Camp Rhythm

Make a Donation to Camp Rhythm

Welcome to Camp Rhythm

Save the date

Camp Rhythm 2026:

Day “Mini” Campers: July 29–31, ages 5–7

Overnight Campers: July 28–Aug. 1, ages 8–17

Camper applications will open in April.

Camp Rhythm is designed to:

Provide a residential camping experience for area children with congenital or acquired heart defects.
Provide a safe environment where campers will learn they are not alone in living with heart disease.
Create an environment where it is normal to be sick, tired, have scars, and take medication.
Allow children to feel accepted, build confidence, and make lifelong friends.

Camp Rhythm also includes a day camp for younger children (ages 5–7) born with a heart defect. These children will attend camp for three days during the week.

Camp activities

Each day at Camp Rhythm is packed full of activities. In the morning, campers attend activities with their cabin mates and are given the chance to explore all the programming available. In the afternoon, campers are allowed free choice and can decide on their own what activities to attend. This gives them a chance to bond as a cabin group and attend activities together, while making new friends with campers outside their cabins. Here's an idea of the kinds of activities to look forward to:

Archery
Arts and crafts
Fishing
Sports and games
Swimming

In the evening, all sorts of new fun awaits campers. The Camp Rhythm planning staff works very hard to plan fun and engaging activities for all campers to enjoy. In year’s past, some of the evening activities have included:

Campfire
Carnival
Dance Party with a DJ
Medical Mania

Camp Rhythm staff

Medical staff includes a minimum of a nurse and a pediatric cardiologist who are available at all times. Additional staff includes a certified child life specialist, pediatric social worker, cardiac nurses, and St. Louis Children's Hospital volunteers. All volunteers must go through training and screenings at St. Louis Children's Hospital prior to camp. Volunteers must be 18 years of age and older. Camp counselors are adults familiar with heart defects, including some former pediatric cardiac patients.

Interested in volunteering at Camp Rhythm this summer? Volunteer applications will open in May. While we appreciate families’ desire to be involved in camp as volunteers, it's important for our campers to learn independence. Therefore, we kindly request family members do not apply as camp volunteers.