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Corbin’s Crusaders
It’s not too late to sign your little one up for awesome and unique summer enrichment opportunities. Part II of our guide to city summer programs provides an inside look into the best seasonal camps and classes in and around New York City so you can begin designing the perfect season for your children. For even more summer fun, visit www.newyorkfamily.com for Part I and plenty of additional urban activity options.
The 14th Street Y is teaming up with programming partners Amas Musical Theatre, MCC Theater, and the Red Fern Theatre Company to create a Teen Theater Summer Institute. From July 7-18, students entering grades 6-12 can learn from musical theater, acting, and theater for social justice experts. Classes will include physical theater, script analysis, and training for high school theater auditions. The program will conclude with a student performance in their Off Broadway Theater for family and friends. 14streety.org/teens
At 92Y’s Camp Yomi (ages 5-12), campers experience a blend of artistic, athletic, and educational activities. There are also fun, hands-on science and history activities with Liberty Science Center and Children’s Museum of Manhattan experts! Other offerings include: swimming, zip-line, climbing wall, ceramics, digital photography, robotics, and gaga. Sports are taught by Super Soccer Stars, Baseball Center NYC, Yoga Stars, and top equestrian and golf professionals. Yomi Seniors (ages 10-12) choose electives and go on an end-of-summer overnight trip. 92y.org
All ages, from toddlers to tweens, will enjoy the diverse summer programs Adults & Children in Trust has to offer. ACT engages children with socially-enriching activities including sports and games, outdoor art, field trips, theater workshops, camping trips, picnics, and more. actprograms.org
Summer camp at The Art Farm In The City is all about the petting zoo, animal science classes, field trips, and more. For ages 3-8, the program combines animal care/nature, the arts, and sports with offerings like cooking, swimming, soccer, science experiments, and outdoor playground time. Themes change on a weekly basis and campers can register by week. Early drop-off and extended care are also available. theartfarms.org
Kids and teens in the Atlantic Acting School theater groups spend their summer putting together a performance project or play. The Summer Youth Arts Program (ages 5-8) teaches youngsters to form their own theater company, participate in acting classes, creative writing, music, and art. In the Young Creators Workshop (ages 9-11), children create costumes and sets, perform shows, and learn how to prepare monologues and scene work. For the older students, the Summer Young Actors Workshop allows students to work on short film development, improv, and scene study. atlanticactingschool.org
Summer at Avenues: The World School will offer pre-k through twelfth grade students a fun and educational curriculum focusing on the arts, science, digital animation, Chinese, video game design, and athletics. Additionally, the one-week Global Adventure Day Camp gives kids in grades pre-K-5 the opportunity to play and grow in activities ranging from music and dance to cooking and crafts. avenuesnyc.org
For nine weeks over the summer, Brooklyn-based Aviator Sports and Events Center provides kids with a plethora of exciting activities to partake in. Programs are tailored to suit your child’s interests, abilities, and age, offering plenty of adventures for campers ages 3-13. Offerings include swimming, gymnastics, rock climbing, arts and crafts, ice skating, dance, theater, and team-building sports. aviatorcamps.com
Summer sessions at Ballet Academy East are available for children of all ages from 18 months to 19 years. Classes for younger dancers include a variety of different activities that work as an introduction into the many different styles of dance. balletacademyeast.com
Kids ages 4-14 can learn, discover, and simply have fun at Bank Street Summer Camp. The program uses the city’s vast resources to create a diverse group of offerings such as Spanish immersion, exploring nature, swimming, musical theater, cooking, science, film writing and directing, chess, scavenger hunts, sports, and other games. bankstreet.edu/summer-camp
