Inspired by Carl Hiaasen's book Hoot and our own childhoods, we offer a number of week-long camps where kids learn a little biology, a few old-school “waterman” skills, and some kid skills. We'll make friends, enjoy the ocean, and have tons of fun!
We keep the size of our camps small and the meaningful experiences big. Typically, the camper-to-teacher ratio is less than 12 to 1. Island Skills weeks are geared towards campers 6 to 13. Sea Squirts weeks are geared towards ages 4 to 6. We also offer a Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program that runs simultaneously to Island Skills and Sea Squirts weeks at each location for kids 13 to 17 and older who want to explore their leadership potential.
Each week of Island Skills and Sea Squirts camp has a unique theme and activities, but there are some things we do every week. We surf daily to practice for our famous Surf Paddling Competition on Friday mornings. In Sanibel Sea School style, every day includes beach time, games, macramé, and team bonding. Then there’s always artwork, journaling, seining and snorkeling. Our "Milk and Cookies Slideshow" takes place every Friday at the end of the day. Bring some delicious baked goodies and join us to experience your child's week of camp.
We also offer expeditions for older campers. We have a series of weeks for teens, both daily and overnight camps. From snorkeling and coral reef studies in the Florida Keys to fishing, paddleboarding, and wilderness survival skills on Sanibel Island, each camp focuses on hands-on learning, teamwork, and building confidence. Learn more in our camp program descriptions.
We hope you'll join us for fun and learning in our island ecosystem at one of our locations.
Summer Camps 2025
Program descriptions are below. This year, there are two camp locations on Sanibel: Flagship Campus (455 Periwinkle Way) and Homestead Campus (1300 Periwinkle Way). Please pay close attention to the locations of your desired camps. For more information on each campus, click here.
Registration opened in February and spots filled up quickly! While most of our summer camps are already full, we still have availability in select weeks. If the camp you're interested in is fully booked, you can sign up for the waitlist at no cost to secure your spot in case of cancellations. Don't miss out—register today!
For more information on our registration process, please visit the “Discounts and Registration” section of our FAQ page here.
A few important registration tips:
Our camps fill very quickly. We suggest making sure you’re ready to go in Active in advance. If you have an account, make sure you know your password. If you do not have an account, set up one BEFORE registration. You can enter your information in advance to speed up the registration process. For more information, visit our FAQ page here.
If the week you would like to register for is full, you will be given the option to join the waitlist at no cost. Sign up for the waitlist as soon as possible because spots are opened in the order we receive them. The waitlist is automated. You will receive an email from Active Network if a spot opens up. You have 48 hours to take the spot before it moves to the next person, so check your email often!
You should receive a confirmation email after completing your camp registration. If you do not receive a confirmation email within a couple of hours, please get in touch with us to confirm the registration.
Camp inquiries can be made via phone at (239) 472-8585 or by email at sanibelseaschool@sccf.org. We are open Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. We will answer phones and emails on Saturday, February 22nd, from 9 am to 12 PM.
Winter Camps
Every year around the holidays, Sanibel Sea School hosts Winter Camp. Depending on the school break, we offer one to two Island Skills weeks for ages 6 and up. Each year has a unique theme and activities, but there are also things we do every day. We surf daily to practice for our famous Surf Paddling Competition on Friday. In Sanibel Sea School style, every day includes beach time, friendship, macramé, and team bonding. Then there’s always artwork, seining, and snorkeling. A few chilly twists come with winter camp - we hop into wetsuits to brave the cold Gulf & sip lots of hot cocoa to keep warm. We also hold our annual Give Your Worries to the Sea ceremony on New Year’s Eve. Our "Milk and Cookies Slideshow" takes place on Friday at the end of the day. Bring some delicious baked goodies and join us to experience your child's week of camp.
We also offer a Counselor-In-Training (CIT) program for kids 13 and older who want to explore their leadership potential.
Winter Camp dates, themes, and pricing are announced in October. Registration is in November. Sign up for our email list for updates!
