Patch Picks: 5 Best Summer Camps in the Area

It's that time again; the snow is melting, the bulbs are peeking out of the dirt, and before you know it summer will be in full swing. Which also means the kids will be home from school for three whole months. Not sure how to keep them entertained? We at Patch have a few suggestions. Check out these local camps (listed in no particular order) that cater to kids ages two to 16. Each has their own specially formulated programs guaranteed to fit the interests of kids and the scheduling needs of almost any family. Give your kids a summer they’ll never forget.

1. Camp Nabby

Who they are: Camp Nabby is a family owned summer day camp for boys and girls ages three to 13. Designed and directed by an educator, the camp embodies the philosophies of this profession. They promise an exciting summer adventure as they provide campers with sports and instructional activities throughout their campus.

Where they’re located: 1 Nabby Hill, Lake Mohegan

Programs they offer: Camp Nabby offers multiple programs for many different age groups. In all programs, campers will experience the fun of swimming, music, arts and crafts, gymnastics, nature, a challenge court and tennis.

• The Nursery program (Cubs) is a co-ed program composed of children 3 ½ to 4 ½ years of age. In this program children swim twice daily in a shallow, child friendly, heated pool. The special activities for this specific age group, (nature, arts and crafts, music and gymnastics) are taught by specialty counselors in indoor covered facilities.
• Their Junior Camp program is designed to keep children 3 ½ - 8 ½ active, stimulated, and safe as they form new friendships and get exposure to a variety of activities such as hiking, swimming, and arts and crafts.
• Their Senior Camp program is a more active, elective day than what is offered in the structured, junior camp program and allows campers ages 8 ½ -13 the opportunity to choose their afternoon activities for themselves.

Program dates: Monday June 27 through Thursday August 18; Closed Monday, July 4

Camp hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Information: 914-528-7796 or register online

2. Summer Trails Day Camp 

Who they are: Summer Trails has been providing a fun summer environment for 37 years. It has been described as a place where “children can grow, discover, build confidence, and develop emotional intelligence.” The camp has almost everything a camper could want: Two swimming pools, athletic courts/fields, archery ranges, miniature golf course, and a wildlife filled lake are just a few of the things campers will enjoy at this camp.

Where they’re located: 93 Mahopac Ave. Granite Springs

Programs they offer: Summer Trails has three different program options for children ages 3-14. Campers can choose to participate in a 4, 6, 7, or 8-week long programs, and all programs offer both three and five day per week options.

• For younger campers, nursery and pre-kindergarten age attendees have the option of either full day or half-day programs. The Pre-School Program is for children ages three to five, where the emphasis is placed on using early childhood educational techniques to promote social interactions and fun physical activities.
•  The Traditional Camp Program is for children ages 6-14, and includes activities like group sports, creative arts, and swimming. In this program campers will also participate in unique games that encourage them to express themselves as individuals.
• The Baseball Camp Program is for children ages 8-13, and is designed to meet the needs of each child at their own skill level. This program aims to help campers become better athletes, and it uses experienced coaches to teach them the correct techniques that would help campers reach their fullest athletic potential.

Program Dates: Vary

Information: 914-245-1776 or register online

3. Camp Combe  

Who they are: As part of the YMCA of Central  and Northern Westchester, Camp Combe offers a variety of kid and teen programs that are specified to camper’s particular interests. While they offer activity programs for children as young as four years old, they also offer Junior Lifeguard Programs and Councler-In-Training (CIT) programs for 15 and 16 year olds as well. Older campers participating in their Adventure Bound programs are also invited on field trip experiences to a variety of locations.

Where they’re located: 684 Peekskill Hollow Rd. Putnam Valley

Programs they offer: The Mini Camp program is for campers ages four to five. In this program, staff members who have been carefully selected based on their experience with younger children provide a safe, caring, experience for children new to the camp. Activities in Mini Camp include swimming, nature education, drama, music, and games. “Big Camp” activities such as sports, hiking, and assembly are introduced in a developmentally sensitive way.

