Summer Day Camps for Kids

Looking for some camps for your little ones? We’ve got you covered! This list highlights summer programs for children from 1 to 17, including camps designed to prepare soon-to-be kindergartners for their big day in September:

West Side Nursery School, Ridgewood NJ

West Side Nursery School offers several different camp options. One of our favorites is “Explore the Arts” which combines art, drama, music, movement and role play. Children invite parents to an art exhibit and performance at the end of each week. This camp is open to students ages 3-6. Summer Fun camp, for ages 2.5-5, has a different theme each week like “The Rain Forest,” “Junior Architects” or “The Incredible Edible Cooking School.” Fo 4-5 year olds (Pre-K), there’s “Summer Skool,” an active camp program with lots of outdoor activities and play. West Side has a library, a gym, and a shaded, outdoor playground on a half-acre of landscaped, fenced-in grounds. Camps run June 11 – July 31.

My Little Ivy Passport to Summer Adventure: Opportunity to see the sights and explore the cultures of destinations far. Plenty of time for water play, kickball, soccer, crafts and other fun, traditional day camp activities. FOR YOUR OLDER CAMPERS: Little Ivy Academy, will be offering summer camp programs for campers entering 1st-8th grade, including Summer Explorers for your campers entering 1st-2nd grade, and RealScience & Express Yourself day camps for your soon-to-be 3rd-5th graders and 6th-8th graders.

Young World Day Camp: (Ages 2 to 9) Summer fun abound at this camp. Activities include swimming lessons, arts & crafts, outdoor play and much more. The camp has eight week-long sessions for both full- and half-day campers. Young World is located at 585 Wyckoff Avenue in Mahwah.

Deerkill Day Camp: in Suffern, NY with door-to-door transportation. Built on 15 wooded acres in 1958, this family-owned camp offers a full swim program in its over 7,000 square feet of heated pools with diving boards and water slides, including a shallow pool for beginning swimmers. In addition to the comprehensive swimming program, Deerkill offers a wide variety of creative specialty programs such as: arts & crafts, digital photography, ceramics, woodworking, ropes, gymnastics, dance, theater, graphic arts, tennis, a cooking program and many more. Each individual group is led by college graduates, typically a teacher, assisted by college students.

Green Twig Summer Camp: (Ages 2 1/2 and up) This spot is perfect for those looking for a smaller, neighborhood-feel camp. Both of my kids went here and loved it. Campers do a bunch of messy crafts and enjoy lots of outside time on the playground. Please note that young campers under 2 years 6 months must be toilet-trained to attend the camp and be attending Green Twig School in the fall.

Lorrimer Nature Camp: (Ages 4 – 12) Designed to foster environmental awareness and appreciation of nature, this camp features lots of hands-on activities, games, crafts and nature exploration. Most of the day is spent outdoors on the santuary’s 14-acre property. Lorrimer Sanctuary is located at 790 Ewing Avenue in Franklin, Lakes.

Ridgewood YMCA: (Ages 3 to 15) Specially-designed for the youngest campers in mind, the Ridgewood Y’s Kidz program fills its days with fun and stimulating activities. Those include swim lessons, sports, games, arts & crafts and more. Older kids can choose from specialty camps of the popular Teen Trip Camp.

Wyckoff Y: (Ages 3 and up) Wydaca features instructional swim, art, sports and lots of fun activities from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Wyckoff Y also offers a “Kinder Camp” for children entering kindergarten in September. The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. It features lots of sports, swimming, art & crafts and more.

Dwight-Englewood: (Ages Pre-K through 12th grade) This full-day weekly program is designed to foster independence and creativity. The camps mission is to engage learners in the joy of discovery through a variety of experiences.