Powell, Ohio · Summer 2026
20+ camps from Columbus Zoo animal adventures to YMCA ACA day camp, Ohio Wildlife Center, STEM, music, gymnastics, and Olentangy youth sports. Here's everything you need to book summer before it fills.
Browse All Ohio Camps →Powell is a small, affluent suburb north of Columbus with a secret advantage: the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium sits right on West Powell Road, and the Ohio Wildlife Center's private Bonner Barn sanctuary is a 10-minute drive. That means Powell kids have access to two legitimate nature-based camp experiences that most Columbus suburbs simply don't have nearby.
The headline programs: The Liberty Township/Powell YMCA runs an ACA-accredited day camp from June through August ($257/week members), covering 11 full weeks with outdoor swimming and field trips. For nature lovers, the Ohio Wildlife Center's Wild Care Camp (ages 7–16, $285/session) gives kids real wildlife encounters at a private sanctuary with 60+ animal ambassadors — plus a Mini Nature Camp for the 4–6 set. The Columbus Zoo's summer camp program rounds out the options for ages 3 through grade 7.
The Olentangy Local School District also runs a Summer Enrichment Experience (June 1–11) and partners with YMCA for before/after care — so full-coverage summer is doable here. Below is the complete breakdown.
The Columbus Zoo Summer Camp is one of the most popular half-day programs in Central Ohio — early bird pricing (through early March) and member-priority registration means popular weeks book out months ahead. Check columbuszoo.org for remaining open sessions. Ohio Wildlife Center camps also fill quickly for summer.
Powell's general day camps cover the working-parent basics — full-day programs with long enough hours to cover a workday, across the spectrum from YMCA to childcare-based camp options.
The anchor of Powell summer camp — ACA-accredited, running a full 11-week season. Weekly themes, outdoor pool swimming, field trips around Central Ohio, and STEM activities. Scholarships available (apply by April 15). Extended care stretches coverage to a full workday: 7 AM to 6 PM.
$257/week members · $288/week non-members → Register at YMCA Columbus →Daily field trips, camp t-shirt, and transportation included in the weekly fee. Safe, nurturing environment with physical activities and memory-building experiences. Lunch packed by parents. A solid value-add for the first chunk of summer.
$225/week → Register at Olentangy Adventure Camps →District-run enrichment with STEM challenges, arts, physical activities, and digital design. Registration via PowerSchool Forms opens March 1 through May 1. A great early-summer option that transitions smoothly to YMCA or private programs in June.
PowerSchool registration → Olentangy Schools →CampVentures transforms summer into adventure-based learning. Experiential activities and enrichment for school-age children at the Powell Kiddie Academy location. Good full-coverage option for working families who already have younger kids in the program.
Contact for pricing → Kiddie Academy Powell →Experiential learning with outdoor activities, sprinkler play, hands-on science experiments, and gardening. Focus on building courage, flexibility, and confidence. Particularly strong for the preschool and early elementary age where structured care and enrichment overlap.
Contact for pricing → Goddard School Powell →5-star rated childcare center with a structured summer camp program and enrichment activities for school-age children in the Powell/Olentangy corridor. Consistent care in a familiar setting for kids who attend during the school year.
Contact for pricing → Kids 'R' Kids Olentangy →Powell's biggest camp advantage is geographic: the Columbus Zoo sits right on West Powell Road, and the Ohio Wildlife Center's Bonner Barn campus is minutes away. These are genuinely differentiated programs you won't find in most suburbs.
One of Powell's most distinctive offerings: wildlife-based half-day camps at the Columbus Zoo, with sessions for ages 3 through grade 7. ZooKids (ages 3–K) runs a 4-week Friday series. Grades 1–7 attend 4-day sessions with a variety of themed activities, animal encounters, and conservation education. Early bird pricing expired March 2 — book remaining sessions soon.
$200–280/session (non-member) → Register at Columbus Zoo →Hands-on wildlife adventures at the Bonner Barn education campus — a private sanctuary unlike anything in the Columbus suburbs. Campers explore the grounds, visit 60+ animal ambassadors, create nature crafts, hike, and help with real animal care. Need-based financial aid available. This is the real thing, not a zoo bus visit.
$285/session → Ohio Wildlife Center →Shorter sessions designed for younger campers who aren't ready for full-day wildlife immersion. Animal encounters, nature exploration, and crafts at the Bonner Barn campus — same private sanctuary, age-appropriate duration. A rare preschool-friendly nature camp experience.
$95–110/session → Ohio Wildlife Center →Powell sits inside the Olentangy district, which hosts both Camp Invention and Club SciKidz. Add Classroom Antics for a VEX IQ robotics week and you have solid STEM coverage all summer.
Eight STEAM-focused tracks in one week at Good News Church: Minecraft & Bots, LEGO Bots, Minecraft Coding, VEX IQ Robotics (AM sessions); Game Builders, Bricks & Blocks, Game Design, Minecraft Animation (PM sessions). Kids can do AM + PM for a full day. Sibling discount $10 off.
$265 half-day · $510 full-day week → Classroom Antics →National Camp Invention program at an Olentangy district school. Four dynamic STEM experiences from robotic capybaras to space exploration. Grades 7–9 can participate as Leaders-in-Training at a reduced rate — a good leadership development track for older kids who've aged out of traditional camps.
$295 campers · $195 LIT → National Inventors Hall of Fame →Science and technology camp running all summer at Orange Friends Church (Lewis Center, adjacent to Powell). Expert-designed curriculum covering robotics, programming, chemistry, paleontology, and more. Good for filling weeks around other specialty programs — runs most of the summer.
Contact for pricing → Club SciKidz Columbus →Powell has Bach to Rock for serious music immersion, Buckeye Gymnastics for themed camp weeks, and Bally Sports Group for multi-sport exploration — solid specialty coverage across creative and athletic tracks.
