YouthCampsBase
18 Best Day Camps in Minnesota for 2026, Reviewed by YouthCampsBase
18 day camp programs in Minnesota for 2026, ranked by parent ratings, program depth, and verified listings. Reviewed by Maya Okonkwo.
18 Best Day Camps in Minnesota for 2026, Reviewed by YouthCampsBase
By Maya Okonkwo, Editorial Lead, Day & Specialty Camps — published 2026-05-24
Minnesota parents have one thing working against them: choice. There are more day camp options than a Saturday afternoon of research can hold. So we ranked the field for 2026 using the signal we trust: verified ratings, claimed status, and program completeness. We pulled the 18 programs that came up cleanest. Use this as your starting list. Call the top three. Don't try to evaluate twenty.
How we picked these
We ranked the Minnesota 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 Minnesota that met our minimum quality threshold, and we cross-checked names against Minnesota 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. Camp Smile Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Location: Maple Grove, MN · Parent rating: 4.9
Camp Smile Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics sits on this list because it does the boring things well: a public summary that lays out what the camp does, a parent rating of 4.9 across 135 public reviews, and a public program list that gives parents enough to work with.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
2. Camp Smile Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics
Location: Excelsior, MN · Parent rating: 4.9
Why we chose Camp Smile Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics: 757 public parent reviews averaging 4.9, plus a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Excelsior.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
3. Camp Elk River
Location: Zimmerman, MN · Parent rating: 4.8
Camp Elk River sits on this list because it does the boring things well: a workable description of the program's focus, a steady 4.8 parent rating built on 57 reviews, and a public program list that gives parents enough to work with.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
4. Hindu Temple of Minnesota
Location: Maple Grove, MN · Parent rating: 4.8
Hindu Temple of Minnesota sits on this list because it does the boring things well: a public description thorough enough to evaluate before you call, 4.8 stars from 1560 reviewing parents, and a public program list that gives parents enough to work with.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
5. Chaska Curling Center
Location: Chaska, MN · Parent rating: 4.7
Chaska Curling Center is a day camp in Chaska that publishes the kind of detail parents actually need. 381 public parent reviews averaging 4.7; a public summary that lays out what the camp does.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
6. Soccer Shots Twin Cities
Location: White Bear Lake, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Soccer Shots Twin Cities sits on this list because it does the boring things well: a public summary that lays out what the camp does, a steady 5.0 parent rating built on 282 reviews, and a public program list that gives parents enough to work with.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
7. Three Timbers
Location: Waconia, MN · Parent rating: 4.8
Three Timbers is a day camp in Waconia that earned its place on this list through a parent rating of 4.8 across 32 public reviews and a usable public description of the program.
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8. Pagel Ice Arena
Location: Minnetonka, MN · Parent rating: 4.3
Why Pagel Ice Arena made the cut: a public summary that lays out what the camp does, a steady parent rating of 4.3 in Minnetonka.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
9. Minnesota Made Ice Center Edina
Location: Edina, MN · Parent rating: 4.3
The case for Minnesota Made Ice Center Edina in Edina: public reviews averaging 4.3 stars. A substantive public description that tells parents what the camp actually does.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
10. Twin Cities Orthopedics with Urgent Care Eden Prairie
Location: Eden Prairie, MN · Parent rating: 4.7
Twin Cities Orthopedics with Urgent Care Eden Prairie is a day camp in Eden Prairie that earned its place on this list through a parent rating of 4.7 across 80 public reviews and a clear public description of what the program covers.
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11. Pagel Activity Center
Location: Minnetonka, MN · Parent rating: 4.1
Pagel Activity Center is a day camp in Minnetonka that earned its place on this list through public reviews averaging 4.1 stars and a usable public description of the program.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
12. Circle R Ranch
Location: Long Prairie, MN · Parent rating: 4.1
Circle R Ranch in Long Prairie surfaced strong on the measures we trust. Public reviews averaging 4.1 stars, and a usable public description of the program.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
13. Nature Pathways Early Learning Center
Location: Mendota Heights, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Why Nature Pathways Early Learning Center made the cut: a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan, a steady parent rating of 5.0 in Mendota Heights.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
14. Camp Venture
Location: Edina, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Camp Venture in Edina surfaced strong on the measures we trust. Public reviews averaging 5.0 stars, and a workable description of the program's focus.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
15. Project SOAR
Location: Excelsior, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Project SOAR is a day camp in Excelsior that earned its place on this list through public reviews averaging 5.0 stars and a public summary that lays out what the camp does.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
16. Relentless Academy
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
We included Relentless Academy because the public signal is steady: a steady parent rating of 5.0, alongside a real description of the program, not a marketing slogan in Brooklyn Center.
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17. High Tech Kids
Location: Eagan, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Why High Tech Kids made the cut: a substantive public description that tells parents what the camp actually does, a 5.0 parent rating in Eagan.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
18. Red Pine Camp - Business Address
Location: Bloomington, MN · Parent rating: 5.0
Red Pine Camp - Business Address is a day camp in Bloomington that publishes the kind of detail parents actually need. A steady parent rating of 5.0; a usable public description of the program.
View full listing on YouthCampsBase
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I register for day camps in Minnesota?
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 Minnesota'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.