Click on the panels below for general information about our Summer Camp program.
If you have any questions, please email summercamps@redbutte.utah.edu
2024 Summer Camp registration opens Tuesday, March 5 at 10AM for Garden members and Wednesday, March 6 at 10 AM to the public.
Campers should be registered for the grade they will enter in fall 2024.
Please note the following guidelines:
- Kindergarten
- Must be entering Kindergarten this fall
- Most campers ages 5-6
- 1st/2nd Grade
- Must be entering 1st or 2nd grade this fall
- Most campers ages 6-8
- 3rd/4th Grade
- Must be entering 3rd or 4th grade this fall
- Most campers ages 8-10
- 5th-7th Grade
- Must be entering 5th, 6th, or 7th grade this fall
- Most campers ages 10-13
Age limits are strictly enforced to ensure the best academic and social environment for all campers. Any child who doesn't fall within the prescribed age range for a specific camp will not be allowed to attend, and their registration will be dropped. We regret that we cannot make any exceptions to this policy.
All campers must be toilet trained.
Summer Camp runs rain or shine. In the event of a Garden closure or schedule change, you will receive an email regarding the update. If you need to contact Red Butte Garden for any reason regarding your child and summer camp, please call the camp registrar (801) 581-8454 or the front desk (801) 585-0556
At the time of registration, you will be asked to review the following with your camper:
Red Butte Garden takes the physical and emotional well-being of its campers very seriously, and strives to create a positive, warm, and supportive atmosphere during summer camp. Our camps are strict No Bullying Zones and place a strong emphasis on developing healthy relationships with people, plants, and the natural world.
In order to create an environment conducive to learning, campers agree to:
- Follow directions, obey camp rules, and stay with their group.
- Treat fellow campers, instructors, volunteers, and the Garden with respect.
In the event that a camper’s behavior endangers other campers, interferes with an instructor’s ability to provide quality programming, or fails to adhere to the Camper Code of Conduct, the instructor will inform the caregiver at pick-up or through a phone call/email. If more than two incidents occur, the camper will be asked to withdraw from camp. Refunds will not be given for behavior-related withdrawals.
At the staff's discretion, any consequence may be bypassed due to the severity and nature of a camper's behavior.
Due to the contagious nature of some illnesses, children with the following symptoms should not attend camp:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Trouble breathing
- Sore throat
- Sudden change in taste or smell
- Muscle aches or pains
- Undiagnosed rash
- Elevated temperature
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Sore or discharging eyes or ears, profuse nasal discharge
- Diagnosed contagious diseases such as strep throat or chickenpox
If your camper becomes ill or injured while attending camp you will be notified by phone immediately. Members of our staff are CPR/first aid/defibrillator trained and will respond to all emergencies as needed. Our staff will determine if Emergency Personnel need to be contacted.
Caregivers are not allowed to remain with their camper during camp. If you feel your child is unable to attend without you, it may be best to wait a year before sending your child to summer camp.
The week before your camp starts, you will receive an email reminder that includes important information about camp such as check-in/checkout details and more.
At check-in each day, please inform your child's instructor who will pick up your camper. Please ensure that both your child and the instructor know who will be picking up each day. For your child’s safety, only individuals listed on the daily check-in form with a valid, matching picture ID will be allowed to check your camper out each day. Camp staff will check IDs daily, so please plan accordingly. See the "Check-in and Checkout" category below for more information.
Details about check-in and pick-up will be communicated via email the week before the start of each camp. *For your child’s safety, only authorized individuals with a valid picture ID will be allowed to check campers out each day. Camp staff will check IDs daily, so please plan accordingly.
While we prefer that your camper arrives and leaves at the designated check-in/check-out times, we understand that life doesn’t always work on an ideal schedule. If your camper needs to come late please let us know by calling the camp registrar at (801) 581-8454. If they need to leave early please communicate this with your child’s camp instructor so that we can make special arrangements ahead of time for his/her early pick-up.
*All partner camps have different check-in and check-out locations, dates, and times. Please see camp descriptions and reminder emails for details.
When checking in at Red Butte Garden, campers will meet in the Red Butte Garden Visitor Center parking lot.
Many of our camps fill up early! If the camp you're interested in is currently sold out, check back often. Movement within camps generally starts 2-3 weeks before the start of camp as our campers’ summer plans change. To be added to our waitlist, CLICK HERE.
Garden members receive exclusive discounts on camp tuition. To receive your discount you will need to REGISTER in Red Butte Garden’s online portal using the email associated with your membership.
After you are logged in you will be able to register for classes / workshops / activities and receive your discount. Your discount will be reflected after you add items to your cart, before you complete check-out.
If your discount is not being reflected please call our camp registrar at 801-581-8454.
Registration is open until camps fill or five business days prior to the start date of the individual camps. Day-of registration is not allowed.
Due to University of Utah policy, each individual camper may only register for a maximum of 5 weeks of our summer camps.
We are happy to accommodate all children in our summer camp program. Please let us know if your child has physical, emotional, educational, or medical special needs so we can plan accordingly. If your camper has any severe allergies or chronic illnesses (including food or other allergies) please let us know and advise us on what we can do to help your camper have a safe and fun time at camp. To discuss specific details about your camper, please call our camp registrar at (801) 581-8454 and we’ll be happy to help.
In order to provide the best experience for your camper we limit enrollment to our camps as follows:
- Kindergarten & 5th-7th Grade: limited to 12 campers.
- 1st through 4th Grade Camps: limited to 16 campers.
Qualified Red Butte Garden employees, including several professional educators, lead camps, with assistance from volunteers.
- Full-Day Camps: If your child is attending a full-day camp, plan to send a non-perishable, nut-free sack lunch each day. Children will eat their lunch prior to departing to the afternoon location.
- Full- and Half-Day Camps: Please send your child to camp with a nut-free snack each day.
- Water Bottles: Please send your child to camp with a water bottle. We have water-filling stations throughout the Garden.
The Garden is NOT responsible for any item lost or broken during camp. Please leave the following at home: personal video game players, MP3/iPods, iPads, and other tablet devices.
Dress for the weather! Camp is held rain or shine. Wear clothes that are comfortable, easy to move in, and appropriate for outdoor activities and hands-on, messy fun.
Hats, sunscreen, and closed-toed shoes are strongly encouraged.
Special thanks to our 2024 Summer Camp Partners!
- Clark Planetarium
- Natural History Museum of Utah
- SpyHop
- Tanner Dance
- Wasatch Community Gardens