Four to seven is when a summer camp has to get the small things right: a day that isn't too long, a small group, and staff who can handle a tired or homesick kid. This list gathers the summer camps that take children this age, from gymnastics and swimming weeks to nature, art and English camps, in the city and the towns around it.
A gymnastics-based holiday program in The Little Gym's indoor gym in Parque das Nações. Each day runs on a new theme, built around group games, movement challenges and crafts, all led by the gym's own coaches. It suits active preschoolers and young school kids.
Children must be out of diapers. There is no nap space, so kids who still nap may be limited to half days.
A day camp inside the Oceanário de Lisboa. Kids watch the animals, hear stories and talk with the aquarists about how life works inside and outside the tanks, and what each species does for its ecosystem.
The days also mix in cable car rides, theater, dance, yoga and coding workshops, with plenty of free play. It suits kids who never tire of sea creatures.
A summer program on the St. Julian's School campus in Carcavelos, a coastal town west of Lisbon. Kids try new activities and build skills across music, sports, arts and academic enrichment. Team games and group projects give them plenty of chances to make friends. It suits kids who like variety and a busy day, less so a child set on one sport all week.
A week of martial arts at STAT's own academies, run by its instructors. Mornings are training: acrobatic kicks, self-defense, stunt work and practice with training nunchaku and katanas. Afternoons are group games and creative activities, and each day has a theme such as confidence or leadership. No experience is needed. Instructors speak Portuguese and English, so it works for kids still learning Portuguese.
A day camp at the Helen Doron English center in Odivelas, where kids pick up English through play rather than lessons. Each week has its own theme, and days fill with cooking simple recipes, making masks and props, animal yoga, treasure hunts and acting out stories. No prior English is needed. Groups are split by age and level, and staff also speak Portuguese.
An English-language day camp run by the Helen Doron learning center in Almada, across the river from Lisbon. Kids pick up English by using it: crafts, cooking sessions, stories, sports and outdoor games, in groups set by age and level. No prior English is needed, and the leaders also speak Portuguese. Each week has its own theme, and everything happens on site, with no outings.
A summer day camp run by St. Dominic's International School on its campus in São Domingos de Rana. Days mix indoor and outdoor play: sports, arts and crafts, games and nature exploring, with younger and older kids in separate groups. Recent programs added an outing most days, from the beach and pools to adventure parks. It suits kids who like a busy, varied week more than a quiet one.
An outdoor holiday program at Hello Park, the adventure play park in Parque da Serafina inside Monsanto forest park. Kids spend the day climbing the big wooden play structure, bouncing on the giant inflatable and running around in the open air. Lunch and morning and afternoon snacks are part of the day. It suits active kids; a child who wants to learn one skill may prefer a specialist camp.
Camp Go is a multi-activity day camp run at international schools around Cascais, Sintra and Lisbon. Kids rotate through six activities a day, drawn from more than 80, such as bouncy castles, pedal go-karts, bubble football, archery tag and crafts, so no two days look alike. Kids need basic English to follow the coaches. It suits active kids who like variety over one sport all week.
Week-long art workshops run by the education team at MAC/CCB, the contemporary art and architecture museum inside the Centro Cultural de Belém. Each week has its own theme built around the museum's current exhibitions: kids draw, paint, sculpt with clay, make prints and stage small performances, starting from works they see in the galleries. Younger and older kids are grouped separately. Suits kids who like making things with their hands.
A Forest School holiday camp where kids spend whole days outdoors in woodland, in any weather. Escola Lá Fora runs it on the Forest School model: challenging play in nature, learning the local plants and wildlife, and building respect for them. Kids get dirty, so pack clothes for it. Lunch is eaten outside: send it in a thermal container, or order meals from its catering partner at extra cost.
A summer holiday program run by Estrela's parish council (Junta de Freguesia da Estrela) for children who live in the parish. Days mix outdoor play and outings: scavenger hunts, inflatables, swimming pools, sports and theater, plus trips to museums, libraries, educational farms, the cinema and adventure parks. Places are limited and only open to children registered in the parish, so it suits Estrela residents, not visitors.
