Summer in St. Louis conjures memories of hot, humid days, growth spurts and extra time with friends. But for many kids, the summer months can also be a time of setbacks. In fact, according to the American Educational Research Association, children can lose up to 40% of their school-year learning gains over summer break. Beyond academic loss, for youth without a safe place to go, summer can bring disruption in routine and more time unsupervised — on screens or at risk for unsafe behaviors.
In 2025, the St. Louis region was rich with summer programs designed to mitigate these risks. In fact, there were 433 organizations providing youth programming across the metro, according to the Blueprint4 2025 Annual Report. But in a climate of economic struggles, the impact of the tornado and everyday stress, many families face an overwhelming process to access these camps.
“I have to closely monitor my finances each month to stay on budget,” said one St. Louis mother. “ And then summer camp registration comes along after the holidays, right when I am financially extra thin.”
Acknowledging these barriers to summer programming, one St. Louis nonprofit is taking action to help families plan for the end of the school year. Blueprint4 is an initiative of the Clark-Fox Family Foundation with a mission to make summer after-school and college-prep programs accessible for all youth in the St. Louis area. The organization operates a free database of local youth programs — blueprint4.com — where families can filter camps by distance from their house, cost, date, subject area, age range and more.
While the database has proven to be a useful time-saver and critical planning tool for parents, some families are still left in the dark. So for the summer of 2026, Blueprint4 has teamed up with the Saint Louis Mental Health Board and the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund to launch a more comprehensive summer resource guide for kids, teens and families.
“Our region is blessed to have so many free activities for families, camp programs with scholarships and even teen job or volunteer opportunities,” said Abbey Barrow, Blueprint4 program manager. “But not all families know about these resources. We want the Summer in St. Louis campaign to make it easier for parents to learn about and access summer supports for their children.”
By sharing information across the community and bringing organizations together, Blueprint4 aims to strengthen the network of support for St. Louis children and teens during the summer months. Residents can visit the Summer in St. Louis webpage for information on available camps, teen job or volunteer opportunities, free and low-cost family activities and community support services. Resources will be updated throughout the season so families can access current information in one place.
While the campaign aims to ease the child care burden and promote summer safety, organizers say the broader goal is to expand opportunity.
“My son struggled with behaviors, especially at school,” said one St. Louis parent following last summer. “It was life-changing when he attended the [camp]. They didn’t just have fun; there was also a lot of character building. My son has completely transformed since attending; even his teachers recognized it.”
With information access and families’ needs at the forefront, the stage is set for more life-changing moments for St. Louis youth this summer.
To find Summer in St. Louis resources or use the searchable camp database, visit blueprint4.com.