Compiled by Jasmine Ball
It’s hard to determine what kids can look forward to this summer. Will camps still happen?
While some activities are canceled due to the pandemic, other camps plan to open in the days and weeks ahead. Here’s what has been announced so far:
OPERATING CAMPS
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast
11975 Seaway Road, Suite A160, Gulfport
(228) 896-3770
www.bgcgulfcoast.org
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast works to save and change the lives of children and teens, especially those who need us most, by providing a safe, positive, and engaging environment and programs that prepare and inspire them to achieve. The Boys and Girls Clubs will open their doors June 1– July 31 from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Gulf Coast School of Performing Arts Camp
10598 Diberville Blvd., D’Iberville
(228) 324-6296
This all-day camp gives kids a total immersion into many styles of performance, including jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, voice, active, art, tumbling and ballroom. Early dropoff is available. Camp will begin in June from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sea ‘N Sail at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum Camp
115 E. 1st St., Biloxi
(228) 435-6320
www.maritimemuseum.org
Kids will have a blast digging deep into our area’s history and heritage as a coastal community by sailing aboard a Biloxi schooner, learning fishing methods unique to our area, casting netting, going on marine adventures aboard a shrimp trawler, doing maritime crafts and taking seafood industry field trips. Camp will begin June 1 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
FABLAB Summer Camp
12002 State Route 57, Vancleave
(228) 826-0181
fablabjacksoncounty.org
FABLAB Summer Camp consists of stem exploration, robotics, scratch coding and much more. STEM-based summer camps will be offered at three locations each week. Virtual online camps will begin May-June 2020, and the full camp begins in July.
Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center Of Arts and Education
1600 Government St., Ocean Springs
(228) 818-2878
www.themaryc.org
The Mary C, as the Cultural Center is known, has a wide variety of arts camps for ages 6 to teens. From culinary arts and theatre to drawing, painting and art journaling — not to mention fabric arts and sewing — the center offers lots of creative educational opportunities. Camps begin June 1.
Rage Dance Center Camp
2200 Bienville Blvd., Suite B, Ocean Springs
(228) 243-3993
www.ragedancecenter.com
Fun-themed dance classes are offered at morning and afternoon times. Ages 2 and up. Camps will begin in June from 10:15 a.m.-1 p.m. with more information to come.
Institute for Marine Mammal Studies
10801 Dolphin Lane, Gulfport
(228) 896-9182
www.imms.org
The Institute for Marine Mammal Studies will hold its summer camp on the following dates: June 15-19, June 22-26, July 6-10, and July 13-17. Children will participate in hands-on learning designed to teach them about what marine scientists experience in everyday life.
OLF Elementary Summer Camp
320 Jim Money Road, Biloxi
(228) 388-3602
www.olfschool.org
Our Lady of Fatima Elementary School is back with a fourth year of summer camp. OLF’s eight-week camp will feature potential field trips, experiments, games, crafts and religion lessons. This camp is open to students from pk3 through sixth grade. The camp kicks off June 1 from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
KidFit Afterschool Care and Summer Camp
2 Tower Plaza, Pineville Road, Long Beach
(228) 868-1498
www.the-energy-club.com/kidfit.html
The camp will take measures to protect children from COVID-19 and assess weekly whether field trips are appropriate. Participants will continue to have numerous fun activities to promote health, including but not limited to swimming, dodgeball, kickball, soccer, Zumba, crafts, yoga, reading and much more. Camp starts June 2.
Little People’s Christian Academy
17065 W Wortham Rd, Saucier
228-539-8200
littlepeopleschristianacademy.com
Preparing in-person field trips until there’s clearance to go out to public areas.
CLOSED/CANCELED CAMPS
- The City of Gulfport Leisure Services
- Herbert Wilson Summer Camp
- Bel Aire Elementary Summer Camp
- Three Rivers Elementary Summer Camp
- Harrison Central Elementary Summer Camp
- YMCA
- Pascagoula River Audubon Center
- Camp Stanislaus
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Camps
- Lynn Meadows Discovery Center
- The Salvation Army Kroc Center (Closed as of press time)
- Summer Camps at the Navy Construction Battalion Center have been restricted to base personnel only.