Summer Programs
Join us for summer in San Francisco.
From our cozy classrooms to the Pacific Ocean, from grassy parks to the eucalyptus groves of the Presidio, the Bay Area and its natural beauty are the backdrop for a summer full of imagination, crafting, and play for Preschoolers to High School students.
Please contact the office for the registration link for any overnight trips (high school and middle school).
Three Day Whitewater Rafting Trip for High School Students
Rising Ninth through Twelfth Graders, 15 students maximum with one trip leader and two assistants
June 17, 2026 - June 19, 2026
Cost: $600
The HS has pivoted our summer trip offering to an epic 3-day whitewater rafting adventure on the American River, and we want to see your student there! Students will spend three days and two nights sleeping on the banks of the American River in Lotus, California. We'll enjoy games, bonding activities, swimming, and big meals by the river side while rafting the two incredible stretches on the south fork of the American River. The stunning river camp where we stay offers access to indoor facilities, showers, and bathrooms. Students will depart early in the morning on June 17 and return in the early evening on June 19.
The trip cost is $600 per student, and a limited amount of financial aid is available. Remaining spots are filling quickly, so secure your spot soon!
Please email Lucy Catlett at lcatlett@sfwaldorf.org with any questions.
Summer Trips for Middle School Students
Backpacking and Whitewater Rafting
Rising Sixth through Eighth Graders, 15 students maximum with one trip leader and two assistants
June 8, 2026 - June 13, 2026
Cost: $1320
Join us for a week of backpacking, whitewater rafting, and unforgettable adventure on our Middle School Summer Backpacking Trip! We’ll kick off the week with an exciting day on the American River, navigating fun whitewater and bonding as a group.
After our river adventure, we’ll head to the Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe for an introductory backpacking journey. Students will build outdoor leadership skills, practice map and compass navigation, play games, cook meals together, and make pizzas under starry skies. Along the way, we’ll make memorable pit stops at Gold Rush landmarks, glacial waterfalls, swimming holes, and more. After wrapping up our time in the backcountry, we’ll take a well-deserved break with a swim and ice-cream stop in South Lake Tahoe before heading home.
This trip is ideal for students seeking personal growth, new challenges, class bonding, and lasting memories while enjoying the best of summer in the Sierra Nevada. We hope to see you there! Please contact the office for the registration link for this trip.
Wild Passages: Boys on the Mountain
This camp is for rising 6th through 8th Graders, and is located at Trinity Alps, CA (Caribou Lakes)
Friday, June 19th through Monday, June 22nd
Led by San Francisco Waldorf School Faculty Connor Williams and Wes Wehrle (trip leader bios here)
Wild Passages: Boys on the Mountain is a 4-day immersive backpacking expedition for Waldorf Middle School Boys taking place in the Trinity Alps region of Northern California. This expedition will teach students outdoor skills, build teamwork skills, challenge students physically, and offer opportunities for students to journey deeper into themselves. This expedition seeks to guide boys through the threshold of middle school maturation. We will hike up mountains, camp out under the stars, share stories and music, have lots of fun, and connect to nature, each other, and ourselves.
Specifics of the Program: Wild Passages is a 4-day program built around an immersive backpacking expedition. This expedition is designed to learn outdoor skills, journey deeper into the self, challenge ourselves physically / mentally, and reflect about the maturation of middle school. Draft itinerary (subject to change) can be found here.
Please contact the office for the registration link for this trip.
Wild Passages: Girls on the Mountain
This camp is for rising 6th through 8th Graders, and is located at Mt. Tam, West Point Inn
Tuesday, July 28th through Thursday, July 30th
Led by San Francisco Waldorf School Faculty Karmin Guzder-Williams (trip leader bio here)
Wild Passages: Girls on the Mountain is a 3-day immersive rite of passage excursion for our Waldorf girls who are entering into a new phase of their lives. We will mark this moment in communion with nature and each other through contemplative moments, artistic activities, hiking, and cooking meals together all in service to a greater knowing of ourselves, our bodies, and the importance of strong female relationships. A guest artist and chef will be invited to join us for fun activities together. Draft itinerary (subject to change) can be found here.
Please contact the office for the registration link for this trip.
Summer Day Camp for Grades 2-6
For students into 2nd through 5th Grade, our summer camp is led by experienced Waldorf teachers.
Every week is a new theme: morning camp themes this summer include making wooden flower presses and paper, improv comedy fun, cooking, and painting including make tools and mediums. We spend the afternoons outdoors, enjoying free time and imaginative play on campus or at beautiful Alta Plaza Park nearby. A closing circle rounds out the day.
Children must be at least 7 to attend our Grade School camp and must have completed at least one year in a grade school setting. For younger children, please consider our Kindergarten Camp. Register here.
Summer Day Camp for Kindergarteners
Explorers of land and sea, our Kindergarten campers spend most of the day outdoors: hiking, playing, and exploring San Francisco’s uncommon mix of wild natural beauty and urban culture. Daily excursions range from nearby Alta Plaza Park to the forests of the Presidio to the beach at Crissy Field, though we also spend time on our beautiful Pacific Heights campus, crafting and listening to stories.
Children should have at least one year of Kindergarten or Transitional Kindergarten experience before enrolling in camp. Priority enrollment is given to current SFWS families. Register here.
Summer Camp for Preschoolers (open to current SFWS families)
For children currently enrolled in the SFWS Preschool during the 2025-2026 school year, our Summer Camp for Preschoolers continues the rhythm of the school year. For three weeks, our campers join together for imaginative play, time outdoors, and practical and artistic activities such as bread-making, soup-making, painting, and handcrafts. The summer season and its festivals color the mood of this program and form the basis for our songs and activities. Enjoying the mild summer weather and our school’s enviable location, we spend our mornings in the forests of the Presidio and conclude each week with a Beach Day at Crissy Field.
Children must be current SFWS Preschoolers to attend our Preschool summer camp