Here Comes The Sun: Summer Programs For Kids Of All Ages

The key to a positive and healthy summer program experience is to tailor your child’s needs with a camp or enrichment program’s offerings. The terrific thing is that there is literally something for every child out there. Specialty programs keep growing and most offer subset specialties within the realm of the conventional camp experience. From the artistic or musical child to the sports or science enthusiast, here is a selection of what’s out there for summer 2017!

Full STEAM Ahead

Each Friday, campers at Cathedral School of St John Divine experience STEAM in the city by going on science-centered field trips. At Challenge Camp, kids explore science courses that range from 3D printing and coding to Minecraft and robotics. Evolution Enrichment offers play-based STEAM education and weekly themes in biology, technology, earth science, and more. Advanced science lovers will appreciate Generation Code for their detailed classes: Scratch animation and design, exploring hardware and robotics, and Android app development. Talk about innovation—International IVY offers anatomy and surgical techniques, shark tank entrepreneur, and the engineering of ice cream. Weeklong sessions at LAUNCH Math & Science Centers enable children to pick and choose their specialty. In Aerospace Engineering, campers build DIY projects that reinforce the science and technology behind and the field, and the highlight of the week is a special field trip to New Jersey (via ferry) where campers fire off rockets (under staff supervision). Kids work their problem-solving, creativity, and troubleshooting skills at RoboFun as they explore LEGO robotics, coding, and video game design, and stop motion animation. During 3D printing week at SciTech Kids, budding engineers design, print, assemble and provide 3D printed prosthetic hands to children in need. King’s Bay Y offers a Brooklyn-based STEM camp experience complete with science, robotics, math, and coding. ESF Camps at Riverdale Country School include tech camp offerings that will engage campers in robotics, virtual reality, Minecraft, game design, and more.

Avoid The Summer Slump

From fairytales and classics to adventures and fables, children, ages 30-42 months and 43-60 months, explore different genres, themes, and modes of storytelling through academics, art, music, at Book Nook’s World of Enchanted Stories Summer Camp. At EBL Coaching, three-week summer programs teach students in grades Pre-K-12 about research-based, multi-sensory techniques to develop their reading, writing, math, and study skills. Avoid summer learning loss at Kumon, where kids do daily worksheets in Math and Reading to keep their learning current and also prepare for the new school year. Children utilize fully equipped preschool classrooms as they take part in educational activities at MAGIC Activity Center. Each week of camp is dedicated to a different country which provides the theme that ties together a wide-range of fun, educational activities based on the STEAM global initiative. The World Cultures Day Camp at Marymount School of New York lets campers explore a different country every week, learning about the language, cuisine, art, culture, customs, and celebrations that make each nation unique and beautiful. Nature-themed camps at New York Botanical Garden Summer Camps for kids in grades K-5, feature outdoor explorations, science investigations, and behind-the-scenes tours in the Garden’s 250-acre landscape. SummerSault Camp at the Town School is a great way to ensure that little ones (ages 3-6) keep learning throughout the summer. They offer engaging camp activities in creative play, science, art, and more.

Break A Leg

Kids, ages 11-15, get a step-up on warm-ups, improvisation, technique, and scene study at Atlantic Acting School while they also participate in design workshops and develop a film project. For younger budding actors, Kids Creative offers children ages 4-14 the opportunity to write and perform their own original plays and music, learn instruments, design sets and costumes. Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute introduces students in grades 2-6 acting, musical theatre, stage combat/movement, and on camera work. At NY Film Academy, kids and teens can choose from Filmmaking, Acting for Film, Screenwriting, Broadcast Journalism, Photography, Musical Theatre, Game Design, Music Video, Documentary Filmmaking, or 3D Animation programs. For kids who like to take control, TADA! Youth Theater lets campers write, rehearse, and perform a unique mini-musical based on the assigned theme each week.

