Summer camp, principally (though not exclusively) a New world phenomenon, is a common destination for children and teenagers during the summer months. Children and adolescents who attend camp ("campers") participate in a variety of activities, many which wouldn't be possible or practical during the school year. Although the traditional image of summer camp is of a woodsy place with hiking, canoeing, and campfires, today's summer camps offer a wide variety of specialized activities. For example, there are camps for the performing arts, rock music, computers, children with special needs, and weight loss. Religious summer camps, especially those run by Jewish organizations like URJ, are also very popular.

Summer camp is the continuation of a tradition since the mid-1800s. Frederick W. Gunn founded the first camp in 1861. Gunn and his wife Abigail operated a home school for boys in Washington, Connecticut, and took the school on a two-week hiking trip. The Gunns operated the Gunnery Camp for twelve more years. Camp Dudley was founded in 1885 and is currently the oldest continually running boys camp in America.

In most camps, the adult supervisors are called counselors. Counselors are responsible for guiding the campers during activities and ensuring the safety of the campers. In many camps, counselors are assigned to smaller groups of campers, called "bunks", "huts", or "cabins", which participate in activities as a group. Counselors often share living accommodations with their bunk. Most counselors are in their late teens or early twenties, as it's an ideal job for high school or college students on summer break. Although counselor jobs don't usually pay well (often times minimum wage or less), counselors receive free room and board.