Winter break camps are a great way to keep kids entertained and enriched over the winter break here in New York City. While the kids might be out for break, most parents aren’t, and leaving the kids at home alone isn’t an appealing idea for many. Winter break camps allow parents to know that their children are safe, secure, and having enriching experiences throughout the midwinter break.
Winter Break Camps Enrich Children’s Lives
Whether it be arts, academics, sports, or something else, these winter break camps will keep your child active and learning, rather than just parked in front of a television all day. These camps are designed to be an enriching experience for all attendees, making any of them the perfect choice for parents.
Art-Focused Winter Break Camps
Winter break camps that focus on art are a great way to inspire your budding artist. From visual arts to music and theater, these camps immerse children in the arts, providing them with first-hand looks at paintings, drawing, music, and more.
TADA! Musical Theater Camp – Manhattan
15 West 28th Street between Fifth Avenue and Broadway
212-252-1619
Ages 6 to 11
February 18th through February 21st
TADA! is the camp for any lover of musical theater. Offering winter break camps which focus on personal and creative growth through a theater environment, the program focuses on daily musical theater training, self-expression through storytelling, and character development within their show. Each camp ends with a mini-musical for a live audience, as well.
Guggenheim Midwinter Break Camp – Manhattan
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue
212-423-3500
This five-day midwinter break camp focuses on the visual arts with activities, conversation, and artistic exploration for children aged 8 through 11. Sessions include guided explorations of the Guggenheim’s Frank Lloyd Wright building and special exhibitions with hands-on, interactive workshops featuring a variety of artistic mediums. Each day is a separate session and must be registered individually.
Academic-Focused Winter Break Camps
Winter break camps focusing on academics aren’t as boring as they sound – not at all. The following camps all use hands-on, exciting activities and projects to inspire children to love STEAM-based learning.
Photo by Robofun
Robofun STEAM Workshops – Manhattan
2672 Broadway near 102nd Street
212-245-0444
Robofun offers a variety of STEAM workshops during school vacation days, holiday, and over the summer. While they take what they do very seriously, they understand that kids know there is “no school.” With that in mind, Robofun makes its programs engaging and fun, leaving the boring classroom behind.
- Little Engineers – This Pre-K program uses a hands-on, playful curriculum featuring building activities, songs, stories, and movement to help children develop problem-solving skills.
February 17th through February 21st. - Little Coders – This Pre-K program helps little minds learn the basics of the Scratch Jr. programming environment. Children make their own interactive stories and games using graphical blocks. No reading is required. A second, more advanced class is available for Kindergarten aged children. February 17th through February 21st.
- LEGO Prerobo – Kindergarteners build robots like alligators, turtles, trains, and cars using LEGO blocks and motors. Through this process, children learn about engineering, simple machines, and how electricity and gears mesh together to transmit energy. The camp comes in both half-day and full-day options. February 17th through February 21st.
- Junior Robotics – First and second graders use LEGO blocks to build robots like rocket ships, bunnies, and a soccer kicker. Through the process, the children learn about friction, gearing, and leverage, as well as coding. The camp comes in both half-day and full-day options. February 17th through February 21st.
- Coding and Game Design – First and second graders design their own video games using the Scratch coding software. Through the process, they learn logic and coding and can increase the complexity of their projects. These coding skills are transferrable to more advanced languages like C++, Java, and Python. A more advanced Coding and Game Design class is available for children in third through sixth grades. February 17th through February 21st.
- Lego Mindstorms Robotics – Designed for children in third through sixth grade, this camp teaches children about design, building, and programming through the process of making their own robots using LEGO pieces. Half-day and full-day options are available. February 17th through February 21st.
- Minecraft and Circuitry – The Minecraft platform is used as a gateway to learn about how electricity and circuitry work. Children use Redstone, Minecraft’s version of circuitry, to design buildings and machines. They use pistons, levers, buttons, and combination locks. Half-day and full-day options are available. February 17th through February 21st.
Intrepid Museum: Camp Intrepid – Manhattan
Pier 86, Twelfth Avenue at 46th Street
646-381-5020
Ages 5 through 13
February 17th through February 21st
This full-day program combines history and STEAM into one exciting learning experience. Exciting projects related to the aircraft carrier Intrepid and the museum’s collection of fair and spacecraft, historical artifacts, and modern technology are used to help children think critically and better explore the world around them.
NYChessKids Camp – Manhattan
191 Seventh Avenue at 21st Street
212-414-4130
Ages 4 and up
February 17th through February 21st
Little chess lovers will have the time of their lives at the NYChessKids Camp. Players of all levels are welcome to attend the program where children hone their skills and play lots and lost of chess.
Brooklyn Arts Exchange – Brooklyn
421 Fifth Avenue
718-832-0018
Ages 5 to 11
February 18th through February 21st
This mid-winter break camp focuses on the arts, with different disciplines explored daily. Campers will take part in artistic pursuits like dance, music, theater, tumbling, and the visual arts.
NORY STEM Camp– Manhattan & Brooklyn
Various Locations
914-557-8694
Ages 3-10
February 17th through February 21st
Is your child inventive? creative? a problem solver? NORY gives your child the opportunity to do what they love while also learning valuable skills along the way. Campers will be able to participate in programs such as robot building and blast chemistry.
