What to Do With Kids in Maryville Before Summer: Late May & Early June Guide
What to Do With Kids in Maryville Before Summer: Late May & Early June Guide
If your kids' last day is creeping up fast and you are already panicking about what happens next — welcome to the club.
Maryville City Schools and Blount County Schools typically wrap up in mid-to-late May, which means right now is the window where you either have kids home for a few extra days, or you are staring at a full summer schedule that still needs filling. Either way, the next three to four weeks are packed with options that are worth knowing about before they sell out.
Here is what I found for Maryville-area families planning late May and early June.
"Just Get Outdoors" Nature Adventure Camp — May 26–29
This one is actually running while most kids are still out of school, which makes it perfect for parents who need care but want something more engaging than screens. It runs for four days (Tuesday through Friday), 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, at Springbrook Park Pavilion in Alcoa. The camp is for ages 8–12 and costs $155, which includes a camp keepsake.
The instructor is Liz Domingue, a naturalist and wildlife biologist. The kids explore stream and forest ecology, learn about plant and animal biology, track animal signs, and do nature crafts. You pack a snack and lunch, and bring rain gear and an extra set of clothes on day one. The camp is run through Blount County Parks & Rec, and you can register at parksrec.com.
Drop-off is 8:15–8:30 AM. If your kid likes mud, bugs, and actually spending time outside, this is the one.
MLK Jr. Community Center Youth Summer Day Camp — Starts May 26
If you need something that goes further than a four-day nature camp, the MLK Center Youth Summer Day Camp kicks off the same week (May 26) and runs through July 3, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM (with the first week shortened due to Memorial Day). It covers ages 6–12 and includes breakfast and lunch, which is a real money-saver.
Activities include a literacy program, computer lab, swimming, field trips, outdoor activities, games, and arts and crafts. It is located at the MLK Jr. Community Center, 209 E. Franklin St, Alcoa, TN. Registration goes through Blount County Parks & Rec.
The fact that meals are provided and swimming is built in makes this one of the better value options in the area.
UT Knoxville Kids U — Now Open for Registration
If you are open to driving twenty minutes into Knoxville, UT Knoxville's Kids U summer camps just opened for registration and have a seriously wide range of options. The camps run for three hours on weekdays (morning or afternoon) for grades 3–12, from June through July.
Some standout options I found:
- 3D Video Game Design (June 1–5, grades 3–5, $209) — Students build actual 3D games using Black Rocket software
- Junior Robotics Camp (June 1–5, grades 3–5, $229) — LEGO SPIKE Essential kits, FIRST LEGO League challenges
- Roblox Coders (June 8–12, grades 3–5, $209) — Lua programming through Roblox Studio
- Minecraft Modders (June 22–26, grades 3–5, $209) — Customize and mod Minecraft with real coding
- American Sign Language Basics (July 6–10, grades 3–5) — Learn to fingerspell and communicate through games
These are held on the UT campus, and registration is at utconferences.eventsair.com/kids-u-2026/register. You can also call (865) 974-0150.
The UT Kids U programs are pricier than the Parks & Rec options, but the instruction quality and hands-on nature make them worth considering for older kids or kids with specific interests.
Ijams Nature Center Summer Camps — Knoxville
Ijams is one of Knoxville's best-kept secrets for kid-focused nature education, and their summer camps are back for 2026. They run eight weeks from June 1 through July 24, with themes that rotate weekly.
This year themes include: - Feathered Friends (June 1–5) — birds, birding, field tools - Mighty Metamorphosis (June 8–12) — amphibians, insects, nature tools - Nature Palette (June 15–19) — art in nature, gelli printing, clay pinch pots - Creepy Crawlies (June 22–26) — insect exploration, bug handling, field guides - Scales & Tales (June 29–July 2) — reptiles and amphibians, herping hikes
They offer camps for Preschool (ages 3–5), Discovery (ages 6–9), Adventure (ages 8–12), and Wilderness (ages 13–15). All camps are five days except the week of July 4 (four days). You can find the full dates and rates at ijams.org/camps.
Ijams is worth the drive from Maryville if your kid loves the outdoors. The programs are run by experienced naturalists, and the nature preserve itself is stunning.
Hops in the Hills — June 13
If you want one day where the whole family can hang out in downtown Maryville, mark your calendar for June 13 at the Maryville Greenway Amphitheater. Hops in the Hills is the region craft beer festival, and while the beer tasting portion is 21+, the event has been designed with the full community in mind — live music, games, food, and the Greenway itself is a great place to let kids run around.
The festival runs from 5 to 9 PM. Tickets include tastings, a tasting cup, food, and an official event t-shirt. Get details at hopsinthehills.com.
This is one of those events where the adults get something out of it and the kids still have a good time. Win-win.
Quick Tips
- Register early. The Blount County Parks & Rec camps and UT Kids U both fill up fast. The Parks & Rec registration goes through apm.activecommunities.com/mabparksrec. UT Kids U registers at utconferences.eventsair.com/kids-u-2026/register.
- Check scholarships. Blount County Parks & Rec offers a scholarship fund — check their site or call for details.
- Keep an eye on Ijams. Their registration window for summer camps opens early, but they sometimes add sessions.
- Summer on Broadway? There is some conflicting info about this year Downtown Maryville summer festival series. The official summeronbroadway.net site is still up but has not been updated with 2026 dates. I will update this post if and when I get confirmation.
What About July?
If you are still looking for options after June, there is a whole second half of summer to cover — the Parks & Rec summer day camps, Dollywood Summer Camps, and more. But that is a post for another day. Start with what I have above, get your kid signed up for something, and breathe. You have time.