A summer holiday program at Dance Spot, an officially recognized dance school in Lisbon's Campo Grande area. Each week builds toward a themed musical show: kids take singing classes, dance sessions from hip hop to jazz, and art workshops where they make their own sets and costumes. Past themes drew on Taylor Swift, K-pop and TikTok hits. It suits kids who already sing and dance around the house.
A small day camp at Ousar Crescer, a personal-development center in Miraflores, Algés. Each week has its own theme, mixing pool time, outdoor and board games, mini golf, cinema and crafts with daily sessions where kids learn to name and share their feelings. Outings are on foot. It suits kids who do well in a small group (25 at most a day) more than a big sports camp.
A week of basketball for kids who already play and kids picking up a ball for the first time. Days mix skills training, the Circuito da Ticha, team games and an afternoon tournament, ending on a daily challenge. Coaching follows the method of Ticha Penicheiro, the Portuguese former WNBA player. Kids pack their own snacks and lunch, and families handle the trip to the Técnico campus near Alameda.
A day camp run inside Anima Park, a 1,500 m² indoor play center in Alcabideche, Cascais. Days mix the park's ropes course and climbing wall with water games, a mini MasterChef cooking session, art workshops, karaoke, quizzes and movies with popcorn.
It suits energetic kids who like a busy, varied day more than one focused skill.
A football day camp run by A Escolinha do Figo, the football school Luís Figo started in 2009. Kids work on individual technique and team play with drills sized to their age and level, then move into game-based challenges and an afternoon tournament. It suits kids who already live for football and ones who just like a kickabout and want to make friends.
A football day camp run by A Escolinha do Figo, the football school Luís Figo founded, at its site in Charneca da Caparica on Almada's south bank. Mornings are coaching clinics on technique and skills; afternoons turn to tournaments and football games.
Coaches speak Portuguese, English and Spanish, so kids still learning Portuguese can follow along. Best for kids who already like kicking a ball around.
A tennis day camp from the junior school of Portuguese pro João Sousa, at the Sassoeiros tennis club in Carcavelos. Professional coaches run technique sessions, the João Sousa circuit, games and an afternoon tournament, with free play to open and close the day. It suits beginners as much as kids who already play, and rackets are lent to anyone without one.
Week-long art workshops in the education space of the Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM), the modern art center in the Gulbenkian gardens. Each week takes its theme from a current CAM exhibition. Past weeks had kids building a dream space from blank materials, or making architectural models and trying screen printing. Led in Portuguese, so it suits kids who speak it or are happy to join in.
A week-long cooking camp in Kidchen's own kitchen in Laranjeiras. Mornings are for cooking: kids read the recipe, fetch the ingredients, split the jobs and work through each step themselves. Afternoons switch to art, games and activities tied to the edition's theme (a past Easter camp followed Alice Through the Looking-Glass). Groups are small and the days are screen-free. Suits kids who like to make things with their hands.
A day camp inside Feijão Verde Natura Fun Park, a wooded animal park in Algueirão-Mem Martins, near Sintra. Kids help feed and care for meerkats, llamas, donkeys, deer, tortoises and cockatoos, then have the run of the park: a treetop ropes course, mini golf, karts, trampolines and a boating lake. Each week follows a different program, with free-play time where kids pick their own activity.
A beach day camp at Carcavelos run by Boogie Chicks, a bodyboard school that teaches only girls. Each day has two bodyboard sessions pitched at each girl's level, covering sea safety, reading the conditions and catching waves, with gear provided. Between sessions the group eats, rests and plays on the sand. It suits beach lovers and girls who want more confidence in the sea.
A musical theater day camp at EDSAE, a performing arts school in Amoreiras. Older kids spend the week on dance, singing and acting built around one musical, such as Mamma Mia or High School Musical. Younger kids get a Disney week with drama games, dance and simple costume and prop making. Every week ends with a short show for families. No experience needed, and every kid gets a role.
