San Francisco Kids Camps: 10 Programs to Compare

A useful San Francisco camp shortlist starts with the day your family needs covered. Choose an age-appropriate program, a workable commute, and a pickup time you can meet; then compare the activities your child wants to try.

Planning for summer 2027: We checked the official pages on September 8, 2026. The summer schedules in this guide refer to the completed 2026 season; Culinary Artistas also publishes an ongoing camp FAQ. We did not find confirmed summer 2027 calendars on these pages. Use the comparison as a starting point, then verify the new dates, ages, prices, and care options before booking. A page that still says “registration open” may be describing last summer.

Choose by the constraint that matters most

• Care beyond 4 PM: Start with JCCSF, campCDS, Wheel Kids, Tinkering School, or Circus Center. Extended care may require a separate booking and fee.
• Preschoolers: Look at campCDS and Culinary Artistas first. Confirm minimum age, toilet independence, rest time, and readiness for a full group day.
• Tweens and teens: Compare Tinkering School's age-specific weeks, City Kid's selected teen sessions, and JCCSF's older-grade programs.
• Financial help: Start with SF Rec & Park, then ask the individual programs below about eligibility and application timing.

Ten programs to put on your shortlist

1. SF Rec & Park — compare local sites first

SF Rec & Park Day Camps offer a citywide starting point when the commute or budget matters most. Ages, activities, fees, and care hours depend on the specific camp. The department's live page currently covers fall and afterschool programs; wait for the next summer catalog before choosing a registration date. Check the recreation scholarship process ↗ early so the application does not become a last-minute obstacle.

2. City Kid Camp — for children who want to explore outdoors

City Kid Camp ran from 8:30 AM–4 PM in 2026, meeting at the Boat Playground at 45th Avenue and Lincoln Way. Ages 8–12 were the main group, with selected 13+ weeks. This is a walking-and-exploring choice, so discuss the activity level with your child. Scholarships were available. Its January 19, 2026 registration opening is a reminder to start checking early, not a date to copy into next year's calendar.

3. California Academy of Sciences — a small science cohort

Academy Summer Camp offered one-week sessions for ages 9–11 in 2026. The $795 weekly fee included lunch; the day ran 8:50 AM–4 PM, with no early arrivals or late pickups. Each week had a 20-camper limit, and the Academy listed no camp discounts or scholarships. Shortlist it for a child drawn to science and nature, provided the fixed day works for your family.

4. Randall Museum — art and science with a firm 3 PM pickup

Randall Museum combined hands-on art, science, and nature activities for ages 6–12 in its 2026 camps. Individual classes have strict age limits. The day ran 9 AM–3 PM without before- or after-care. Families could pack lunch or preorder it for an additional cost. Registration and scholarships go through SF Rec & Park; museum membership did not provide early camp registration.

5. JCCSF — a choice of themes with a longer care window

JCCSF Camps covered kindergarten through grade 10 in 2026, with offerings varying by grade and some sessions lasting multiple weeks. The standard day was 9 AM–4 PM; paid care could extend it to 8 AM–6 PM. As one budgeting example, a full-week kindergarten camp cost $650 before care and lunch extras. Financial assistance was available. Choose the actual session before comparing costs or assuming siblings can share a schedule.

6. Tinkering School — building in the Presidio

Tinkering School has its San Francisco campus at 682 Schofield Road. In 2026, Young Tinkerers served ages 5½–8, while Tinkerers served ages 8–16 in age-specific weeks. The day ended at 3:30 PM, with paid aftercare to 5 PM. Weekly tuition was $750 for Young Tinkerers and $850 for Tinkerers, plus $130 for aftercare. Financial aid was available. Compare the particular group's tool use and project format with your child's interests.

