🧒 General Youth Programs

Boise, ID

City of Boise's parks and recreation department, operating one of Idaho's largest municipal recreation catalogs. Programs include Summer Playcamps (10 parks, ages entering 1st–6th grade), youth camps in art / cooking / outdoor / recreation / science / theater / Zoo Boise themes, golf and tennis lessons, league play, swim programs, and drop-in facility access at Fort Boise Community Center, Idaho IceWorld, and city pools. Registration via Boise Parks & Rec app or webtrac portal.

Meridian, ID

Independent library district serving Meridian and surrounding areas. Six branch locations: Orchard Park (1268 W. Orchard Park Dr.), Pinnacle (1375 E. Phenomenal St.), unBound (722 E. 2nd St.), Tiny Library (5159 S. Hillsdale Ave., mall branch), History Center (33 E. Broadway Ave., self-guided tours), and Cherry Lane (1326 W. Cherry Ln.: closed for renovation, reopening Winter 2026/2027). Offers story times, summer reading, kids and teen programming. Digital services available 24/7.

Boise, ID

Independent library district covering unincorporated Ada County and parts of Boise / Star. Four physical branches: Hidden Springs (5868 W Hidden Springs Dr, Boise), Lake Hazel (10489 W Lake Hazel Rd, Boise), Star (10706 W State St #100, Star), Victory (10664 W Victory Rd, Boise), plus the Connect Branch mobile bookmobile. Story times, summer reading, kids/teen programming, STEM, music, book clubs at every branch.

Kuna, ID

Independent library district serving Kuna. Programs: Preschool (yoga storytime, toddler STEM, blocks/play), Homeschool program (Fridays 9:30 AM, arts/crafts/STEM/guests), StoryWalk on east loop of greenbelt along Swan Falls Road (boards 1-18). Summer reading, teen programs, book clubs.

Star, ID

City of Star's recreation department. Wide-ranging youth programming: art, cooking, dance, exercise, music, paint, sports (baseball, basketball, soccer, martial arts), open play, outdoor, STEM, adventure, jewelry making, ballet, yoga, mindfulness. Ages 0 months - 18+. Park amenities: Riverhouse, Riverwalk Park, Skatepark, Hunter's Creek Sports Complex (soccer, baseball, walking trails).

Middleton, ID

Independent recreation district serving Middleton (Canyon County) and surrounding rural area. Operates Foote Park (23 acres: largest park, soccer fields, baseball fields, disc golf, splash pad), plus the Greater Middleton community center. Youth basketball, soccer, baseball, and flag football leagues. Field reservations + party rentals.

Emmett, ID

Independent recreation district serving Emmett (Gem County). Mission: enrich quality of life through community programs. Programs include STEM Club, Page Turners book club (kids), TOPS adult fitness, First Thursday Senior Day. Event center available for rentals. Programming for all ages from young children through adults.

Meridian, ID

Treasure Valley Family YMCA's South Meridian branch (Tomlinson). Programs include aquatics, youth sports, summer camps, before/after-school care, and THRIVE adaptive programming.

Caldwell, ID

Treasure Valley Family YMCA's Caldwell branch. Programs include aquatics, youth sports, summer camps, before/after-school programs, and adaptive THRIVE programming.

Caldwell, ID

Canyon County chapter of University of Idaho 4-H Youth Development. Programs for ages 5-18 including livestock, horse, small-animal, STEM (robotics, drones, coding, financial literacy), healthy living (cooking, sewing, crafting), shooting sports, photography, and leadership. Annual showcase at Canyon County Fair (#623, July 23-26, 2026). Parallel to MV's Twin Falls (#34), Jerome (proposed #357), and Cassia (proposed #362) chapters.

Boise, ID

Downtown Boise interactive creative center and community gathering place on a 3-acre park. Free public access to five themed studios (Make, Move, Inspire, Share, Play) including a makerspace with woodworking/3D-printing/textiles equipment, a cooking studio, a movement/dance studio, and an A/V production studio. The outdoor park has a 5-story slide, climbing structure, and amphitheater. Programs include drop-in family days, structured studio classes, and free community events year-round. Operated by the J.R. Simplot family's nonprofit foundation.

Caldwell, ID

Salvation Army community service center in Caldwell offering youth programs across multiple disciplines: Music Education (choirs and instrument training with after-school lessons), Dance, Sports Ministry, and Character Building Troops (faith-rooted scouting-style program developing character through group activities and exploration). Also operates as a community-service hub with food assistance and emergency services for the broader Caldwell community. Distinct from other Caldwell faith-based youth orgs.

Emmett, ID

Drop-in youth center in downtown Emmett operated by Youth Rising (Idaho-based non-profit). Free, safe, stigma-free space for ages 11-18 (and ages 18-24 by appointment). Programs span career exploration, leadership opportunities, mental-health peer support, vocational rehab pathways, free snacks, movies, homework help, social events. On-site activities: pool, foosball, karaoke, computer labs, gaming systems, art supplies. Mirrors BGCMV-style youth-development clubs bucket combined with drop-in venue access.

Nampa, ID

Parent-supervised indoor play facility in Nampa with multiple play areas and an on-site café. Drop-in day passes ($14 admission; baby rate for under 12 months), birthday parties, field trips, private rentals, and a schedule-as-you-go summer day camp. Walk-in hours Mon–Sat 9:30am–6pm, Sun 12–7pm.

Boise, ID

A United Methodist congregation in west Boise whose KidMin ministry meets every Sunday from 10:45 to 11:45 AM for children in kindergarten through 5th grade, with nursery and toddler/preschool rooms opening at 10:15 AM for ages 0–4. Alongside the Sunday programme, KidMin runs Family Ministries Fun Nights (movie nights, bowling, ice skating, a Pumpkin Palooza and Boise Hawks games), and annual family events including a long-running Trunk R Treat and a Vacation Bible School.

Boise, ID

Boise Parks and Recreation's flagship community center near downtown, housing the 4,500 sq ft Fort Boise Art Center (three studio spaces, 200+ classes a year for ages 2½ through adult), two dance studios, a gymnasium, a fitness centre with weights and cardio equipment, locker rooms, and the Teen Activity Center. The Teen Activity Center is a free after-school drop-in space for 7th–12th graders with a game room, computer lab and console gaming; supervised teen open gym is also free. Scholarships are available for youth and for adults with disabilities.

Boise, ID

Boise Parks and Recreation community centre on the Boise Bench, operated in partnership with the Boise School District and open weekday afternoons during the school year for the Kid City after-school programme. Full-time Parks and Recreation staff are on site. A Whitney Pool project is in development at the site.

Emmett, ID

A free federally grant-funded after-school program for 6th, 7th and 8th graders at Emmett Middle School. Sessions combine academic skill building, homework help and tutoring with enrichment clubs (cooking, arts and crafts, STEM activities, CPR and first-aid classes, career fairs, games and recreation), and a snack is provided.