20
COURIER LIFE, MARCH 25-31, 2022
Camps
NYC summer camps are back &
better than ever this summer
BY MIA SALAS
Summer camps are fi nally
back in full swing, and as
NYC parents, we couldn’t
be happier!
School may be out of session
in the summer, but our
busy NYC schedules are never
put on pause. And we know just
how much our kids love camp.
There’s nothing better than seeing
their big smiles as we drop
them off for the day– watching
them run over to their friends
and hop right into a soccer
game or chat up a storm with
the counselors.
But choosing the perfect
camp for our kids that’ll create
those big smiles on their
faces can be time-consuming,
especially since there are so
many camps this year. While
you could do your research online,
it takes a long time, and
you may not know of all your
options. That’s why, we recommend
going to the FREE New
York Family Camp Fairs to
quickly and effi ciently learn
about all the many camps this
summer!
Sure, camps went on last
summer, but there were still
a lot of restrictions in place,
and not every camp was able to
open. Now camps are as lively
as ever with new programs,
broadened activities, and fl exible
times, and the Camp Fairs
are the ideal place to explore it
all. You’ll get face-to-face time
with individual camp leadership
and experts from the
American Camp Association,
NY and NJ so that you can get
all of your questions answered.
Forget having to wait on hold to
contact camps via phone!
These free, weekend fairs include
all kinds of camps– day
and sleepaway– across NYC for
kids ages 3 to 15, so your options
are limitless. There will also be
several COVID procedures in
place so that you can feel safe
as you make your way through
the camps. Read on to see what
you can expect when it comes
to fi nding the perfect camp for
your kiddo at the New York
Family Camp Fairs.
Kids are ready, now more than
ever, to explore their interests. At
the Camp Fairs, you can hear directly
from camp directors to see
what program will best match
your child’s needs. For example,
if your kiddo loves to play basketball
at recess with their friends,
maybe browse the sport camps.
You can also speak to general day
camp directors to get a feel for
what kind of athletic activities
these camps may include. Perhaps
the structure allows your
child to choose the activities that
they are most interested in, like
sports, versus a set camp schedule
that will only have one hour
set aside for sports.
Besides getting outside and
playing, kids are also excited
to get crafty and creative again
with their friends. School certainly
has art classes and projects,
but camp crafts are different
under the warm sun, with
paint and markers and tie-dye
everywhere you look. Campers
don’t have to be afraid to get
messy! If your child has a passion
for science as well, maybe
speak with STEAM camp directors
to get a feel for what camp
might incorporate both creativity
and science.
After being cooped up at
home doing virtual learning for
so long in 2020 and 2021, NYC
kids (and their parents!) want
to be active and social this summer.
Camps are a great time for
little ones to develop their social
emotional skills in a nonacademic,
non-formal setting.
And while they may see some
of their school friends over
the summer, they’ll have the
chance to make new friends at
camp. Parents, prepare yourselves
because you’ll be adding
a lot more play-dates to the
schedule once camps are over!
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It really is a beautiful thing
to watch our kiddos be social
again in a safe way, and that’s
exactly what they’ll get to do all
summer long.
Whether you’re looking for a
day vs. sleepaway camp, a general
vs. interest-specifi c camp,
or a one-week vs. full-summer
camp, the Camp Fairs will help
you navigate your options. NYC
boasts some of the best camps,
especially this summer now
that we’re back into our city
groove. So mark your calendars,
roundup your questions,
and get ready to fi nd the camp
for your child!