18 Best Day Camps in Fort Lauderdale, FL for 2026, Reviewed by YouthCampsBase

By Maya Okonkwo, Editorial Lead, Day & Specialty Camps — published 2026-05-24

This is a working list, not a ranking. We picked 18 day camp programs in Fort Lauderdale, FL for 2026 that score well across the measures we trust most: parent ratings, completeness of public information, depth of programming, and whether the camp has bothered to claim and maintain its profile. That last one matters more than parents realize. A camp that doesn't keep its hours and program list up to date in public is a camp that probably doesn't respond to email either.

How we picked these

We ranked the Fort Lauderdale, FL day camp field on four signals: aggregated parent rating (when public review counts cleared a usefulness floor), claimed and maintained directory status (camps that have verified their own listings tend to actually pick up the phone), completeness of program information (named activities, age ranges, season detail), and whether the camp publishes a usable photo of the place. None of those are perfect signals on their own. Together they're enough to surface the day camp programs that are actually serious about communicating with parents, which correlates strongly with the programs that are serious about communicating with kids.

We did not visit these camps. We did read every listing in Fort Lauderdale, FL that met our minimum quality threshold, and we cross-checked names against Florida state licensing records where available. Verify accreditation, pricing, and current availability directly with each camp before you register. Camp programs change between years.

The 18 picks

1. Baer Family Early Childhood Learning Center

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL · Parent rating: 4.9

We included Baer Family Early Childhood Learning Center because the public signal is steady: 83 public parent reviews averaging 4.9, alongside a clear public description of what the program covers in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

2. David & Kay Hughes Administrative Headquarters / H. Wayne & Marti Huizenga Campus - Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL · Parent rating: 4.0

David & Kay Hughes Administrative Headquarters / H. Wayne & Marti Huizenga Campus - Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County sits on this list because it does the boring things well: a public summary that lays out what the camp does, a 4.0-star public rating, and a public program list that gives parents enough to work with.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

3. The Friendship Circle of Greater Fort Lauderdale

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why we chose The Friendship Circle of Greater Fort Lauderdale: the kind of word-of-mouth that holds up year to year, plus a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

4. Madelaine Halmos Academy STEAM Camps

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why we chose Madelaine Halmos Academy STEAM Camps: consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons, plus a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

5. CCA Fort Lauderdale 2025 Summer Camp Offerings

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why CCA Fort Lauderdale 2025 Summer Camp Offerings made the cut: a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan, consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

6. Nike Football Skills Camps in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why Nike Football Skills Camps in Fort Lauderdale Florida made the cut: a clear public description of what the program covers, a profile that has held up against parent scrutiny over time in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

7. Pine Crest Summer and Day Camp

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

The case for Pine Crest Summer and Day Camp in Fort Lauderdale: the kind of word-of-mouth that holds up year to year. A usable public description of the program.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

8. Chess Art Kids

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why Chess Art Kids made the cut: a public description thorough enough to evaluate before you call, the kind of word-of-mouth that holds up year to year in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

9. Compass Outreach and Education Center

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Compass Outreach and Education Center is a day camp in Fort Lauderdale that earned its place on this list through consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons and a detailed write-up that covers what kids actually do each day.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

10. Camp Live Oak

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Camp Live Oak is a day camp in Fort Lauderdale that publishes the kind of detail parents actually need. Consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons; a detailed write-up that covers what kids actually do each day.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

11. Camp Shlomo

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

We included Camp Shlomo because the public signal is steady: consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons, alongside a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

12. CCA Fort Lauderdale 2025 Summer Camp Offerings

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why CCA Fort Lauderdale 2025 Summer Camp Offerings made the cut: a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan, consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

13. Nike Football Skills Camps in Fort Lauderdale Florida

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why Nike Football Skills Camps in Fort Lauderdale Florida made the cut: a clear public description of what the program covers, a profile that has held up against parent scrutiny over time in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

14. Pine Crest Summer and Day Camp

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

The case for Pine Crest Summer and Day Camp in Fort Lauderdale: the kind of word-of-mouth that holds up year to year. A usable public description of the program.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

15. Chess Art Kids

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Why Chess Art Kids made the cut: a public description thorough enough to evaluate before you call, the kind of word-of-mouth that holds up year to year in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

16. Compass Outreach and Education Center

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Compass Outreach and Education Center is a day camp in Fort Lauderdale that earned its place on this list through consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons and a detailed write-up that covers what kids actually do each day.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

17. Camp Live Oak

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Camp Live Oak is a day camp in Fort Lauderdale that publishes the kind of detail parents actually need. Consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons; a detailed write-up that covers what kids actually do each day.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

18. Camp Shlomo

Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL

We included Camp Shlomo because the public signal is steady: consistent parent feedback over multiple seasons, alongside a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Fort Lauderdale.

View full listing on YouthCampsBase

Frequently Asked Questions

How early should I register for day camps in Fort Lauderdale, FL?

Most popular weeks at the top programs in this guide fill between January and March. Plan to register by mid-February for first-choice availability. Smaller specialty programs sometimes have rolling availability into April.

How do I verify a day camp is licensed and accredited?

Ask the camp directly for its current license number and check it against Florida's youth program licensing registry. Accreditation by the American Camp Association is voluntary but is a useful additional signal. Licensing covers safety basics; accreditation covers program quality.

What age range do the day camps in this guide serve?

The 18 programs on this list cover ages roughly 4 through 16, though no single camp serves the full range. Each listing on YouthCampsBase publishes its specific age bands. Confirm the camp serves your child's age and grade level before you put down a deposit.

How much do day camps typically cost?

Pricing in this category varies widely based on session length, specialty, and whether lunch and aftercare are included. Many of the programs in this guide publish current rates on their own sites; for the ones that don't, call before you build your shortlist. Financial aid is more common than parents expect: about a third of the programs here offer some form of sliding scale.

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YouthCampsBase is a directory. We surface programs and the public signal around them. We don't visit, inspect, or endorse camps. Last reviewed 2026-05-24 by Maya Okonkwo.