Arvada Kids Programs: Camps, Sports, and After-School Options

Arvada parents are not short on options. The challenge is sorting through a metro-wide catalog of 232 Denver-area camps and finding the ones that actually make sense from Olde Town, Candelas, or the Ralston Valley corridor. Weekly costs in the Denver metro range from $50 to over $1,900 depending on sport, format, and prestige (ProjectKids directory, 2026). This guide cuts through the noise and focuses on programs that are accessible, realistically priced, and worth your registration time.

Denver summer camps complete guide

Key Takeaways

• Denver-area sports camps range from $50/week (Denver Nuggets Jr. Coach) to $1,974/week (Nike Golf at DU), so budget planning matters
• Martial arts camps offer the most price variety: KicksRUs runs $99-$299/week, while High Altitude Martial Arts goes $65-$350/week depending on session
• The Denver Nuggets Basketball Camp at 150 S Harlan St is one of the few name-brand sports camps under $300/week at $275
• COED Ninja at 4860 Van Gordon St in Arvada is the most local option on this list at $335/week for ages 5-14
• Tennis options span $200/week (TPRD) to $849/week (Nike at DU), so your choice depends on how serious your kid is
• Over 60% of U.S. families with children under 18 have all parents in the workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024), making full-day coverage a non-negotiable for most Arvada households

What are the best sports camps accessible from Arvada in 2026?

Denver's sports camp market is large, but only a handful of programs sit within a reasonable drive of Arvada without sending you across the metro during morning rush hour. The TPRD camps at 16799 E. Lake Ave are among the highest-volume programs in the data, with 410 sessions and pricing at $200-$400/week, making them a strong baseline option for families who want structured athletics without a premium price tag (ProjectKids directory, 2026).

For families in Arvada specifically, the most geographically relevant program is COED Ninja Summer Camp at 4860 Van Gordon Street. That address puts it in the Wheat Ridge/Arvada border area, less than 10 minutes from most Arvada neighborhoods. At $335/week with 60 sessions on the calendar, it offers consistent availability. This is a gymnastics-meets-obstacle-course format that works especially well for kids who are too energetic for sit-down activities.

The Denver Nuggets Basketball Camp at 150 S Harlan St (Lakewood, near Belmar) is another strong pick. At $275/week, it's one of the more affordable name-brand options in the metro. The drive from Arvada is roughly 20 minutes down Wadsworth, manageable for a drop-off on the way to work. Thirty sessions on the calendar means you have reasonable scheduling flexibility.

The Rockies Youth Baseball Camp at Coors Field (2001 Blake St) deserves a mention for older kids who love baseball. At $450/week, it's a harder sell on price, but the facility experience is genuinely unique. Twenty sessions available. For a motivated 10-14 year old who eats baseball, there's nothing comparable in the metro.

Citation Capsule: TPRD camps at 16799 E. Lake Ave lead the Denver metro in session volume, with 410 sessions priced at $200-$400 per week. For Arvada families, this represents one of the highest-availability sports programs in the northwest corridor (ProjectKids directory, 2026).

How much do Arvada-area sports camps cost per week?

Cost is the first filter most families use, and the range here is wider than most parents expect. The national average for summer day camp reached $396 per week in 2025 (American Camp Association, 2025). Denver's metro data shows a similar spread, with sports camps clustering between $200 and $500/week and outliers at both ends.

We've found that the $200-$400/week bracket offers the best combination of availability and quality for most Arvada families. Programs in this range include TPRD ($200-$400), Denver Tennis Park at 1560 S Franklin St ($200-$400), Skyhawks SuperTots ($200-$400), Okinawa Dojo by Karate Bros at 3425 S Oleander Ct ($200-$400), and Premier Martial Arts Wash Park at 1699 S Colorado Blvd ($200-$400). There is no shortage of options in that band.

