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Need last-minute camp plans? These programs are here to help!

Thought summer camp wasn't happening? Well, it is, and it's virtual!

Written by
Oliver Strand
Kids virtual camp
Photograph: Courtesy Shutterstock
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NYC might be reopening, but many families are still left wondering what they can and cannot do with their children. Even though we're deep into the season, parents are asking "Is summer camp canceled?" 

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that day camps and child care can reopen under strict new guidelines. While some camps have reopened with those limitations in mind, others opted for a virtual experience that will let your little one enjoy learning with other kids (and goofing off over Zoom!) while staying safe at home.

We tracked programs from our 2020 camp issue and other popular offerings that NYC families love, and complied their latest lineups here, including schedules and pricing. Summer isn't over yet! There's still plenty of time for (virtual) camp fun.

Read on for more info and check back frequently, as we'll be updating this page regularly. 

92Y

92 Y Virtual Camp Live is open to ages 5–13 and runs until  August 21 with full and half days available. Activities run the gamut from Zumba and cooking to STEM and filmmaking. One week is $250, one week half-days are $175 and drop-ins are $40. Register online

American Museum of Natural History Online Camp

The virtual summer camp from the AMNH uses online learning to spark thought-provoking hands-on investigations, and includes guided virtual tours of Museum exhibits. The camps are divided into grades 2-3, 4-6 and 6-9. Camps for grades 2-3 include Key to the Kingdoms of Life and Planetary Power, while grades 4-6 can get geological with What's Written in a Rock or explore the Earth's flora and fauna with Building Biodiversity. Camps cost $375 per week, $500 per week for grades 6-9. Register online

Asphalt Green Virtual Camp

This creative, and games-based program will keep campers engaged, learning, and active! Campers are sorted into groups by age, and each group will have a dedicated counselor. A two-week session costs $650. Register online.

Brooklyn Museum Online Camp

Every day at the Brooklyn Museum Online Camp includes three hours of art-making activities, art appreciation and live interactive discussions with the museum's curators and staff. The idea is for campers to engage with art, interact with other campers, discover artists, work with different mediums, try out new techniques—all while having fun. Camp costs $340 per week ($306 for Museum members). Register online.

Camp Creativity

The arts and crafts store Michaels launched Camp Creativity on July 12. The program includes 21 days of free activities—who can resist Yay for Yarn! or Science is Super? Click here for Camp Creativity.

Camp Handmade

A free DIY virtual camp from Amazon with plenty of artsy and crafty ideas for the summer. Click here for Camp Handmade.

Camp Prime

This virtual day camp from Amazon Prime and the Boys and Girls Club of America. The online activities are free, and can be accessed by anybody—you don't need to be a member of Amazon Prime. Click here for Camp Prime.

Camp Sloomoo

It's slime time! Camp Sloomoo is a six-week program with a new DIY slime every week. The $349 fee includes a box with all the supplies your little slimer will need. Register online

A Class Act NY

Broadway fans will want to make summer plans with A Class Act NY, which will host virtual week-long summer programs in a variety of areas including musical theater, on camera TV acting and more. Register online

Community Cookbook Camp

This virtual camp from the Dynamite Shop, the favorite kid's cooking school in Brooklyn, offers an immersive, interactive and empowering experience by contributing recipes to what will be a lasting record of the summer. The week-long camps include recipes that will let your kids cook for you, writing exercises and more. The camp costs $400 per week. Register online.

Broadway Bound Kids

Broadway Bound Kids keeps young theater-goers entertained with a variety of summer programs fit for a star. Participants will have a chance to light up the stage with a combination of acting, dancing and singing. All programs are online this summer. Register online

Broadway Teaches Kids

Running from July 6–August 28, thespians ages 5–12 can participate in Broadway Teaches Kids' weeklong virtual camps, which include voice lessons, acting instruction, dance and other fun things to do. Prices from $225–$450. Register online

Brooklyn Arts Exchange 

Drawing from year-round programming, BAX is bringing its summer experience online from July 13-August 6, Mondays–Thursdays from 9am–12:30pm. Expect a roundup of activities in dance, theater, circus and other artistic disciplines for children in grades K–5. Prices range from $300–$425. Register online

Brooklyn Conservatory of Music

Registration is currently open for BKCM summer camps, all of which will be virtual. Have a look at the offerings—including fiddle band, composition club, the Amy Winehouse Teen Jazz Camp. Register online

Brooklyn Robot Foundry 

Little engineers can tinker with the Foundry's online summer sessions beginning July 6. The program will take place each week from Monday–Thursday for 3 hours of games, crafts, movement and, naturally, robot making. The cost is $250 and the program is available for kids ages 6–12. Learn more about the schedule, a sample day and more. Register online

Camp Coding Space 

From June 15–Aug 28, your computer wiz will learn about all-things tech with Camp Coding Space's virtual summer program, which teaches kids 8 and up how to code and guides them through activities, STEM challenges and so on. Prices vary according to schedules. Register online

Center Stage Stars

The July and August schedules are TBA. There will be a full virtual camp program from June 8 to July 3 for children ages 3-8 in subjects like singing, acting, dancing and cooking. Classes range from $15 (single options)—$550. Register online.

Challenge Camp 

Challenge Camp is ushering in its 40th anniversary with virtual offerings for summer 2020. Campers will choose from over 100 elective STEM and Arts enrichment courses including 3D Printing, chess, fashion, photography and much more. Moms and dads will customize a program of selections based on their child’s interests, and the camper follows those selections for the entire session. Register online

Child's Play NY

Virtual sessions will run weekly this July and August for children ages 3–11. Themes include Hogwarts School, Frozen Adventures, Jungle Book and more. The cost is $200 per week. Register online

Children's Museum of the Arts

The CMA's amazing summer camps are going online this year. Offerings include Graphic Novel Camp, Game Design Camp, Magic on Film Camp and more. Camps run Mon-Fri 9:30am-12:30pm, and cost $250 per week. Register online.