Art Is Life

The Art Farm offers the youngest of campers, ages 3-9, art activities centered around weekly themes, Superheroes, Storybook Land, Hall of Fame, Exotic Animals, Tropical Excursion, Under The Big Top, and S’more Fun, as well as cooking and gardening lessons. Camp fun at the Craft Studio includes multimedia art projects using the latest, trendiest materials, and unique and fun games for kids ages 3-9. Mini camp workshops are available at Kids at Art for ages 4.5 and up in uniquely small groups with individualized attention given. Kids who attend more than one day or week are always given new projects to do—no repeats. Children learn the traditional art of hand sewing at Lavner Camps, including basic sewing, measuring, cutting, and stuffing techniques while working their way up to making stuffed animals (which they get to keep!) as they progress in skill. For the skilled sewing buff, garment, accessory and room decor sewing, and fabric craft projects are explored at Pins & Needles, along with a sewing machine clinic. At Steve & Kate’s Camp, campers enjoy their Breadmaking Studio where they can bake their own bread from scratch, learn the basics of mixing, kneading, rising, and baking as they create their own culinary creations.

Just Dance

What better place than Broadway to fine-tune your dancing skills? At Broadway Dance Center kids and teens learn Jazz, Hip-Hop and Acro right in the heart of Broadway’s Theater District. Or stay in Brooklyn, where children ages 3-12 can hip-hop and theater arts at the Children’s Academy. Girls, ages 4-9, learn ballet, tap, modern, jazz, and musical theater at Ballet Academy East’s BAE Summerdance program. A morning gym warm-up starts the day off for kids ages 2.5-6, followed by a dance period at New York Kids Club. Campers enjoy an outdoor theater at Mount Tom Day Camp, which is used each day for morning get-togethers, performances, music, drama, and dance activities.

Calling All Gymnasts

You’ll find a specialty gymnastics camp for gymnasts of all levels at Gymtime Rhythm & Glues, including two hours of gymnastics as well as yoga or stretch class, cooking, art, music, and time spent outdoors. Flexibility is key at Jodi’s Gym where kids ages 3-5 run, jump, tumble, balance, and stretch daily. Parents can choose which days to attend. Children can experience life outside the city while taking up gymnastics, yoga and dance at Deerkill Day Camp. In addition to gymnastics classes, all Spring Lake Day Camp campers take part in entertaining shows, carnivals, theme days, Olympic events, Color War, pajama breakfasts, and more.

Multilingual Summer

Learning a new language starts early at Avenues: The World School where specialty language camps in Spanish and Chinese are available for kids in nursery through grade four. Mandarin language immersion is offered at BASIS Independent Brooklyn for children in first through fifth grades. HudsonWay Immersion School has a Mandarin Summer Camp which allows kids ages 2.5-12 the opportunity to engage in hands-on, multicultural activities as they acquire language skills in a 100 percent Mandarin environment. At the International School of Brooklyn’s ISB Summer, a French and Spanish Language Immersion program for children entering Pre-K through grade 4 explores unique themes through arts, sports, games, and music. Weeklong immersion camps at Planet Han teach children to speak Mandarin with confidence as well as learn about the Qing and Tang Dynasties. At the Bank Street Summer Camp, the Spanish Immersion group provides the students with the opportunity to learn, practice and reinforce the Spanish language. Kids learn Spanish through music in TLB Music’s Música en Español class, a mixed-age language immersion class that introduces young students up to age 5 to Spanish through song and story.

Aquatic Adventures

Camp H2O at Dwight School provides campers with a five-day swim program to improve technique and advance training skills. Campers have two swim sessions each day, including aquatic learning with hands-on instruction. Daily swimming and a variety of activities and trips are available for children ages 3-10 at British International School of New York’s waterside facility on 23rd Street. Campers swim daily for a full hour of instructional swim with 15 minutes of fun at Physique Swimming at Seahorse Aquatics Center pool which features 5 lanes, 25 yards, starting blocks, 3.5 feet shallow in the shallow end and 10 feet deep in the deep end. At JCC Manhattan’s Camp Settoga, in Pomona, NY, all campers enjoy instructional swim in a small 4:1 ratio and free swim. Swim sessions run for 30-40 minutes, and provide instruction for both new and experienced swimmers. In addition, JCC Manhattan offers Day Camp @ the JCC where 3- and 4-year-old campers participate in water play activities on the rooftop playgroundall campers enjoy instructional and free swim. Swim sessions run for 30-40 minutes, and provide instruction for both new and experienced swimmers. In addition, 3- and 4-year-old campers participate in water play activities on the rooftop playground. Just minutes from Manhattan, Corbin’s Crusaders offers swim lessons for children ages 4-14, along with traditional sports and adventure challenges. Elmwood Day Camp’s “Fish Pin” Developmental Swim Program is consistent with the American Red Cross “Learn to Swim” instructional program. Campers earn “fish pins” to reward their development in learning basic skills in shallow water as well as sharpening deep-water techniques. At Mohawk Day Camp, 75 teaching lifeguards, including 20 highly-trained Red Cross Water Safety Instructors, team up with the camp staff for top-tier swimming instruction (and fun) for all levels; plus, they also offer a slate of other traditional camp activities.

