Compiled by Janice Llanes Fabry

An exciting range of summer camps in and around Rye offer sports, nature, creativity, and reading opportunities for kids of all ages. Training and volunteer options for teens are also available. Check individual websites for specific registration start dates and deadlines, as well as early bird rates.

<<The Rye Arts Center>> offers a flexible schedule and a wide array of STEAM classes for children and teens from June 25-August 24.  In addition, weekly art classes and private music lessons are available for all ages in a range of musical disciplines. Prices range from $120 to $395 with a 10% discount available to members. For more information and registration, visit ryeartscenter.org or call 967-0700.

<<STEAM>> offerings include 3-D printing, robotics, Minecraft, and more.

A comprehensive <<Visual Arts>> program includes painting, ceramics, photography, and more.

<<Music Lessons>> offer groups of students an introduction to piano, guitar, recorder, or voice.

<<Summer Musical Theater>> is a series of weeklong workshops, whereby students learn abbreviated versions of scenes, songs, and choreography from Disney and Broadway productions. The camp culminates in an informal presentation for families on Friday evenings.

“Cinderella” will be performed the week of July 30; “The Lion King” the week of August 6; “Seussical” the week of August 13; and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” the week of August 20.

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<<Rye YMCA>> offers lots of options for keeping active from June 25-August 14 with an extension camp available until August 24. A Rye Y Youth membership of $297.50 is required for most camps in addition to the weekly fees, which start at $235 per week. There are extended care options as well. For more information and registration details, visit ryeycamp.org or call 967-6363.

<<Kinder Camp>> is a great introduction to the summer camp experience for toilet-trained 3-year olds to age 6. Held at the Rye YMCA, half- and full-day options are available. Some of the activities offered are swimming lessons, crafts, music, sports, and playground games.

<<Discovery Camp>> is a full-day camp for ages 4-11 at Osborn School. Kids are divided into Explorers, Pioneers, Scouts, Trailblazers, and Pathfinders based upon grade completed. Jam-packed weeks include STEM, arts and crafts, music, performing arts, sports, field trips, and special guests, as well as swim lessons at the Y.

<<STEAM Camp>> is a full-day camp at Osborn School for ages 6-11. Campers will be challenged to question, explore, plan, discover, analyze, and understand the world through the lenses of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Some weekly themes include Space Station, Silly Circuits, May the Force Be With You, and Hogwarts School of Magic.

<<Sports Camp>> offers both half and full-day options for ages 5-14 at the Osborn School. It is designed for campers who want to develop their individual and team skills through the “games approach” method. Each week focuses on a different sport: basketball, soccer, baseball, and multi-sport.

<<Gymnastics Camp>> for ages 5-14 offers half and full-day formats at the Y. All levels are welcome. Drills, games, and teamwork will be utilized to build gymnastics skills. Campers will participate in Olympic events, tumble trak, mini trampoline, and rope climbing. Full-day campers will also swim and participate in various activities, such as zumba, yoga, sports, and arts and crafts.

<<Adventure Camp>> is for teens completing grades 5-9 at Osborn School and at the Y. On-the-go campers will be off-site every day, heading to a variety of destinations, from water parks and camp-outs to amusement parks and baseball games.

<<Fitness Camp>> is a half-day camp at the Y for ages 11-14. Membership is not required. Participants must be able to swim one lap in the pool and run continuously for five minutes. They will work indoors and out with certified personal trainers and sports nutrition specialists to achieve individual goals. Activities include swimming, sports, games, Pilates, and strength and agility training. Teens will learn to use equipment in the Fitness Center, ExerZone, and Freestyle Fitness Zone.

<<All Aboard Camp>> is a full-day extension camp from August 20-24 offered to those campers ages 6-14 enrolled in any of the other camps over the summer. The program consists of daily trips to museums, amusement parks, water parks, and other fun destinations throughout New York and Fairfield County areas.

<<CIT/LIT Program>> is available at Osborn School or at the Rye Y full-time for Leaders in Training who have completed grades 6-8 and Counselors in Training who have completed grades 9 or 10. Both can also earn volunteer hours at Discovery, Sports, or Kinder camps. A minimum commitment of two weeks is required.

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<<Rye Nature Center>> offers adventure and ecological exploration in its 47 acres of forest and trails from June 25-August 10. Camps start at $365 per week. For more information about weekly themes and registration, visit ryenaturecenter.org or call 967-5150.

<<Explorers>> is a half-day camp for those kids entering preschool or kindergarten in the fall. The program is designed to create confidence and comfort as children discover the center’s forests, wildlife, resident animals, ponds, and garden. Group size is limited to 16 children.

<<Discoverers>> is a full-day camp for children entering kindergarten – grade 5. Grouped according to their ages, campers will enjoy a variety of nature and science activities taught by naturalists and specialists. Science experiments, gardening, hiking, natural history lessons, art, and media projects will fill their days. Campers can cool off in the sprinklers and play games, such as Deer and Wolf.

<<Naturalists in Training>> is for tweens entering grade 6 or 7 in the fall. They can expect full days and one late night. They will engage in activities with the Center’s specialists sand naturalists, and will have time to pursue the group’s own interests. On Thursday nights, the NITs stay late for a cookout, campfire, and twilight exploration. There are weekly field trips planned, too.

