Summer Camps for Children & Volunteer Opportunities for Teenagers
April 17, 2025
Summer in Colorado is the perfect time for kids and teenagers to learn, try new activities, and give back.
Whether they’re looking for a fun and engaging camp experience or a meaningful way to volunteer, there are many opportunities across the state.
From specialized camps for children with disabilities to outdoor adventure programs and hands-on volunteer roles, this guide highlights options that can make summer both exciting and enriching. Keep reading to discover camps that match your child’s interests and find rewarding volunteer opportunities for teenagers looking to give back to their communities.
To view and download Rocky Mountain Human Services’ comprehensive Summer Resource Guide, click here.
Summer Camps for Children in Colorado
Front Range
Teaching the Autism Community (TACT) Summer Camps
Location: Englewood
Dates: Weekly in June
Contact Info: (303) 295-0163
About: Teaching the Autism Community Trades (TACT) is an organization that provides individuals with autism the opportunity to learn various trades to enhance their skills. They offer a range of weeklong, half-day summer camps, including Intro to Welding, Intro to Coding, Robotics Camp, and more. Open to various ages, including individuals 18+ with disabilities.
Denver Parks and Recreation-Adaptive Recreation
Location: Denver
Dates: Weekly from April through the fall
Contact Info: adaptive.recreation@denvergov.org, (720) 865-0820
About: Denver Parks & Recreation offers a variety of inclusive programs throughout the summer at different times and locations. Adaptive activities include swimming, cycling, fitness classes, ceramics, cooking, camping, martial arts, and more.
Denver Parks and Recreation Youth Summer Camps
Location: Denver
Dates: Weekly from April through September
About: Denver Parks and Recreation offers Youth Summer Camps and MY Denver Activities, featuring a variety of camps throughout the summer. These camps focus on areas such as arts & culture, outdoor adventures, and youth sports. Registration for summer activities opens on Tuesday, May 7 at noon. Additionally, a brand-new, free day camp is also available this summer for kids ages 8-12 and is currently open for registration.
Camp Paha
Location: Lakewood
Camp Dates:
Ages 6-17
- Session A: June 9-27
- Session B: July 7-25
Ages 18-25
- Session A: June 9-27
- Session B: July 7-25
Contact Info: paha@lakewood.org
About: Camp Paha is a unique summer day camp for children and young adults with disabilities in Lakewood and the surrounding communities.
- Children aged 6-17 enjoy a variety of activities including swimming, sports, games, arts, crafts, nature exploration, music, and field trips in a safe and fun environment.
- Adults ages 18-25 participate in a program called Paha Adults in Transition (PAT), which provides supportive and engaging experience for all participants. Camper scholarships are available through the nonprofit, Friends of Paha.
Yay! Camp
Location: Highlands Ranch
Camp Dates: Weekly from June 10-July 17
Contact Info: Peggy Brown at pbrown@eastersealscolorado.org
About: Yay! Camp is a summer day camp designed for children aged 7-18 living with any disability or special health care need. It offers a supportive environment where kids can overcome challenges, meet new goals, and most importantly, have fun! The camp offers theme days, arts and crafts, recreational activities, and plenty of exciting adventures.
STAR Institute
Location: Centennial
Camp Dates: Weekly sessions throughout the summer
Contact Info: groups@sensoryhealth.org, (303)221-7827
About: STAR Institute for Sensory Processing provides therapeutic group programs and camps aimed at helping children develop confidence, self-esteem, self-awareness, and self-regulation. They offer various summer groups for ages 3-17 with opportunities to build skills through engaging lessons and sensory-based activities.
Summit County
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
Location: Summit County
Camp Dates: Weekly throughout the summer
Contact Info: (970) 453-6422
About: The Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center (BOEC) offers transformative outdoor learning experiences for people of all ages and abilities, giving individuals who are often excluded from outdoor activities due to disabilities or special needs a sense of freedom.
Places That Teenagers Can Volunteer
Humane Colorado (Previously the Dumb Friends League)
Location: Locations in Denver, Castle Rock, Alamosa
When: All year
About: Humane Colorado is an animal shelter network that provides basic care and temporary homes for animals waiting to be adopted. There are plenty of ways that young people can volunteer, including cleaning up kennels, offering enrichment and attention to dogs and cats, walking dogs, supporting outreach events, and ongoing support with cleaning dishes and doing laundry. Volunteers under the age of 16 need to be accompanied by a parent.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado
Location: Throughout Colorado
When: April- October
About: Teenagers can volunteer to support Colorado’s many outdoor spaces through Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. Volunteer work ranges from trail building to planting trees to gardening. There are also leadership opportunities available. Teenagers younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Visit their website to learn more.
Denver YMCA
Location: Denver
When: All year
About: Teenagers 14 and older are welcome to explore volunteer opportunities at their local YMCA. Options often include hands-on help with coaching, mentoring, special events, or fundraisers.
Special Olympics Colorado
Location: Throughout Colorado
When: All year
About: Volunteers are key to ensuring Special Olympics fulfills its mission of creating a more active, healthy, and inclusive Colorado. With scores of events to choose from, volunteers can support by working at an event to ensure it goes smoothly, becoming a coach, or serving as unified partner (an individual without an intellectual disability who trains and competes alongside special Olympians).
Project Angel Heart
Location: Throughout the Front Range
When: All year
About: Project Angel Heart delivers meals to Coloradans living with life-threatening illnesses. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities for teenagers, which include support with delivering meals, assisting in the kitchen, gardening, and working at community outreach events. Volunteers must be able to make a six-month commitment.
Children’s Hospital of Colorado
Location: Denver
When: All year
About: The Junior Volunteer Program at Children’s Hospital Colorado provides teenagers ages 13-18 the chance to support the hospital, work with children, and gain valuable experience in the medical field. Volunteer opportunities include creating enrichment activities for children, supporting special events, and more. There are both full-year and summer volunteer opportunities. Interested teens must apply and be able to make a six-month commitment.
