New and Noteworthy Summer Day Camps in NYC

This year the trend seems to be that parents are waiting a little bit longer to commit to camps and other summer plans. Some camp directors have told me that their enrollment is about 20% lower than usual for this time of year.

Have you planned for summer camp yet? Do you find all the choices in our Summer Camp Guide 2009 overwhelming? Well, this year there are even more programs that we haven't written about before in almost every area. We dug up some camps that sound particularly interesting. You'll find new and noteworthy camps for nature, sports, theater, architecture, music and arts, and an science and engineering camp for girls!

Check out these off the beaten path, new and noteworthy camps that are definitely worth investigating:

Noteworthy in Nature

The Nature Place
285 Hungry Hollow Road
Chestnut Ridge, NY
(845) 356-6477

This appropriately named camp's missions is to "To give campers a safe summer, in which they can be themselves, have fun, be challenged, connect with others and the earth, develop new skills, and be supported throughout." The day is a full 9am-4pm, filled with structured and imaginative activities like woodworking, archery, outdoor living skills, gardening, cooking, music and art, nature investigations, farm visits, storytelling, theater games and meeting new animal friends for children aged 4 through 14. It is an American Camping Association (ACA) accredited camp, and runs from June 29 to August 7. There are open houses on April 25 and May 3. Call or visit the site for more information.

New in Camps for Girls

Curious Jane
Marymount (Manhattan), Poly Prep (Brooklyn)
(800) 883-2540

Curious Jane is an academic program for girls entering 3rd-6th grades started by a NYC mom who teaches Industrial Design Research at Pratt. She's designed an environment for creative exploration that encourages girls to be active, look at things in new ways and above all, experiment.

This year Curious Jane is starting two new camps in Manhattan (Marymount) and Brooklyn (at Poly Prep). Each week, the girls choose from one of three "themes" to focus on (toy design, energy, animal nature, for example). They explore the theme and create and build in these areas of interest. The camp also mixes a wide variety of activities that tie into themes and larger goals--such as local excursions, open-mic workshops, and visits from experts. Time is also set aside for less structured creativity.

Girls are divided into two groups: 3rd-4th graders and 5th-6th graders. The day runs 9am-4pm. Visit the site for more information, dates and cost. 

New in Active Camps

SummerQuest
325 West Patent Road
Mount Kisco, NY 
(914) 752- 4110

For children ages 3-12, SummerQuest provides top instruction in sports and crafts and more in a supportive environment that's filled with choices for kids. They strive to create a second home where children build skills, developed friendships, and explore new activities. There is a pre-school program where children play in special areas, facilities and equipment designed just for them. Activities range from traditional sports, crafts, nature and music, to Construction Zone, the Pedal Cars and Pre-School Tennis. Older kids (grades 1-7) participate in "Super Hero training," football, soccer, swimming, puppetry, cooking, ceramics and jewelry, dance and movement, biking, baseball and more. As children get older, they can choose from a variety of electives that include newspaper, leather craft, fencing, chess, rocketry, robotics and more.

There is an open house on April 18, see the website for more information and dates and cost. 

Noteworthy in Theater

New Victory Theater Studio Weeks
New Victory Theater
229 West 42nd Street
(646) 223-3010

You might have come to know the New Victory Theater for their great shows, but with their Studio Weeks, kids get a true behind-the-scenes experience. New Vic Studio Weeks for Kids give participants the chance to discover new skills, new friends, and new understanding of what goes into a performance. Kids team up with the theater's artists to learn tumbling, improv, juggling, clowning, theater games, physical comedy and more.

For the first time, The New Victory Theater is offering their Studio Weeks as a Summer program. There are extended day options, but a standard day is from 10am to 4pm. This year's sessions are from June 15-19 and July 13-17. Visit the site for information on how to enroll and cost.

Noteworthy in Architecture

Summer@theCenter
Center for Architecture Foundation 
536 LaGuardia Place
(212) 358‐6135

The Center for Architecture Foundation provides excellent programs for kids where they learn about architecture and design in a highly engaging and hands on manner. Summer@theCenter provides a week of activities that reinforce connections between design and the community through walking tours, museum visits, and art and design projects. There are programs for kids entering grades 3-6, 7-9 and 9-12.

Student projects include soft sculptures, comic books and photo montages, photography, writing, and design activities to document their explorations and create their own guides to the neighborhoods and places they explore. There are programs in exploring the Secret Places of New York City, the architecture and history of SoHo, Pop-Art and Architecture and Design/Building Chairs. Visit the website for more information on enrollment and cost.

New in Music and Arts

Symphony Space
2537 Broadway
(212) 864-5400

For the first time, Symphony Space expands its signature arts programming to young people with an all-new summer camp program. Global Arts Camp (ages 8-11), based on Symphony Space’s acclaimed Curriculum Arts Project (CAP), runs July 6-10 and July 13-17, with dancing, music, storytelling, drama and art. Thalia Kids’ Book Club Camp (ages 9-12) offers the chance for kids to continue the Thalia Kids’ Book Club series discussing popular books with well-known authors during the summertime, August 3-7 and August 10-14. Visit the website for more information on enrollment and cost.