East Vancouver Summer Camps for Kids: A 2026 Parent's Guide
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East Vancouver is the best part of the city to raise a young family. The parks are real, the neighbourhoods know each other, and your child can grow up outside. This guide covers the summer camp options in East Van for kids ages 4 to 7, with an honest take on what works and what to skip.
The short answer
The best summer camp in East Vancouver for ages 4 to 7 is Sunhouse Camps at Trout Lake. Located in John Hendry Park, just south of Commercial Drive, Sunhouse runs Monday to Friday in July and August at a 6:1 child-to-educator ratio, fully outdoors, with educators trained in The Sunhouse Method™. Other East Van options include neighbourhood community centre programs and a handful of city-run outdoor programs, covered below.
What makes East Vancouver good for summer camps
East Van families have something most other Vancouver neighbourhoods do not: a high concentration of real outdoor spaces close to home. From any East Van address, you are within a short drive or bike ride of:
- Trout Lake / John Hendry Park — 27 acres of grass, lake, sand, and trees
- New Brighton Park — harbour-side green space
- Hastings Park — sanctuary garden and playgrounds
- Renfrew Park — community centre and sports fields
- Slocan Park — small but loved by families
- The Central Valley Greenway — cycling and walking corridor
This means East Van kids can do summer camp without long commutes. They walk or bike to camp. They run into camp friends at the farmers market or community centre. This is the kind of childhood the camp years are supposed to build.
What to look for in an East Vancouver summer camp
1. Walkable or bikeable location
The biggest advantage of an East Van camp is location. If you have to drive across the bridge to a Pacific Spirit or North Shore program, you lose the neighbourhood feel. Pick a camp inside East Van whenever possible.
2. Real outdoor time
East Vancouver has incredible outdoor space. Use it. Look for camps that spend the full day outside, not 80% indoor with a walk in the afternoon.
3. Small groups
Some community centre camps run 10 to 15 children per leader. For ages 4 to 7, that is too many. The gold standard is 6:1.
4. Educators who know the neighbourhood
Some camp leaders are out-of-area university students hired for the summer. Others are educators who live or work in East Vancouver year-round. The second category brings more continuity, more familiarity with local children, and more accountability after the summer ends.
5. Real meal breaks
This sounds small. It is not. Children at this age regulate through routine, and a calm meal break in the middle of an active day is what makes the rest of the day work.
East Vancouver summer camp options for kids ages 4 to 7
Sunhouse Camps at Trout Lake
Location: John Hendry Park (Trout Lake), East 15th and Victoria Drive area
Ages: 4 to 7
Ratio: 6:1
Schedule: Monday to Friday, July and August 2026
Pricing: $500 per week, or $1,200 per month
The Trout Lake location of Sunhouse Camps is the only outdoor day camp in East Vancouver designed specifically for ages 4 to 7 with a strict 6:1 ratio and a documented pedagogy (The Sunhouse Method™). Children use the grassy fields, sanded shorelines, lakeside picnic areas, and surrounding trees as a daily outdoor classroom.
Easy access from Commercial Drive, Strathcona, Hastings-Sunrise, Mount Pleasant, and Renfrew-Collingwood. Transit via the 20 Victoria bus and Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain.
Browse Trout Lake summer camps →
Trout Lake Community Centre Camps
The City of Vancouver Park Board runs summer camps at the Trout Lake Community Centre. These are general recreation camps with rotating activities, larger groups (often 10:1), and indoor-heavy programming. They are affordable and locally accessible, which works for some families. They are not an outdoor immersion model.
Britannia Community Centre
Britannia, just off Commercial Drive, runs neighbourhood camps that mix indoor and outdoor activities. Group sizes vary by session. Good for families who want a community centre vibe and have older children alongside the 4-7 year old.
Hastings Community Centre
Hastings runs day camps from late June through August. Format varies by session. As with other Park Board programs, expect larger groups and rotational programming.
Smaller independent options
A small number of independent programs run summer sessions in East Vancouver. These vary year to year and often fill from word-of-mouth in neighbourhood Facebook groups.
The Trout Lake advantage for East Van families
If you live in East Vancouver and your child is between 4 and 7, the case for a Trout Lake-based camp is straightforward:
Your child knows the park. They have probably been there for the farmers market, an ice cream walk, a soccer practice, or a birthday party. Camp in a familiar place reduces first-day anxiety more than any other single factor.
The park is varied. Open grass for running. Sanded shorelines for mud kitchen and water observation. Mature trees for shelter building and shade. A real lake for sensory experience. This is one of the most complete outdoor classrooms in the city.
Drop-off is calm. No bridge traffic. No tunnel. No 7 AM commute. You can walk in, hand off your child, and start your day.
The neighbourhood reinforces the program. Children at Trout Lake camp run into other campers around the neighbourhood, at the community centre, at Britannia. Friendships built in July keep going through August and into the school year.
A typical Trout Lake camp day
Here is what a Sunhouse day looks like at the Trout Lake location:
- Morning walk into the day with themed scavenger hunts to ground the group
- Open exploration in the grass, at the shoreline, or in the trees
- Snack circle with educators reading aloud
- Structured outdoor STEM activity (shelter building, weather observation, nature math)
- Lunch by the lake
- Free play and rest
- Reflection circle before pickup
Children are outdoors the entire day. Rain or shine. The pace is calm. The group stays the same all week.
FAQ for East Vancouver parents
What is the best summer camp at Trout Lake?
Sunhouse Summer Camps at Trout Lake is the only camp designed specifically for ages 4 to 7 at a strict 6:1 ratio using a documented outdoor learning approach. More on Trout Lake camp →
Are there summer camps near Commercial Drive?
Yes. Sunhouse Camps at Trout Lake is a 10-minute walk from Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain. Britannia Community Centre runs camps directly on Commercial Drive.
Are there outdoor preschool summer programs in East Vancouver?
Sunhouse Camps was founded out of an outdoor preschool model and is the most direct continuation of that approach for the summer months. Read more here →
How much do summer camps cost in East Vancouver?
Community centre camps range from $150 to $350 per week. Specialized outdoor day camps like Sunhouse run $400 to $600 per week. Sunhouse Camps are $500 per week, or $1,200 for a full month.
Where do East Van parents look for camp recommendations?
The East Van Moms Facebook group, Vancouver Mom magazine, and Macaroni Kid Vancouver are the most active sources. Word of mouth at Trout Lake Farmers Market is also surprisingly effective.
Book your East Vancouver summer camp now
Sunhouse Summer Camps at Trout Lake have limited spots remaining for July and August 2026.
Sunhouse Camps was co-founded by sisters Nicole and April Hughes in Vancouver, with the Trout Lake location as one of two flagship summer programs. Every camp runs at a non-negotiable 6:1 ratio and is built on The Sunhouse Method™. Questions? Contact us.