Skip links

121 Turtle Lane, Ithaca, NY

1013 W State St, Ithaca, NY

Stay in touch!

Give Now
Newsletter

Summer Camp

Experience a Summer of Outdoor Adventures

Uncover the joys of nature, friendship, and learning at Ithaca Children’s Garden’s Summer Camp.

Registering for Summer Camp can be stressful—that’s why we use a lottery system. Instead of racing to register at a specific date and time, families have a two-week window (February 9–15) to enter registration information, apply for scholarships, and rank camp preferences—on a schedule that works for you.

After the registration window closes, placements are assigned by lottery. Every camper is guaranteed at least one week of camp, and all families have an equal chance at their preferred weeks. For full details, please review the Summer Camp 2026 Guide.

2026 Summer Camp Overview

Need-based scholarships are available and easy to complete! Scroll to the “Scholarships” section below the 2026 Camp Overview for more details.

A group of young children stands in the grass around an instructor. Some raise their hands.

Acorns

Ages 3-5*

Dates: June 29 – August 28

Time: Half day, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM

(Complimentary early drop-off begins at 8:30 AM)

Cost: $250 for June 39 – July 2 | $315 for all other weeks

Acorns camp is truly child-led! To allow for flexibility each week, mentors will repeat daily themes with different activities offered week to week. Children will explore the entire Garden, build structures in the Anarchy Zone, garden among the herbs and vegetables, show off their artistic skills, get wet and muddy, and search for fairy houses. Come enjoy this Acorn experience, where each week is exciting for new campers and experiences are built upon for repeat adventurers.

*Children must be 3 years old by June 1, 2026. 

Three children work with dirt and flowers in a garden setting.

Willows

Ages 6-10*

Time: Full day, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

(Complimentary early drop-off begins at 8:30 AM)

Expand weekly themes below for details on dates and costs. 

Willows camp at ICG, designed for ages 6 to 10, combines eco-exploration with creative arts. Weekly themes range from habitat adventures and garden magic to artistry with natural materials. It’s a world of discovery and creativity for young minds, fostering environmental awareness and artistic expression. 

*5-year-olds who complete kindergarten in June 2026 and will be 6 years old by December 1, 2026, may register for Willows.

Mud Madness: June 29-July 2

Time to celebrate International Mud Day, summer camp style! Explore the sensory delights of mud while also learning ways to use it. Outside of the muddy madness, we’ll explore compost and see how our soil supports our ecosystem. Calling all worms – I mean – children!

Cost: $360

Closed July 3

Garden Magic: July 6-10

Potions and spells, fairies and elves — summer is a magical time at ICG.  Let your imagination guide you through an enchanting week of small worlds and magical memory-making.  Mix potions, build elf and fairy houses, and weave wands; explore majestic trees and magical herbs. Appropriate for all young wizards, witches, fairies, and elves.  Wings and wands welcome. Please leave pet dragons at home.

Cost: $460

Eco-Explorers: July 13-17

Grab your gear! We’re off to explore the many habitats of ICG…. wade in the wetlands, wind through the meadow, and trek the forest.  Discover the plants and animals that make these ecosystems their home. When not out on adventure, we’ll tinker, build, and create using recycled materials and what we can scavenge from nature.

Cost: $460

NEW! Operation Re-Use: July 20-24

Could this be JUNK? Not at Ithaca Childrens’ Garden! We’ll tinker, sort, and reclaim items from our recycling bin and treasures unearthed. What can we do with some broken terracotta pots? How do we turn trash into art? What can we save from the landfill? This group of campers is going to find out!

Cost: $460

Green Guardians: July 27-31

Calling all of those with green thumbs!  Come experience all stages of gardening, from planting seeds to harvesting vegetables, and all of the creatures that make it happen, from pollinators to decomposers. This week, we will plant, harvest, compost, and taste the delights of our very own Kitchen Garden.  Learn to start a garden, tend to plants, and use fresh food to give your growing body the nutrients it needs. Smell the flowers from our Kitchen Garden and Wildflower Meadow while discovering the helpers they attract.

Cost: $460

Art-venture is Out There!: August 3-7

Come be your creative selves and explore the abundance of natural materials in the Garden! Collect inspiration and materials to make beautiful art in -and from- the Garden. Try your hand at creating land art, source natural resources for artistic creations, and use food to make delicious, beautiful masterpieces. Educators will share their knowledge of culinary mixtures, fire-making, and fine art skills. Campers will have an opportunity to discover their muse, find their inspiration, and take their projects and delicacies from concept to masterpiece.

Cost: $460

Adventure Week: August 10-14

Exploring the stormy seas on a pirate ship, crawling through the mud to infiltrate the castle, staying cozy in a deep, dark wood… wait… is this happening at the Garden?! YES. Adventure week is coming to Ithaca Children’s Garden. Campers will design, perform, and play to the extent of their imaginations. Days of pirates, witches, astronauts, and theater will excite all those who love to join in other worlds.

