The summer vacation months are a great time to immerse kids in the arts. Organizations across the disciplines offer children-specific arts programming and education camps. Many also offer scholarships to off-set the tuition for their camps.
This guide is intended to help you find fun and creative arts programs and performances for families and kids.
ART+DESIGN
Museum of Design Atlanta’s newest exhibition Level Up: Pixels, Play & Progress explores video game design and how today’s games can help make the world more inclusive and interconnected. June 6 through September 17. General admission $10; students $8.
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The Chastain Arts Center offers art classes and workshops for toddlers and teens, and all kids in between. There are classes for adults too. Summer workshops run June 12-17. Summer classes are from June 26 through August 26. Prices vary.
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The High Museum of Art offers free admission for all visitors and family programming participants from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 11 and Sunday, July 9. Families can enjoy art-making activities and performances as well as the current exhibits.
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The latest monument of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was recently unveiled at the Rodney Cook Sr. Peace Park in Vine City. It commemorates the 55th anniversary of Dr. King’s “I’ve been to the mountaintop” speech and is a great way for families to talk about King’s legacy and the history of the Civil Rights movement in Atlanta and beyond.
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Black Art in America will host a Family Reunion June 16-19. The East Point gallery will present lectures, panel talks, networking opportunities and an old-fashioned family cookout. Opening night (6 p.m. to 8 p.m.) will include cocktails and live jazz. Free. The gallery also offers community art and gardening programming for children and seniors.
MUSIC
Music for the Very Young, a program by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in partnership with The Music Class, offers a seven-week education program that is aimed for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their grown-ups. The classes last through the summer months and include classic children’s songs played by ASO musicians. Classes are $147.
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The Music Class holds seven-week youth music education programs all across Atlanta, and at various times and days. Classes are $147.
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Chicago Joe’s Rock and Blues Summer Camp immerse budding rock and blues musicians into the world of blazing Stratocasters and honking saxophones. The camp is intended for teens who have already progressed past the beginner stage on their instrument or as a vocalist. The week-long camp, with installments through July, culminates in a live concert by student bands. Classes are $615, scholarships are available.
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The Atlanta Music Project hosts summer programs for students in grades four and above. The programs are tuition-free, and some experience with a musical instrument is required.
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The Music Studio Atlanta has locations in Vinings and East Cobb, and hosts music classes for mixed ages throughout the summer. Try a class for $20.
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The School of Rock Atlanta offers music camps for young, aspiring rock stars throughout the summer, with courses that range from Pop Legends to Metal to Pop Punk. $500.
FILM+TV
The 16th annual Atlanta Children’s Film Festival runs June 9-25. The festival includes workshops for children, teens and industry professional. Tickets for workshops and in-person screenings at the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library (Central Library) start at $10. In addition, the films will be available for streaming free of charge.
BOOKS
The Little Shop of Stories hosts weeklong camps throughout the summer, with themes that range from mythology to solving puzzles to learning about the nature around us. Weekly camps are $400.
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Virginia Highland Books offers a Kids’ Summer Reading Program for kids from K-6. The shop will recommend books, and there are prizes for reading a certain number of books. Free.
DANCE
Atlanta Ballet offers summer day programs for children of all ages and levels. For kids under six-years-old there are creative movement classes; ballet, music tap, jazz, arts and craft will keep the five-to-seven-year-olds busy, while teens 13 to 17 can enjoy more serious study. Programs are held at the Buckhead and Virginia Highland locations. No audition necessary. Prices vary.
THEATER
The Center for Puppetry Arts offers week-long Puppet Summer Camps in June and July, where kids ages five to nine can write and build their own puppet shows. And don’t miss two puppet shows geared toward your little ones: Captain Healthy and Safety Dog, June 14-25, and Hungry Garden, July 6-9. Camp is $395 for one week, and puppet show tickets are $27, with discounts available.
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Dad’s Garage offers weekly youth improv sessions this summer, where kids can explore the art of improv each week and perform for their families at the end of each session. Registration is $375, and scholarships are available. June 12 through July 28.
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Youth Creates at 7 Stages Theatre gives teens the opportunity to create a theatrical production from scratch. Over the course of one month, workshops on playwriting, music, set design and performance are taught by theater professionals. Tuition is $2,000, and financial aid is available. June 26 through July 30.
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The Shakespeare Tavern will produce two family shows this summer, and both include special performances for kids with sensory issues. Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood runs June 3 until July 3, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream is on stage July 8-30. Tickets are $20.
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The family experience company CAMP recently opened a location in Dunwoody at the retail and dining center Ashford Lane. The space features an immersive experience of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, with new shows opening every few months. Packages start at $35.
