A new YouGov survey asked Americans about their childhood experiences attending sleepaway camps, including which activities they liked the most, how it influenced them, and whether they would send their own children to sleepaway camp. Nearly half were sleepaway campers — and half of former campers say the experience influenced them as adults at least a fair amount. The vast majority of former campers had a positive experience.
44% of American adults attended sleepaway summer camp. Adults under 45 are more likely than older Americans to have ever attended sleepaway summer camp (50% vs. 39%).
39% of Americans have attended a summer camp that was not a sleepaway camp. Adults under 45 are more likely than older Americans to have attended summer camps that were not sleepaway camps (46% vs. 33%).
Among Americans who ever went to a sleepaway summer camp, 83% say their overall experience was positive, including 50% who say it was very positive. 7% say their experience was neither positive nor negative, and few (9%) say the experience was somewhat (7%) or very (2%) negative.
Among people who attended sleepaway camp for five or more summers, 66% say their overall experience was very positive. 52% of those who attended for four summers say the same, as do 41% of people who attended for three summers and 50% of people who attended for two summers. 44% of people who attended sleepaway camp for one summer say it was very positive.
Many sleepaway camps share certain features. Among people who attended one, 76% say theirs had cabins or bunkhouses and 74% say they had campfires. 69% say their camp had a lake or river, 52% say their camp had teenage or college student counselors, and 42% say their camp had a focus on outdoor survival skills.
As for camp activities, 71% of Americans who went to sleepaway camp say they recall swimming at their camp. 64% remember going on nature hikes and 62% remember doing arts and crafts. 46% played team sports at camp, 36% did water sports, 36% went canoeing or kayaking, and 32% did archery.
Swimming is the camp activity named by the most former campers as their favorite. Among Americans who attended sleepaway camp and participated in at least two of the activities asked about, 15% say swimming was their favorite activity. 14% say nature hikes were their favorite activity, and the same share name arts and crafts. 8% say their favorite camp activity was horseback riding and 8% say team sports were their favorite camp pastime.
Arts and crafts was the least favorite activity for 11% of Americans who attended sleepaway camp and participated in at least two of the activities asked about. 10% say nature hikes were their least favorite activity. 26% say none of the activities listed were their least favorite.
Most Americans who attended sleepaway camp went for more than one summer (69%). 21% attended sleepaway camp for two summers, 17% for three summers, 9% for four, 8% for five, and 14% for six or more.
Half (50%) of Americans who attended sleepaway camp say their experience at sleepaway summer camp influenced the person they are today a great deal (18%) or fair amount (32%). People who attended sleepaway camp for multiple summers are more likely to say it influenced their identity a great deal. Among people who attended sleepaway camp for just one summer, 10% say it influenced them a great deal. People who attended for two (14%), three (23%), or four summers (29%) are more likely to say sleepway camp experiences had a great deal of influence on who they are today. Among people who attended sleepaway camp for five or more summers, 28% say it influenced them a great deal.
Two-thirds (67%) of Americans who attended sleepaway summer camp say they built self-confidence while they were there. 66% say they improved their social skills, 63% say they became more connected to nature, and 63% gained independence. 56% say they learned outdoor or survival skills and 50% discovered a new hobby or interest.
Men are more likely than women to say they became more connected to nature (67% vs. 59%) and learned outdoor or survival skills (61% vs. 50%). Women are more likely than men to say they gained independence (68% vs. 57%).
Most Americans who attended sleepaway camp say the maximum amount of time they spent at sleepaway camp in a single summer was one week or less (55%). 25% say the most time they spent was two weeks; 18% say three weeks or more.
How old were Americans when they first attended sleepaway camp? Among people who ever attended sleepaway camp, 2% say they were under 7 when they first attended sleepaway camp, 21% say they were between 7 and 9, and 43% say they were between 10 and 12. 22% say they were between 13 and 15 and 8% were 16 or older.
As for when they stopped attending sleepaway camp, 1% say they were under 7, 7% were between 7 and 9, 28% were between 10 and 12, 32% were between 13 and 15, and 30% were 16 or older.
Among people who are parents, 32% say their children have attended sleepaway summer camp. 80% of parents who have sent their children to sleepaway camp say their children have had positive experiences and 8% say the experience was negative — similar to former campers' assessment of their own experiences (83% and 9%).
75% of parents with children under 18 who have never attended sleepaway camp say they would consider sending their children to sleepaway camp. Only 11% say they would not.
Among people who do not have children, 48% say that if they did, it’s very or somewhat likely that they would send them to a sleepaway summer camp. 41% say they would be not at all or not very likely to do so. Among people who attended sleepaway camp themselves and don't have children, 69% say it’s likely they would send their kids to a sleepaway camp.
Among Americans who never attended a sleepaway summer camp, 22% wish they had. The most common reasons for not attending a sleepaway summer camp — from a list of six reasons offered in the survey — is that they couldn’t afford it (34%) or they weren’t interested (33%). 23% of Americans who didn’t attend sleepaway camp say there weren’t any camps nearby, 19% say their parents wouldn’t allow it, and 18% had other summer plans. Only 8% were afraid to be away from home.
Related:
- Ranking Americans' favorite summer activities
- What do Americans remember from early childhood?
- Most parents feel it’s safe to send kids to summer camp this year
See the results for this YouGov survey
— Carl Bialik and Taylor Orth contributed to this article
Methodology: This article includes results from an online survey conducted July 28 - August 1, 2025 among 2,156 U.S. adult citizens. Respondents were selected from YouGov’s opt-in panel to be representative of adult U.S. citizens. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. 2024 presidential vote, at time of weighting, was estimated to be 48% Harris and 50% Trump. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given around November 8, 2024, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 3%.
Image: Getty
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