Specialty & Theme Camps

Star Wars Characters Dressed Up at Themed Camp

Transport your child to a world of magic! Our Speciality & Theme camps are unique, fully-immersive programs that provide campers with a week they won’t ever forget. From the moment they arrive until the second they leave, our campers journey through the adventures, challenges, and soaring moments of their favorite characters and stories in a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

May The The Force Be With You

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

The First Order is back, and Camp Kern is in imminent danger! It is up to YOU to help us get rid of them! Join us for a full week of Jedi Training at the Jedi Academy of Camp Kern. Throughout the week, our Padawans will learn the ways of the Force, the art of the lightsaber, and how to calm their mind and trust their instincts. All these skills will be vital to help save our galaxy. At the end of the week, all Padawan campers will appear in front of the Jedi council to see if they have what it takes to call yourself a Jedi!

2024 Session Dates
Session 1: June 2-7
Session 6: July 7-12

Availability

  • Session 1
  • Session 6

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

New for 2024! Your favorite fully-immersive camps now have a specially-designed program just for teens aged 13-16. Continue visiting your favorite characters in your favorite worlds for a few more years! These programs will include opportunities for building leadership skills and there are no prerequisites for attendance.

Additional details on this specific fully-immersive teen experience coming soon.

 2024 Session Dates
Session 1: June 2-7
Session 6: July 7-12

Availability

  • Session 1
  • Session 6

Wingardium Leviosa!

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

From the moment you arrive, until you check out on Saturday, you will cease to be a Muggle, and will enter the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a student. Do you have what it takes to learn Potions? Are you ready for daily Quidditch practice? Do you know your spell book forwards and back?

Tons of activity, imagination, and fun will fill this week. Come prepared to immerse yourself in the world of Harry Potter, while enjoying all that Camp Kern has to offer!

2024 Session Dates
Session 2: June 9-14
Session 7: July 14-19

Availability

  • Session 2
  • Session 7

Next level magic...become a Prefect!

Prefects

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

Are you ready to take the next step in your Hogwarts Adventure? Graduate to Prefect status and prepare to lead your House against a variety of challenges, from both inside and outside the walls of Hogwarts! Designed for those who have already attended Harry Potter Camp and are looking for the next challenge!

2024 Session Dates
Session 2: June 9-14
Session 7: July 14-19

Availability

  • Session 2
  • Session 7

Come along for a Medieval Camp Kern adventure like no other. Your fantasies will come to life as you build your character and work through the trials and tribulations that come in your path. A mysterious force is taking over, only the best can help defend Camp Kern and defeat whatever means it harm. Could that be you? There’s only one way to find out!

2024 Session Dates
Session 4: June 23-28
Session 9: July 28-August 2

Availability

  • Session 4
  • Session 9

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

New for 2024! Your favorite fully-immersive camps now have a specially-designed program just for teens aged 13-16. Continue visiting your favorite characters in your favorite worlds for a few more years! These programs will include opportunities for building leadership skills and there are no prerequisites for attendance.

Additional details on this specific fully-immersive teen experience coming soon.

2024 Session Dates
Session 4: June 23-28
Session 9: July 28-August 2

Availability

  • Session 4
  • Session 9

Do you feel different?

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

Have you always felt that you didn’t quite belong? Have things never seemed to look the same to you as they did to other kids? Does one of your parents seems suspiciously “god-like”? Then you are a great candidate for Camp Jupiter! Come spend a week at camp, training your body and mind into the hero’s physique you were build for. Daily quests, monsters to vanquish, and a god-written destiny await all who answer the call of heroes!

2024 Session Dates
Session 3: June 16-21
Session 8: July 21-26

Availability

  • Session 3
  • Session 8

“With great power…comes great need to take a nap."

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

 Now that you’ve completed the quests that Percy Jackson camp has to offer, it’s time to be challenged by Teen Percy Jackson. These adventures are not just for any half-blood, only the best can be tested by the next level or destiny, puzzles, and monsters. Pack up your swords and gear because your next big quest is calling your name. It’s time to answer the call.

2024 Session Dates
Session 3: June 16-21
Session 8: July 21-26

Availability

  • Session 3
  • Session 8

Earn your oak leaf

Residential/Overnight Camp: Sunday - Friday

Immerse yourself in the world of Ranger’s Apprentice! This is a fully themed week where you will be instructed on horseback riding, trail riding, archery, tracking, survival skills, stealth and Ranger missions. If you love Ranger’s Apprentice, this officially-sanctioned camp will test your strength, loyalty and commitment. Defend the kingdom from Morgarath’s Wargals, Skandian Raiders, and the fearsome Temujai warriors. Come as an Apprentice. Earn your Silver Oak Leaf. Become a Ranger.

2024 Session Dates
Session 5: June 30-July 5

Availability

  • Session 5

Fun All Weekend Long!

P1012918

Want to experience the magic of camp for two weeks or more in a row? Stay the weekend in between at Kern!  The weeks must be consecutive weeks at camp. All campers laundry is cleaned in between weeks. Campers will participate in various activities at camp over the weekend before they are signed in for their next week of camp!

Weekend stays are only available to campers attending weeklong residential camp programs. Weekend Stayovers are not available for campers attending Sunrise Day Camp, Lil' Farmes Day Camp,  First Camp, Taste of Kern, Boots & Bits Day Camp, or Frontier Village programs.

Space is limited! Make sure to select the Free Weekend Stayover Add-on on your Camper Application. 

The following Free Weekend Stayovers are planned for summer 2024:

Sessions 3-4: June 21-23

Sessions 4-5: June 28-30

Sessions 5-6: July 5-7

Sessions 7-8: July 19-21

We are also offering "Super Stayovers" on other weekends that include a trip to Kings Island. These Super Stayovers will have a fee to cover park admission and food. Click the "Add On: Super Weekend Stayovers" tab to learn more.

Availability

Stay for the weeeeeeeeeeee-kend

Super Stay 1

Want to experience the magic of camp for two weeks or more in a row, stay at camp over the weekend AND take a day trip to Kings Island? Stay on for a Super Weekend Stayover at Kern! Participating campers must be enrolled for consecutive weeks at camp.

All campers laundry is cleaned in between weeks. Campers will participate in various activities at camp over the weekend and take a day trip to nearby Kings Island amusement park. The fee for the Super Stayover includes park admission, food and transportation. 

Weekend stays are only available to campers attending weeklong residential camp programs. Weekend Stayovers are not available for campers attending Sunrise Day Camp, Lil' Farmes Day Camp,  First Camp, Taste of Kern, Boots & Bits Day Camp, or Frontier Village programs.

Space is limited! Make sure to select the Super Weekend Stayover Add-on on your Camper Application. 

The following Super Weekend Stayovers are planned for summer 2024:

Sessions 2-3: June 14-16

Sessions 6-7: July 12-14

We are also offering Free Stayovers on other weekends that do not include a Kings Island excursion. Click the "Add On: Free Weekend Stayovers" tab to learn more. 

Availability

If you have questions about our Specialty & Theme Camps, please contact MacKallie Householder, Teen & Family Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (513) 932-3756 (ext. 1530).