With weather below zero, it's hard to think about summer. But before you know it, summer will be here. You will have to plan for those two months when children are not in school.
March is the key month to summer planning. New York Family magazine has already begun hosting summer camp fairs.
http://www.newyorkfamily.com/camps/
Summer camp is broken into two categories.
Day camp and sleepover.
Summer camp prices in New York City range from free to low cost to extremely expensive.
Summer Camp activities range from basic babysitting to very active and even thematic.
I will give a few free and low cost options. Just so you know, these options fill up quickly and are usually first come-first serve. Some have income requirements but many do not.
Free-Sleep-Away Camp
Fresh Air Fund
Fresh Air Fund has provided inner city children with free camp experiences since 1877. They offer an opportunity for children to attend typical summer camp:
Camp Anita Bliss Coler (ABC) – Girls only, ages 9-12
Camp Hayden-Marks – Boys only, ages 9-12
Camp Tommy – Boys only, ages 12 ½-15
Camp Hidden Valley – Girls and boys, ages 8-12, serving children with and without special needs
Camp Mariah – Girls and boys, admission is restricted to children who are currently in the 6th grade
or to stay at a host families house.
http://www.freshair.org/get-an-application
Lost Cost Sleep-Away Camp
YMCA
The YMCA camp is for boys and girls ages 6 to 16. There are two villages, McAlister (ages 6 to 12) and Talcott (ages 12 to 15). Activities include swimming lessons, a wide variety of sports, arts and crafts, outdoor living skills, media program, canoeing, Wibit, and our ropes courses. They also offer specialty programs that include water skiing, horseback riding, and rafting trips for a small additional fee.
They have a three tiered price range depending on family income.
1 Week Session
Tier 1: $859
Tier 2: $759
Tier 3: $659
2 Week Session
Tier 1: $1,589
Tier 2: $1,389
Tier 3: $1,189
Free Day Camp
1. New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) has been providing youth and family services since 1996. They offer free afterschool programs and summer day camp programs. I will highlight two of their programs.
a. Beacon Programs:
Beacons programs are school-based community centers serving children age 6 and older and adults. There are currently 80 Beacons located throughout the five boroughs of New York City, operating in the afternoons and evenings, on weekends, during school holidays and vacation periods, including the summer.
b. Out-Of-School Time:
The Out-of-School Time (OST) Program provides a mix of academic, recreational and cultural activities afterschool, during holidays and summer vacation for young people enrolled in grades K-12. Programs are free of charge and are located in neighborhoods across all five boroughs of New York City.
Visit their website:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/home/home.shtml
Use their search engine to find a location that you would want your child in and the grade of your child.
Call and visit the program before applying.
***Summer should be a time of fun and not stress. I used the OST program, North Brooklyn Development Corporation. I love the director and her dedication to the program. I tried another OST program years ago and was unhappy about the lack of activities and pulled my son out after a week.
There are locations all over New York City.
2. Semaa
Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace
Academy at York College. They have served over 14,000 students since 1999.
The York College SEMAA summer program runs for three weeks (July 8 through July 26, 2013), Mon-Fri, from 9 am-noon, with lunch included. Grades 3-6th
Registration has not started yet but here is the website:
3. Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation (SASF)
They offer traditional half-day City Council Sports
& Arts Camps, half-day Academic Camps, full and half-day OST Camps,
McKinney Camps, Sports Clinics, and Family Sustained Camps. All free of charge and at various locations.
4. PAL, Police Athletic League
PAL provides educational, recreational and cultural programs that
inspire and support children throughout the year. PAL offers
after-school programs for children ages six to13, as well as summer day
camps, and teen evening programs during the school year.
Low Cost Day Camp
1. NYC Parks and Recreation
The NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp program is an exciting chance for children ages 6 to 13
to have a fun-filled summer! Your child will engage in sports,
fitness, and outdoor adventure and take part in many of New York City’s
rich cultural and educational opportunities.
Cost
All camps offer Regular Day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; select camps offer an Extended Day option from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.- Regular Day Camp Rate (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday – Friday): $500 per child for 7 weeks
- Extended Day Camp Rate (8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., Monday – Friday): $575 per child for 7 weeks (available at select sites)
Registration for the NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp program will be open Friday, March 7 – Sunday, March 16, 2014.
2. YMCA
The YMCA offers traditional camp, swim camp, art camp and sport camp. They have two week sessions. The cost is low and there are a variety of locations. They offer financial assistance if you qualify and they accept the various city voucher programs.
http://www.ymcanyc.org/association/preview/pages/day-camp
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