Campers will participate in various activities- age-appropriate games, hikes, and crafts determined by the counselors and what the group likes to do. […]
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Empowering San Diego youth through outdoor adventure since 1910.
Experience Something Different at Specialty Day Camps
Discover a world of adventure at Camp CaHiTo! Our Specialty Day Camps offer unique, themed experiences designed to spark curiosity and build lasting friendships.
Our Specialty Day Camp is designed for children ages 6 to 10.
Small Groups, Big Connections
Camp CaHiTo is a group-centered camp. This means your camper stays with the same counselor and peer group for the entire session. This stability fosters a powerful sense of belonging, allowing children to build deep friendships and connect with their mentors.
Our Ratios:
Ages 6–10: 2 Staff per 16 Campers
Our Specialty Day Camps at Camp CaHiTo aren’t just your average summer programs—they’re an adventure in discovery! Whether your child is an aspiring artist, a budding scientist, or a future ranger, we have a theme that will ignite their passion.
Specialty Day Camp Experience
At Camp CaHiTo, we believe in "group-centered" camping. Your child will be placed in a small group of peers for the entire session, led by a dedicated counselor. This consistency helps children feel a sense of belonging and makes it easier to form lasting friendships.
Our Activities Include:
- Focused Learning: 1.5 to 2 hours of daily programming dedicated specifically to your chosen specialty theme.
- Traditional Camp Fun: The rest of the day is packed with age-appropriate activities including Hiking, Low Ropes, Swimming, Fort Building, and Organized Games.
- Group-Centered Approach: Activities are tailored by counselors to match the weekly theme and the group's interests.
Want to see it for yourself? Join us at one of our Upcoming Meet & Greets to tour the site and meet our team!
FAQ
Specialty Camp Descriptions
Adventure Trek Camp
Adventure Trek is going to keep you moving! During the week we will be trekking through Balboa Park, doing some Geo-caching which is an outdoor recreational activity, in which the participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world. Groups will create their own trails, using GPS as well as finding and hiding their own geo-cache treasure! Campers will have to think quick to figure out where the trails will lead.
Archery Camp
Learn to shoot a bow and arrow properly with Certified Archery Specialists. We will practice at our Standard and Lower Field Archery courses to refine our skills. Campers will be instructed in all the necessary techniques, and all required equipment will be provided.
Art Camp
Our art camp will allow campers to get creative with their hands and imaginations. Each Day they will focus on a different art project, and at the end of the week, they will have some fun pieces to bring home!
DIY Camp
Create and Learn in this new and exciting hands-on Camp. We might do things like sewing, weaving, macrame, clay art, pastels, paper mâché, knitting, bookmaking, jewelry, drawing, painting, multi-media art, woodworking, paper crafts, mosaics, ceramics, decoupage, and more!
Extreme Engineering Camp
Calling all budding engineers and scientists, Campers will build a puppy bot and catapult, play the roller coaster challenge, and more throughout the week. Campers will discover how levers can be used and how they integrate with structures.
Ga-Ga for GAGA Camp
Is your camper a big fan of Gaga? If so, this camp is perfect for them! We will host a Gaga tournament and play variations like Super Gaga and Multiball Gaga, among others. Get ready for an active camp filled with fun and lots of Gaga gameplay!
Guardian Idols K-POP Camp
Unleash Your Spark. Defeat the Shadows. Rule the Stage.
Something mysterious is drifting through the canyons of Balboa Park… a “Fog of Silence” that’s stealing the world’s rhythm! We are looking for an elite squad of campers to join the Guardian Idols, a legendary unit of K-Pop Demon Hunters dedicated to bringing the light back through music, dance, and discovery.
In this one-of-a-kind week at Camp Fire San Diego, your camper won’t just learn choreography—they’ll embark on an epic adventure where pop culture meets the great outdoors.
Inventors Camp
Calling all young engineers, learn to construct marble run obstacle courses, roller coasters, levers, and linkages oh my. See your creations come to life! Develop critical skills – all of this week’s challenges will build engineering, reasoning, and planning skills and provides a great learning experience for all Campers.
Jr Ranger Camp
With the help of the Balboa Park & National Park Rangers, we will learn about all the plants and animals in the area and some fun survival tips. We will learn how to flower press, make tea from different herbs, and what in nature could help us if we get in a jam. You will be a certified Jr. Ranger at the end of the week!
Lego Craze Camp
Does your Camper have Legos on their mind? In Lego Craze Campers will explore, imagine and create unique structures and creations on their own. Creations can include games like a pinball board, mega mazes, Ultimate Build Challenges, and more.