Real musician instructors, actual band formation, and a recording studio — Bach to Rock is substantive. Camp tracks include Rock Band Camp, Glee Club Camp, Record a Demo Camp, Beat Making Camp (ages 8+), Recording Arts Camp (ages 10+), and Rock City Camp for the youngest rockers (ages 4–6). Kids placed in bands by age and skill level.
Contact for pricing → Bach to Rock Powell →Theme-based weeks at the Sawmill Road facility — trampoline, loose foam pit, cargo net climbing, crafts, and snacks. Small groups with experienced instructors. Kids who love moving will thrive here; it's not all gymnastics — the pit and trampoline time alone make it a hit.
Contact for pricing → Buckeye Gymnastics →Multi-sport camp rotating kids through different sports each week with positive instruction and character development built in. Good option for kids who haven't found their sport yet — low-pressure exposure to variety. Instructors emphasize life virtues alongside athletic skills.
Contact for pricing → Bally Sports Group →Indoor soccer camp in a Powell city facility, focused on fun and real skill development from a young age. Partners with City of Powell Parks & Recreation for indoor space. Good early-start option for kids as young as 3 who want consistent ball work beyond league play.
Contact for pricing → Locker Soccer Academy →Lini tracks your kids' activities, reminds you about registration deadlines, and helps you stay ahead of the chaos — without the spreadsheet.
Join the waitlist →The Olentangy Youth Athletic Association (OYAA) is the primary recreational sports provider for Powell families — 10+ sports, Pre-K through high school. Grace Powell Sports adds a community-based soccer and basketball option, with the Liberty YMCA rounding out teen programs.
The flagship OYAA sport — Pre-K through 12th grade, all skill levels, teams assigned by grade and middle school area. Pre-K through 6th play locally; older players travel through MSSA and HSSA programs. Minimum age for Pre-K division: 4 years old by April 11.
$95–115 early bird → OYAA →6U T-Ball (minimum age 5 by Apr 30) plays at Alum Creek Elementary; 8U Coach Pitch plays at Liberty Park. 6-week game season with an end-of-season tournament for the 8U division. Fun-first format with age-appropriate rules and pace of play.
$120–130 early bird → OYAA →Boys and girls lacrosse in both indoor (winter) and outdoor (spring) seasons — part of OYAA's 10+ sport lineup that also includes basketball, football, golf, volleyball, softball, cross country, and cheerleading. Spring registration opens January 1.
See fees at → OYAA Programs →Community-based youth sports through Grace Powell Community Church — 6-week soccer and basketball league seasons plus a June soccer camp ($100 early, $120 late; includes ball, t-shirt, and gear). An Impact Camp also runs June 8–11 for ages 4–11 ($50). Faith-based community program with a low-pressure environment.
$100 soccer camp → Grace Powell Sports →Year-round swim lessons at a heated indoor pool with a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Progressive curriculum from Parent & Tot through advanced levels — plus Swim Club, Swim Team, and Adaptive Swim Lessons. One of the better year-round swim programs in the Olentangy corridor.
From $125/month → Aqua-Tots Powell →Beyond day camp, the Liberty YMCA runs co-ed teen basketball (7th–12th grade, 6-week season with tournament), street hockey, swim lessons, and seasonal youth sports. Full facility with pool, gym, climbing walls, and fitness center. Before/after school care through the Olentangy Schools partnership.
Membership required → Liberty YMCA Sports →The YMCA Summer Day Camp at Liberty Township/Powell YMCA is the most established full-day option — ACA-accredited, running 11 weeks (June 1–August 14), with outdoor swimming, field trips, and STEM. $257/week for members, $288/week for non-members. The Columbus Zoo Summer Camp is the standout specialty option for nature-focused kids ages 3 through grade 7.
Yes — Powell has two exceptional nature camps that are genuinely differentiated. The Ohio Wildlife Center at their private Bonner Barn campus runs Wild Care Summer Day Camp for ages 7–16 ($285/session) and Mini Nature Camp for ages 4–6 ($95–110/session). The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (right on W Powell Rd) runs half-day zoo camps for ages 3 through grade 7 ($200–280/session).
Yes. Ohio Wildlife Center's Mini Nature Camp serves ages 4–6. The Goddard School of Powell and Kiddie Academy offer summer programs for preschool and school-age. Kids 'R' Kids of Olentangy has a structured summer camp. Bach to Rock's Rock City Camp takes kids as young as 4. Columbus Zoo's ZooKids Friday series runs for ages 3 through kindergarten. Aqua-Tots serves babies as young as 4 months for swim lessons year-round.
Classroom Antics STEAM Camp (July 7–11) offers eight tracks including VEX IQ Robotics and Minecraft Coding ($265 half-day / $510 full-day). Camp Invention: Spark runs at Olentangy Shale Meadows July 13–16 ($295). Club SciKidz Columbus runs weekly June–August at Orange Friends Church covering robotics, chemistry, and paleontology. Olentangy Schools' Summer Enrichment Experience (June 1–11) includes STEM challenges and digital design.
OYAA (Olentangy Youth Athletic Association) is the primary provider — recreational soccer (Pre-K–12th grade, $95–115), baseball (6U T-Ball & 8U Coach Pitch, $120–130), and lacrosse. Grace Powell Sports runs youth soccer and basketball leagues plus a Soccer Camp June 22–26 ($100). Liberty Township/Powell YMCA offers co-ed teen basketball. Aqua-Tots serves ages 4 months to 12 years year-round for swim lessons.
Lini sends you reminders before registration fills, tracks your kids' schedules, and keeps the whole family organized — so summer actually feels like summer.
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