The scenic Queen’s campus is once again a bustling centre of daily activity as children of all ages participate in the popular Queen’s summer camps.

During the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Queen’s camps transitioned to online camps or offered free virtual programming to keep youth engaged. Queen’s University is excited to once again be back in person for its summer camp offerings.

Summer camp season kicked off on July 4, with 10 Queen’s camps offering in-person programs — from science to drama, art to eco-adventures, and from math to sports. Together, Queen’s Camps annually welcome over 3,000 youth through the camps and employ more than 100 post-secondary students. These camps are run by both on-campus student groups and the university itself.

“Science Quest has been running since 1988. This is our first year back since the pandemic, and we're very happy to be returning to in-person activities,” says Emily Lind, head director of Science Quest. “Kinder and junior campers are having a great time learning about science through activities like building an elastic-powered car or a balloon-powered rocket. Senior campers can choose from robotics, computing or science/engineering camps. We also have girls-only programming, and are offering the Tyendinaga Bus Program.”

What’s New?

Along with the return of in-person Queen’s camps, there are some exciting new programs being offered.

The Queen's Summer Engineering Academy (QSEA) is offering a QSEA Girls Program, and a QSEA Black Youth in STEM program for the first time this year. Both programs are free and are aimed at reducing barriers for these under-represented groups.

Queen's Athletics & Recreation, the leading camp provider in the Kingston area with their Q-Camps, is offering some new camps including the Gaels Rugby: Junior & Senior Skills, Survivor Camp, and Code, Create & Play with Code Ninjas. Similarly, the Agnes Art Camp has teamed up with Q-Camps for a jointly offered Arts and Sports Camp.

“We’re delighted to see a return of children and youth programming through Queen’s Athletics & Recreation this summer. Our Q-Camps programs offer a wide variety of camps from ages five to 18 with an emphasis on physical literacy and sport for life. We utilize the talents of our Queen’s students and their backgrounds in physical activity, sport, teaching, and instruction along with their own studies and interests, to provide a really diverse and exciting range of activity,” says Sarah Utting, Coordinator Youth Programs and Community Engagement, Queen’s University Athletics & Recreation. “We hope the camps introduce youth in our community to a variety of ways to get active and delivered in a way that encourages a sense and spirit of discovery to build self-esteem, teamwork, and skill.”

Find out more about Queen’s Camps and their offerings here.