Swimming camps for kids are in high demand in the summer time. Attending a swim camp is the perfect way for swimmers to gain a competitive edge, with the primary goal being improved swimming skills. However, swimming camps for kids should also include be held in a fun environment as well as a learning environment. Swim camp is a great place to make new friends and for young people to be mentored by highly skilled and experienced swim instructors.
Swimming camps can be a great way for kids to learn swimming skills, and even more competitive swimmers to sharpen their skills (or just stay in practice). There are lots of great swimming camps for kids across the US. Summer is a great opportunity for kids to try out summer swim camps, but there are also swim camps during other holiday breaks as well. Swimming is an important life skill, so even if you aren’t looking to have your kids become the next Michael Phelps, it’s a good idea to get them some swim lessons.
How Do Swimming Camps for Kids Work?
There are several different types of summer swimming programs available across the US, including day and sleep away programs. Each is different, but competitive swimming camps typically include:
- Individual coaching time
- Free swim time / open swim
- Strength and flexibility training
- Focused technique work
- Starts and turns practice
- Competition strategies
- Mental development and preparation
- Fun activities
- Health and Nutrition Classes
Some swim camps also include:
- Field trips
- Swim Classes for less experience swimmers
- Swim parties
- Indoor pools
- A swim test
- Groups broken into novice, intermediate and advanced swimmers
- Breath control training
- Private lessons
- Different activities outside of swimming to be done in free time
- Learning new techniques
- Water Safety Skills
- End of Season Party
The Best Swimming Camps for Kids
Gator Swim Camps at the University of Florida
The University of Florida puts on Gator Swim Camps every year. These are developmental camps, designed to teach proper swimming technique. The best news is that this camp welcomes kids of all abilities, even beginner swimmers, between the ages of 8-18 years old. Gator Swim Camps focus on technical skills, training habits, mental prep, and health and fitness. In addition to learning swim skills, campers will get to interact with Olympic Gold Medalists, World and NCAA Champions, and their Olympic and World Championship coaches. Now that sounds like an awesome swim camp! The camp is normally held in the month of June. Learn more and register for the next camp on the Florida Gators website.
Sergio Lopez Swim Camps at Virginia Tech
This is an exciting swimming camp for kids! 3-time Olympic Coach and 1988 Bronze Medalist, Sergio Lopez, runs this camp at Virginia Tech. Coach Lopez teaches proper techniques and drills that are known to have promoted Olympians and World Ranked swimmers around the world. During the Sergio Lopez Swim Camps, swimmers focus on improving their technique, mental strength and building positive relationships with their fellow swimmers in a positive, dynamic environment. Coach Lopez is not the only coach leading this awesome swimp camp. He is joined by Virginia Tech Coaches Steve Steketee, Jacy Dyer, Payton Brooks, and Albert Subirats. Having so many coaches provides a small coach to camper ratio.
While this is an amazing swimming camp for kids ages 8-18 years old, it’s not a camp for beginners. The Sergio Lopez Swim Camp requires that all campers be competitive swimmers and able to swim all strokes legally and unassisted. This camp is normally held in May and June. Learn more and register on the Sergio Lopez swim camp website.
Nike Peak Performance Swim Camp in Orlando, Florida
Open to kids ages 11 and up, this camp offers day summer camp (kids attend during the day only) and overnight camps. Learn more here.
Bolles Swim Camp in Jacksonville, Florida
Bolles Swimp Camp is an overnight camp that offers a few different swim camps to accommodate notice, intermediate and advanced competitive swimmers. Their traditional camp is the Elite Camp. Kids should be 13 and over to attend Elite Camp and be intermediate to advanced swimming level. Swimmers will finish the camp competing in the Bolles June Classic swim meet Thursday through Sunday, a prelims-finals competition hosted annually with some of the best club teams in the southeast. The swimmers’ camp experience will include life at Bolles, while being challenged in the pool and on land. They will participate in two water practices and one on land training session per day. This Elite camp is limited to 60 boarding campers and fills up on a first-come-first-serve basis. Learn about the other camps that Bolles Swim School offers and register here.
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps
Fitter and Faster actually holds swim camps in every state of the US plus Canada! So if you’re looking for a swim camp near you, this is a good one to check out. Check out their website to find a swim camp near you for your child’s age range.
Aggie Swim Camp at Texas A&M University
The Aggie Swim Camp is one of the most premiere technique-based summer camps for kids. This camp is known for the one-on-one attention each swimmer is given. They focus on very detailed stroke work with every camper every day. The Aggie Swim Camp is known for being the first major collegiate swim program to send home an individual film of each camper, included in the cost of camp. While competitive experience is not required to attend, they do strongly recommend that your camper has some competitive experience. This camp is open to age groups 8-18 years old. Learn more and register on the Aggie Swim Camp website.
Neal Studd Swim Camp at Florida State University
Unlike the other college swim camps, this one is open to kids ages 7-18 years old. This camp focuses on fitness, stroke technique, starts, turns, nutrition and mental training. This camp is open to swimmers of all experience levels. Swimmers will be placed into groups based on experience level. Learn more and register.
Michigan Swim Camp
These camp features two different “tracks”, based on experience level. There is tons of great information about both of those tracks and on the camp overall on the Michigan Swim Camp website.
Find more activities for kids here.
Hi, I’m Jessica! I am wife to Chris, and mom to Kaiper, Alana and Koa. I am a graphic designer, website developer and aspiring author. In this space, I share about everything from parenting, working from home, food we cook, and lots of things for kids! Learn more about me here.