Four to seven is when a summer camp has to get the small things right: a day that isn't too long, a small group, and staff who can handle a tired or homesick kid. This list gathers the summer camps that take children this age, from gymnastics and swimming weeks to nature, art and English camps, in the city and the towns around it.
A gymnastics-based holiday program in The Little Gym's indoor gym in Parque das Nações. Each day runs on a new theme, built around group games, movement challenges and crafts, all led by the gym's own coaches. It suits active preschoolers and young school kids.
Children must be out of diapers. There is no nap space, so kids who still nap may be limited to half days.
A day camp inside the Oceanário de Lisboa. Kids watch the animals, hear stories and talk with the aquarists about how life works inside and outside the tanks, and what each species does for its ecosystem.
The days also mix in cable car rides, theater, dance, yoga and coding workshops, with plenty of free play. It suits kids who never tire of sea creatures.
A summer program on the St. Julian's School campus in Carcavelos, a coastal town west of Lisbon. Kids try new activities and build skills across music, sports, arts and academic enrichment. Team games and group projects give them plenty of chances to make friends. It suits kids who like variety and a busy day, less so a child set on one sport all week.
A week of martial arts at STAT's own academies, run by its instructors. Mornings are training: acrobatic kicks, self-defense, stunt work and practice with training nunchaku and katanas. Afternoons are group games and creative activities, and each day has a theme such as confidence or leadership. No experience is needed. Instructors speak Portuguese and English, so it works for kids still learning Portuguese.
A day camp at the Helen Doron English center in Odivelas, where kids pick up English through play rather than lessons. Each week has its own theme, and days fill with cooking simple recipes, making masks and props, animal yoga, treasure hunts and acting out stories. No prior English is needed. Groups are split by age and level, and staff also speak Portuguese.
An English-language day camp run by the Helen Doron learning center in Almada, across the river from Lisbon. Kids pick up English by using it: crafts, cooking sessions, stories, sports and outdoor games, in groups set by age and level. No prior English is needed, and the leaders also speak Portuguese. Each week has its own theme, and everything happens on site, with no outings.
A summer day camp run by St. Dominic's International School on its campus in São Domingos de Rana. Days mix indoor and outdoor play: sports, arts and crafts, games and nature exploring, with younger and older kids in separate groups. Recent programs added an outing most days, from the beach and pools to adventure parks. It suits kids who like a busy, varied week more than a quiet one.
An outdoor holiday program at Hello Park, the adventure play park in Parque da Serafina inside Monsanto forest park. Kids spend the day climbing the big wooden play structure, bouncing on the giant inflatable and running around in the open air. Lunch and morning and afternoon snacks are part of the day. It suits active kids; a child who wants to learn one skill may prefer a specialist camp.
Camp Go is a multi-activity day camp run at international schools around Cascais, Sintra and Lisbon. Kids rotate through six activities a day, drawn from more than 80, such as bouncy castles, pedal go-karts, bubble football, archery tag and crafts, so no two days look alike. Kids need basic English to follow the coaches. It suits active kids who like variety over one sport all week.
Week-long art workshops run by the education team at MAC/CCB, the contemporary art and architecture museum inside the Centro Cultural de Belém. Each week has its own theme built around the museum's current exhibitions: kids draw, paint, sculpt with clay, make prints and stage small performances, starting from works they see in the galleries. Younger and older kids are grouped separately. Suits kids who like making things with their hands.
A Forest School holiday camp where kids spend whole days outdoors in woodland, in any weather. Escola Lá Fora runs it on the Forest School model: challenging play in nature, learning the local plants and wildlife, and building respect for them. Kids get dirty, so pack clothes for it. Lunch is eaten outside: send it in a thermal container, or order meals from its catering partner at extra cost.
A summer holiday program run by Estrela's parish council (Junta de Freguesia da Estrela) for children who live in the parish. Days mix outdoor play and outings: scavenger hunts, inflatables, swimming pools, sports and theater, plus trips to museums, libraries, educational farms, the cinema and adventure parks. Places are limited and only open to children registered in the parish, so it suits Estrela residents, not visitors.
