YMCA Camp Kern Summer Camp

YMCA Camp Kern Summer Camp includes activities such as canoeing, kayaking, swimming in the pool, lake play with stand-up paddleboards and splash games, and water Olympics. Campers take part in climbing, a climbing wall, high ropes course, zip line, Pete's tower, team-building low ropes, trust falls and group challenges, and guided challenges. The program also offers archery, gaga ball, basketball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, volleyball, camp-wide capture the flag, counselor hunt, scavenger hunts, field games, village games, and all-camp games. Arts-focused options include arts and crafts, tie-dye, nature art, face painting, friendship bracelets, slime, and camp journaling, along with skit night, improv games, talent shows, lip sync battles, campfire songs and storytelling, opening and closing campfires, cabin challenge nights, themed dance parties, glow night, night hikes, and s’mores and reflections. Additional experiences include mini mine shaft, nature center visits, nature hikes, wilderness skills such as fire building and shelter making, creek exploration, environmental education, animal encounters with camp farm animals, bug hunts, star gazing and astronomy, trail rides, horseback riding, ring work, horse care, river rafting, paddling a section of the Little Miami River, a swim break in the Little Miami River, a two-mile hike on the Ohio Buckeye Trail, a 3/4 mile hike on the 500 Trail, hiking on more than 5 miles of trails, high ropes and zipline tours through Ozone Zipline Adventures, outdoor games, and a camp dance, Big Game, and Underseige.

• Ages: 7–14 years old
• Schedule: Overnight camp sessions typically run Sunday–Friday in Frontier Village, Explorer Village, Adventure Village, Pioneer Village, and Kern F.C., with Taste of Kern (TOK) offered as a partial-week overnight camp from Sunday–Tuesday or Wednesday–Friday, and an optional Super-Weekend Stayover from Friday–Sunday.
• Price: Super-Weekend Stayover: $120 per camper; Trail Ride add-on: $30 per camper; River Rafting add-on: $30 per camper.

Camp Kern has been creating summer memories since 1910 and is one of the oldest continually operating YMCA camps in the United States. The camp’s mission is “To unleash the potential in all through enriching outdoor experiences,” with a foundation built on Christian principles, a stated non-discrimination policy, and a guest-first philosophy with safety as the top priority. The program includes a soccer-focused option called Kern F.C. that combines traditional camp with an emphasis on skill, speed, and sportsmanship, and the camp is home to over 60 horses with riding programs for beginners through advanced equestrians.

As part of the YMCA of Greater Dayton and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, YMCA Camp Kern states a passion for strengthening community. The Bob Barr Memorial Golf Outing at Shaker Run Golf Club, scheduled for August 17, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., supports local kids and families through summer camp experiences at Camp Kern and helps provide access to camp opportunities and support for programs and facilities. Water jugs are available all day at camp, snacks and frequent water breaks are encouraged during river rafting, and life jackets are worn at all times while in and around the Little Miami River. The Super-Weekend Stayover includes weekend lodging, daily meals, laundry service, and a day trip to King’s Island with transportation and a meal and drink plan at the park, and it is not available to campers staying two non-consecutive weeks, single week campers, or campers enrolled in Day Camps, Semi-Residential Camps, or Frontier Village.

One parent reported that a camper named Elizabeth asked to return before leaving the parking lot and came home eager to share camp songs and talk about her week. Another parent stated that their kids went to Camp Kern for the first time, loved it, and were still talking about it two weeks later, and that their family plans to return the following year.

Last updated July 17, 2026.