Greenwich Village

Every year around this time, the annual summer camp panic sets in for parents. We suffer from a particularly acute case of it here in NYC, due to the overwhelming number of summer day camps available. It's difficult to know where to send your child for the best summer experience, especially when there are new programs popping up every year.

To help you make an informed choice about the new camps on the block, we've rounded up the most innovative and enriching summer programs set to debut this summer. Some are brand-new, others are places we love that are significantly expanding their already awesome offerings. At these notable new camps, kids can learn about animals, create cool contraptions, study STEM concepts, hone their artistic skills, design bridges and playgrounds, and tackle a ton of other projects. And the options run the gamut from preschoolers to teens.

Be sure to check out our Summer Camp Guide for info on lots of other programs in NYC, commuter camps and sleepaway options.

Your kids are intimately familiar with all of the different Angry Birds and their powers, and know exactly where to Cut the Rope to feed the little monster. But can they name all four of the ghosts in Pac-Man? Doubtful... but we bet you can! (Say it with me: Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde). Since today's kids are used to touch screen games (or games that require no touching at all), getting the chance to jerk around joystick on a vintage video game console is a real novelty. Trouble is, where do you find those these days? Why, in a museum of course.

The Museum of the Moving Image and the Museum of Modern Art have both amassed old-school arcade video game collections, and you can actually play many of them in two new exhibits. And if you worry that a museum isn't the optimal setting for game playing (which often involves a lot of whooping and cheering), we've also found a handful of old-fashioned family-friendly arcades (and no, not one is a Chuck E. Cheese's or Dave & Buster's).

Ah, karaoke, a favorite activity for rowdy office parties and over-21 birthdays. The last time I went to a karaoke place, my coat ended up on the floor, soaking in a puddle of beer. It was a fun night out... but one I couldn't share with my children.

But karaoke-loving kids don't need to confine their singing to the shower. They can enjoy an authentic experience, minus the R-rated lyrics and copious amounts of alcohol, at a number of New York City karaoke spots that have family-friendly hours during the daytime. Many of these places even offer children's party packages where the bottomless pitchers of beer are replaced with juice or soda.