Photo by New York Botanical Garden
New York Botanical Garden: Cool Science Camp – The Bronx
Ages 8 to 10
February 18th through February 21st
2900 Southern Boulevard
718-81708700
Kids in Kindergarten through fifth grade can enjoy fun science experiments, games, and hands-on, science-based activities at Cool Science Camp at the NYBB. Through plant observations, the study of plant and animal adaptation, and experiments, kids will learn all about the natural world surrounding them.
Queens Zoo: Animals and Their Young – Queens
Ages K through 3rd Grade
February 13th through February 17th
53-51 111th Street
718-220-5100
Children in grades Kindergarten through third will have fun exploring the world of animals and their young. Each day, campers will learn about animals and their young and how they survive, from worms and insects to birds and mammals through exhibits, crafts, and animal encounters.
Sports-Focused Winter Break Camps
Sports-focused winter break camps are a great way to keep the young athlete in your family doing what they love, as well as something constructive. These camps help child athletes continue to hone their skills or just give them an outlet to work off excess energy.
Chelsea Piers Holiday Sports Camps – Manhattan
23rd Street and the Hudson River
212-336-6500
Ages Pre-K through 16 (varies based on camp)
February 17th through February 21st
Chelsea Piers offers a variety of winter break camps for parents to take advantage of. These camps allow children to move their bodies in a safe environment while increasing their athletic skills and promoting a further love of being active.
From Pre-K camps to a golf camp for kids aged 6 to 16, Chelsea Piers is committed to allowing children to stretch their legs and learn about interacting in a team environment.
Winter Break Advantage Tennis Camp – Manhattan
281 West Main Street
212-935-0250 or sokeefe@advantagetennisclubs.com
Ages 4 to 17, February 17th through February 21st
Advantage Tennis Camp at Roosevelt Island Racquet Club is designed to help boys and girls improve their game and have a lot of fun doing it. The camp features drills, competitive games, match play, and includes expert coaching and instruction. Parents can choose a daily camp or sign up for the entire week. The camp runs from 1 – 4 pm daily.
Super Soccer Stars – Manhattan and Brooklyn
Locations vary
212-877-7171
Ages 3 to 10
February 17th through February 21st
Super Soccer Stars offers a variety of winter break camps for kids in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. These camps combine sports and STEAM activities to stimulate both the mind and body.
Photo via Aviator Sports
Aviator Sports and Events Center Mid-Winter Camp – Brooklyn
3159 Flatbush Avenue
718-758-7518
Ages 5 – 13
February 17th through February 21st
This winter break camp allows kids to play and try out various sports over the mid-winter break. The camp includes ice skating, gymnastics, rock climbing, arts and crafts, group games, movies, and more.
General Interest Winter Break Camps
These winter break camps offer everything from swimming lessons to sports, crafts, and theater. If you have a child who’s more of a sampler than focused on a single area of interest, then these camps are perfect for him or her.
Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan Vacation Camps – Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street
646-505-4444
Ages vary
February 17th through February 21st
The JCC offers camps throughout select school vacation periods, including winter. Their camps feature swimming, sports, cooking, and more. Kids are grouped by age. For more information contact Sheira at sschiff@jccmanhattan.org.
Manhattan Youth Vacation Camps – Manhattan
201 Warren Street
646-627-4687
Ages Kindergarten through fifth grade
February 17th through February 21st
Manhattan Youth offers a general interest vacation camp from February 18th through February 21st. This camp features sports, crafts, theater, swimming and more. Breakfast, lunch, and a snack are all provided, and the camp is open to children from all schools.
ACT Holiday Camp – Manhattan
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
1047 Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street
212-316-7530
Ages 5 to 11
February 17th through February 21st
For ages 5 to 11, this popular program in the Morningside Heights neighborhood makes for a fun winter break with activities like arts and crafts, cooking, sports, games, and free play.
Greenwich House – Manhattan
27 Barrow Street near Seventh Avenue South
212-242-4140
Ages 5 – 13
February 18th through February 21st
Greenwich House winter break camps combine its signature arts curriculum with other structured time for games and sports. Every day, children will explore different areas of arts, crafts, and much more.
Photo by Kings Bay Y
Mid-Winter Camp at Kings Bay Y Windsor Terrace – Brooklyn
1224 Prospect Avenue
Ages 5 – 13
February 18th through February 21st
The Kings Bay Y in Brooklyn offers a camp with a variety of activities to keep kids active and engaged throughout the mid-winter break. Children will enjoy a pajama day, bowling, bouncing, and a host of other activities.
Riverdale YM-YWHA – The Bronx
526 Arlington Avenue near Netherland Avenue
347-913-4972
Ages 5 to 10
February 17th through February 21st
The Riverdale Y in The Bronx offers tons of activities throughout the mid-winter break. These winter break camps feature themed activities, swimming, Lego Robotics, arts and crafts, field trips, and more.
Winter Break Camps for Every Interest
With so many winter break camps available in New York City, there’s bound to be one that’s right for your child. From the arts to sports, and even camps that offer a little bit of everything, the sheer variety to be found among all of these winter break camps ensures that your child will find their winter break fun and exciting.
