Summer Camps for Gifted Kids

  • CAVEAT #1:  Always be aware that, unless a camp’s application process requires a test or SAT/ACT/EXPLORE/IQ scores, it may not be sufficiently advanced for your gifted child. 
  • CAVEAT #2:  No gifted child need stay home all summer due to lack of finances.  Almost all camps offer at least some financial aid to those who truly need it.  Just ask.

So here are some suggestions of camps that are appropriate for gifted kids…

Montana Camps

  1. Braina Mainia Great Falls, MT  Grades 1-9
  2. MedStart – sophomores & juniors, in Butte, Missoula, Great Falls & Billings, deadline March.  Free. 
  3. Schwanke Institute –  high school students study math, creative writing or movies (topics vary yearly); Missoula, deadline April.   
  4. Peaks & Potentials –high-ability/high-potential students in grades 5-7, Bozeman.
  5. Carroll College Summer Gifted Institute – entering fifth grade through age 14 or entering ninth grade, Helena   
  6. Montana Learning Center's STEM Summer Camps – entering grades K-10, Helena (Canyon Ferry)
  7. Montana Outdoor Science School – Bozeman area,  registration begins mid-March. Limited residential camps.   
  8. Red Lodge Music Festival - 7th through 12th graders
  9. Montana Music Institute -  Billings
  10. Kids on Campus - MSU Billings -a variety of camps for multiple age groups
  11. Camp Invention - a national program
Out of state camps for gifted kids:
  1. Center for Bright Kids – 3 different camps for grades 4-11, Colorado School of Mines (Denver airport shuttle available), April deadline.
  2. Stanford Education Program for Gifted Youth (with Allegiant flying to Oakland twice a week from Bozeman, this may be more feasible than ever before!) – ages 11-17, 6 different sessions, Palo Alto, CA , early admission Jan, regular admission Feb.  
  3. Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University –many different camps for grades 4-12, including Advanced Placement courses, Chicago, May deadline.  
  4. USA Chess Camps  – K-12, one week camps all summer long; These camps are non-residential, but they are held in so many cities that you can probably find one in a place where a relative lives.   Grouping is based upon chess prowess, not age, so it’s ideal for gifted chess players.  
  5. Yunasa West in Sedalia, CO, (for highly gifted individuals ages 10 to 14)
  6. Concordia Language Villages, MN - immersion in your choice of 14 languages for children aged 2 to 18
  7. THINK Summer Institute - three-week residential program at the University of Nevada, Reno where students can earn up to six college credits by completing two university courses. To qualify, students must be 13 to 16 years old  and must meet or exceed composite SAT score of 1130 (excludes writing portion) or ACT score of 26.
  8. Summer Enrichment Program at the University of Northern Colorado, enrichment day camps for 4-10 year olds, residential programs for 5th-10th grade students; leadership camp for 11th and 12th grade students

Math Camps
  1. Texas Honors Summer Math Camp – high school students, San Marcos TX, (free shuttle to Austin airport), April application deadline but rolling admissions. 
  2. Canada/USA Math Camp - high schoolers,  location rotates between Tacoma and Maine, applications available starting March 1

Other places to search for camps
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