Beth Sholom Day Camp, which is located in Roslyn Heights, NY, lets kids ages 3-14 try new things, build friendships, and discover their passions. Activities include sports, swimming, arts and crafts, music, and more! This summer program also keeps campers entertained with weekly special events with themes like Olympics and Carnival. Plus, this summer, Beth Sholom will offer before and after care! Parents that need morning supervision for their kids before the camp day begins, and/or supervision in the afternoon, can take advantage of this program. bethsholomdaycamp.com
Book Nook NYC makes reading a cultural and enjoyable experience for little ones with their Summer Journey around the World camp. Each week, children ages 2-5 will “travel” around the world by reading stories from different culturally-rich nations, creating authentic art, listening to native music, and sampling international cuisines. Teachers introduce foreign languages through counting and vocabulary exercises, and also provide campers with passports and props to get the full effect. booknooknyc.com
The music, dance, and theater programs at the Boys and Girls Harbor Conservatory combine classical arts training with the culture of Harlem. The Conservatory is an essential part of the Harbor’s education philosophy, using the arts to enhance the educational experience. theharbor.org
Located just 19 miles outside of the city on a 25-acre campus in Nassau County, Buckley Country Day Camp offers kids eight weeks of fun in the sun. Whether your child is into swimming, baseball, LEGOs, gymnastics, science, woodworking, cupcake decorating, or outdoor adventures, there is truly something for everyone. Buckley provides door-to-door transportation, lunch, snack, t-shirt, camp photos, and towel service for ages 18 months to 15 years. buckleycamp.com
The Caedmon School’s Discovery Camp takes full advantage of the fun and educational sights and scenes that New York City has to offer. With five camp groups for ages 2-12 and specific, age-appropriate field trips, the five boroughs become an exploratory playground for curious kids. Children will get to experience NYC icons like the Empire State Building and Coney Island, as well as the Liberty Science Center and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! caedmondiscoverycamp.org
For ten weeks over the summer, Camp Applause gives children entering kindergarten through grade 11 a chance to hone their skills and get in touch with their theatrical side. Taught by professional actors, Camp Applause offers classes such as singing, acting, dance, costume and set design, improv, as well as theater games and appearances by Broadway stars. applauseny.com
Everything at Camp Ramaquois revolves around one word: Fun! Located in Pomona, NY, Ramaquois strives for a safe, unique environment that forges friendships and leadership opportunities. With seven activity periods each day ranging from graphic design to hockey, campers get a chance to learn new skills as well as brush up on old ones. The water activities program boasts a 5-acre lake equipped with a water trampoline, as well as eight pools, and over 60 Red Cross-certified lifeguards. ramaquois.com
Camp Yomawha is situated at the picturesque Henry Kauffman Campgrounds in Washington Heights, and gives children the opportunity to experience the joys of nature without even leaving New York City. Campers will enjoy boating on the lake, playing on the adventure course, multi-purpose sports court and athletic fields, hiking, and performing on stage. Camp Yomawha is for children who have completed kindergarten through grade 10. ywashhts.org
For active adventures including go-karts, zip-lines, waterslides, rock climbing, ropes courses, and gaga, kids ages 4-14 can sign up for Corbin’s Crusaders. In addition to their unique offerings, the summer camp hosts more traditional sports like baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, golf, and swimming. Located on a 10-acre property in New City, New York—about 25 minutes from Manhattan—Corbin’s includes door-to-door counselor-monitored bus service and a mostly year-round staff of seasoned professionals. corbinscrusaders.com
Summer Science Camp at Corlears School, designed for children ages 3-10, celebrates the science of nature during their three two-week sessions. Campers explore animal and plant habitats, learn about composting, watch birds in Central Park, and engage in science-related art and music. Kids also get free-play time outside. corlearsschool.org
Dalton offers campers several different options for kids of all ages including an expansive day camp filled with music, art, sports, and theme days as well as an exhilarating Sports Camp, and Tiger Camp for campers ages 6-11. Campers will also get to participate in age-appropriate field trips. Flexibility is honored at Dalton, as both full and half-day programs are available as well as pro-rating. dalton.org
