By Savanne Giroire, Marketing and Events Assistant
If you’re looking for some summertime activities for the family or an awesome summer camp experience for your child, look no further than Downtown! Our museums have a variety of camps that your children will love. Whether you have an aspiring Picasso or mini archeologist on your hands, there’s a camp for them to express themselves, make new friends, and have fun!
Keep reading for summertime activities perfect for the whole family!
Events & Activities
The CarePlus Block Party at JWJ Park
First Wednesday Art Walk
First Wednesday Art Walk never disappoint. As usual, each Art Walk will have an abundance of art, community crafts, live music and treats by several local vendors. Each month, travel between the three main art hubs and visit your favorite vendors and businesses along the way! Learn more.
Sip & Stroll Presented by PNC
Every third Thursday of the month, join us at Sip & Stroll Presented by PNC! Spanning from the DoubleTree Hotel to The Southbank Hotel, enjoy live music, food vendors, bars, and a picnic area– all with the gorgeous #DTJax sunset backdrop! New to Sip & Stroll Presented by PNC, enjoy a fun and interactive kids’ area filled with yard games, chalk, age appropriate activities and more!
Downtown Parks
You can’t go wrong with a lovely day in the park! Good spring weather is in the cards for us and we can’t wait to visit our favorite parks like Jessie Ball Dupont Park, Corkscrew, Riverfront Plaza, Brooklyn Park and more! You’ll find the perfect spots for picnics, a game of soccer or fetch!
Sweet Pete’s and Fizzies & Fare
While Sweet Pete’s is already every child’s dream, they also offer various candy-making classes for all ages! Toddler Time is a class where ages 2-4 can enjoy a story time, a craft and a treat in relation to what the class read. From June 16th to Aug. 31st, Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons is open for registration!
Riverside Arts Market
Saturdays at RAM are always a hit during the summer months. With more local vendors than you can count, it’s the perfect family setting to spend an awesome afternoon with so many crafts, treats and fun to enjoy! RAM takes place every Saturday from 10 a.m. -3 p.m.
Summer Camps in #DTJax
Art Camp at the Cummer
Tailored to children grades 1 through 6, the Cummer offers four weeks of camp, each themed for a unique experience!
Time Travel Through the Galleries – June 6 through June 10
From the time of the ancient Egyptians to the Renaissance and the modern era, campers are able to travel in time through the galleries and gardens to discover different eras, learn the tools and techniques used throughout art history, and create their own artworks.
Hearing Colors and Seeing Sounds – June 13 through June 17
How do works of art speak through musical voices? Campers are set to discover the harmonious relationship between music and visual art. Register your artist for them to build emotional awareness and recognize colors and patterns through rhythm and tempo while getting inspiration from the galleries and gardens.
Art Masters and Cracking the Design Code – June 20 through June 24
How do artists use their secret code (the principles of design) in their works? Campers will learn the secrets of design, get inspired by the techniques, styles, and stories of great artists featured in the galleries, and will learn to create their own brilliant artworks!
Realm of Nature: Digging Deep into Garden Art – June 27 through July 01
For the chance to make an earnest connection with nature! Campers will be able to find their creative genius in the Cummer’s ornate gardens and explore the elements of brilliant artworks with line, color, shape, form, and texture. Pulling inspiration from the galleries and gardens, they will create their very own nature-inspired garden art while applying the principles of design learned.
Summer Camp at MOCA
June 6 – August 5, 2022
Children ages 4-14 will make new friends and learn art techniques in a variety of media through hands-on learning in a fun and engaging environment. Summer camp is spent exploring exhibitions in the galleries, creating in the studios, and learning through practice! With the guidance of MOCA’s museum educators, children are taught to problem solve through critical thinking, observation, and creative self-expression. Learn More.
Discovery Camp at the MOSH
June 6 – August 5, 2022
Kids in K through 8th grades are in for a treat with the MOSH’s summer camp. This camp encourages curiosity and exploration as campers venture around the museum. MOSH Educators use the entire museum to make each camp an engaging and fascinating experience for children of all ages! Things included in camp fees: Take-Home STEAM Activity Kit for the end of the camp week, a MOSH science program every camp day (such as planetarium shows, science shows, and/or animal encounters), themed STEAM-based activities/programs. Every day is a different experience: camp week themes range from MOSH Mad Scientists, Florida Water Warriors to Kennedy Space Center, and more!