The Institute for American Indian Studies holds week-long day camps for ten weeks out of the summer. At IAIS, we strive to educate people about the lives and times of this nation’s first inhabitants. Our summer day camps extend this mission to children with a balance of learning and fun. Each program is developed to teach campers about various American Indian cultures through exciting activities, crafts and stories. Guided by capable, experienced and caring counselors, our campers will discover the way summer should be!

Click here to download a Summer Camp Application.

JUNE
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Camp 1: Advanced Arts & Crafts Ages 10 - 12 June 16 - June 20   10am - 3pm $230 ($200 for IAIS Members) Designed as an advanced arts & crafts session, participants in this camp will experience the joy of designing and creating a variety of decorative masterpieces such as mosaics, hand-dipped candles and historical toys! We’ll also spend each afternoon relaxing at the Shepaug River.

Camp 2: Indian Summer Camp - Games & Stories CLOSED Ages 5 - 6 June 23 - June 27   10am - 2pm $185 ($160 for IAIS Members) The perfect introduction to camps at IAIS! Each of our Indian Summer Camp sessions are designed to immerse young campers in a different facet of the lifestyles of Native Americans of 500 years ago. Participants in this camp will have fun with the exciting world of Native American games and stories! After lunch each day, we will take a short hike down to the Shepaug River to cool off.

JULY
Top of Page | June | August

Camp 3: Woodland Adventure CLOSED Ages 7 - 10 July 7 - July 11   10am - 3pm $200 ($175 for IAIS Members) An exciting and popular camp, focusing on the art and skill of woodland survival. Campers will spend the week engaged in activities that will teach them how indigenous peoples were able to live off the land, with activities such as shelter building, weapons-making and tracking. The week’s activities will even “travel through time” to touch upon more modern survival techniques such as orienteering. And of course, we’ll end each day by relaxing in the nearby Shepaug River.

Camp 4a: Indian Summer Camp - Arts & Crafts CLOSED Ages 5 - 6 July 14 - July 18   10am - 2pm $185 ($160 for IAIS Members) Come on back for our second exciting session of Indian Summer Camp! This time, we’ll focus on the various arts and crafts of different Native American communities across the country. And as usual, we’ll spend each afternoon cooling off in the nearby Shepaug River!

Camp 4b: Woodland Adventure II CLOSED Ages 7 - 10 July 14 - July 18   10am - 3pm $200 ($175 for IAIS Members) Due to the popularity of our survival camps in previous years, we have decided to offer two sessions of Woodland Adventure. So if you missed out on the fun the first time around, come on back for the second session and experience the joy of tool- and weapon-making, orienteering, tracking and other exciting survival techniques! Campers may register for only ONE session of Woodland Adventure.

Camp 5: Ihtôqat Theatre Camp Ages 7 - 10 July 21 - July 25   10am - 3pm $200 ($175 for IAIS Members) Our long-lived Theatre Camp returns once again! Participants will spend the week preparing and rehearsing a play based upon a traditional Native American story, before performing it at the end of the week for friends and family.

Camp 6: Indian Summer Camp - Nature CLOSED Ages 5 - 6 July 28 - August 1   10am - 2pm $185 ($160 for IAIS Members) Our third session of Indian Summer Camp explores - through crafts, stories and other exciting activities - nature and the connection Native Americans have with the natural world. Every afternoon, we’ll cool off in the Shepaug River!

AUGUST
Top of Page | June | July

Camp 7: Joys of Nature Ages 7 - 10 August 4 - August 8   10am - 3pm $200 ($175 for IAIS Members) An exciting camp exploring different aspects of Earth’s bounty. From the rock beneath our feet, to the creatures in our rivers, to the birds flying high above us...all will be explored during this camp. Afternoons will be spent at the Shepaug River.

Camp 8: Arts & Crafts Ages 7 - 10 August 11 - August 15   10am - 3pm $200 ($175 for IAIS Members) Campers will learn about the many different types of traditional Native American arts and crafts while they create their own unique masterpieces. And every afternoon will be spent cooling off at the nearby Shepaug River.

Camp 9: Indian Summer Camp - Finale Ages 5 - 6 August 18 - August 22   10am - 2pm $185 ($160 for IAIS Members) Finish off the summer with us and our last Indian Summer Camp session. All the fun of the previous sessions, with all new activities. And of course, water play every afternoon. Help us close out the summer in style!