Family-owned and operated for over 50 years, Deer Mountain Day Camp sits on 25 acres in Rockland County and surrounds a spring-fed lake. Age-appropriate programs are available to campers ages 3-15 and include crafting, scuba diving, mountain biking, Rock Band, and everything in between. Older campers have the option to attend several exciting day and overnight trips. deermountaindaycamp.com
Discovery Programs has three age-appropriate camps for children 2-10. Campers ages 2-3 enjoy art, gym, movement, and sprinkler and rooftop play along with songs, stories, and games. Ages 3-4 enjoy similar activities, with the addition of science and cooking. Campers 5-10 engage in performing arts including theater, dance, music, gymnastics, and art. discoveryprograms.com
Both Junior (grades K-3) and Senior (grades 4-8) day camps are offered through Manhattan’s Downtown Day Camps program. Activities are tailored to age groups and interests. With an array of art, aquatic, and athletic programs as well as electives and field trips, campers are immersed, engaged, and energized while they learn and play. manhattanyouth.org
Drake Bennett Summer School provides kids with the fundamental skills needed to prepare them for the new school year. The 20-day sessions during July and August include classes such as multisensory literacy, multisensory math, science lab, drama, art, and sports. A hot vegetarian lunch is provided in addition to five daily recess periods and chess and puzzle time. Different tracks are offered for students’ naturally varying levels of ability. drakebennett.org
If you’re looking for a great half-day camp, East Side Tae Kwon Do is offering specialty programs like Ninja, Far East Movement, Samurai, and Forms Unleashed, for ages 5 and older. Little ones will learn safe fighting techniques and physical movement in addition to Eastern arts such as calligraphy, origami, and Zen gardening. eastsidetaekwondo.com
Educational Alliance Preschool has a summer session for children ages 2-5 that introduces little ones to studio arts such as photography, sculpting, and painting; creative movement such as yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts; culinary arts; sensory exploration; music; and outdoor play. edalliance.org/preschool
Whether your child is an athlete, artist, or amateur scientist, ESF Camps has a camp for everyone! ESF Camps at Riverdale offers several different, specially-targeted experiences for kids ages 4-15 including Adventure Camp, Tennis Camp, and Technology Camp. Each program focuses on particular activities and goals, with tons of activities from swimming, break-dancing, and circus class to robotics and songwriting. esfcamps.com
Fieldston Outdoors gives kids entering kindergarten through grade 7 a wide range of activities to choose from—art, swimming, yoga, music, and more. For the child that loves the outdoors, this day camp offers a special focus on the environment. community.ecfs.org/summer
At the French Institute Alliance Francais’ new Summer Day Camp programs, kids of all ages will be able to explore everything the French culture has to offer and improve their language skills. The programs include à petits pas for ages 1–4; à petits pas Mini Summer Fun: Les petits explorateurs for ages 3-4; Summer Fun in French: Les explorateurs for ages 5–10; Immersion for Teens for ages 11–17; and French Cultural Fun & Discoveries for ages 11–14. fiaf.org
For up to three days a week in July and August, Gymboree Play & Music will run Bubble Camp for children ages 3-5. This summer’s theme is Global Kids, which means that little ones will explore how children in different parts of the world learn and play. From literature and pre-writing to numbers and scientific exploration, the program’s offerings will help kids master the concepts needed for successful school-age learning. gymboreeclasses.com
Serving kids 3-15 years old, Hampton Country Day Camp operates in East Hampton and offers campers just about any activity you can think of: Swimming, performing and creative arts, sports, dance, and much more. The staff brings their energy as well as their activity expertise, making it an environment where kids can thrive doing what they love. hamptoncountrydaycamp.com
Hamptons Music Sessions is a premiere summer day camp in East Hampton for kids in grades K-12 offering classes in piano, strings, winds, guitar, voice, and composition and songwriting. Students will have the creative freedom to create their own original pieces. hamptonsmusic.org