Lego STEAM Camp
Does your camper love LEGO and STEAM? This camp offers an engaging, hands-on exploration of STEAM concepts, all while using LEGO. Campers will embark on an Arctic adventure, where they’ll design and build a snowmobile to reach their destination. They’ll also participate in an Underwater Quest aboard a submarine, navigating both in and out of the water. Additionally, campers will create an animal alarm to ensure they don’t miss any wildlife passing by their campsite, among other activities.
Robo-CaHiTo: Robotics Camp
Campers will learn hands-on throughout our robotics camp, seeing their creations come to life! They will build different robots, which could include a Monkey, Walking Robot, or Zombie-Bot. Throughout the week, Campers will learn how to engineer robots that use solar power, offering plenty of imaginative possibilities.
Rockets & Flight Camp
Rockets and Flight is a great camp to introduce campers to the world of propulsion and Flight. Will we be building rockets for NASA? No, but we will be working with some fun mentos and Alka seltzer rockets and learning how they work. Campers will also design and do drawings for rockets, as well as talk about the Flight! How can you build the best paper airplane that will go the distance? Can we create an ejection design idea for a plane that would keep the people inside safe? How do animals use the wind to fly? Can we re-create the buzzing sound of a bee? We sure can! Each day campers will have a project requiring a design phase, trial run, and launch.
Slime Camp
Join the scientists at CaHiTo Laboratories as a slime product tester! This wonderful week of Camp will explore the unique properties of slime. Campers will investigate polymers, viscosity, Newtonian fluids, properties of fluoresce, magnetism, and insulation. See Slime Laboratories’ job posting below…
Help Wanted! CaHiTo Laboratories is looking to hire young scientists to test new slime products. We need young, curious children to test crazy, sticky, crunchy, foamy, sparkly, slimly, glowing, bumpy, weird, and otherwise unidentifiable slimes. Qualifications: You must be willing to make lots of new kinds of slime and subject those slimes to quality testing at our lab. No experience is necessary to apply.
Space Explorer Camp
Space Explorer Camp keeps our camper’s feet firmly planted here on Earth while giving them a glimpse of the vastness of Space. During our spacetastic week, we will be learning about our solar system and the planets that make it up as well as designing targets for our Alka-seltzer rockets to take off from. Every day they will better understand the cosmos, the people who work in Space, and the Machines that get us there.
Wacky Gross Science Camp
Be prepared to get your hands dirty! Learn the science behind sneezing while we make our own sneezey slime! What are some of the worst smells? Can you eat bugs? You will get your daily dose of science and a dash of gross!
Wacky Sports Camp
Is your child tired of the same old drills and standard scoreboards? Welcome to Wacky Sports Week at Camp Cahito, where we take the “rules” of traditional sports and toss them right out the window!
From Giant Inflatable Bowling to Pool Noodle Lacrosse, this week is all about high-energy play, belly laughs, and inclusive games that level the playing field for every camper.
- Cosmic Kickball: Traditional kickball with a neon, zany makeover.
- Wacky Relay Races: Featuring costumes, dizzy bats, and unexpected hurdles.
Wizardry of Chemistry Camp
How can you make a coke bottle shoot its contents into the air? And why does that happen? Can we leave a hidden message with things from the kitchen? Sometimes science can feel like magic until you learn how it works!
Essential Gear Guide
To ensure your camper has the best day possible, please pack the following in a labeled backpack:
- Lunch: Non-perishable only (refrigeration is not available).
- Water Bottle: Clearly labeled with your child's name.
- Sun Protection: A hat and a pre-applied layer of sunscreen. (Counselors are not permitted to apply lotion).
- The "Messy" Uniform: Comfortable play clothes that can get dirty!
- Footwear: Closed-toed shoes and socks are required for safety. No sandals or flip-flops.
- Spare Clothes: Please pack a full change of clothes. While we understand accidents happen, please review our Policies Page regarding frequent potty accidents.
Upcoming Specilaty Camps
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Membership
Camp Fire SD Membership: A $25 annual membership is required for all campers. Your 365-day membership unlocks exclusive discounts, newsletters, and special events.
Note: Please use the same login credentials for all registrations to avoid duplicate membership fees.
Ready to start the adventure?
contact us
Join the thousands of San Diego families who have trusted Camp CaHiTo for generations.
Find us Here
- 3101 Balboa Drive
- San Diego, Ca 92103
Office Hours
- Mon- Fri: 7:30am - 5:00pm