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Summer 2026 · Free & low-cost

Free summer camps in Boston

9 vetted free and low-cost summer programs for kids across Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Dorchester and Wellesley — sailing, tennis, arts, sports and leadership. Many are income-qualified, lottery-filled or fee-waiver based, so apply early.

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Camp Harbor View
FREE
⭐ Top pick · swim, sports, art & leadership on Boston Harbor · grades 6–9 · completely free for qualifying Boston families
📍 Where
Long Island, Boston Harbor
👶 Ages
11–15
💰 Price
FREE · qualifying Boston families
🌐 Site
campharborview.org ↗
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Community Boating
$1
⭐ Top pick · a full summer of sailing & boating for as little as $1 · kids 10–17 who can swim 50 yards
📍 Where
Charles River Esplanade, Boston
👶 Ages
10–17
💰 Price
From $1 · full summer
🌐 Site
community-boating.org ↗
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Tenacity Tennis
FREE
Free tennis + literacy program for Boston Public School youth
📍 Where
Boston (multiple sites)
👶 Ages
7–14
💰 Price
FREE
🌐 Site
tenacity.org ↗
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Sportsmen's Tennis & Enrichment Center
FREE
Free & subsidized summer tennis and enrichment for city youth · historic Dorchester nonprofit
📍 Where
Dorchester, MA
👶 Ages
5–18
💰 Price
FREE / subsidized
🌐 Site
sportsmenstennis.org ↗
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Urban Improv Summer
FREE
Free / low-cost improv and theatre arts for Boston youth through school partnerships
📍 Where
670 Centre St, Jamaica Plain
👶 Ages
8–18
💰 Price
FREE / low-cost
📞 Call
(617) 524-7045
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Cambridge DHSP Summer Camps
Sliding scale
Art, sports, swim & field trips · sliding-scale by family income · lottery-filled · for Cambridge kids K–8
📍 Where
Cambridge, MA
👶 Ages
5–14
📅 Dates
Jul 6 – Aug 14 · lottery
🌐 Site
cambridgema.gov/dhsp ↗
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Somerville Recreation Summer
Fee waiver
Adaptive & recreational summer sports — soccer, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, baseball · fee-waiver form available
📍 Where
Somerville, MA
👶 Ages
5–14
💰 Price
Low cost · fee waiver
🌐 Site
somervillema.myrec.com ↗
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Camp Casco · Dana Hall
FREE
🆓 Free week-long sleepaway camp for childhood cancer patients, survivors & siblings · trained medical staff on site
📍 Where
Dana Hall School, Wellesley
👶 Ages
6–12
💰 Price
FREE
🌐 Site
campcasco.org ↗
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Wellesley Youth Commission
Free / low-cost
🆓 Town-run free and low-cost summer trips, sports and leadership for Wellesley middle + high schoolers
📍 Where
Wellesley, MA
👶 Ages
11–18
💰 Price
Free / low-cost
📞 Call
(781) 235-2370
View details →

Free summer camps in Boston — FAQ

Are there free summer camps in Boston?
Yes. Camp Harbor View is completely free for qualifying Boston families (grades 6–9), Tenacity runs a free tennis-and-literacy program for Boston Public School youth ages 7–14, and Community Boating lets kids 10–17 who can swim 50 yards join for as little as $1. Urban Improv offers free and low-cost theatre arts through school partnerships.
What low-cost summer camps are near Boston?
Cambridge DHSP uses sliding-scale pricing by income (lottery-filled, Cambridge K–8), Somerville Recreation offers fee-waiver forms for its summer sports, and Wellesley Youth Commission runs free and low-cost trips, sports and leadership for middle and high schoolers.
How do I qualify and apply?
Most free programs are income-qualified or tied to a specific city's residents, and many fill by lottery. Apply early through each program's website above, and ask about fee waivers or sliding-scale options if cost is a barrier.

Looking for more options? These free and low-cost programs are part of GOkidOZ's full guide to 450+ Greater Boston summer camps — filter by town, age, category and price to compare everything in one place.