At the lower end, KicksRUs martial arts camps stand out. Three locations run sessions at $99-$299/week: 16655 East Smoky Hill Road (Kicks Martial Arts), 18632 Pony Express Drive (Parker Academy of Martial Arts), and 6810 S. University Blvd. (United Martial Arts & Fitness Center). If your kid is interested in martial arts and price is the primary constraint, these are your best starting point. Thirty sessions per location gives you flexibility.

At the higher end, Nike-branded university camps command a significant premium. Nike Tennis Camp at the University of Denver (2199 S University Blvd) runs $829-$849/week. Nike Golf Camp at DU (1801 S Huron St) runs $845-$1,974/week. Nike Swim Camp at the University of Colorado Boulder (2350 Libby Dr) goes $991-$1,141/week. These are residential-adjacent programs with elite-level coaching access. They make sense for competitive kids in a specific sport but are not general-purpose summer care.

Camp	Type	Ages	Weekly Cost	Sessions
TPRD (16799 E. Lake Ave)	Multi-sport	Varies	$200-$400	410
Denver Nuggets Basketball (150 S Harlan St)	Basketball	Varies	$275	30
COED Ninja (4860 Van Gordon St)	Ninja/Gymnastics	5-14	$335	60
KicksRUs - Kicks Martial Arts (16655 E Smoky Hill Rd)	Martial Arts	Varies	$99-$299	30
High Altitude Tennis (4305 E. 4th Ave.)	Tennis	Varies	$276	40
Denver Tennis Park (1560 S Franklin St)	Tennis	Varies	$200-$400	150
Venture Martial Arts (8270 E Northfield Blvd #1450)	Martial Arts	Varies	$399	60
Rockies Youth Baseball - Coors Field (2001 Blake St)	Baseball	Varies	$450	20
DU Pioneers Summer Camp (2201 E Asbury Ave)	Multi-sport	Varies	$775	90
Nike Tennis at DU (2199 S University Blvd)	Tennis	Varies	$829-$849	40

Citation Capsule: Denver-area sports camps span $99 to $1,974 per week in 2026, compared to the national average of $396/week (American Camp Association, 2025). The sharpest value in the martial arts category is KicksRUs at $99-$299/week across three Denver locations (ProjectKids directory, 2026).

Which martial arts camps are worth it for Arvada kids?

Martial arts is one of the most affordable and widely available camp categories in the Denver metro. Five distinct programs compete in this space, and the price differences between them are significant. Participation in youth martial arts programs has grown roughly 12% annually over the past five years, driven partly by the overlap with obstacle-course fitness formats (Sports & Fitness Industry Association, 2024).

KicksRUs runs the most accessible entry point at $99-$299/week. Three locations mean you can pick the most convenient one. Parker Academy of Martial Arts at 18632 Pony Express Drive and Kicks Martial Arts at 16655 East Smoky Hill Road are both on the southeast side, while United Martial Arts & Fitness Center at 6810 S. University Blvd. is more central. From Arvada, the University location is probably your closest option.

High Altitude Martial Arts Summer Camp at 8988 E Hampden Ave runs $65-$350/week across 30 sessions. That unusually wide range suggests they offer both short introductory sessions and full-week intensives, so it's worth calling to clarify what the lower end actually gets you before registering. The Hampden Ave address is near the I-25/Hampden interchange, about 25-30 minutes from Arvada.

Venture Martial Arts at 8270 E Northfield Blvd #1450 runs $399/week, and they also offer a themed "Jedi Camp" at the same price and location. Sixty sessions available for the standard program, 30 for the Jedi variant. The Northfield location puts it northeast of downtown, roughly 30 minutes from Arvada on a light-traffic morning.

What tennis camps are available near Arvada?

Tennis has a surprisingly broad camp ecosystem in the Denver metro, ranging from low-cost recreational programs to university-affiliated Nike camps. The most relevant local option for Arvada families is High Altitude Tennis at 4305 E. 4th Ave., priced at $276/week with 40 sessions, all currently full. That "full sessions" note matters. If you're seeing High Altitude Tennis on your radar, get on the waitlist now or plan around it for 2027.

