Holiday Camp Offers in the Basel Area
- FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL
- Sep 17
- 10 min read
School holidays are a joy for kids—but for parents, juggling work and childcare can make these breaks feel more like a puzzle than a vacation. The challenge often starts with simply knowing where to look. The good news? Families in Basel Stadt and Basel Land have access to a wide range of holiday camps to keep children active, engaged, and happy. From cantonal directories to private providers, local clubs, and even neighbouring cantons, there are countless options to explore.
During the summer months especially, opportunities abound - sleep-away camps, language programs, sports intensives, tech workshops, adventure camps, outdoor expeditions, and more. So, where should you start? Here are some of our FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL tips and resources to help you find the right camp for your child. More Basel camp listings can also be found in this article, Kids Camps in Basel.
Cantonal Holiday Schedules
In Switzerland, school holidays are staggered by canton. Basel Stadt and Basel Land align their schedules, but other cantons—such as Zurich—may differ. Major holidays like Christmas are similar nationwide, but the staggered approach helps spread out demand for childcare, travel, and leisure activities. Here's a link to School Holidays in Switzerland by Canton.
Tips for Parents
Plan early: Popular camps—especially sports and creative ones—fill up quickly.
Check Gemeinde websites: Municipalities often list local offers.
Ask clubs and schools: Sports clubs, dance classes, scouting groups, and music schools often run holiday programs, sometimes only advertised to members.
Talk to other parents: Camps are always more fun with friends.
Match interests: Choose camps that align with your child’s hobbies, learning style, and language needs.
Basel Stadt Holiday Camp Directory
If you want to stay in the city, these sources are a great first stop.
Basler Ferienkalender – An official, city-run online directory where families can find and filter holiday camp offers across Basel by zip code, age, and activity type. It includes seasonal listings for full- and half-day camps in sports, arts, science, nature, and more, updated regularly to reflect new providers and offers.
Basel Sportscamp offers and more – Run by the canton, these camps are designed for children and teens to enjoy fun, inclusive sports activities during school holidays. Offers range from swimming and football to multi-sports and are coached by experienced leaders, often including lunch and day-long programming.
Basel Land Holiday Camp Directory
Of course for those families in Basel Land there are other great resources.
Basel Land Sportcamps - affordable, professionally-run sports day camps for kids and teens in Basel Land. Programs feature small groups, diverse games, and expert leadership, with priority for Basel Land residents.
Check with your local Gemeinde or school - many local communities have information on offers within the community itself. This is a link to community websites in the Basel Land area.
X-Island Ferienpass – a comprehensive summer holiday program in Basel Land, offering diverse events for children and teenagers aged 6–16. Activities range from creative workshops and sports to nature exploration and adventure camps, all designed to inspire, educate, and entertain young participants. Financial support is possible.
Holiday Camp Providers in the Region and Beyond
Below are some general websites that provide a variety of holiday camp offers in the Basel area as well as around Switzerland.
General Camps
Jugend Sport Camps – is a comprehensive platform offering over 30 diverse sports camps for children and teenagers aged 6–20 across Switzerland, including locations in Basel Stadt and Basel Land. Organized by the Cantonal Sports Offices, these camps provide opportunities to engage in activities such as skiing, climbing, freestyle, and various team sports, all led by qualified instructors.
The Basel Ferienpass – Basler Ferienpass (holiday pass) offers children and teenagers aged 6–16 the opportunity to enjoy affordable and exciting activities in and around Basel area during the summer and autumn school holidays. The pass provides free or discounted access to various attractions, including swimming pools, museums, and leisure centres, along with a range of creative workshops and excursions; a weekly public transport pass is also available.
Kinder Camps – offers day camps for children aged 6 to 13 across over 55 locations in Switzerland and Liechtenstein, providing a variety of sports and activities such as football, athletics, martial arts, and dance. Programs emphasize fun, teamwork, and personal development and teaches important values like respect and fairness.
Kompass by Pro Juventute – is a platform offering hundreds of diverse leisure and holiday activities for children and adolescents all across Switzerland. It provides a wide range of options from alpacas, sports and arts to nature exploration and educational camps, catering to various interest groups. Great way to find offers in different languages.
MS Sports – offers a wide range of sports camps across Switzerland, including football, dance, racket sports, equestrian, biking, snow sports, and gaming. They provide professional coaching, fun activities, and a supportive environment for children and teenagers aged 6 to 18.
