Welcome to Camp Kinhaven Camp Kinhaven is an extension of Kinhaven School, a parent-governed independent program located in the heart of Arlington’s Ballston-Virginia Square neighborhood, combining the staff, environment, and philosophy of Kinhaven School with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned summertime fun and friendship! Each session at Camp Kinhaven features a theme around which age-appropriate experiences are planned, both outdoors and in the various learning centers of the classrooms. Camp Kinhaven 2026 will be held exclusively at our new Ballston location. Learn more about Kinhaven through our Parent Handbook.
Preschool Campers Ages 2 - 5 with no kindergarten experience Preschoolers and their teachers explore broad topics, incorporating the philosophy of Kinhaven School with the whimsy and joy of summer. Camp Kinhaven fosters connections between the classroom and wider world through authentic, hands-on experiences. School Age Explorers Ages 5-8, entering grades 1-3 Designed for the unique needs of young elementary students, School-age Explorers offers children an opportunity to reconnect with the joy of play and collaboration in deep investigations within an intimate cohort. Kinhaven's summer day camp serves children ages 2 - 8 years, June 9- August 15, 2025. Our core program runs 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, with an option to extend until 3pm. The program is held Monday through Friday each week.
2026 Sessions Down on the Farm Session I: June 8-June 26 (No camp June 19); School Age Explorers 1 Week Camp: June 22-26 Summertime is the right time to go down on the farm to learn how food ends up on our tables. Making butter, growing sprouts, and practicing animal care will be highpoints of your child’s session, which culminates with a visit from Old McDonald and his farm animals. Campers will get a chance to dig deeper both in knowledge, and the soils they learn more about the adventure each product embarks on to get from the farm to our table.
Water, Water, Everywhere Session II: June 29 - July 2 (No camp on July 3) For many, summer isn’t the same without water sports such as swimming, boating, fishing, and more. Join us as we explore water, the plants and animals within it, and the variety of ways humans interact with water. From rivers, lakes, and oceans to the tap, this session will be a gusher; students are sure to leave with an increased awareness of this valued resource!
Going Buggy Session III: July 6 - 24 Get ready for some creepy crawly fun as we get to know the six and eight-legged creatures in our neighborhoods and beyond. From science to storybooks to the stage, we’ll salute insects and arachnids for their pollinating prowess and examine their unique body structures and amazing adaptations.
Music Makers Session IV: July 27 - August 14 This session is filled with music and movement for young maestros. Campers explore music fundamentals while trying instruments like ukulele, drums, and keyboards. Learning about sound, children experiment with their voices to experience pitch, tempo, rhythm, and good vibrations. Through games, sing-alongs, and hands-on activities, campers experience the joy of making music together.
Afternoon Adventures Children can add an extra dose of fun, extending each day until 3:00pm. Summer Afternoon Adventures offer a mini-theme packed with hands-on activities and play indoors and out, led by our in-house and visiting teachers. An opportunity to rest and recharge is offered.
Daily Activities Class Meetings: provide the framework for the day as children and teachers greet one another- often in song, discuss the topic of the day, and choose a primary area of work for the morning. Work Time: encompasses a protracted period of play including individual and small group play devised by children as well as thematically relevant experiences designed by the teachers for small groups of children.
Meals: Children and teachers share a morning snack provided by Kinhaven. Each child brings a lunch from home. (Please be aware that refrigeration of lunches is not generally available.)
Outdoor Time: Each class will spend at least 60 minutes per day outdoors, weather permitting. Utilizing local resources, nearly every classroom experience can be conducted outdoors. Playground play, group games, connections to nature, painting, building, gardening, and bubbles are among the limitless possibilities. In case of inclement weather, gross motor activities will be conducted in the multi-purpose room. Children and teachers will walk to and from local parks and resources without notice in additional to daily play in our on-site playground.
Resource Teachers: Kinhaven’s Support Teacher visits each classroom each day during work time to provide valuable support to the teaching team and children by decreasing the student-teacher ratio through small group activities and enrichment experiences. Specialists Classroom experiences are augmented by Specialists including PE coaches, visual and performing artists, and technologists, who share their content area expertise.
Registration A registration fee and $250/session non-refundable deposit must be paid at the time of registration. The balance is due no later than May 1.For children new to Kinhaven, an original birth certificate or passport must be presented at the Kinhaven office prior to the first day of attendance. Children must be two and one half years old by June 1.
Tuition Tuition for Three-Week Sessions Under three years old: $1,975.00 single session; $5,725.00 for all three-week sessions Ages 3-5 years: $1,800.00 single session; $5,200.00 for all three-week sessions School-agers: $1,450.00 single session #3 or 4; $475.00 single session #1; $3,250 for sessions
Tuition for One-Week Session (#2, June 29- July 2) Under three years old: $625.00 single session; Ages 3-5 years: $550.00 single session; School-agers: $475.00 single session June 22-26 or June 29 - July 2