I’ve updated the list of grief camps to include 140 camps around the US, scheduled mostly for this spring and summer, but also some for this fall. Most of them are free, but many of those that aren’t typically will waive the fee for those in need. There are both day and overnight camps, and I’ve separated them on different pages in these categories (some fall into multiple categories):

• Grief Camps for Kids & Teens – 117 camps are for kids and/or teens, some of which have an optional separate program for a parent or guardian.
• Grief Camps for Families – 17 camps are for families to attend together, with activities done as a family.
• Grief Camps for Adults & Young Adults – 21 camps are just for adults or young adults. There are two types of camps for adults: One type is a standalone camp just for adults or young adults . The other type is for the parents or guardians of kids or teens who are also attending a camp that is being held at the same time but separately.

My daughter had fantastic experiences at both grief camps she attended. The summer after my husband died, when she was eight, she attended a week-long grief day camp offered by our local hospice. She said her favorite part was the food, but they also did arts and crafts, visited a local horse farm, and played with comfort dogs. While she didn’t say this, I’m certain that she benefited from meeting other kids who had lost a parent and knowing that she wasn’t alone. So last summer, when she was thirteen, I sent her to a free, week-long grief sleep away camp, Experience Camps, which a friend had recommended. She did not want to go, but ended up having a life-changing experience which I wrote about in this blog post. She is so excited to go back this summer, and I wish I had sent her sooner.

Please contact me if you know of any camps that I’ve missed. I’ll continue adding more camps to the list as they are scheduled. More than 75 camps from my list last year haven’t yet been scheduled so stay tuned…