<<Paddle Adventure Camp>> is an all-levels camp for children entering grade 8, 9 or 10 in the fall. It introduces participants to the joys of kayaking as they build their paddling abilities, team building, leadership skills, and self-confidence. Destinations bring the world of salt marshes, estuaries, fjords, and ridge top forests to the kayakers. The Center provides all of the equipment needed for safe exploration.

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<<Rye Recreation>> offers a variety of programs and activities from June 26-August 3. Camps start at $565 for two weeks and go up to $1,640 for six weeks. For more details, information on financial assistance, and registration deadlines, visit ryeny.gov/recreation.cfm or call 967-2535.

<<Kiddy Camp>> for toilet-trained three-year olds to five-year-olds not entering kindergarten is a half-day classroom-based program at Midland School. Daily activities include games, music, story time, dance, outdoor play, special events, crafts, and more.

<<Lower Camp>> for grades K-2 at Rye Recreation Park and Midland School features sports, games, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, and special theme days, from Mad Science and rocketry to dinosaur casts and magical illusion. There is also a beginner swim program available at Rye Golf Club for an additional fee.

<<Upper Camp>> for grades 3-6 at Rye Middle School offers sports, games, crafts, and special events, such as Mad Science, rocketry, chess, robotics, Brick Kids, and jewely/beading workshops. A group swim is available for an additional fee at Rye Golf Club.

<<Camp 78>> is a teen camp for those entering grade 7 or 8 in September. It features daily trips to a variety of amusement parks and other adventurous off-site attractions. A tentative calendar is available on-line.

<<Junior Counselor>> positions are available for teens entering grades 9 and 10. It’s an opportunity to gain experience and work with children for community service. Space is limited.

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The <<Rye Free Reading Room>> offers a fun and valuable array of free enriching reading opportunities throughout the summer for kids of all ages. In addition, annual favorites such as “Family Fun Nights” on Thursday evenings will give families many opportunities to get together.  

A kickoff event <<The National Circus Project>> on June 22 will pack a panoramic presentation of circus skills into a sensational comedy-variety show. It will feature circus arts from around the world – juggling, unicycling, balancing, object manipulations, and clowning – and lots of audience participation. 

The event will launch the <<Summer Reading Program,>> which runs from June 22 to September 7 for children entering grades K-5.

 Kids will also <<Rock The Library>> every week with a variety of creative and educational programs and workshops that lets them explore the amazing world the library makes available. For more information and registration, visit ryelibrary.org or call 231-3162.

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<<Chelsea Piers>> in Stamford offers a variety of full- and half-day sports camps for ages 3-18 from June 18 to August 31. Fees start at $299 per week with early bird pricing available. There are also one-day enrollment options. For more information and registration, visit chelseapiersct.com or call 203- 989-1100.

<<Little Athletes Camps>> include half- and full-day options for ages 3-5. They are divided into tennis and swimming, gymnastics, hockey, ice skating, little stars dance, mini-Olympic, multi-sport, soccer, and swimming.

<<Full-Day Camps>> for ages 6-18 offers a variety of sports and focuses on individual skill development. Baseball, basketball, tennis and swimming, dance, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse, soccer, Ninja, and triathlon are some of the options.

<<Intensive Camps>> allows campers, grouped by age and ability, to maximize learning and focus in a particular sport so they can reach their highest potential.

<<Girls Leadership Camps>> provide female athletes in grades 9-12 with the opportunity to develop their athletic skills, while learning to become leaders on and off the playing surface. Athletes select the sport of their choice: hockey, soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, or volleyball.

<<Clay Art Center>> in Port Chester offers a myriad of workshops from July 2-August 29 for ages 6 and up. Half-day camps start at $207, full-day at $423. For more information and registration, visit clayartscenter.org or call 937-2047. Here is a sampling of the workshops available:

<<Reinvent the Wheel>> will teach kids how to use the potter’s wheel to create unique, funky pieces.

<<Folk Tales>> offers participants the opportunity to bring stories to life as they craft their own narrative in clay.

<<Selfies, Emojies, and Memes>> will have participants expressing themselves by inventing their own emojies and creating one-of-a-kind pots, plates, and mugs.

<<Pueblo Pottery>> explores the renowned pottery of New Mexico. Students will learn about traditional surface techniques and use them to create their own bird, rainbow, and geometric motifs.

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<<Sew Happy>> teaches ages 6 and up how to design and sew crafts and their own wearable items from June 11-August 24. Both hand and machine sewing are covered. Fees start at $325 per week. Camps are held at several locations: Greenwich Academy, Rye Recreation, and Scarsdale Congregational Church. To register, log on to sewhappyusa.net or call 917- 885-7716.

<<Let’s Start Sewing Fashion Runway>> will have beginners, ages 6-13, make shorts, a T-shirt, and a drawstring bag. They will also participate in games and arts and crafts.

In <<Wizards and Wands,>> ages 6-13 will focus on Harry Potter and will learn the techniques to make a magic pillow case, a book cover, a tote bag, and a T-shirt.

<<Me and My Doll Slumber Party/Campfire Camps>> invites campers ages 6 and up to bring their own 18-inch dolls and make them clothes, pajamas, pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, and accessories. They will also enjoy games, crafts, and play time.