Jessica Laird

Latest posts by Jessica Laird

Top Traditional Summer Camps (with Modern Offerings) for NYC Kids

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Mon, 03/12/2018 - 10:00am

<i>Deer Mountain Day campers have a blast with swimming, sports, arts and outdoor adventure activities.</i>

New York City has always been the best place on Earth to find uh-mazing summer camps, but the options for families looking for that traditional, all around camp experience have only gotten better over the years. Between city camps with tricked-out facilities, and lots of outdoor time, and accessible-by-bus destinations just outside the city, there are plenty of places that deliver those tried-and-true camp activities and then some, combining canoeing, arts and crafts, sports, and swimming with more modern camp curriculums and amenities.

If you'd like to stay within city limits, there are day camps across the five boroughs complete with 75-foot pools and outdoor ball fields, trips to amusement parks and adventure courses, fully-equipped air-conditioned gyms, and fun-filled days at the beach or the park. Meanwhile, if your kiddo is ready to travel, you'll find completely un-plugged media-free nature day camps, lush 27-acre campuses right nearby, lakes with boating and fishing, multiple-day overnight trips to state parks, and of course, that classic sleepaway camp experience.

7 Awesome Summer Day Camps and Programs for Los Angeles Tots Through Teens

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/11/2018 - 9:00pm

<i>Summer@Stratford infuses its STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) curriculum into an innovative summer camp experience. </i>

If you would give just about anything to dodge the dreaded "what are we doing today?" question from bored kiddos this summer, you've come to the right place. And lucky for you, the Los Angeles area offers so many different day camp options that there's sure to be a program that'll keep your tots and teens blissfully occupied until school starts back up again.

There are performing arts camps for LA's youngest aspiring actors, where kids can make their own music videos or create an original comedy show. There are swim programs for water lovers, and coding classes for future female engineers. You'll even find STEAM camps jam-packed with hands-on projects and experiments, and more traditional camp options offering water play, crafts, sports, and field trips.

The One Reason Families Are Applying to BASIS Independent in Droves

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Fri, 03/09/2018 - 1:00pm

There is an educational renaissance happening in New York City. In the past few years we’ve seen dozens of new schools open, adding more public, private, and charter options to the mix. Two of those new programs are part of BASIS Independent Schools, a network of five independent schools nationwide. Their two brand new campuses in New York City offer a PreK-grade 12 in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and a PreK-8 on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

7 Awesome Summer Day Camps in Westchester and Rockland Counties

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 4:00pm

Searching for that true sleepaway experience, but in a day camp setting? How about a totally state-of-the-art camp facility complete with a splash park? Or maybe you've been thinking summer would be the perfect time for your kiddo to work on her backhand or learn to rock climb?

Turns out the Lower Hudson Valley's got it all, folks! And to make your decision a little easier, we've rounded up a number of camps for kids ages 3 to 17 that offer all of the above and then some. With programs ranging from one week to the entire summer, along with pre- and post-camp care and transportation options, there's something for every kid (and every busy parent).

6 Top Long Island Day Camps for Toddlers Through Teens

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 03/04/2018 - 10:30am

With five summer camps, Sid Jacobson JCC offers camp experiences for children, teen and young adults of all interests and stages.

From zip lining and miniature golf to preschooler programs and STEM classes, it kind of seems like day camps have got it all here in Long Island!

Traditional camps offer an all around experience with favorites like the boating, hiking, and arts and crafts we remember from our own summer camp days, but they're also adding robotics and heated swimming pools to the mix (not bad, right?). Meanwhile, specialty camps are giving kids the chance to focus on some of their favorite activities, like ballet, ice skating, and even cake baking.

Awesome Specialty Summer Camps for NYC Kids

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Mon, 02/26/2018 - 10:00am

Advantage Day Camp gets kids 4 to 14 off & running for a perfect NYC summer! Sports, activities, enrichment & more. Plus early drop off, late pickup and a choice of days, weeks or all season.

Here in New York City, finding a summer camp for your kiddo isn't the hard part. It's picking one from all of the awesome options that's tough!

If you're looking to narrow your search, specialty camps are the perfect way to fuel your kid's passion or even help them hone in on a new hobby. For science- and tech-lovers, there are a number of STEM/STEAM camps, teaching everything from artificial intelligence and 3-D printing, to marine biology and wood working. Aspiring athletes can get in on a game of soccer or gaga ball at a sports-centered camp, or try their hand at figure skating or parkour. There's even Chinese language instruction for budding linguists, performing arts camps for kids who love the spotlight, programs that take your tiny historian back in time, and even hands-on cooking camps for the littlest foodies.

With half-day and full-day options, and sessions ranging from one week to the entire summer, there's truly something for everyone. Take a look at some much-loved specialty camps below, and browse our New York City Camp Guide for even more options.

7 Awesomely Unique Summer Day Camps Fit for New Jersey Kids

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Sun, 02/25/2018 - 10:00am

Discover summer at Deer Mountain where campers have a blast in swimming, sports, arts and outdoor adventure activities. They shine as themselves!

Do you have fond memories of riding the bus to summer camp? How about happy days filled with sports, swimming, arts and crafts, and good friends?

Some of those same classic summer day camps are still around today, with all the fun traditions, but updated with splash parks and STEM programs. Meanwhile, there are also really unique specialty camps that we would have never dreamed of decades ago. Musical theater lovers can create sets, design costumes, and perform on a professional stage. Tennis-pros-in-the-making can learn on air conditioned courts with hi-tech technique instruction. There's even a supportive program for kids who have experienced the loss of a loved one. Academic camps make sure brains get exercised with robotics, chess, and coding classes. A Montessori program offers programs for kids as young as 2. New Jersey families are lucky to have some of the best summer camps around!

Robots, Rockets, and Explosions Wow Kids at NORY STEM Camps

Submitted by Jessica Laird on Tue, 02/20/2018 - 10:00am

Summer is a time when kids should be trying new things, asking crazy questions, and exploring wild possibilities, even if it sometimes means failing along the way. At least that’s what the two dads who founded NORY believe.

NORY is a summer camp for New York City’s youngest innovators. Kids ages 3-12 can sign up for STEM-focused programs with weekly themes that are totally worth geeking out over, like wood working, kitchen science, and chemical engineering and explosions. The 5 to 1 ratio of curious campers to inspiring instructors helps to keep kids totally engrossed in the hands-on curriculum. And it’s clearly doing the trick, because the popular camp is expanding to three main campuses in FiDi, Midtown East, and the Upper West Side this year.