summer camp
noun
plural summer camps
1
: a camp (see camp entry 1 sense 1d) for children or adolescents that operates during the summer and that often provides lodging for stays of days or weeks
… traditional summer camps—where your child rides a horse, paddles a canoe, reads a compass, and roasts s'mores around a campfire …—David Lansing
… summer camp is about campfires, trail hikes and goofy skits. It's a chance to meet kids from different cities and to learn to sleep through the snores of cabin mates.—Emily Seftel
also
: such a camp that provides instruction of a specified kind
went to an arts summer camp
compare day camp
2
: an online usually educational program for children or adolescents offered during the summer
… a virtual summer camp offering free classes in everything from slime-making to dinosaurs to make-your-own Lego movies. Kids aged five through 18 can create their own schedule, with hour-long classes five days a week for each session.—Lisa Milbrand
Cite this Entry
“Summer camp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/summer%20camp. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.
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