Parent guide · Summer
How to search for summer camps without losing your mind
The hard part is not finding camps — it is finding options that fit your child, your weeks, your neighborhood, and your budget. Here is a practical path that works on Kamp.
1. Start with the calendar, not the camps
Map the weeks that actually need coverage first. Once open weeks are clear, search gets narrower: “What works the week of July 15 for this age and commute?” instead of “What are all the good camps?”
2. Filter by the child
Age, interests, comfort level, and full-day vs half-day matter more than brochure photos. On Kamp search, use age and activity type, then open a few detail pages to check hours and location.
City shortcuts: Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Lake Oswego.
3. Shortlist before you decide
Save favorites and compare a few options side by side. Trying to decide on every listing in the moment creates tab chaos. A shortlist of three to five programs is usually enough to choose from.
4. Follow the booking path shown on the camp
Some programs send you to the provider’s site; others support Kamp registration or interest. The camp detail page shows what is available for that listing — there is not one universal “book everything on Kamp” path yet.
Also covering no-school weeks?
Teacher workdays and break weeks need a different calendar first. Use the Portland school closure hub, then browse no-school programs.
Portland school closure days