A summer holiday program at Dance Spot, an officially recognized dance school in Lisbon's Campo Grande area. Each week builds toward a themed musical show: kids take singing classes, dance sessions from hip hop to jazz, and art workshops where they make their own sets and costumes. Past themes drew on Taylor Swift, K-pop and TikTok hits. It suits kids who already sing and dance around the house.
A small day camp at Ousar Crescer, a personal-development center in Miraflores, Algés. Each week has its own theme, mixing pool time, outdoor and board games, mini golf, cinema and crafts with daily sessions where kids learn to name and share their feelings. Outings are on foot. It suits kids who do well in a small group (25 at most a day) more than a big sports camp.
A week of basketball for kids who already play and kids picking up a ball for the first time. Days mix skills training, the Circuito da Ticha, team games and an afternoon tournament, ending on a daily challenge. Coaching follows the method of Ticha Penicheiro, the Portuguese former WNBA player. Kids pack their own snacks and lunch, and families handle the trip to the Técnico campus near Alameda.
A day camp run inside Anima Park, a 1,500 m² indoor play center in Alcabideche, Cascais. Days mix the park's ropes course and climbing wall with water games, a mini MasterChef cooking session, art workshops, karaoke, quizzes and movies with popcorn.
It suits energetic kids who like a busy, varied day more than one focused skill.
A football day camp run by A Escolinha do Figo, the football school Luís Figo started in 2009. Kids work on individual technique and team play with drills sized to their age and level, then move into game-based challenges and an afternoon tournament. It suits kids who already live for football and ones who just like a kickabout and want to make friends.
A football day camp run by A Escolinha do Figo, the football school Luís Figo founded, at its site in Charneca da Caparica on Almada's south bank. Mornings are coaching clinics on technique and skills; afternoons turn to tournaments and football games.
Coaches speak Portuguese, English and Spanish, so kids still learning Portuguese can follow along. Best for kids who already like kicking a ball around.
A tennis day camp from the junior school of Portuguese pro João Sousa, at the Sassoeiros tennis club in Carcavelos. Professional coaches run technique sessions, the João Sousa circuit, games and an afternoon tournament, with free play to open and close the day. It suits beginners as much as kids who already play, and rackets are lent to anyone without one.
Week-long art workshops in the education space of the Centro de Arte Moderna (CAM), the modern art center in the Gulbenkian gardens. Each week takes its theme from a current CAM exhibition. Past weeks had kids building a dream space from blank materials, or making architectural models and trying screen printing. Led in Portuguese, so it suits kids who speak it or are happy to join in.
A week-long cooking camp in Kidchen's own kitchen in Laranjeiras. Mornings are for cooking: kids read the recipe, fetch the ingredients, split the jobs and work through each step themselves. Afternoons switch to art, games and activities tied to the edition's theme (a past Easter camp followed Alice Through the Looking-Glass). Groups are small and the days are screen-free. Suits kids who like to make things with their hands.
A day camp inside Feijão Verde Natura Fun Park, a wooded animal park in Algueirão-Mem Martins, near Sintra. Kids help feed and care for meerkats, llamas, donkeys, deer, tortoises and cockatoos, then have the run of the park: a treetop ropes course, mini golf, karts, trampolines and a boating lake. Each week follows a different program, with free-play time where kids pick their own activity.
A beach day camp at Carcavelos run by Boogie Chicks, a bodyboard school that teaches only girls. Each day has two bodyboard sessions pitched at each girl's level, covering sea safety, reading the conditions and catching waves, with gear provided. Between sessions the group eats, rests and plays on the sand. It suits beach lovers and girls who want more confidence in the sea.
A musical theater day camp at EDSAE, a performing arts school in Amoreiras. Older kids spend the week on dance, singing and acting built around one musical, such as Mamma Mia or High School Musical. Younger kids get a Disney week with drama games, dance and simple costume and prop making. Every week ends with a short show for families. No experience needed, and every kid gets a role.
