Summer is almost here! With that, we know that it is time to find the perfect camp for your children. Camp not only helps children stay active and entertained during the summer months, but also allows them to create and maintain everlasting relationships with new and old friends that they meet.
Other skills they work on daily at camp include socialization, problem-solving, critical thinking, teamwork, collaboration, literacy, and confidence building. Our top picks for camps this year are here!
92Y
The 92Y offers camps for all ages! Their K’ton ton program is run by early education professionals and is for ages 3-5. It includes outdoor play spaces, art projects, swim classes, and a variety of sports! For ages 5-9 there is the Yomi program, which is set in gorgeous outdoors of Rockland County. Children are able to learn about science, technology, engineering, and math as well as sports and cooking. Then, there is Yomi Seniors for ages 10-12, which offers a greater variety of electives. Their Trailblazers program is perfect for ages 12-14 who want to take part in day trips to the beach, amusement parks, sporting events, theater productions, water parks, and museums as well as outdoor activities like hiking. Lastly, they have the Passport NYC program, which opens teens to the world of fashion, film, music, and cooking!
Asphalt Green
Asphalt Green has Pee Wee, Junior, and Senior camps available to families! Pee Wee Camp has a staff to camper ratio of 1 to 6 while Junior campers have a staff to camper ratio of 1 to 7. Children are encouraged to join activities that will encourage gross motor and fine motor skill development. Team and group sports are highly promoted! There are more specific camps that target swimming (e.g. – basic skills, feeling comfortable in water) and sports (e.g. – running, catching, passing, dribbling, practice, drills). Special activities include yoga, dance, martial arts, etc. Special events include Simon Sez, Squeaky Clean concert, and a carnival as well as field trips!
Brooklyn Zoo
Camp in a zoo? Yes, you heard us right! This camp is right for you if your child wants to try fun, new activities such as parkour, tumbling, trampoline, silks, and dance. Brooklyn Zoo is for children ages 5-9 and 10-16 who love to explore!
Brooklyn Boulders
Want to really boost your child’s confidence? Sign them up for camp at Brooklyn Boulders in Gownus. They have one of the city’s most amazing rock-climbing walls! The camp is meant for children from ages 5 to 12. They learn skills such as bouldering, slacklining, and rope-climbing. Children also engage in art projects and playground time.
Brooklyn Fencing
Do you want to expose your child to a new sport? Try fencing in Brooklyn – beginners are more than welcome! Their program is best for ages 7 & up and is from 10 AM to 3 PM every day. Equipment is provided for new beginners. They teach children fencing footwork, conditioning, bladework, and bouting.
Applause
Is your child interested in acting, singing, film, camera skills, dance, improvisation, music, costume or set design? Sign them up for camp at Applause! There is a location on the Upper East Side and Westchester. The themes and curriculum change each week and there is a visit from a Broadway star weekly as well. Children from kindergarten to 11th grade can attend. There is also a sleep away camp in Maine!
Brooklyn Academy of Music
This program is great for children ages 6-18. Specific camps include Little Legends: Creative Play with Myths & Legends, Level Up: Video Game Design Lab, The Bard in Brooklyn: Shakespeare Performance, From Scratch: Creating Musical Theater, and Style and Substance: Creative Writing Workshop. The following skills are targeted in a fun & creative way: improvisation, storytelling, acting, and playwriting, among many others!
Brooklyn Game Lab
Have a child that is into video games? This camp involves labs that are run all week from 9 AM to 4 PM and enrollment is flexible. Campers play board games, card games, and design and test new game elements. This is the optimal setting to let your child’s creativity flourish. They also make time for outdoor play as well as snack and lunch. Every day ends in a merit ceremony!
Mad Science
Is your child curious about science? Then enroll your child in Mad Science now to allow your child to explore! Camps are located in Brooklyn, Queens, and Westchester. Themes include funky forensics, out of this world rocket launches, robotics, slimy chemistry, and more! This is ideal for children in grades 1-5.
Kidville
Camp Kidville offers camp programs in 2, 8, 12, and 16-week increments. They are run by childhood development experts in air-conditioned spaces. They have weekly themes such as the Wild Wild West and Safari Adventure. Children engage in gym, dramatic play, music, art, movement, and exploration activities. They even offer specialty camps such as fairy princess or superhero training camps!
Frolic! Playspace
Let your child’s creativity go wild at this camp! The weekly themes are all based on rock’n’roll ranging from British Invasion to the 1980s! Activities include creating music, songwriting, arts and crafts, storytelling, theater, cooking, and science. And we can’t forget to mention their awesome playground! The camper to counselor ratio is low and the enrollment options are very flexible.
Apple Seeds
This is the perfect program for 3-4 year olds! Children are encouraged to learn at their own pace via recreation, imaginative play, music, storytelling, cooking, science, art and construction. They go on daily adventures such as digging for dinosaur bones, safari, recycling, etc. A healthy snack is included!
Trevor Day Camp
With the added benefit of having access to Central Park and a rooftop play area with kiddie pools this is one of the best camp options! Children from 3-6 years of age can attend and engage in activities including: drama, physical education, sing-alongs, arts and crafts.
MoMath
Located at the Museum of Mathematics, their Transformations camp program is fantastic for fourth to eighth graders. They make math come alive through hands-on arts, music, and dance activities. Themes for 2014 include: Infinities of Infinities, String and Things, Summer Math Games, Geometric Wonders, Puzzle Me This, Prime Time, Mathematics Naturally, and Symmetry Symmetry. There are two daily educator-led sessions in an area of math not covered in school, two weekly focus sessions on their state of the art exhibits, behind the scenes tour of the museum, and each camper has their very own t-shirt! Early drop off and late pick up are also available. Madison Square Park is very close to camp, which allows campers to enjoy some time outside as well!
Pono
Based on the philosophy of Scandinavian outdoor schools, children at this camp do their learning in a natural environment using their 5 senses. One thing that sets this camp apart is that parents are welcome to spend as much time with their children throughout the day as possible and can contribute to designing activities. It is ideal for children ages 5 to 8.
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Gift of Gab Resources 1-855-SPEAK-HELP www.giftofgabresources.com are:
Debbie Shiwbalak, M.A., CCC-SLP debbie@giftofgabresources.com
Alpin Rezvani, M.A., CCC-SLP alpin@giftofgabresources.com
Alpin Rezvani, M.A., CCC-SLP, graduated from New York University with a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech, Language, and Hearing Association (ASHA). She has New York licensure in Speech-Language Pathology and earned her degree as a Teacher of the Speech and HearingHandicapped. She was an adjunct instructor at New York University and was a speech-language pathologist for the New York City Department of Education. She now practices privately and is co-owner of Gift of Gab Resources. She co-authored three chapters (Community-Based Speech-Language Pathology; Joint Action Routines; Feeding & Language Strategies for Mealtime) in the latest version of “Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism” and is PROMPT trained. She provides speech and language workshops for families and professionals throughout New York City.
Debbie Shiwbalak, M.A., CCC-SLP, is an undergraduate of St. John’s University where she received her Baccalaureate of Arts in Speech Pathology in 1999, and is a graduate of Long Island University-CW Post Campus, where she received a Master of Arts in Speech Pathology in 2001. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed by the state of New York to practice speech-language pathology. Debbie is PROMPT trained and has had 13 years experience as a speech pathologist in the New York City area and has been in private practice for 7 years. She is also the co-founder of Gift of Gab Resources. Debbie has co-authored the chapter on ‘Feeding & Language Strategies for Mealtime’ in the latest version of “Cutting-Edge Therapies for Autism”. She provides speech and language workshops for families and professionals throughout New York City.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.
