Can you believe that summer camp is right around the corner? There’s no doubt you’re in the midst of planning out adventures and activities — but what are you going to do to make it even more special? With in-person camps returning, it’s time to start thinking about entertaining summer camp activities for kids and counselors alike! 

While not every camp needs complete summer camp themes, theme days are a great way to change up the normal schedule and give kids something to look forward to. 

Not sure what to do? Discover some inspiration for theme days for summer camps (straight from former campers)! Keep reading to learn more. And check out our guide to learn how to write summer camp lesson plans to keep your theme days on track. Looking for more support to jumpstart your camp? Review our ultimate guide to starting and running a kids camp.

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1. Messy Day

This theme day isn't for the faint of heart, but we guarantee that it will be a hit amongst the campers. 

"Messy day" is what it sounds like. It's a day to get messy, but that doesn't mean that it shouldn't have structure and that there's no room for education.

For "messy day", you can include all kinds of activities that get kids active, learning, and making things. Tie-dye shirts are a hit for "messy day," and you can even have the kids make them the day before so they all have a "messy day" uniform. 

And don’t sweat it, there are plenty of ways to be messy while following CDC guidelines for COVID-19 precautions.

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2. "Halloween" Day 

Who says that you can't have Halloween in the middle of the summer? 

This is a dress-up day, and can you think of a kid that doesn’t love dressing? Start the day by letting the kids make masks. While the masks are drying, have them work together in groups to make a "haunted house" style fort with craft materials, sheets, and anything else that you have at your disposal. 

The day ends with campers going through each other's haunted houses in their costumes! 

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3. Movie Day

Are you planning for a rainy day? There’s no doubt a rainy day can put a damper on summer fun. But, fear not, if you know that the forecast calls for rain...plan a movie day!

Set up a projector somewhere where you have a lot of room. Set up mats for the kids at least three feet apart, and create a movie environment! When they're not watching movies, having the kids create plays or do improv activities will help keep them active and engaged even when going outside isn't an option. 

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4. Olympics Day

With the Olympics around the corner, there’s no better time to get into the spirit of sports and games. Olympics Day is pretty similar to what a field day looked like in school. If the campers are already divided into groups, make sure that similar ages are competing against each other. 

Make fun activities that let kids compete, but don't rely on athletic skills. For this, we love inflatable obstacle courses, scavenger hunts, and team games like capture the flag. 

At the end of the day, give out prizes. It's a good idea to have some kind of prize for every team, even if they didn't win. Participation trophies are for everyone!

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Summer camp themes and theme days add fun

Break up your normal summer camp routine with summer camp themes and theme days that are sure to be a blast. 

Whether you're brave enough to face "messy day," or celebrate Halloween in the summer, regardless of the theme you select we promise it’ll be a hit!  

And remember, if you’re looking for solutions to your summer camp planning, Sawyer Tools might be the answer! We make it easy to communicate with parents, handle payments and booking, and manage your campers.

Schedule a camp registration software demo today and see why people love us!