots Point Athletics Complex and led by CofC campers and current/former CofC players, the Charleston Soccer Academy camps are open to boys and girls and offer a fun and challenging environment suited from every ability and skill level.

Petite Feet Day Camp: This camp is a fun-filled entry-level introduction to soccer and requires no previous experience playing soccer.

  • Ages: 3–4
  • Dates: July 10–14
  • Time: 9 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
  • Price: $65

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Day Camp: This camp is structured to give campers plenty of repetitions and to challenge them to develop their own skills and techniques.

  • Ages: 5–12
  • Dates: July 10–14
  • Time: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. (check out 4 p.m., July 23)
  • Price: $175

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Elite Girls Commuter Camp: Designed for the female soccer player who is serious about the sport, this camp challenges players and gives them a taste of what they can expect at the next level.

  • Ages: 5–12
  • Dates: (Camp 1) June 26–29 and (Camp 2) July 17–20
  • Time: 3 p.m.–9 p.m. on Day 1, 8:30 a.m.–9 p.m. on Days 2–3, and 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. on Day 4
  • Price: $500

Registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Elite Girls Residential Camp: Designed for the female soccer player who is serious about the sport, this camp challenges players and gives them a taste of what they can expect at the next level.

  • Ages: 5–12
  • Dates: (Camp 1) June 26–29 and (Camp 2) July 17–20
  • Time: 2 p.m. on Day 1–11:30 a.m. on Day 4
  • Price: $600

Registration and more information, visit the camp’s website


Sailing Youth STEM Camps

Held at the College of Charleston’s J. Stewart Walker Sailing Complex, the College’s Sailing Youth STEM Camps are geared to teach children the science, technology, engineering and math behind sailing.

  • Ages: 8–14
  • Dates: (Camp 1) July 10–14 and (Camp 2) July 31–August 4
  • Time: 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Price: $450

Registration and more information, visit the camp’s website


Elementary Engineers Summer Camps

Held at the Thaddeus Street Jr. Education Center, these camps are led by certified teachers and assisted by CofC student teachers and give students the opportunity to interact with real professors, scientists and engineers. Campers will use to knowledge of science and math – as well as their curiosity and creativity – to design objects and systems that will help solve real-world problems. They will be designing and building hands-on projects and exploring campus and surrounding areas through an engineering lens.

  • Ages: Rising K–5th graders
  • Dates: See specific sessions below
  • Time: 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (early drop-off at 9:30 a.m.)
  • Price per session: $150

Visit the camp’s website to register and get and more information for all sessions

A Work in Progress: Improving the Play Dough Process: In this session, students learn to think like chemical engineers while designing a better way to make play dough.

  • Dates: July 10–14

Solid as a Rock: Replicating an Artifact: In this session, students learn to think like materials engineers and reflect on how processing affects materials as they imagine being archaeologists tasked by a museum to replicate a petroglyph and analyze properties of rocks and manmade materials.

  • Dates: July 17–21

Just Passing Through: Designing Model Membranes: In this session, students learn to think like bioengineers as they learn how membranes function and design a frog habitat with a model membrane that delivers just the right amount of water.

  • Dates: July 24–28

Now You’re Cooking: Designing Solar Ovens: In this session, students learn to think green engineers as they test different materials and consider the environmental impacts of thermal insulators and then design and test solar ovens and do some solar cooking.

  • Dates: July 31–August 4

College of Charleston Softball Camps

Held at the Patriots Point Athletics Complex, the College of Charleston Softball Camps are designed for players to develop their skills in all areas of the game. Led by CofC softball coaches and players, the camps are offered for all skill levels.

Summer Elite Day Camp: This camp will offer both instructional sessions – including all-skills, offensive and positional sessions – as well as live games.

  • Ages: Rising 8th–12th graders
  • Date: July 11
  • Time: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Price: $225

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website


Cougar Volleyball Camps

Held at TD Arena and led by Cougars Volleyball Head Coach Jason Kepner and staff, the Cougar Volleyball Camps offer skill-training and technique-honing and team-building opportunities for all levels of volleyball players.

Elite Skills Commuter Camp: This camp is designed to hone young women’s fundamental volleyball skills in a challenging and fun environment. College coaches and Division I players will help them master the basics and prepare them for their next school season.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 18–20
  • Time: July 18 & 19, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.; July 20, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
  • Price: $275

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Elite Skills Overnight Camp: This camp is designed to hone young women’s fundamental volleyball skills in a challenging and fun environment. Overnight sessions allow for more training and competitive games against one another and CofC players, too.

  • Ages: Rising 7th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 17–20
  • Time: Check in July 17, 2:30–4:30 p.m.; Check out July 20, 12–1 p.m.
  • Price: $395

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Libero Commuter Camp: This camp will focus on forearm passing and defensive techniques and will address proper body position and footwork as well as out-of-system setting, serving and emergency defensive techniques.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 21
  • Time: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Price: $90

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Libero Overnight Camp: This camp will focus on forearm passing and defensive techniques and will address proper body position and footwork as well as out-of-system setting, serving and emergency defensive techniques. Includes an evening session and a night in CofC residence halls.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 21–22
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 9 a.m., July 22)
  • Price: $175

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Libero/Hitter Overnight Camp:  Libero Overnight Camp participants return for two hitting sessions.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 21–22
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 4 p.m., July 22)
  • Price: $265

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Hitter Commuter Camp: This camp is for all outside, middle and right-side hitters and will focus on footwork, technique and various attacks, as well as position-specific drills for improvement of overall game execution.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 22
  • Time: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Price: $90

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Hitter Overnight Camp: This camp is for all outside, middle and right-side hitters and will focus on footwork, technique and various attacks, as well as position-specific drills for improvement of overall game execution. Includes an evening session and a night in CofC residence halls.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 22–23
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 9 a.m., July 23)
  • Price: $175

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Hitter/Setter Overnight Camp: In addition to the Hitter Overnight Camp, participants stay for two setter sessions.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 22–23
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 4 p.m., July 23)
  • Price: $265

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Setter Commuter Camp: This camp will focus on training all aspects of competitive setting including footwork, body posture, hand placement and decision making. Each setter will get a high number of repetitions in various situations.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 23
  • Time: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Price: $90

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Setter Overnight Camp: This camp will focus on training all aspects of competitive setting including footwork, body posture, hand placement and decision making. Each setter will get a high number of repetitions in various situations. Includes an evening session and a night in CofC residence halls.

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 22–23
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 9 a.m., July 23)
  • Price: $175

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website

Libero/Hitter/Setter Overnight Camp: This camp includes all three position camps

  • Ages: Rising 5th–12th graders
  • Dates: July 21–23
  • Time: 9 a.m.–8 p.m. (check out 4 p.m., July 23)
  • Price: $395

For registration and more information, visit the camp’s website