What’s Summer Without Summer Camp?
Kids of all ages can have the summer of their lives with the bountiful offerings around town.
Compiled by Janice Llanes Fabry
Kids of all ages can have the summer of their lives with the bountiful offerings around town. Whether a sports enthusiast or a history buff, a nature lover, an artist, or a bookworm, children will flourish at a camp or camps of their choice. There are also plenty of training and volunteer opportunities for teens. Registration is open, unless otherwise stated, so sign up while there’s still room.
Rye YMCA is all about unplugging and playing from June 27-August 26.
A Rye Y Youth membership ($281) is required for most camps in addition to the weekly fees, which start at $217 per week. For information and registration, visit ryeycamp.org or call 967-6363.
Kinder Camp is a great introduction to the summer camp experience for toilet-trained three-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. Weekly themes include Aloha Summer, Holiday Hullabaloo, Superhero Saga, Globe Trekkers, Camp Olympics, Jurassic Jungle, Medieval Mischief, and Carnival Circus.
Discovery Camp is a full day camp for ages 4-11 at the Osborn School. Kids are divided into Explorers, Pioneers, Scouts, Trailblazers, and Pathfinders based upon grade completed. Jam-packed weeks include STEM, crafts, music, performing arts, sports, field trips, and special guests. In addition, all campers are bused to the Rye Y for swim lessons.
STEAM Camp is a new full-day camp for grades 2-5 at Osborn School. Through a myriad of innovative projects and hands-on experimentation, it prepares kids for tomorrow’s world of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Weekly themes include: Air and Space, Time Travel, Creepy Critters, MineCraft Mayhem, Wacky Weather, CSI, Under the Sea, Invention Engine.
All Aboard Camp is a full-day extension camp from August 22-26 offered to those campers, ages 7-14, 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.
Adventure Camp is for teens completing grades 6-9 at Osborn School. On-the-go campers will be off-site everyday, from water parks and camp-outs to amusement parks and baseball games.
Fitness Camp is a half-day camp for ages 11-14. Membership is not required. Participants will work indoors and out at the Y with certified personal trainers and sports nutrition specialists to achieve individual goals. Activities include swimming, sports, games, Pilates, strength and agility training. Teens will learn to use equipment in the Fitness Center, ExerZone, and Freestyle Fitness Zone.
Gymnastics Camp for ages 6-14 offers half and full-day formats at the Y. Beginner to advanced gymnasts are welcome. Drills, games, and teamwork will be utilized to build gymnastics skills. Full-day campers will also swim and participate in various activities, such as Zumba, yoga, sports, or arts and crafts.
CIT Program is available at Osborn School or at the Rye Y full-time. Teens who have completed grade 9 or 10 can build their leadership skills as Counselors in Training. They can also earn volunteer hours at either Discovery, Sports, or Kinder camps. A minimum commitment of two weeks is required.
Rye Nature Center offers adventure and ecological exploration in its 47 acres of forest and trails from June 27-August 12. Camps start at $360 per week. For more information 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. Weekly themes include: Dino-Lab; Creepy Crawlies; Blueprint Boot Camp; Strategize, Outlast, Survive; Forest Forensics; Storm Chasers; and Farm Stand Fresh.
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. A fun slip and slide is thrown in as well. Weekly themes include: Dino-Lab; Creepy Crawlies; Blueprint Boot Camp; Strategize, Outlast, Survive; Forest Forensics; Storm Chasers; and Farm Stand Fresh.
Naturalists in Training is for tweens entering grade 6 or 7 in the fall who can expect full days and a late night. They will engage in activities with the Center’s specialists and 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 kids 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 and leadership skills, and confidence. Destinations bring the world of salt marshes, estuaries, fjords, and ridge top forests to the kayakers.
Rye Recreation offers a variety of programs chockfull of fun from June 28-August 5. Camps start at $545 for two weeks, $790 for six weeks. For more information and registration, visit ryeny.gov/recreation .cfm or call 967-2535.