Cost: $460

Farmer's Market: August 17-21

Help Wanted! The Farmer’s Market at Ithaca Children’s Garden is requesting help from aspiring farmers, creators, and entrepreneurs. All week, campers will learn and participate in garden harvesting, creating wares, and setting up a booth at ICG’s very own kid farmers’ market. On the last hour of Friday, our kid’s farmer’s market will open! Children will sell wares in trade for their very own camp-created currency. Join us on the last day to see the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor!

Cost: $460

Summer Camp Favorites: August 24-28

The last week of summer camp is upon us, and so much has been learned and created! Campers are going to be able to participate in a bit of everything, from cardboard city to campfires to tea making. Campers will enjoy the height of harvest in the veggie garden and see how we prepare for the upcoming harvest season.

Cost: $460

Three children and an educator stand inside a farm stand near lemonade.

Maples

Ages 10-12*

Days & Times: Monday-Friday | Full day, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

(Complimentary early drop-off begins at 8:30 AM)

Expand weekly themes below for details on dates and costs. 

Maples Camp at ICG, for ages 10 to 12, is a blend of outdoor skills, artistic expression, and garden stewardship. Campers engage in survival techniques, create with natural materials, and learn the cycle of gardening. Each week is a new journey in building, creating, and nurturing, as they connect deeply with the land and their creativity.

*Must have completed 4th grade

Living With the Land

Jump in and try your hand at some outdoor survival skills while exploring the history of Ithaca Children’s Garden. Hone your fire-building skills, use found parts to create shelters of your own design, and create natural remedies from plants commonly found in nature. Learn skills to harvest produce from the Kitchen Garden and sell in ICG’s farmstand each week. Form meaningful connections with the natural world through activities, reflection, journaling, and considering how to best steward the land on which we live.

Dates:

  • June 29-July 2
  • July 20-24
  • August 10-14

Cost:

  • June 29-July 2: $390
  • All other weeks: $485/week

The Great Create

Come view the Garden through the lens of an artist. Find natural materials to work with and beautify the space through building, painting, and planting. Learn new skills or build on your talents in a variety of innovative projects: try your hand at tools ranging from a paintbrush to a knife. Take some of these skills to create items for ICG’s farmstand inventory each week! We will explore what the Garden has to offer and use all of our senses as inspiration in our creative endeavors.

Dates:

  • July 6-10
  • July 27-31

Cost: $485/week

Garden Stewards

A garden cycle starts long before the first seed is planted and extends far beyond the last tomato picked. Learn what it takes to build and maintain a garden by getting your hands dirty and exploring what the veggie garden at Ithaca Children’s Garden has to offer. Investigate compost, get curious about weeds, and cook some delicious snacks. Start at the seed and go all the way to selling and sharing produce in ICG’s farmstand. Bring home these life-long skills to start a garden of your very own!

Dates:

  • July 13-17
  • August 3-7

Cost: $485/week

Five counselors in training show off the bowls of snacks they made

Counselors-in-Training (CIT)

Ages 12-16*

Dates: June 29-August 28, Monday – Friday

Time: Full day, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

(Complimentary early drop-off begins at 8:30 AM)

Cost: $400

Join our fun, creative, and collaborative CIT Crew! Practice your leadership skills as you role- model, help, play, and learn alongside campers and camp mentors! You’ll build relationships with your peers as you get silly with songs and stories, get dirty in the Garden and Anarchy Zone, and explore the camp themes each week! CITs get to spend some time each afternoon as a peer group, helping to prepare and serve camp snacks, hanging out, and reflecting on their experiences. We ask that CITs commit to a minimum of three weeks and may request more if spaces are available.

*Must have completed 6th grade. 

Apply to be a CIT

Additional program information and FAQs can be found in ICG’s 2026 Summer Camp Guide. Please contact register@ithacachildrensgarden.org with any questions.

Scholarships

At ICG, we believe in a summer of adventure, learning, and fun for every child, regardless of financial circumstances. The scholarship program ensures camp prices never stand in the way of an unforgettable experience, giving every child the chance to thrive, explore, and create lasting memories in nature for everyone.

  • Standard Scholarship:
    • 30% off for families who qualify for the Federal Reduced Lunch program.
    • 50% off for families who qualify for the Federal Free Lunch program (based on income and household size).
  • Flexible Scholarship:
    • We will work with you to determine a scholarship amount that suits your needs.

 

Interested in learning more about our Scholarship Fund or making a gift? Head to our Support Scholarship page.

Kids and Caregivers love ICG’s Summer Camp!

“Child-led play at its best! ICG’s Summer Camp allows kids to engage in various ways, whether it’s a mellow exploration or more active adventures, and encourages children to embrace getting dirty and simply having a fantastic time!”
–2025 Summer Camp Parent
“Yes! I would recommend this experience to a friend. I would tell them that you can establish a connection with both the counselors and the kids. It’s a very fulfilling and enjoyable experience!”
–2025 Counselor in Training
“Counselors are AMAZING! Seeing the same ones week after week was very comforting to our kids. The kids loved their outdoor time and all the activities. We love that there is a theme every week and activities to go along with it!”
–2025 Summer Camp Parent
A group of children holds a banner that says thank you ithaca childrens garden

Have a question that wasn’t answered on this page? Check out ICG’s 2026 Summer Camp Guide or contact register@ithacachildrensgarden.org