Looking for summer activities for the children and teens in your life?
The programs listed below offer a wide range of opportunities for youth ages six to 18 in Nashville. The organizations offering these opportunities received funding from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
The CDBG program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and MDHA administers the program on behalf of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. A portion of these funds are awarded annually to eligible nonprofits and public agencies to operate enrichment programs during the summer months for youths ages six to 18 within Nashville and Davidson County. Each summer, nearly 1,500 children and teens participate in these programs. More information about the organizations and their programs can be found below.
Click or tap on any box below to be taken to that organization’s website. Summer programs funded by the Nashville After Zone Alliance (NAZA) can be found here.
An eight-week program etiquette training program for at-risk kids in North and East Nashville. It provides a safe and enjoyable environment for them to learn and grow with a diverse curriculum that enhances their academic, social, physical and professional growth.
Backfield in Motion is a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of inner-city youth through education and athletics. Founded in 2000 by Joe Davis, Backfield in Motion was created to bridge the gap between opportunities available to inner-city youth and those in more affluent areas. Their mission is to foster educational excellence and personal growth, using athletics as a motivating force to improve academic performance and life skills.
An eight-week program for youth in grades K-10. It offers academic enrichment, sports, character education, community service, fitness activities, the arts and educational field trips. Free lunch is provided by the Metro Summer Lunch Program.
A summer youth job skills and internship program for individuals ages 14-16. Participants will learn various aspects of employment, including job readiness skill training, dressing for success, resume development and effective interviewing techniques.
The Leadership Academy is an eight-week program to prevent the decline of summer education. Students will engage in activities related to science, technology, engineering, math, language, arts and sports/fitness. Additionally, they will be taken on weekly college tours and field trips.
The ENHE is a character and social skills development program for children in grades two through five attending Metro Nashville Public Schools in Maplewood and Stratford clusters of East Nashville. The program promotes Positive Youth Development (PYD) in a safe and nurturing environment by emphasizing responsibility, respect, manners, leadership and discipline. It also focuses on writing and the five essential elements of reading instruction.
The program offers opportunities for individuals to learn various skills in the fields of mass media, culinary, gardening, fashion design, cosmetology and art studio. Participants will have the chance to create their own studio album and a comprehensive visual art portfolio.
The theme for this year’s camp is “Our World of AI.” The program aims to help students improve their skills in unique ways. The focus is on encouraging students to think creatively and solve complex problems innovatively. The program also includes job skills training and project-based STEAM learning opportunities.
The theme proposed for this year’s camp is “WE ARE.” All attendees will receive t-shirts with the phrase ‘We are…’ printed on them, followed by positive attributes such as intelligent, funny, talented, loving, strong, loyal and passionate. The summer literacy program will incorporate the five components of quality reading programs recommended by the National Reading Panel, which include phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
The NICE Summer program will focus on increasing English literacy and social-emotional learning skills for sixth through eighth-grade refugee and immigrant youth. Each week, there will be a theme related to social-emotional development, including emotions and values, self-confidence and self-esteem, coping skills, empathy, cultural diversity, healthy relationships, teamwork and responsible decision-making.
NICE’s program promotes self-awareness, vocabulary and civic understanding. Students’ English as a second language and social-emotional learning skills will be assessed. The daily schedule includes civic engagement, literacy and subject-based activities.
YEA! Summer Camp is designed to help students master the English language and develop their social-emotional skills. The program runs for six weeks, with each week focusing on a different theme related to social and emotional development.
Nations Academy, our after-school and summer youth development and literacy program, serves refugee children by providing homework help, individualized internet-based reading tutoring, summer reading intensives, enrichment activities, and a positive, trauma-informed learning environment.
The Nations Ministry Summer Work Program is designed to empower refugee and immigrant youth by equipping them with practical life skills, building leadership abilities and improving employability through experiential, hands-on learning and on-the-job training. This structured program will focus on gardening, cooking and technology skill development.
The K.R.I.S. Foundation is a seven-week Bridge 2 Babysitters (B2B) Summer Cohort focused on workforce development, community service and the childcare career pipeline. Youth work in teams of eight to 10 with daily supervision, combining job skills, leadership training and hands-on work.
Pathways Kitchen’s progressive workforce development program is designed to advance Positive Youth Development (PYD) principles while building both job readiness and healthy lifestyle habits for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The program follows the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) Restaurant Ready curriculum, providing each participant with at least 50 hours of paid culinary training paired with social-emotional learning.
This summer camp aims to serve students mostly from families earning a low- to moderate-income living in the Edgehill neighborhood. The students will benefit from six weeks of professionally instructed enrichment classes and enhancement activities. This summer’s planned activities include reading/literacy, daily career exploration, public speaking/communication skills, healthy lifestyles/healthy eating, physical activity and professional performing arts instruction.
Water Walkers operates a comprehensive summer enrichment program grounded in five pillars of programming: education, outdoor adventure, wellness, basic needs and leadership. The activities promote healthy lifestyles, self-regulation skills and job readiness competencies such as time management, adaptability and collaboration.
Summer Days Camp is an eight-week program focusing on group activities and sports-based camps for our students. Each summer, the team collaborates with interns and volunteers to design activities that promote relationship-building among attendees, youth and their mentors. It also fosters meaningful participation across all age groups.
YMCA Day Camps inspire kids to learn and play together, try new activities and experiences, and simply enjoy being themselves all summer long.