Kiddy Camp for toilet-trained three-year olds to age 5 is a half-day classroom- based program at Midland School. Daily activities include games, music, story time, dance, special events, crafts, and more.
Day Camp is a full-day program that splits kids into a Lower Camp for grades K-2 at Rye Recreation Park and an Upper Camp for grades 3-6 at Rye Middle School. Both offer sports, games, crafts, and special events. Additional special fee programs are offered and include swimming, Mad Science, trips, and extended care hours. On-line registration begins March 3.
Junior Counselors in Training is for teens entering grades 9 & 10 who are interested in gaining practical experience working with children for community service. Space is limited. Must apply by March 1.
The Rye Arts Center offers a flexible schedule and a wide array of STEAM classes for children, teens, and adults June 27-August 26. Prices vary, but most weeklong two-hour classes start at $205. Applicants who register for three or more classes by June 30 will receive a $30 rebate. For more information and registration, visit ryeartscenter.org or call 967-0700.
STEAM offerings include 3-D printing, computer programming, Minecraft, and more.
Fine Arts cover the gamut from painting, ceramics, and cartooning to private and group music instruction.
Musical Theater offers students comprehensive workshops and the opportunity to perform stage favorites, including “Grease” and “Aladdin.”
Morning Arts Exploration is an immersion program whereby participants will experience a variety of performing arts, visual arts, and STEAM education.
Rye Historical Society is offering a fun and educational program from July 5-22. The early bird rate is $400/$450 for members/non-members for all three weeks. Weekly sessions and rates are also available. For more information and registration, visit ryehistory.org or call 967-7588.
Hands-on-History Summer Camp is for girls and boys ages 7-13 from 10-2:30. Campers will experience what life was like more than two centuries ago through a variety of activities, from painting portraits and landscapes to learning about colonial gardens and food. There will be field trips and Friday fun days as well.
Rye Free Reading Room offers plenty of free reading opportunities throughout the summer for kids of all ages. For more information and registration, visit ryelibrary.org or call 967-0460.
On Your Mark, Get Set, Read! is a program for kids entering grades K-5, and their families, that offers reading progress incentives and enjoyable day and evening programs. There will be book discussions, science activities, raffles, prizes, and parties.
At these boutique-style camps, ages 7-17 work through fun design challenges, sometimes in groups and sometimes alone, to create unique garments and they plan and orchestrate their own fashion show on the last day. Campers are split into groups by age and given age-appropriate projects.
Camp will be held at the Damiano Recreation Center August 8-12 and August 22-26, from 9-4 for both sessions. The weekly fee of $575 includes all materials and snacks.
Clay Art Center in Port Chester offers a wealth of creativity workshops from July 5-August 26 for ages 6 and up. Half-day camps start at $250 for members, $270 non-members; full-day camps start at $425 for members, $445 non-members. For more information and registration, visit clayartscenter.org or call 937-2047. Here is a sampling of the workshops available:
Sweet and Savory has kids creating dishware and learning to use the potter’s wheel.
Puppetry Camp offers sculpting, sewing, and performing instructions.
Bowling will teach participants how to create fun and functional bowls in all shapes and sizes.
Let’s Pour will help kids master the art of pouring and creating mugs, cups, and pitchers on the potter’s wheel.
Sports Camps include half-day Little Athletes, as well as full-day baseball, basketball, gymnastics, dance, ice hockey, ice skating, lacrosse, soccer, squash, swimming, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, and Sports Academy (multi-sport).
Elite Camps allows campers to maximize learning and focus so they can reach their highest potential. Age requirements vary from sport to sport.
Top Shelf Hockey offers a series of camps designed to hone the skills and conditioning of experienced travel team hockey players ages 6-18. There will be intense on-ice instruction as well as off-ice strength training.
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, or volleyball.
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