Get The Ball Rolling

Advantage Day Camps offer a variety of sports, as well as action and adventure like indoor rock climbing, yoga, fencing, and chess classes. Similarly, budding tennis pros can turn to Advantage Tennis for a summer of honing skills on the court. Asphalt Green offers a 1.5-acre field at UES location and full-court gymnasium at their Battery Park City location. Campers participate in basketball, tennis, soccer, baseball, martial arts, and volleyball. Golf aficionados will enjoy Golf Camp at Chelsea Piers where junior golfers of all abilities are taught the game from experienced, passionate, and encouraging golf professionals. Fastbreak Sports offers half-day and full-day summer camp options for kids, ages 3-15, featuring a multi-sport option as well as a basketball-specific camp. Tennis buffs will want to check out Gotham Summer Tennis Camps, which has locations at Stadium Tennis Center, Equinox Sports Club NY, Upper Westside and the Hamptons, and teaches the fundamentals, along with sportsmanship, hard work, and fun! Another great tennis option is Tennis Innovators, which offers daily stroke development, private instruction, fun drills and games. Kids in Sports has an indoor UES location for kids 2.5-9, and a Randall’s Island location for older children, both offering multiple sports, such as soccer, basketball, and baseball. Children, ages 4-16, have the choice of baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, or a multisport program at Riverside Park Conservancy: RPC Multi Sport Camp. It’s every baseball player’s dream at Yorkville Youth Athletic Association where kids ages 9-15 engage in comprehensive baseball drills, activities, and game situations.

Play By Ear

In addition to a film-making studio, Lego loft, and vegetable garden, 92Y Camp Yomi has an open air amphitheater for special events, musicals, dance and drama programs. Introduce your kids to this year’s Secret Garden theme at Montclare Children’s School-Camp Montclare, where kids ages 2-4 enjoy a rooftop garden in addition to music and movement fun, and free play. At Replay Music Studios, beginner and seasoned musician ages 8-18 make original rock/pop music and learn to play the songs they like, and delve into the fundamentals of songwriting, arranging, and musical collaboration while also learning to play popular songs they enjoy. Digital music fans will love Pixel Academy Camp which offers the option to delve into a music production career with a fun, interactive DJ project, using professional-grade DJ hardware and software to create an original set.

Traditional Camp Experience

Whether it’s sports, arts, science and tech, nature, or outdoor adventure, Camp Twelve Trails has the customized and high-level program to fit your child’s specific interests. Campers at Marks JCH Summer Day Camp experience a wide range of age-appropriate athletic, creative, and social activities in a Jewish environment on a private outdoor campground while older campers travel on a variety of day and overnight trips. Oasis Day Camps has a choice of a program for ages 3-5, a traditional summer camp for children ages 5-11, and a Teen Travel program for kids going into grades 7-9. Activities include arts, outdoor education, swimming, sports, and team building in all programs. Gate Hill Day Camp has a 33-acre campus which provides a healthy range of athletic, artistic, and adventurous activities, such as Science and Technology, Creative and Digital Arts, Strategic Games, Music and Theatre, and History and Social Science. Woodmont Day Camp believes camp is an “opportunity not to just work on swimming, sports, and arts but on ways to become better people.” In addition to the basic bonding experience that camp brings, Woodmont offers conventional staples like swimming, athletics, and the arts. At Blue Rill Day Camp in Rockland County, campers get the traditional camp experience paired with sports, the arts, and special programs. For a dose of the great outdoors, check our Deer Mountain Day Camp. They offer outdoor adventure, a nature center, and swimming on their activity menu. More natural fun can be found at the Nature Place. Their farm and outdoor offerings are one of a kind. For city fams looking for a convenient and fun camp experience, the YMCA’s day camps are just the ticket. The YMCA has camps at over 20 NYC locations.