7. Wheel Kids — match riding ability as well as age

Wheel Kids Bike Camp offered Richmond and Presidio programs spanning ages 5–13 in 2026. Beginners and confident riders belong in different groups: learning to pedal is a different day from longer adventure rides. Hours were 8:30 AM–4 PM, with paid aftercare to 5:30 PM. Meeting points varied between Richmond Playground and the Presidio at 14th Avenue and Lake Street. Confirm the program, bike requirements, and pickup location together.

8. Circus Center — a week of movement and performance

Circus Center Camps served ages 7–13 in summer 2026. The $650 week ran 9 AM–3 PM, with free before-care from 8:30 AM and $150 weekly aftercare to 5:30 PM. Activities included acrobatics, aerial arts, juggling, and a weekly showcase. Read the cancellation terms carefully: changing weeks can require canceling and rebooking. Fall holiday camps have their own dates and prices.

9. campCDS — early drop-off in the Mission

campCDS was open to the public from preschool through grade 6 in 2026. Older campers explored the city; preschool and kindergarten groups used the school campus. The day ran 8 AM–3 PM at 333 Dolores Street, with paid extended care to 5:30 PM. Sliding-scale tuition was offered to families qualifying for free or reduced lunch. Confirm the next season's preschool eligibility and session details directly.

10. Culinary Artistas — cooking with younger children

Culinary Artistas lists camps for ages 4–10, including individual school holidays and weeklong sessions. Its published day is 9 AM–3 PM, with the San Francisco studio at 851 Beach Street in Ghirardelli Square. Campers prepare meals, and the FAQ requires independent restroom use. Discuss allergies directly: the facility is not nut-free. Select a San Francisco session, since the same booking page also includes East Bay locations.

What about San Francisco Zoo Camp?

SF Zoo Camp has a working education programs page ↗ with fall and Thanksgiving 2026 offerings. A summer 2027 calendar was not published there when checked. Keep the Zoo on an animal-focused shortlist, but use the specific registration listing for dates, ages, and hours; its general page contains inconsistent weekday wording for Thanksgiving camp. Older summer brochures are not a reliable basis for next year's childcare plan.

Compare the total cost of a usable day

Write down the camp fee, required deposit, extended care, meals, materials or equipment, and transportation for the same number of days. Then compare the refund deadline and the cost of changing weeks. A five-day camp with lunch and a four-day holiday session are different purchases, even when the displayed prices look similar.

For scale, the published 2026 Circus Center week with aftercare totaled $800; Tinkering School's Young Tinkerers week with aftercare totaled $880. These are examples of how care changes a budget, not 2027 quotes or a citywide price range.

Financial help also follows different rules. SF Rec & Park administers recreation scholarships, including Randall camps. City Kid, JCCSF, and Tinkering School publish assistance options; campCDS describes an eligibility-based sliding scale. Ask about the application deadline, deposit, and whether aid covers extended care before paying.

When to start watching registration

Fall: Map the weeks you need against your school calendar, family travel, and available pickup help. Test the commute at the time you would actually travel. Choose a first choice and a backup for each week.

January and February: Revisit the official program pages. In 2026, some Wheel Kids programs opened January 12, City Kid opened January 19, and Academy public registration opened February 23. Those are prior-season clues; none is a confirmed 2027 opening.

Before spring registration: Check the new SF Rec & Park catalog and scholarship deadlines. Randall's 2026 scholarship application deadline came before general registration, which is a good reason to handle financial-help questions first.

Before booking: Recheck the exact age or entering grade, full-day coverage, holiday closures, lunch, bike or tool requirements, accessibility and support arrangements, and cancellation terms. For a child trying camp for the first time, ask how staff handle separation, rest breaks, and a difficult first day.

Need a school-break camp sooner?

Summer and holiday sessions can have different age bands, hours, and prices. Start with the current Zoo education page ↗, Circus Center camp page ↗, Culinary Artistas sessions ↗, or SF Rec & Park program catalog ↗, then match an actual date to your school's closure. For days together instead, browse the Family Guides hub.