• The Big Camp program is a traditional day camp program where children of the same gender and age hike, make crafts, explore nature, sing, swim, and play games. In this program the staff of Big Camp  work together to teach and reward the YMCA values of honesty, respect, responsibility, and caring in campers from grades one to six.
• In their Y-Tech program campers in grades 4 through 7 will enjoy all the recreational activities of the other programs, but will focus mainly on the fundamentals of design, stability, programing code, teamwork, and problem solving while embarking on adventures in science, engineering, and technology, as they work with LEGO's NXT Robotic Kits.
• In the Theater and Visual Arts programs campers in grades four through eight will partake in traditional camp activities while also working on their performance and artistic skills. Each group will spend time every day working on a final project to be presented to fellow campers and parents at the end of each of the program sessions.
• The Soccer Camp program is for campers in grades 3 through 5 and is a specialty program which offers enthusiastic younger soccer players the best of two great programs, the Joe Palumbo Soccer Academy and the Camp Combe YMCA. Campers spend half their day on site at Joe Palumbo’s, participating in a high energy program full of soccer instruction and match play. The remainder of their day, back at the Camp Combe YMCA, is devoted to traditional summer camp activities such as swimming, archery, nature, and adventure activities.
• As part of the Service Corps  program campers in grades 7 through 9 are offered the chance to participate in a service project designed and implemented by the campers themselves. Participants will be partnered with a variety of local service organizations including Fahnstock State Park, Putnam Valley Food Bank, and ClearPool Outdoor Education Center to help campers carry out their projects.
• In the Adventure Bound  and Adventure Bound Sr. programs campers in grades 7 to 10 can choose from multiple adventurous trips spanning from hiking and kayaking locally in the Hudson valley to the Whitewater rafting and sailing in the Adirondacks, Cape Code, and Maine.
• Camp Combe also offers training programs for teens ages 14 -16 who are interested in becoming leaders at the camp. The first step in their rigorous staff development program is the Councler-In-Training program. This CIT program is a challenging and rewarding introduction to the world of camp counseling. It combines formal leadership training, service learning opportunities, and the daily practical experience of working with small groups of children, so that CIT’s acquire the skills needed to make them more responsible, creative, and mature.
• Once completed with the CIT program youths can enter into the Junior Counselor program. This is a highly selective program where junior counselors are assigned to a specific age group and assist counselors in leading games, running activities, fostering group cohesion, and supervising campers.
• Finally, for those those interested in learning lifesaving skills there is the Junior Lifeguard program  Participants in this five week program will complete the American Red Cross lifeguard Training, Automatic External Defibrillation (AED), and Basic First Aid. 

Program dates: Vary, click here for schedules.

Information: 845-526-0808 or register online.

4. Camp Kiwi 

Who they are: Camp Kiwi is a family owned and operated summer camp. They have been in business 59 years. On their 20-acre campus they provide campers with two sandy beaches, four heated swimming pools, state-of-the-art batting cages, a two acre lake, rope courses with zip lines, climbing walls, and much more.

Where they’re located: 825 Union Valley Road, Carmel

Programs they offer: Programs are specified for ages 2-16.

• The program for 2-year-olds consists of 10 campers and three adult supervisors, one of which is a teacher or parent. The day will last from 9:30 – 12:30 p.m. and will include art, dance, music, a snack and more.
• The Kiwi Nursery is for campers ages three to five. These groups of campers are separate, co-ed and run by early-childhood teachers. This program couples “low-key” academics into the fun as well. Young campers will also learn to swim, and participate in age appropriate arts and sports.
• The 3 to 7-year-old campers have a choice as to how many days they would like to attend the program designed for this age group. Regardless of how many times a week they attend, campers will spend each day participating in athletic, aquatic and recreational activities.
• Campers in the six to 13 age range can also attend their programs 3 or 5 days a week. Campers will be kept busy in this scheduled program which switches up the fun by introducing campers to a new activity every 40 minutes.

Program dates: June 27- August 19; 9 a.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Information: 845-277-3876 or register online

5. Hillside Summer Camp 

Who they are: Hillside Summer Camp offers programs on over 160 acres of fields, forests and streams. They have all the summer camp basics like an indoor swimming pool and gym, archery range, playground and pavilion, and also offer extravagant extras like a farm and wildlife center featuring over 350 animals, riding arenas, and a sandy canoe launch along the East Branch of the Croton River. It is a camp where campers will enjoy special adventure activities in addition to traditional camp programs.

Where they’re located: 400 Doansburg Rd., Brewster

Programs they offer:

• The Trailblazers program is designed for girls and boys ages five to eight. The program is meant to help campers learn, grow, make friends and have fun while they develop activity-oriented and interpersonal skills as they become more responsible and independent.
• The Blazers program is designed for girls and boys ages eight through ten, and includes archery, arts &crafts, camp overnights, canoeing, ceramics, hiking, music, swim lessons and more.
• The Adventure program is for girls and boys ages 10 – 15.  The program is the camp’s most popular and the first to fill up. Its focus is on adventure challenges that create personal growth and encourages the development of skills that are useful throughout the camper’s life. Campers will enjoy on and off site activities and go on overnight trips as well, with the added fun of learning about and partaking in activities such as rock climbing, orienteering, and caving.
• The Trackers program is for girls and boys ages 11 – 15 and is similar to the Blazers program. This program offers older campers activities such as archery, arts &crafts, camp overnights, canoeing, ceramics, hiking, music, swim lessons and more.

Program dates: Programs are broken into three sessions: Session I: June 27 - July 15; Session II: July 18 - Aug. 5; Session III : Aug. 8 - Aug. 26. There will be no camp on Monday, July 4. Days last from 9 a.m. to 4:30p.m. with the exception of overnight trips.

Information: 845-279-2995 or register online