Summer Day Camps Near NYC With Pick-Your-Own Programs

Traditionally there are two types of day camps: Specialty camps that allow kids to focus on one thing (soccer, theater, robotics, art, etc.) and general interest camps, where participants spend their days rotating through a schedule of sports, swimming and arts. Lately, some general programs have started to offer more specialization, allowing kids to pick a "major" of sorts and then spend the rest of the day participating in traditional camp activities.

These kinds of customizable camps are great for kids who are really into a particular activity but don't want to give up traditional day camp fun like swimming, sports and lots of time outdoors. It also gives children more control over their schedules. Here are eight NYC-area day camps that offer this type of personal flexibility.

According to Laurel Berrie, a camp consultant from the Camp Connection, "There are so many varied choices in this competitive market. Summer camps are trying to maximize their marketability by offering alternatives. Elective programming is an alternative to the more traditional camp experience."

Hofstra University Specialty Camps – Hempstead, New York
Campers choose a specialty for each two-week session. Half the day is dedicated to their focus; the other half consists of the usual camp fun like swimming and recreational sports, so kids get a good balance of individually selected and group activities. Specialties are varied and include acting, basketball, cartooning, dance, ecology, fine arts, fitness and nutrition, marine biology, musical theater, tennis and web publishing. The program is open to children entering second to ninth grades, and there's also Cub Camp for kids entering kindergarten or first grade, and a Counselor Apprentice program for teens. Bus service is offered from Manhattan, Queens, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Two-week sessions start at $1,450.

Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts – Wheatley Heights, New York
This Long Island camp has been around since 1968 and its reputation as a preeminent nonprofit arts spot looms large, with alumni like Mariah Carey and Natalie Portman. Children ages 6 to 18 commute to the spacious Huntington campus to pursue their artistic passions. Campers choose a major and a minor from more than 40 disciplines including orchestra, dance, theater, music, sculpture and ceramics, and there's swimming every day. While Usdan attracts many kids who are seriously talented and super-disciplined, there are plenty of campers who are there to learn and have fun. Bus service is offered from NYC. $2,925 for four weeks, $3,325 for seven weeks.

Friends Academy – Locust Valley, New York
In this program, campers can choose what they want to do and when they want to do it. Kids in third to ninth grades select a specialty for every week of enrollment. The flexible schedule allows campers to try many different sports and electives, or focus on a specific activity. Campers receive both a morning and afternoon session in the subject of their choice, along with two daily swims and group recreation time. Specialties include chess, circus arts, fencing, sailing and soccer. Bus service is offered from NYC. Rates start at $925 per week.

Buckley Country Day Camp – Roslyn, New York
Buckley offers more than 30 workshops in arts, sports and academics, so even hard-to-please kids should find something of interest. Campers select two disciplines during each two-week session, which they do every day. They also participate in group activities such as trampoline and capture the flag, and get an afternoon activity of their choice like free swimming or boating. There are also special weekly events like Olympics week and build-your-own-ice-cream sundae day. Children ages 3 to 15 are accepted. Transportation to the Long Island campus is included. Rates start at $2,375 for 2 weeks.

Mohawk Day Camp – White Plains, New York
Campers can customize part of their day. The older kids gets, the more activities they get to choose. Offerings include making music videos, cheerleading and fencing. Children ages 3 to 13 are accepted, and there's a counselor in training option for 14 to 15-year-olds. Door-to-door transportation is included. Call for rates: 914-949-2635.

Gate Hill Day Camp – Stony Point, New York
Although campers participate in lots of group activities, they are also allowed independent choices. First and second graders get one elective period per day, while third graders and up get two. Activities include archery, ziplining and martial arts. Children ages 3 to 12 are accepted. Seventh to ninth graders can try the teen travel program, a combination of day and overnight trips, while tenth to twelfth graders can be Leaders in Training. Transportation is offered from Manhattan, and Westchester, Orange, Rockland and Bergen Counties. Rates start at $825 per week if you opt for the eight-week session; weekly rates are higher if you do a shorter session.

Camp Ramaquois – Pomona, New York
This traditional camp in Rockland County offers a Junior Camp for 3 to 6-year-olds, and separate boys and girls camps for children ages 7 to 15. Kids entering second grade start with two electives per week, and third graders and up get a daily elective. There are lots of activities to choose from, including a climbing wall, archery and calligraphy workshops, plus the camp's lakefront location means there's of water fun. Transportation from Manhattan is available. Four- and eight-week sessions available. Call 845-354-1600 for rates.

LuHi Summer Programs – Brookville, New York
Campers get to customize their two-week sessions with a variety of offerings, from the usual (dance, visual arts, theater, competitive spots) to more eclectic fare (forensics, fencing, horseback riding). Although LuHi accepts kids in kindergarten through twelfth grade, not all specialties are available for every age, but the website breaks it down nicely. Bus service available. Rates vary depending on chosen activities.

For info on other excellent day and sleepaway camps, check out our Camp Guide.