Summer Camps and Programs

The Department of Human Service Programs (DHSP) offers safe and engaging summer programming to Cambridge children, youth, and teens. Community Schools Summer Camps are open to rising Kindergarten – 5th graders and Cambridge Youth Programs (CYP) Pre-Teen / Middle School Summer Programs are open to rising 4-8th graders.

During Summer 2022, Community Schools Summer Camps and CYP Pre-Teen / Middle School Summer Programs will run Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. during three 2-week sessions:

Session 1: Week 1 and 2 (July 11-22)
Session 2: Weeks 3 and 4 (July 25 – August 5)
Session 3: Weeks 5 and 6 (August 8 – August 19)

Camp and program costs are based on household size and income range (view tuition rates). Tuition is free for 8^th graders in CYP Summer Programming.

Programs will be filled by lottery system. Priority will be given to applicants from low-income households. See below for program-specific details.

Community Schools Summer Camps 2022

DHSP Community Schools Summer Camps offer a range of educational and recreational activities in a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment. Camp activities are designed to develop children’s social and emotional growth and build healthy relationships. Each Community Schools Camp focuses on a theme and campers participate in a wide range of activities each day.

The application to the DHSP Community Schools Summer Camps is closed.
If you have questions, contact askdhsp@cambridgema.gov

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be Cambridge residents or children of City of Cambridge employees.
• Applicants must be entering 1st through 5th grades in September 2022 or entering Kindergarten in September 2022 after completing a year of Junior Kindergarten.

Camps and Locations:

Amigos Cultural Camp (Amigos Community School, 15 Upton St.), World Explorers Camp (Fletcher-Maynard Academy, 225 Windsor St.), Camp Seafaring (Graham and Parks, 44 Linnaean St.), Strawberry Hill Camp (Haggerty Community School, 110 Cushing St.), Camp K-Lo (Kennedy-Longfellow Communtiy School, 158 Spring St.), Camp Sunsplash (King Open Communtiy School,  850 Cambridge St.),King Kids' Camp (M.L. King Community School, 102 Putnam Ave.), Camp Big Adventure (Morse Community School,40 Granite St.), Peabody Community School Summer Camp (70 Rindge Ave.), Tobin Kids' Camp (Tobin Community School, 359 Broadway). View camp descriptions here. 

Application and Notification Timeline:

• Monday, March 14 – Friday, April 1: Application period for Community Schools Summer Camp Lottery
• Applications will be submitted online through the City’s Viewpoint platform. This page will be updated with the application link when available.
• Families who need help with their application can contact askdhsp@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-6200.

• Week of April 18 – Families will be notified of their child’s placement in a camp or in the waiting pool.
• Notifications will be sent by email through the Viewpoint platform. Families can log into their Viewpoint account to check the status of their application at any time.

CYP Pre-Teen / Middle School Summer Programs 2022

Cambridge Youth Programs (CYP) Summer Programs offer safe and fun programming for pre-teens and middle schoolers to connect with peers, build leadership skills, and explore a range of enriching activities in an inclusive environment.

Applications to CYP Summer Programs are closed
If you have questions, contact askdhsp@cambridgema.gov

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be Cambridge residents or children of City of Cambridge employees.
• Applicants must be rising 4-8th graders.

Application and Notification Timeline:

• Monday, March 14 – Friday, April 15: Application period for CYP Summer Programs Lottery
• Applications will be submitted online through the DHSP’s Trax registration system.
• Families who need help with their application can contact askdhsp@cambridgema.gov or 617-349-6200.

• Week of April 25 – Families will be notified of their child’s placement in a CYP Summer Program or in the waiting pool.

Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program

In addition to summer programming for K-8^th graders, DHSP’s Office of Workforce Development manages The Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program (MSYEP), which offers summer jobs to teens ages 14 through the summer after they complete high school. Applications to MSYEP will open April 11.