Based on our session data, Denver Tennis Park at 1560 S Franklin St has the deepest inventory in the region at 150 sessions, priced at $200-$400/week. The Franklin Street address is in the Wash Park / South Pearl corridor, a 25-minute drive from Arvada but accessible via Santa Fe Drive. For a family that wants maximum scheduling flexibility and a moderate price, this is probably the most reliable option.

The adidas Tennis Youth Camp at Metropolitan State University (890 Auraria Pkwy #310) runs $385-$435/week with 90 sessions, all currently showing as full. The MSU campus is 15 minutes from Arvada, making it a geographically convenient choice if you can get into a session. Nike Tennis Camp at the University of Denver (2199 S University Blvd) at $829-$849/week is the premium choice for serious junior players. Forty sessions, also currently full. For serious development, DU's facilities and Nike coaching credentials are the best in the metro, but the price and waitlist reality means it's not a practical first-choice option for most families.

Citation Capsule: The Denver metro has five distinct tennis camp programs in 2026, ranging from $200/week (Denver Tennis Park) to $849/week (Nike Tennis at DU). High Altitude Tennis at 4305 E. 4th Ave. and adidas Tennis at MSU are currently reporting full sessions, while Denver Tennis Park at 1560 S Franklin St maintains 150 available sessions (ProjectKids directory, 2026).

Are there swim camps within a reasonable drive of Arvada?

Swim camps are a different category from most sports programs because they require specialized facilities, which limits where you can find them. The Half-Day Swim Camp at Swim Otters Wheat Ridge is the most geographically convenient option for Arvada families at $400/week for 10 sessions. Wheat Ridge borders Arvada directly, which makes this the shortest drive on the list.

The Nike Swim Camp at Brackett Hall ($1,041/week, 180 sessions) is the high-end option with strong session availability. Brackett Hall is on the CSU or DU campus, depending on which session, so confirm the location before registering. The 180-session count means availability is not an issue, but the price puts it out of reach for most families looking for general summer coverage.

For a mid-range option, the Swim Camp at Aurora Central High School runs $550/week with 60 sessions. Aurora Central is on the east side of the metro, roughly 40 minutes from Arvada. That's a significant daily commute, but for a kid who is serious about competitive swimming, it may be worth it.

The swim camp landscape around Arvada specifically has a notable gap: there is no sub-$400 swim camp within 15 minutes of the city. The closest affordable option is the Rockies Youth Softball Camp at MSU Denver ($75/week), which is obviously not swimming, but it illustrates how the affordable athletic programming in the metro skews toward land-based sports. Families who need swim instruction at a moderate price are likely better served by Jefferson County School District summer swim programs than by the camps in this dataset.

What horseback riding and specialty camps work for Arvada families?

Riding Camp at 14422 W. Ken-Caryl Avenue is worth the drive for horse-obsessed kids at $500-$525/week with 40 sessions. Ken-Caryl is in the southwest Jefferson County foothills, a straight shot down C-470 from Arvada, roughly 25-30 minutes. DERS Horse Camp at 5200 West Coal Mine Avenue ($995/week, 30 sessions, currently full) is slightly closer but priced for a different level of commitment. Horse Camp at Chatfield State Park ($600/week, 30 sessions) is another foothills option, and Chatfield is a legitimately great setting if your kid has any interest in both horses and nature.

The Easton Denver Kids Summer Camp (1304 S. Santa Fe Dr.) is a specialty athletic training camp running $325-$399/week with just 2 sessions in June. Easton is one of the premier athletic training facilities in Colorado, and the June 15-19 session is a strong week-long option for a motivated 8-14 year old who wants a focused sports experience rather than a general summer program.

For the very young, the 2026 Preschool Summer Adventure Camp at 2250 Kearney St runs $65-$200/week with 10 sessions. That low end price point makes it one of the most accessible options in this entire dataset for families with 3-5 year olds.

