By Kate Loweth
By the end of the school year, our kids can swipe, stream and Google search their way out of pretty much any situation. But many don’t know how to put together a healthy meal, speak to an adult with confidence or build a bird feeder out of wood. These practical, everyday skills that build confidence and independence often fall through the cracks in traditional school, when memorization and testing are the focus.
What Parents are Seeking
For that reason, Bay Area parents are seeking summer camp programs that focus less on traditional learning and more on hands-on experiences.
“I feel my children get enough academic learning during the school year,” says Mary R., a Los Altos mom of two. “I want them to be outside, in the natural world, as much as possible during the summer.”
She sent her son and daughter to Avid4Adventure, where they learned outdoor survival skills, including identifying safe wild plants, navigating and building shelters. “This camp is ideal for children like mine who may not prefer traditional team sports, which many summer camps focus on, as it provides exercise and encourages teamwork in a natural setting.”
Deneese Nachel Jackson, founder and lead maker at Alameda Makering, explains the importance of developing and encouraging hands-on skills. “When kids work with their hands, they learn that it’s okay to try, make mistakes, ask for help and keep going.”
The goal isn’t just to keep kids busy during school breaks, it’s to help them build confidence and competence that carry into everyday life,” says Jackson. “When kids’ hands are busy, they’re engaged, present and proud of what they’re creating.”
Bay Area Camps that Teach Hands-on Skills
Alameda Makering
Small group sizes and creative upcycling projects make Alameda Makering a favorite for campers in second through eighth grade. Time is spent on activities such as working in the garden, making a shared meal, sewing or carpentry.
Alameda
alamedamakering.com/summer-camp-2026
Avid4Adventure
Perfect for kids who need to keep busy, Avid4Adventure camps promise plenty of time outdoors spent paddling, biking, rock climbing, hiking and more. While kids stay active, they learn outdoor survival techniques and build confidence in their own skills.
Burlingame, Menlo Park, Oakland.
avid4.com/california-summer-camps
Call of the Sea
In addition to exploring marine science topics, campers ages 8-12 learn how to tie nautical knots and other seafaring skills at this camp located at the Bay Model Visitor Center. They can put their skills to the test aboard the schooner Seaward and/or brigantine Matthew Turner.
Sausalito
callofthesea.org/sail-with-us/youth-day-camp
Camp 510
This artist-run summer camp for kindergarteners through eighth graders offers a variety of themed weeks, covering everything from mosaic-making to circus skills. Campers gain self-confidence and develop life skills as they pursue their artistic interests.
Berkeley.
Camp Fashionista
Campers ages 6 and up can choose from sewing, knitting, crocheting and fashion illustration camps, where they learn to use a sewing machine and build confidence at the same time.
San Jose.
Culinary Artistas
World and California cuisine are the focus of this cooking and baking summer program that’s perfect for little chefs ages 4-10. Campers build essential kitchen skills, learn the importance of kitchen safety and experiment with ingredients and cuisines.
San Francisco, Piedmont and Albany.
culinaryartistas.com/kids/camps
Maker Nexus
This 28,000-square-foot makerspace offers a variety of summer camps for mini makers ages 6 and up. Metalworking, welding, woodworking and electrical engineering are just a few of the focus areas, with multiple levels available for building skills.
Sunnyvale.
Mt. Tam Bikes Camp
Expert mountain biking instructors take campers on rides through the Marin Headlands, China Camp and more. Not only do campers develop on-the-bike skills, but they learn about bicycle maintenance and trail safety.
Mill Valley.
Slide Ranch Summer Camp
This 134-acre ranch in Golden Gate National Recreation Area hosts a variety of summer camps focusing on outdoor skills for kids ages 5-12 and counselors-in-training up to age 17. Sign up for Junior Ranchers week to learn what goes into caring for farm animals, such as goats, sheep and chickens. Or opt for Farm to Belly to dig into the garden and prepare seasonal meals.
Muir Beach.
Steve & Kate’s Camp
Where else can your kids spend the day baking, sewing and learning film skills all in one camp? Steve & Kate’s offers that and more with a unique drop-in model that provides tons of flexibility for parents.
San Francisco and other Bay Area locations.
Tribal Wisdom Academy
An analog camp experience is what you can expect at this spot in the mountains of Los Gatos, where kids take over a wild forest adventure park with kid-made ziplines, tree swings and digging areas. Campers learn to carve bows, work with power tools and try out blacksmithing, while building friendships and spending time outdoors.
Redwood Estates.
WilderSkills
If your little one aspires to be on the next season of “Alone,” this is the camp for them. Skilled backcountry guides teach campers ages 7-13 everything from first aid and plant identification to hiking safety and wilderness survival skills while exploring some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful open space parks.
Saratoga and Redwood City.
Young Builders
This camp for ages 6-18 lets campers develop their woodworking and metalworking skills through projects such as building a model sailboat and a balsa remote-control airplane. Kids learn to use real tools, including a handsaw, a file, sandpaper and a power drill.
Palo Alto.