Dancing Classrooms 

Open to children around the country, this summer intensive is open to new and returning students ages 10–18 from July 13–17 and July 20–24 for $125/class. Email summer@dancingclassrooms.org for more information about registration. 

Doc’s NYC/Maximum Lacrosse

Lacrosse camp will be held in small in-person groups with a ratio of one instructor to nine campers, following the social distancing regulations set by New York State. Camp runs Mon-Fri for 90-minute sessions, and costs $300 per week. Register online.

Fashion Institute of Technology 

FIT will make sure that designers in the making receive the best at-home summer experience possible. With selections like "Fashion Art: Junior Fashion Trends" and "Fashion Business: Trend Forecasting," all students will have the opportunity to take a deep dive to perfect their skills. These offerings, which start at $200 for middle school students and $370 for high school students, will take place on a weekly basis from June 1–18 for students in grades six through nine. Register online

Home Cooking New York 

Ages 10+ are invited to bring the heat in the kitchen this summer with a virtual cooking course ($195 per session). The program runs Monday-Thursday from either 10am-noon or 3:30–5:30pm. Kids will be able to explore different types of cuisines: Italian, Asian, Mexican and more. Register online

La Petite Ecole New York

La Petite Ecole will host an online summer camp from June 22–July 17 for children ages 2 and a half to 6. The arts and science curriculum will be immersed in French culture. Register online.

Making with MAD

These camps from the Museum of Art and Design will immerse your little one or teen in the arts, from Drawing Boot Camp to Wearable Art. The week-long sessions cost $300, $250 for MAD members. Register online.

Manhattan School of Music

The renowned institution is bringing its annual summer experience online from July 6–August 7. Instrumentalists and vocalists ages 8–17 will be able to hone their craft through both group lessons and private lessons. Plus, they'll be able to catch up with peers during fun virtual socials. Register online

Met Opera Global Summer Camp

This one-of-a-kind experience is a completely free eight-week opera camp from June 15–Aug 7. The program offers a variety of daily activities (think song-writing and crafts) that focus on one opera per week. Campers can join at any time. This sounds like it's worthy of a standing ovation. Register online.

Mill Basin Day Camp

Mill Basin is holding in-person camp, following the social distancing regulations set by New York State. Camp is 8:25am-4pm, and starts at $2350 for a four-week session of three days per week. Early drop-off and late pick-up options available. Register online

NYC Virtual Field Trips

This collection of free virtual summer camps curated by NYC & Company includes offerings from some of the city's best cultural institutions. Performing arts, children's museums, dance workshops, walking tours: There are more than 80 camps and events to choose from. Find the full list online

NYCFC

All summer camps will be online this year. The five-day program is broken into sections including daily themes, ball manipulation and skill zone activities from either 9:30am–12:30pm or 1:30–4:30pm. Register online

The New York Sewing Center

Fashionistas can explore their love of garments during the virtual kids' summer camp offerings for ages 7–10 and 11–14. Classes will be broken up into three time slots five days per week and focus on the fundamentals before kids work their way up to projects like scrunchies, elastic waist skirts and tote bags. Adult participation will be required during the sewing portions of the day. The cost is $375 per student. Register online

NYC Parks 

The 2020 camp season from the Parks Department has been canceled

play:groundNYC

Currently, play:groundNYC is on pause. You can find the latest information online

Pono 

Nothing is out of reach when it comes to Pono Summer Camp. From book clubs and cooking classes to STEM projects and even travel, this virtual offering lets kids curate their own activities and brings them to life through field trips and interactive online lessons. Camp runs from July 6–September 4 for children ages 6–14. Register online.

Rise

This performing and media arts program is staffed with artists who have professional acting, writing, clowning, dancing, directing, photo and filmmaking experience. Weekly camps run until the last week in August, and include Cirque, Stage and Filmmaker Creators; Film Passion Passport & Podcast Blast; and HAM JAM: HAMILTON! Camps take place Mon-Fri 1-3pm, and cost $150 per week. Register online.

Shack Camp

A summer camp from Shake Shack? You bet your burger. This six-week virtual camp includes DIY activities such as putting together a lemonade stand, making campaign buttons and assembling your own sundaes. For $79, campers buy a Shack Camp Box that includes $175 worth of materials—and coupons for free burgers and shakes. Proceeds will help support the Fresh Air Fund. Order Shack Camp Boxes online.   

Third Street Music School 

Musicians can explore chamber music, piano, dance and musical theatre from home this summer thanks to Third Street Music School's virtual camp. Additionally, those who register can take mini-courses that allows them to explore areas of Third Street they have not previously encountered. Register online

Transformations

This annual summer camp from the Museum of Mathematics is going online this year! The immersive math-themed camps are geared for different age groups, grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-9, and are held Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. The cost is $650 per week. Register online

Treasure Trunk Theatre 

The fun is going online this summer at the Treasure Trunk Theatre. Prices vary for the camps, which are offered around themes such as Beauty and the Beast, Superheroes, Musical Fun and more. Register online.

Virtual Filmmaking and Screen Acting Summer Camp

This online camp from the Young Film Academy in the UK teaches the cinematic arts to young cineasts and actors. The camp £675 per week (about $850). Register online.

Virtual Summer Camps at the New York Hall of Science

The virtual summer camps for science-minded kids ages 8-10 from the New York Hall of Science includes Science With a Boom (which explores how science makes things go boom, from chemical interactions to sound vibration), and Brain Works (which makes connections between brain, art and science). The week camps cost $150 per week. Register online.

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