Summer Kids Camp
Discover the Joy of Riding
Cycle Oregon Kids Bike Camp is an exciting, weeklong day camp designed for young riders ages 8-12. Campers will build confidence, independence, and essential bike safety skills while exploring their surroundings on two wheels. With a focus on fun, community, and hands-on learning, this camp is the perfect way for kids to deepen their love for bicycling in a safe and supportive environment.
June 16-20 & August 4-8
Camp Details
- Ages: 8-12 years old
- Location: Portland Community College – Cascade / N. Killingsworth Campus
- Days: Monday through Friday
- Time: Drop-off 8:30-9:00 a.m. | Pick-up 3:00-4:00 p.m.
- Cost: $550 per week
- Scholarships are available courtesy of the Cycle Oregon Foundation
2025 Summer Kids Camp scholarships are courtesy of donations made to the Cycle Oregon Foundation by Daimler Truck North America headquartered in Portland, Oregon.
Kids Camp Goals and Values
At Cycle Oregon, we believe in the joy of riding a bicycle, and we know that joy starts in childhood. Many adults fondly recall a childhood where freely wandering their neighborhoods by bike, making friends and playing outdoors all day was the norm. That type of childhood independence is less common these days, and it shows in the declining rates of kids riding or walking to school, less time spent outside. At Summer Kids Bike Camp, we’ll turn young riders into confident commuters as we practice signaling, wayfinding and using bike infrastructure. We’ll apply those skills in real-world rides to picnics and playgrounds. Campers will learn to see their bikes as powerful tools for transportation, to trust themselves, take risks, and grow into confident riders.
We’re so excited to work with a new generation of riders, and to foster a love of biking for transportation, health, the environment and joy!
What to Expect: Each day of camp builds on the previous day’s skills, reinforcing bike safety, group riding techniques, and essential bike handling. Campers will ride independently, with guidance from experienced leaders, through a variety of environments. Since we’re always on the move, late drop-offs and early pickups may not be possible. Parents/guardians should coordinate any special arrangements with camp leaders at least 24 hours in advance.
What’s Provided: We acknowledge that many barriers exist to accessing cycling activities. For this reason, Cycle Oregon Summer Kids Camp makes essential gear available to all campers at no additional cost. The following items will be made available to all campers for the duration of the week. Bicycles, helmets and locks must be returned at the end of camp.
- A properly fitted bicycle
- Helmet
- Bike lock
- T-shirt & namecard
- Lunch & snack
- Water bottle
Bicycle accessories and supplies are courtesy of Golden Pliers Bicycle Repair & Supply located in the Alberta Arts neighborhood in Portland, Oregon.
What to Wear: Wear comfortable clothing suitable for moving and playing, and choose shoes with a closed heel and toe—no Crocs or sandals, please. We recommend a bag or backpack packed with a light jacket, and rain gear, along with sunblock and sunglasses.
Campers are welcome to bring their own bike and gear, but all personal equipment must pass a safety inspection and meet our camp standards. Bikes must be properly fitted, in good working order, have front and rear hand brakes (no coaster brakes), and at least three gears.
Ability Level : Campers should be able to ride a bike proficiently and without training wheels. Proficiency means smooth starting and stopping (braking), pedaling for at least 20 minutes at a time, and riding in a relatively straight line. Skills such as shifting, using hand brakes, signaling and riding in a group will be practiced at camp, but campers should have riding basics prior to enrollment.
Meet the Camp Leaders
Becky Newman and Shawne Martinez run the Cycle Oregon Jump Start program, Oregon’s statewide bicycle education program under the Safe Routes to School umbrella. In 2024 they worked with over 20 schools across Oregon teaching over 6000 kids bike riding fundamentals and safety practices. Additionally, they provide a “train the trainer” service where school teachers are taught the Jump Start curriculum so they can continue the work in their schools. We are excited to develop this new summer camp program under their guidance.
Becky Newman
Becky has been a daily bike commuter for most of her adult life and has spent years encouraging others to ride. With a background as an educator, she has worked as a classroom teacher and after-school program leader and is the Program Manager for Cycle Oregon’s Jump Start. She is also the founder of Makeshifter Canvas Works, where she crafts handmade bike gear for riders worldwide. Becky co-founded Golden Pliers Bicycle Repair, a welcoming community space for cyclists, and believes in the power of bikes to foster adventure, independence, and joy.
Shawne Martinez
A dedicated car-free bike dad, Shawne has logged over 30,000 miles riding with his daughter across the Portland Metro area. He leads Tigard’s only weekly bike bus, rain or shine, and serves as Program Coordinator for Cycle Oregon’s Jump Start. Passionate about active transportation, Shawne volunteers for bike safety programs and community transportation initiatives. He’s committed to helping kids experience the same freedom and adventure he found in cycling as a child.
Policies
Our camp policies are all about making sure every kid has a safe, fun, and memorable summer. They help set clear expectations so campers know what to expect, parents feel confident and our staff can focus on creating awesome summer experiences on and off the bike. With these guidelines in place we can all enjoy more adventure, more laughter, and way less stress.
Please click here to read our full set of policies or scroll below for key points.
Camper Drop-off & Pick-up – Cycle Oregon will follow best practices for ensuring campers are released only to parents/ authorized adult caregivers, who are designated at the time of registration.
- All children must be accompanied to Cycle Oregon Youth Camp and signed in by an adult. Each camper must be signed in and out daily by a parent or authorized adult.
- No child will be released to an unknown adult without the individual showing proper identification; they must be listed as an authorized adult.
- Please be prepared to show ID at pickup every day.
Injury, Illness & Medication – In the event of an accidental injury when participating in Cycle Oregon activities, the staff will take whatever steps necessary to obtain medical care.
- Minor injuries will be treated as needed, including washing, applying Band-Aids or ice packs. Parents/guardians will be notified upon pick-up.
- If your child is ill, do not send them to camp. Campers who present with fever, vomiting, diarrhea or other contagious illness, will be sent home. They may not return until they are free of such illness or no longer contagious.
- A Medication Authorization Form must be completed and signed by the parent or guardian in order for any medication to be administered. See the form for details. Children are not allowed to self-administer medication; all medicine must be given to camp leaders.
Inclusion & Accessibility Cycle Oregon welcomes all children and families while acknowledging the limitations of our small staff and this new program.. We are committed to providing an inclusive environment and will consider special accommodations on a case-by-case basis. If your child has special needs, please contact our staff so we can work together to create a plan for their success at camp. Reach out to Becky (becky@cycleoregon.com) to discuss accommodations for your camper.
Behavior Expectations – To ensure a safe, enjoyable camp experience for campers and staff, we ask for respectful behavior from all participants. Aggressive, demeaning actions or language are not tolerated. Extreme cases, such as intentional harm or vandalism, may result in dismissal.
A Note About Cell Phones & Personal Items To keep campers engaged and focused on their riding adventures, cell phones are not permitted at camp. If brought, they will be stored securely until pickup. We also ask campers to leave toys, electronics, and unnecessary personal items at home to maintain a fun, distraction-free environment.
Photo Permission – We will be bring in photographers and videographers to capture the joy of our camp experience; we’ll use these assets for future promotion of the program and to share with you, our camp families. Parents/Guardians will have the ability to opt out of having their kid(s) included in these materials. Details available upon registration.
Cancellation – All registrations have a 10% non-refundable deposit. This non-refundable deposit covers administrative processing and costs of registration management. Any request for a refund will be honored in full, minus the 10% non-refundable deposit, if requested more than 30 days prior to the first day of the program. Refunds requested between 14 and 30 days before the program start date will only be eligible for a 50% refund.
