Summer Programs

Summer programs at Hartsbrook for children ages 4-14 will be offered June 22 – July 31, 2026. Our camps have a variety of options in one or two week sessions.

Our typical camp day starts at 8:45am and ends by 3pm with the option to arrive as early as 7:45am in our Early Bird Add-On program.

Early Birds

Summer Programs

2026 Early Bird (weekly early arrival add-on program)

All ages

This program will be offered weekly across the full 6 week season.

This will be a calm and quiet start to the morning at Hartsbrook summer camps for those children whose caregivers need to arrive before our regular drop-off time. This program will open at 7:45am, and we will walk the campers as a group to their respective counselors starting at 8:45am. You can expect kind, caring, experienced leaders who regularly work with mixed-age groups of children from 4 to 12 years old. Children can choose among individual and group options: coloring, puzzles, library skills, finger knitting, reading, games, and more.

Sprouts

Summer Programs

2026 Sprouts (at Farm Camp)

Pre-k to Rising 1st Grade

This program will be offered weekly across the full 6 week season.

As a Sprout, children experience the freedom of summer. Our youngest campers have their own play yard where they can explore the climbing structures, play in a straw bale house, dig in the sand box, wander through the garden, or do crafts with a counselor. Throughout the day counselors will offer other activities, such as grinding corn for the chickens, planting seeds, visiting the farm animals, making flower chains or splashing in the wading pool. There is a predictable flow to each day that includes a time for quiet rest or a nap. If your child is age 6 and you are unsure if Sprouts or Young Farmers is the best fit, please feel free to reach out for a consultation. Children must be 4 years old and diaper-free to attend camp.

  • There is a scholarship available for Farm Camp for the 2026 camp season.

Young Farmers

Summer Programs

2026 Young Farmers (at Farm Camp)

Rising 1st Grade – 6th Grade

This program will be offered weekly across the full 6 week season.

Elementary-aged children enjoy a week of being outside and doing purposeful work. Young Stewards gather for a farmers’ meeting, often with a song and a game, before heading off to do their animal chores, like feeding the goats and collecting eggs from the chickens. They also experience farm-based crafts, such as working with wool and making cheese. Campers cool off on hot days with water games, and stories told under tall shady trees.

  • There is a scholarship available for Farm Camp for the 2026 camp season.

Counselor-in-Training (CIT)

Summer Programs

2026 Counselor-in-Training Program

Rising 6th – 9th Grade

This program is only offered as a two-week session and will be offered across all 6 weeks of our camp season.

Enjoy the excitement of camp, while learning the skills to become a leader! Participate as a counselor across our programs for younger campers. You’ll assist counselors with games and play, connect with campers and support their joyful exploration of camp. Counselors in training also get to do hands-on agricultural work, animal care, and craft activities. Gain deep bonds with other CIT’s through community conversation, farm work, and leadership growth!

Creativity Camp

Summer Programs

2026 Creativity Camp

Rising 2nd – 6th Grade

This program will be offered weekly across the full 6 week season.

Creativity Camp is a whole week of playful artmaking, discovering and open-ended creative expression. Each week will have a unique themed-focus. In addition to each week’s focus, campers will explore other process-based creative arts projects. And we’ll have plenty of time to play, chill and cool off built into our days. At the end of the week before pickup, families are invited to a celebratory showcase of the week’s creations. Led by Creative Arts Facilitator and Hartsbrook parent Melissa Renzi, this one-of-a-kind offering draws from her twenty years of experience as an artist, writer and teacher. Come get creative with us!

Fiddle Camp

Summer Programs

2026 Fiddle Camp

Rising 4th – 10th Grade

This program will be offered for one week during our season (Week of July 13-17)

Come play music all morning in a supportive, creative, and exploratory setting! Instructors will teach traditional fiddle tunes by ear from places like Ireland, Scotland, Louisiana, and the Appalachian mountains. There will be opportunities for improvising, song-writing, tune-writing, folk dancing, and exploring new instruments. New this year: violin, viola, cello, double bass, mandolin, guitar, ukulele and banjo players welcome! More details to come!

Cooking and Baking Camp

Summer Programs

2026 Cooking and Baking Camp

Rising 2th – 6th Grade

This program will be offered weekly across the full 6 week season.

Cooking & Baking Camp is a hands-on, joy-filled week in the kitchen where campers build confidence while whisking, chopping, and baking together. Children will learn essential kitchen skills, explore global flavors, bake sweet and savory treats, and cook with fresh produce from the Hartsbrook farm, all in a supportive, playful environment that includes time to play, rest, create, and eat in community.

Camp is led by faculty member MaryBeth Sargent, whose background in education and professional baking brings warmth, skill, and care to every recipe. Campers will cook daily in small groups, practice kitchen safety, and head home with new recipes, practical skills, and their own handmade apron.

Families will receive a brief pre-camp survey to share allergies or specific needs. If your child has a gluten allergy please email summerprograms@hartsbrook.org before registering for this program.

CAMP POLICIES

This year we are introducing a tiered pricing model for summer camp. This approach is designed to offer families flexibility by allowing you to select a tier that fits your family situation. Tier 3 is our default option and helps support access for others. Tier 2 reflects our base cost of camp. Tier 1 is the most affordable option offering broader access. Discount codes need to be entered at checkout to pay Tier 2 or Tier 1 pricing. All discount codes can be found in the description of each session on the registration pages. Please note that at “checkout”, discounts will be shown and only one (best one) will be applied.

2026 Summer Programs Cancellation Policy: All cancellations are subject to a $50 administrative fee. Cancellations made after May 1 are eligible for a refund, minus the fee, only if the vacated spot is filled from the waitlist. If the spot is not filled, no refund will be issued.

Hartsbrook Summer Programs must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and be licensed by the local Board of Health.
Parents may request copies of staff background checks, health care and discipline policies as well as procedures for filing grievances.