Handwork Studio offers kids 3-16 creative, educational ways to learn the tradition of needle arts and machine sewing from the likes of professional artists, instructors, and skilled teachers. The camp’s New York locations are at Friends Seminary in Manhattan and Brooklyn Craft Company in Greenpoint. thehandworkstudio.com
The half-day summer camp program at Jodi’s Gym offers flexible scheduling for ages 3-5. Children spend the morning learning the fundamentals of gymnastics while also enjoying music, art, story time, games, and lunch. From air castle bouncy time to parachute play to freeze dance, kids will develop motor skills and confidence throughout the summer. A Tiny Dancers Camp is also available. jodisgym.com
Kids At Work has a gentle separation program for ages 2.3-3.5 years that will take place Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings from June through the end of August. Little ones are never required to sit during art sessions, which also include hands-on science and sensory projects. Once a week, campers will take part in soccer and yoga activities with partners Super Soccer Stars and Karma Kids Yoga. Plus, weekly trips to the playground and other outdoor adventures round out the interactive fun. kidsatworknyc.com
The Language Workshop for Children (LWFC) offers several summer programs for a variety of ages. Check out Languages for Tots (for ages 6 months to 3 years with a caregiver); NYC Family Preschool (for ages 20 months to 3 years with a caregiver) whichincludes arts & crafts, pre-reading, baking, and story-time; and Summer Camp-Like Enrichment (for ages 3-9), where “learning a new language through enriched play is the philosophy,” and activities include active play lessons, enrichment games, music, movement, Professor Toto Time, arts & crafts, story-time, celebration and costume days, baking, charades, and more! languageworkshopforchildren.com
Marymount Summer is a five-week-long day camp offering programs for children 3.5-14. Going on 20 years of summer fun, the camp offers different camps for different ages. Young Explorers Camp is offered to children in first grade, Cabaret to those entering kindergarten and first grade, World Cultures Camp for ages 3.5–5, Drama Camp and Science and Technology Camp for children in grades 2-7, Innovation Design and Media Camp for the grades7-9, a new Sports Camp for those in third through sixth, and afternoon programs for children 7-14. marymountsummer.org
National Academy School of Fine Art At the Upper East Sides’s National Academy School of Fine Art, children ages 6-16 will be given the opportunity to sharpen their imagination, creativity, and drawing and painting skills through summer classes and camps. Portfolio prep guidance will also be provided. nationalacademy.org
Located in RocklandCounty, Nature Place offers unique activities like Earth art, farming, and archery, among several others. They take swimming very seriously, too, by having colored wristbands to differentiate swimmers of different abilities, and using the buddy system. The first six weeks are open to children 4-16, and the last two are open to children 6-12. thenatureplace.com
The Neil Klatskin Day Camp at the Kaplen JCC in Tenafly, NJ, offers programs at different levels depending on your child’s age and required needs. The camp prides itself on strengthening your child’s Jewish identity, and hosts young Israeli adults to join the staff each summer. klatskindaycamp.com
New Country Day Camp offers activities from cooking, martial arts, and arts and crafts to pioneering, sports, or science and technology. Though it’s a traditionally Jewish day camp, any child entering kindergarten through sixth grade from all backgrounds is encouraged to participate. The camp provides bus transportation from North Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan to its Staten Island grounds. 14streety.org/newcountry
This summer’s campers at the New York Historical Society will explore Civil War photography and the lives of the people in the 1860s. Session one is offered for kids entering grades 4-5 and session two is offered for kids entering grades 6-8. nyhistory.org
Notre Dame School’s summer camp program offers a variety of specialized courses suited specially for girls in middle and high school. It’s a four-week program that meets four days a week, and girls can register for morning, afternoon, or full-day sessions. The camp provides young girls with the opportunity for instructors to guide them through their preferred interests, be it sports, English, Math, web design, science, and the New York City experience. cheznous.org/ndsummer