Fit4Future Camps – organized by the Fit4future Foundation in collaboration with Swiss sports associations, these poly sport day camps are for primary school children aged 6–12. These camps, held in various Swiss cities including Basel, focus on movement, healthy nutrition, and mental fitness, providing a fun and environment for children to explore new sports.
Tech, Coding and More
TechLabs – TechLabs is known for making complex STEM topics fun and accessible, with hands-on projects in robotics, programming, and digital design. Programs are designed to spark creativity and problem-solving, giving kids both technical skills and confidence in innovation. Check out various tech and coding camps and workshops, they also have a fantastic sleep-away summer Flight Camp that is worth attending.
Specialty Offers
Overground – day camps for ages 5+ featuring action-packed activities: Ninja Warrior, parkour, trampoline, creative games, and storytelling. Camps are run in German and English and are led by experienced athletes and educators. Lunch and snacks provided.
Trendsport Basel – BMX, bike, skateboard, trick scooter. This action-packed program is perfect for kids who love movement and adventure, offering professional coaching in a safe but exciting environment. With modern facilities and supportive trainers, children can develop new skills and build confidence.
Elys Boulderloft – a fun and challenging camp where kids can learn the basics of bouldering and climbing in a safe indoor environment. With expert instructors, children develop strength, coordination, and confidence while tackling climbing walls designed for all skill levels.
School of Rock for the budding rock-star. This camp gives kids the chance to learn guitar, drums, vocals, and more in a band setting. With performance-based learning, participants build teamwork, confidence, and stage presence — all while having a blast making music. Also great for birthday parties, by the way!
Music Akademie Basel – offering a wide variety of classes, workshops and camps, the Akademie lets children explore different instruments, voice, and musical styles.
AllWeg – camps focus on discovery and adventure, taking kids out into the city and surrounding nature to learn, play, and explore. With a balance of cultural activities and outdoor fun, children gain new perspectives while making friends.
Zirkus Schule Circus Camps – a lively and colourful camp where kids can try their hand at juggling, acrobatics, clowning, and more.
Movie Camp – this summer camp takes kids behind the camera, teaching them how to script, shoot, and edit their own short films. It’s a great way for aspiring storytellers to collaborate, experiment with technology, and see their ideas come to life on screen.
Arts & Crafts & Dance
Craft Room Red Fox - with locations in both Basel and Liestal, Craft Room Red Fox offers immersive holiday art camps for children aged 6–14. Activities vary from ceramics, painting, soap making, and outdoor games, complemented by healthy snacks and lunch. Flexible half-day and full-day options are available, with early bird discounts for advance bookings.
Braswell Arts – located in Basel Stadt, Braswell is a dance studio with full or half-day holiday camp offers for children aged 5+, featuring daily classes in dance, music, and visual arts led by experienced instructors. Children engage in creative activities, enjoy daily outings, and have access to healthy snacks and lunch, all within a secure and centrally located facility.
Tennis
Tennis Academy Northwestern Switzerland - offers tennis and multi sport day camps for children aged 6 to 18 during school holidays. The camps provide 4 to 5 days of tennis training, coordination exercises, healthy meals, and recreational activities in a supportive environment, with sessions held in Basel, Dornach, Arlesheim, and Reinach.
Tennis Club Old Boys - offers structured tennis training for juniors. Training sessions are available in various formats, such as holiday camps as well as 60-minute and 90-minute sessions, with options for group and private lessons. These are held in the Basel area at multiple locations such as the TCOB balloon hall and Tenniscenter Paradies.
Tennis School Vito Gugolz – located in Basel, this school offers tennis programs for all ages and skill levels, from beginner children to competitive junior and adult players. Led by Vito Gugolz, a Swiss Olympic coach, the school combines technique, tactics, fitness, and mental training, offering private lessons, group classes, specialized programs, and training camps across Basel.
Pro Team Tennis Academy – located in Münchenstein, the Academy offers intensive tennis camps and training courses for both children and adults during Swiss school holidays. Programs include group lessons, private coaching, and specialized sessions such as 'Stroke of the Day,' focusing on specific techniques each week.
Football
FC Basel Kids Camps – football training for children aged 6–13 during school holidays, focusing on fun and skill development without performance pressure. Held at various locations including Basel, Liestal, and Reinach, the camps provide professional coaching, team-building activities, and opportunities to meet FC Basel players, fostering a positive and inclusive sports experience.
