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Your Best Summer Yet With MacKID's Summer Camp Picks + $500 Giveaway

Win $500 toward the summer camp of your choice!

By Macaroni KID April 12, 2023

Summer camps are a place where kids can have a chance to explore outside-the-box interests, make new friends, and create memories.


Macaroni KID thinks summer camps are such a valuable experience that we're offering a $500 giveaway! 
The winning family can use the money on a camp of their choice!
Enter now to win!
The entry period closes at midnight May 11, 2023. Click here for complete rules.


But with so many different camps to choose from, how can you pick the right one for your child? After all, every child is unique, with their own set of interests, abilities, and personality traits. That's why, when choosing a summer camp, finding one that caters to your child's individual needs and preferences is important. 

Here are four different kinds of kids, and the summer camp picks that might be a good fit for each one:





The Camp Invention experience sparks curiosity, builds persistence, and creates an unforgettable summer.

The STEAM Enthusiast

Do you have a kid always asking "why?" or taking apart the toaster to see how it works? A STEAM camp might be just the thing to keep their curious mind engaged and entertained — and your electronics and appliances safe.

STEAM camps are all about hands-on learning and problem-solving. Kids get to explore the world of science, technology, engineering, and math through fun and interactive activities, and even learn the basics of coding!

STEAM camps offer a supportive and stimulating environment for curious and creative children to explore their interests and build new skills. So, if your kid is always eager to learn and experiment, sign them up for a STEAM camp and watch their inner genius shine!

Our pick: Camp Invention

Why we love it: Camp Invention offers children the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through engaging activities, challenges, and projects. The camps encourage kids to use their imagination, problem-solving skills, and teamwork abilities to create and innovate, which fosters a love for learning and discovery. 

Find a Camp Invention near you, and use a CertifiKID discount code to save! 

Save $15 with promo code CIFUN15
(Hurry! Offer expires 5/17/23)





Children learn skills and good sportsmanship at Breakthrough Basketball camps.

The Athlete

Got a kid who's always on the go, loves to compete, and has energy to spare? A sports camp might be the ticket to tire them out! These camps are perfect for kids who love to play and compete in sports like basketball, soccer, baseball, and swimming.

At sports camps, kids can show off their skills, compete against other campers, and learn valuable teamwork and sportsmanship. And with so many different types of sports to choose from, they're sure to find something they love! 

Our pick: Breakthrough Basketball

Why we love it: Your kids will learn basketball. But Breakthrough Basketball camps are more than learning skills. Breakthrough Basketball coaches firmly believe they have a very important responsibility and an amazing opportunity to positively impact their players' lives. 

There are more than 400 Breakthrough Basketball camps in nearly every state nationwide. 

Find a Breakthrough Basketball camp near you, and use a CertifiKID discount code to save!

$25 Off 2023 Summer Camps: Use promo code CERTIFIKID

$35 Off 2023 Spring Camps: Use promo code CERTIFIKIDSPRING



Katerina Holmes | Canva

Children enrolled in Mercersburg Academy's Young Writers Camp produce a literary journal.

The Creative

Does your kid always have a paintbrush in hand, can't stop singing show tunes, or always have a story to tell? A creative summer camp could be the perfect fit for your little artiste! Creative camps are designed to get those creative juices flowing and allow your child to explore their interests and experiment with different art forms. From painting and writing to theater and music, the possibilities are endless!

Our pick: Mercersburg Academy Summer Programs

Why we love it: Mercersburg Academy offers a wide variety of weeklong, overnight camps in the summer, during which kids stay in dorms. The school's theatre and young writers camps are standouts for creative kids! During the weeklong theatre camp, children participate in interdisciplinary workshops, enjoy open mic nights, and other summer fun. The week closes with a performance for family and friends. 

Instructors at the Young Writers Camp are teachers and working writers who understand the writing process's challenges. By the end of camp, students will have produced a literary magazine, a one-of-a-kind keepsake to remember their unique Mercersburg experience.

Find out more, plus save with CertifiKID's discount code!

Save15% with code CERTIFIKID23




Kayaking is just one of the many adventurous activities at Terrapin Adventures.

The Adventurer

Got a kid who's always up for a wild ride? An adventure overnight summer camp might be just the ticket! These camps are tailor-made for thrill-seekers who love exploring the great outdoors.

Think hiking, camping, ziplining, kayaking, and so much more! Adventure overnight summer camps are the perfect way to challenge your child's limits, build confidence, and create amazing memories.

Whether your little adventurer is into wilderness survival, sports, or loves getting dirty, there's a camp out there sure to satisfy their sense of adventure. 

Our pick: 

We can't pick just one! Here are three of our favorite overnight adventure camps and why we love them.
Big bonus — all three are offering savings now! Click on the links to find out more:

Camp Netimus Sleepaway Camp For Girls

Campers ages 7 to 16 have gathered at Camp Netimus since 1930 for horseback riding, swimming, rock climbing, hiking, boating, canoeing, sailing, mountain biking, tennis, photography, crafts, and much more. Generations of Camp Netimus campers have built confidence, character, and lifelong relationships at this camp, located in the Poconos in Pennsylvania. 

Camp Timberlake Sleepaway Camp for Boys

Camp Timberlake is a Christian summer camp for boys in the mountains of western North Carolina. Camp Timberlake strives not only to provide a summer of fun and recreation but, in a larger sense, to develop a boy’s character so they will be stronger mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Terrapin Adventures Sleepaway Camp

Terrapin Adventures, in Maryland, has long offered day camps, but this year is starting a brand new sleepaway camp ... and the description alone makes us wish we were kids again so we could attend. Ziplining, a giant swing, river tubing, astronomy, an aerial adventure course... this will surely be a one-week camp your kids won't forget.


Choosing the right summer camp for your child can be daunting, but if you keep their unique needs and interests in mind, you're sure to find one they love! 

Enter now to win $500 to a camp of your choice this summer!



When visiting local businesses and events in Branson, be sure to tell them Macaroni KID sent you... and don't forget to tell all of your friends!
Macaroni KID Branson is a free local events calendar, weekly newsletter, and website focused on family-friendly events and resources in the greater Branson, Missouri area. We gather all the local family-friendly events and activities happening in Branson so you can find them all in one place!