Summer Day Camp at NY Kids Club is an exciting journey in time travel from prehistoric dinosaurs to the Wild West! Children 2.5-6 years old will participate in thematic activities including gymnastics, creative movement, karate, science, cooking, art, and yoga. nykidsclub.com
Robofun is available to kids entering kindergarten through sixth grade with options for full and half days. The courses are open to all children at different levels, depending on grade level. They include LEGO robotics, video design, and stop motion, and parents get to see their children’s work of genius every Friday! robofun.org
Rodeph Shalom offers summer fun for the littlest adventurers—those entering a Threes program, pre-K, or Kindergarten. The Reform Jewish school offers a rooftop playground, two indoor play spaces, three heated pools with certified swim instructors, daily art projects, and much more. rodephsholomschool.org
Royal Athletic Swimming School is dedicated to providing the highest level of swimming instruction, helping swimmers develop essential aquatic skills, and helping students up their athletic prowess—all while building confidence in a fun environment. Beginner, intermediate, advanced-1, advanced-skill, and team levels are all offered. royalswim.com
For four decades, Southampton Summer Day Camp has provided recreational and cultural activities for campers ages 3-14. The Bucks County, PA, grounds include heating swimming pools, a riding corral, a zip-line, sports areas, and more, including an infirmary and dining facilities. Transportation is provided, or parents can drive their kids during regular camp hours and receive a rebate for each camper. hampyowl.com
Located just 25 miles north of the GeorgeWashingtonBridge in Ringwood, NJ, Spring Lake Day Camp has natural beauty close to the city. With a 5-acre spring-fed lake, tall pines, athletic facilities, and a state-of-the-art heated pool complex, Spring Lake offers campers ages 4-15 awesome waterslides, amazing zip-lines, and climbing walls. Other activities include archery, boating, Go-Karts, discovery science, recording studio, fishing, fitness, golf, martial arts, horseback riding, photography, and ropes courses. sldc.com
Offering John McEnroe tennis academy coaches and directors along with 20 courts, SPORTIME Randall’s Island hosts a premier tennis camp for kids ages 5-15. The venue also has a sports camp with activities like basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, flag football, kickball, softball, Pilates, yoga, and even a slip-and-slide. sportimeny.com
Campers entering grades K-5 will enjoy a variety of indoor and outdoor play opportunities through creative arts, chess, yoga, and athletic games at Summer Clubhouse Camp on the Upper East Side. Campers also receive pool time with the camp’s very own SwimJim, and take field trips on Thursdays. summer.hewittschool.org
SummerDay and Trevor Day School is a five-week program for ages 3. Located on the Upper East Side, the day camp uses its rooftop playgrounds as well as playgrounds in Central Park for trips, free play, and group activities. trevor.org
Super Soccer Stars is offering a wealth of programs this summer celebrating the World Cup, including outdoor flexible drop-in classes, weekly sessions, indoor mini camps for ages 2.5-5, Fun in the Sun Camp for children ages 3-5, and Kick It! Day Camp for kids ages 6-12. supersoccerstars.com
Summer camp at THE TECHNO TEAM is great exercise for young minds. Held at Reebok Sports Club/NY, this camp offers computer and technology courses that incorporate art, design, and programming for ages 3-12. thetechnoteam.com
Upper Valley Day Camp provides summer programs in July and August. Children 2-6 learn through active play and exploration at the camp’s state of the art Green Facility. Camp includes field trips to museums, learning how to ride a tricycle, puppet shows, and a climbing wall. uppervalleypreschool.org
The Summer Enrichment Program at Winston Preparatory School provides students with the opportunity to participate in programs aimed to enhance academic skills. Students are enrolled in four academic courses each day. The summer staff consists of reading specialists, special education instructors, and speech and language pathologists from Winston’s full-time faculty. The summer program is unique in that it gives parents a chance to create an academic program specifically matched to their child’s needs. winstonprep.edu
