Bring on the Summer Fun
Compiled by Janice Llanes Fabry
Kids will have the opportunity to dive into a variety of summer camps here and nearby. Training opportunities for teens are also available. Check individual websites for registration requirements and fees.
Rye YMCA offers a whole lot of options with limited group sizes from June 28-August 23. A Rye Y Youth membership is required for most camps. There are extended care options as well.
Kinder Camp is a great introduction to the summer camp experience for ages 3 to 6. Half- and full-day options are available at the Y. Some of the activities offered are arts and crafts, music, sports, and recreation.
Discovery Camp, a full-day camp for ages 4-11, will be held at Resurrection School. Kids are divided up into Explorers, Pioneers, Scouts, Trailblazers, and Pathfinders based upon grade completed. Jam-packed weeks include sports, STEM, arts and crafts, music, performing arts, sports, and special guests.
STEAM Camp is a full-day camp at Resurrection 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. Get ready for innovative projects, hands-on experiments, and guided discovery.
Sports Camp is a full-day option for ages 5-14 at Resurrection School. It is designed for campers who want to develop their individual and team skills through the “games approach” method. Among the offerings are basketball, soccer, flag football, and multi-sports.
Gymnastics Camp for ages 5-14 offers half- and full-day formats at the Y. All levels are welcome. Campers will participate in drills, games, Olympic events, tumbl trak, mini trampoline, and rope climbing. Head coaches are safety-certified by USA Gymnastics.
Fitness Camp, a half-day camp for ages 11-14, will be held at the Y. Membership is not required. Participants will work with certified personal trainers and nutrition specialists to achieve individual goals. Activities include sports, games, strength and agility training, Pilates, and more.
CIT/LIT Program is available full day at Resurrection School, and at the Rye Y for Leaders in Training who have completed grades 6-8 and Counselors in Training who have completed grades 9 or 10.
For further details, visit ryeycamp.org or call 967-6363.
The Rye Free Reading Room offers free, fun, and valuable enriching reading opportunities throughout the summer for kids of all ages. “Tails and Tales”, the theme for 2021, will focus on animals and stories. The more kids read, the bigger the prizes!
Every week, children will read and learn through creative and educational programs and workshops, such as Summer Story Times at Rye Town Park and Story Walks.
Visit www.ryelibrary.org/summer for program details and to register for summer reading.
Rye Recreation offers a variety of programs and activities from
July 6-August 27. Camp groups will be limited to 15. Locations will include Recreation Park, Damiano Center, and Resurrection Grammar School.
Kiddy Camp for ages 3-5 will offer indoor and outdoor play, music, story time, sports, and special events.
Day Camps for grades K-6 will feature sports, games, and arts and crafts. Specialty Camps will include a variety of different sports and STEAM activities.
For detailed camp descriptions, locations, fees, and registration information, visit ryeny.gov/recreation.cfm.
The Rye Arts Center offers week-long camps for all ages. A flexible schedule and a wide selection of classes, from ceramics and painting to 3D printing, coding, and more start June 7.
Summer Warmup for Creative Kids for ages 3½-5 offers half–day educational immersion in multi-disciplinary creative arts. Children will work on cognitive, social, creative, and motor skills through drawing, painting, music, and creative movement.
Summer Musical Theater is a series of weeklong workshops. Ages 8-13 will learn abbreviated versions of scenes, songs, and choreography from Disney and Broadway productions. The camp culminates in an informal presentation. Musicals to choose from include “Aladdin”, “Moana”, and “Willy Wonka”.
Visit ryeartscenter.org or call 967-0700.
Rye Nature Center provides adventure and ecological exploration from June 28-August 16 throughout its 47 acres of forest and trails. Space remains for campers entering grades 3 through 7 in the fall. A waitlist is available for preschoolers through second graders.
June Bugs, for ages 3½ through 6, offers morning and afternoon sessions. Campers will spend the entire time outdoors exploring the forest, playing games, and enjoying arts and crafts. The program runs, rain or shine, the weeks of June 7-11, June 14-18, and June 21-25. For more information, visit ryenaturecenter.org/june-bugs.
Paddle Adventure Camp is an all-levels camp for teens entering grade 8, 9, or 10 in the fall. It introduces participants to the joys of kayaking as they build their paddling abilities, self-confidence, and an appreciation for their surroundings. Visit ryenaturecenter.org/paddle-adventure-camp.
For fees, schedules, and registration, call 967-5150 or visit ryenaturecenter.org.
Sew Happy teaches kids ages 6-14 to express themselves by designing and making their own wearable or usable items. Full-day camps will be held in July and August at the Mamaroneck studio or at Rye Recreation. They will offer both hand and machine sewing, as well as arts, crafts, games, and a fashion show.
For more information and to register, log on to sewhappyusa.net or call Kim Mulcahy at 917-885-7716.
Brava Dance Center holds Dance Intensives for young dancers with experience, as well as a Little Dancer Camp from June 28-August 5. Ballet, tap/musical theater, jazz, contemporary, and hip hop are all covered at either the studio at 220 Purchase Street or at Wainwright House.
For schedule and fees, visit bravadance.com.
Clay Art Center in Port Chester offers a 9-week program for ages 6-15 with reduced class sizes and upgraded ventilation. Workshops focusing on creative expression run from July 5-September 3.
Half- and full-day camps will include wheel throwing, hand-building, and sculpture. Campers will craft everything from fantastic beasts, animals, and emojis to handmade cups, bowls, and plates.
For more information on hours, fees, and registration, visit claycenter.org.
Chelsea Piers in Stamford offers a wide roster of full- and half-day sports programming, from preschool camps to collegiate training, from mid-June to August 27. Enroll by February 22 for early bird savings.
Little Athletes Camps include half- and full-day options for ages 3-5. Participants learn the basics of sports, as well as arts and crafts, rock climbing, trampolines, and more.
Full-Day Camps, for ages 5-13, offers a variety of sports for beginners and more advanced athletes. There will be skill development, game scenarios, and contests.
Specialty Camps for ages 7-18 offers more advanced athletes higher level training in the areas of competitive sports.