How do you build a summer plan from Arvada that actually works?

The families who end up most satisfied with their summer are the ones who treat program selection like a logistics problem, not a shopping exercise. Start with your work calendar. Block out the weeks you need full-day coverage. Then match programs to those weeks based on availability, not preference.

For Arvada-based families needing reliable full-day coverage, the highest-volume programs give you the most scheduling flexibility. TPRD at 410 sessions, Denver Tennis Park at 150 sessions, and Nike Swim Camp at 180 sessions are your most bookable anchors. High-availability programs reduce the chance you end up waitlisted for a critical week in July.

Over 60% of U.S. families with children under 18 have all parents in the workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024). For dual-income Arvada households, the math is simple: you need coverage from roughly 8 AM to 5:30 PM on days when school is out. Build around that constraint first. Layer specialty programs like Easton Denver or COED Ninja into weeks where extended coverage is less critical, such as a week when a grandparent is visiting or a parent is working from home.

Arvada's position in the northwest metro is genuinely useful here. You have reasonable access to the Jeffco foothills programs (riding, nature, outdoor) to the southwest, the central Denver sport and arts programs via Wadsworth or I-70, and the Wheat Ridge/Lakewood corridor for mid-range options. You're not stuck commuting through downtown.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most affordable sports camps near Arvada in 2026?

The Denver Nuggets Jr. Coach Program at 1000 Chopper Circle tops the affordability list at $50/week, though it has only 10 sessions. KicksRUs martial arts camps offer the best consistent value at $99-$299/week across three Denver locations, with 30 sessions per location. Ball Mastery soccer at 2100 West 112th Ave runs $120/week for 10 sessions, putting it close to Arvada with reasonable pricing. The national average for summer day camp is $396/week (American Camp Association, 2025), so anything under $200/week represents genuine savings.

How far is COED Ninja Summer Camp from Arvada neighborhoods?

COED Ninja Summer Camp at 4860 Van Gordon Street is in the Wheat Ridge/Arvada border area. From central Arvada near Wadsworth and 64th, it's roughly 8-12 minutes. From Candelas or the northwest edge of Arvada, budget 15-20 minutes. At $335/week with 60 sessions, it's the most geographically convenient specialty sports camp in this dataset for Arvada families.

When should Arvada parents register for summer camps in 2026?

The American Camp Association reports that 40% of popular camp programs reach capacity before April (American Camp Association, 2025). Several programs in this dataset are already showing full sessions, including High Altitude Tennis (all 40 sessions full) and adidas Tennis at MSU (all 90 sessions full). If a specific program is on your list, register now rather than waiting for school schedules to firm up. See our registration dates guide for metro-wide timelines.

Are there sports camps in this list that accept very young kids?

The 2026 Preschool Summer Adventure Camp at 2250 Kearney St accepts children as young as preschool age (approximately 3-5) at $65-$200/week with 10 sessions available. Skyhawks SuperTots programs are designed for ages 2-14 and run $200-$400/week. Mile High Mites at multiple locations runs $305/week and is specifically designed for the youngest youth hockey players. Most other programs in this dataset start at age 5 or 6.

What is the best university-affiliated sports camp for a serious junior athlete from Arvada?

For a genuinely competitive junior athlete, the Nike-branded university programs offer the strongest coaching credentials. Nike Tennis at DU (2199 S University Blvd) runs $829-$849/week. The Revolution Field Hockey Camp at DU (2199 S University Blvd) runs $629-$769/week for 30 sessions. Nike Boys Lacrosse at Regis University (3333 Regis Blvd) runs $641-$741/week and is geographically closer to Arvada, just north on Sheridan. DU Pioneers Summer Camp (2201 E Asbury Ave) at $775/week runs 90 sessions across three sessions, giving you more scheduling options than the Nike specialty programs.

Part of the Denver Summer Camps 2026 Complete Guide.