BSA Soccer - offers week-long soccer camps during all school holidays, catering to children aged 5 to 15 of all skill levels. Held at Schützenmatte in Basel, these camps provide over 10 hours of training, match play, and a hot lunch for full-day participants, all led by qualified multilingual coaches.
InterSoccer - offers football camps in Basel area (and beyond) for kids aged 3 to 13, providing a fun and inclusive environment with multilingual coaches. Camps are held at various locations including International School Basel, Reinach, Sportanlagen Bachgraben, Allschwil, and Stadion Rankhof, with both half-day and full-day options available during school holidays.
Outdoor Adventures Basel Area and Vicinity
WWF Switzerland – these camps, for children and teens aged 7–16, give participants the chance to experience nature up close while learning about environmental conservation. Held at various locations across Switzerland, including Uri, Lucerne, Obwalden, and Vaud, the camps feature activities like glacier expeditions, climbing adventures, and tipi camps, helping kids build teamwork and responsibility for the environment.
Pfadi Region Basel – boy scout/girl guide camps, plus year-round activities. This is the largest youth organization in the Basel region. Children and young people from age 5 and up can join, participating in age-appropriate activities that foster teamwork, nature appreciation, and personal development in a supportive environment.
Camp Rock: sleep away camp, 2 hours from Basel. This Christian youth camp located in Bischofszell, Thurgau, Switzerland. It offers a variety of holiday camps for children aged 9–12 and teenagers aged 13–16 during school holidays. The modern youth camp facility, situated in a scenic natural setting by the river, accommodates up to 90 campers.
Child-Care Linked Camps
Familea – Basel’s Familea daycare group runs creative holiday camps for ages 4–11 at multiple locations around Basel area, focused on fun, care, and enrichment through arts, crafts, and social play.
E9 Tagesferien – E9 is a private Tagesstruktur offer in the Basel Stadt. Over the holidays they program special weeklong camps on various topics and themes. This offer includes outdoor activities, outings and meals.
Tutti Kiesi– a holiday programme in Rheinfelden that combines play and culture for kids. Parents can book täglich (day-only) visits per day without prior reservation, subject to space availability, or opt for Wochenbetreuung (weeklong care) which must be reserved in advance.
RobiSpielAktionen– these holiday day camps run in Basel Stadt and also in Birsfelden (Basel Land), offering full-day care with themed activities, plenty of play, and healthy meals provided.
Private School Camps
Some private schools open camps offers to external families. If you are interested, please reach out directly. Topics and activities are theme-based and do change.
International School Basel – Basel Land, more English based camp offers
Bilingual Kids Academy – Basel Stadt
ELA Basel - Basel Land, more English based camp offers
BLIS School Camps – Basel Stadt
Les Coquelicots - French school, based in Basel Stadt
Outside the Box
Not every solution needs to be a formal camp. Families sometimes join forces to create bespoke arrangements—hiring a student or a local teenager to take children on outings or organizing play dates with friends. A trip to the zoo, an afternoon at Museum Tinguely, or a crafts day at home can be just as memorable.
In Basel, families are often open to helping each other out—so ask around.
Anything to Add?
We encourage families to share the knowledge, so if there is a camp experience you love that we did not include: please add in the comments or drop us a line and we can add it to the list. Thank you!
FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL
FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL is one of Switzerland’s leading education consultancies working with corporate and private families. We simplify the journey to finding the right school in Switzerland, be it public, private, international, or boarding school. We provide expertise on different curricula, as well as support with educational transitions and problem-solving
We offer:
Personalized school consultations to help find the right fit for your child within the Swiss public or private system
Support with enrolment, expectations, paperwork, and integration into the local school community
Expert guidance on language learning, special needs, and navigating differences between cantons
Workshops, events, and our podcast
Continued support for families through transitions, challenges, or with problem-solving
Website: https://findmyswissschool.ch/
Instagram: @findmyswissschool
Sandra Hueskes
Co-Founder of FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL
Sandra moved to Basel with her Swiss husband in 2019 from a high-level career in NYC. Sandra grew up all over and has experience changing schools, different curricula and moving. With two boys in Swiss school, Sandra co-founded FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL to offer the support she wished she had.
Pascale Baumgartner
Co-Founder of FIND MY SWISS SCHOOL
Pascale is Swiss with a background as a tax and estate planning lawyer. She served for years on the boards of different schools and organizations, and is currently Board Chair for Foundations for Learning. With a son in Swiss University, Pascale believes deeply in supporting children to fulfill their potential.