A family poses for a picture before running in the teddy bear trot at the 47th annual HAP Crim Festival of Races in downtown Flint, Michigan on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. (Joshua Johnson | Flint Beat)

FLINT, Mich. — As the school year winds down, many families are on the hunt for summer activities. Here’s a roundup of camps and community programs happening around Flint:

Storytime at Applewood
Fridays at 11:30 a.m.

Hosted on the grounds of Applewood Estate, the weekly storytime invites families with young children to enjoy interactive reading sessions, weather permitting. For more information, visit the Ruth Mott Foundation website

For-Mar Nature Day Camp
June to August weekly sessions

For-Mar’s summer camp offers hands-on outdoor learning focused on ecosystems and nature. Registration opened April 1. For more information, visit Genesee County Parks’ website or reach out to Camp Director Marissa Pannett at [email protected]

Crim Summer Running Clubs & Marti Austin Kids Classic
June and July weekly sessions

Children and teens ages 3 to 18 can join running clubs across Genesee County. The Marti Austin Kids Classic, a youth race event, follows later in the season with distances ranging from the Diaper Dash to a full mile. Registration is available online here.

YMCA Spring Session II
May to June 2025

The YMCA is running a line-up of sports and wellness programs for all age groups this spring including Friday Night Hoops (ages 12 to 16), Youth Soccer, Youth Basketball (ages 5 to 8) and Tiny Tumblers (ages 3 to 5). For more information, visit their website

Sloan Museum and Longway Planetarium Summer Camps
Summer 2025

Offering more than fifty hands-on workshops and camps, Sloan Museum’s summer lineup serves children and adolescents from preschool to high school. Topics range from science and engineering to art and history, with discounted rates for members. Register here

NourisHER+HIM: Youth and Family Culinary Arts Summer Program
May to August 2025

Mission Possible will host a free drop-in culinary series for youth (ages 7 to 16) on Saturdays and family classes (ages 4+) on Thursdays. Lessons focus on cooking skills, healthy eating, and building community. Registration required. For more information, follow them on Facebook.

Brighter Futures Summer Course
July

The course is open to Genesee County youth Ages 16 to 24 looking to build life and career skills over the summer. The program includes hands-on learning, job readiness training and support services. Transportation and lunch provided. Registration and event details available here.

UM-Flint Summer Camps
June to August

From robotics to theater and health science, the University of Michigan-Flint offers a wide range of summer camps for children and teens grades K–12. View the full list and register here.

Flint School of Performing Arts Summer Programs
Summer 2025

FSPA offers classes, camps and intensives in music and performance, with new percussion and brass options. Financial aid for up to 20 to 90% of tuition is available through the Seeing Stars program. For more information, visit their summer catalogue.

Whether your child is interested in cooking, music, sports or nature, Flint has something to offer during the spring and summer. Many of the programs fill up fast, so be sure to register early. 

The Engagement Center—a program of GEARup2Lead—will be offering an enriching summer program called Brighter Futures. This program focuses on independence, mental health, and resilience skills, and is designed to equip youth with practical tools for navigating adulthood.

To submit summer programs, email [email protected].

Ramona Watson is a 28-year-old Flint native with a love for art, culture, and the written word, as well as a keen interest in learning more about Flint not only as a city but as a community. Ramona graduated...

One reply on “Summer programs offer a variety of activities for Flint-area youth”

Comments are closed.