Asheville Outdoor Summer Camp for Kids Ages 6–16
A joyful, hands-on summer camp where kids spend their days outside exploring nature, gardening, cooking, creating art, caring for animals, and discovering the living world around them.
June 8–August 21, 2026
Monday–Friday | 9:00am–3:30pm
Garden Camp: Ages 6–10 | CIT Program: Ages 11–16
Single-day and weekly registration options available.
Choose Your Summer Camp Dates
Each camp week may show two registration options: Garden Camp for ages 6–10 and CIT Program for ages 11–16. Choose the option that matches your child’s age group, then click Choose Dates & Register to continue through Jumbula.
Garden Camp: $125/day or $500/week
CIT Program: $70/day or $350/week
Testimonials
“One of the most meaningful and enjoyable experiences of her childhood, with memories that will last a lifetime.”
“This camp is wonderful at fostering independence and nature exploration in a safe, supervised environment!”
“If you are looking to get your kids off of the devices and out discovering and interacting with the natural world, this is the best camp for it!”
A Summer Adventure Rooted in the Garden
Every summer, young explorers from Asheville and across Western North Carolina arrive at The Educational Garden Project ready to get their hands dirty — and leave having grown in ways that go far beyond the garden bed. Learning happens outside, under open skies, with the Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop. Kids dig, cook, create, and care for the plants and animals around them, building the kind of friendships and appreciation for the natural world that stay with them for life.
Each camp week unfolds around a fresh theme, turning every summer into a unique journey of garden exploration and discovery. One week campers might be investigating pollination and cooking up garden-fresh meals; the next, exploring forest trails or following the campus creek to see where it leads. From art projects and crafts to cooking classes, outdoor exploration, and hands-on garden challenges, every activity is designed to spark curiosity, nurture creativity, and fill each day with joy — no screens, no desks, just kids fully alive in the outdoors.
Our Programs
Check out our Garden Camps!
Our camp in Asheville runs Monday through Friday, 9:00am–3:30pm, with flexible single-day or full-week registration. Two distinct programs serve campers across a range of ages and experience levels:
Garden Camp — Ages 6 to 10
The core garden camp experience for younger kids. Each day is a rich mix of planting, growing, cooking, and creating botanical crafts in a play-led outdoor learning environment. Beginner-friendly by design, with new campers welcomed every week. Flexible single-day and weekly registration options make it easy for families with any schedule to participate.
CIT Program — Ages 11 to 16
Built for older campers ready to step into a leadership role, the Counselor-in-Training program is part summer adventure, part mentorship, and part real-world experience. Youth campers in grades 6 through high school take on genuine responsibilities alongside our adult staff and camp counselors — building confidence that blooms with every challenge, working with kids of all ages, and exploring what it means to nurture and guide others. It's a meaningful program for teens curious about a future as a teacher, coach, or educator.
About Us
Explore our philosophy, staff, policies and more.
Our low counselor-to-camper ratio, background-checked staff, and close-knit camp community make The Educational Garden Project one of Asheville's most trusted choices for summer day camp.
How We Give Back
Learn more about our mission below!
Why Asheville Families Keep Coming Back
Asheville summer camps come in many shapes and sizes — but The Educational Garden Project offers something genuinely different: a place where learning grows out of the ground, community is built around the table, and every camper leaves with more than they arrived with. Rooted in the mountain environment of Western NC, our camp is more than a summer adventure. It's where kids discover who they are outside of school walls.
Enroll your child today and join a community grounded in purpose. Our mission — to cultivate healthy communities by growing and sharing food with children and their families — shapes every week of camp programming. Kids don't just participate; they create, connect, and discover — enriching their understanding of where food comes from and their place in the natural world.
Happenings
Check out our event calendar and our blog!
A camp your child will love.
Our director and counselors are background-checked, living-wage certified professionals who bring genuine passion to every session. A low counselor-to-camper ratio means every student is seen, supported, and encouraged to build confidence at their own pace. Our 5.0 star rating — earned across 70 Google reviews — reflects the trust Asheville families place in us.
Whether your child is new or a returning camper counting down the days, a lifelong love of the outdoors starts here. Check dates and enroll today — spots fill fast.
Our Partners
