Westchester County’s Summer Camps for Kids of All Ages in County Parks

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

Whether your youngster is into bugs, bassoons or basket balls, popular summer camps offer something for kids of all ages and interests.

•Kids in grades 1 through 6 can discover the wonders of the natural world during the Children’s Summer Ecology Camp. The camp is conducted by experienced naturalists, environmental educators and teachers at Cranberry Lake Preserve in North White Plains, Marshlands Conservancy in Rye and at the Trailside Nature Museum in Cross River. Camp is held weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in six, one-week sessions, beginning July 2. The fee is $250 per session. A limited number of extended care spots are available at Cranberry Lake. For more information, call (914) 864-7326.

•Youngsters entering grades 7, 8 and 9 can have fun radio-tracking wood turtles and learning orienteering and survival skills during Conservationists in Training offered at Cranberry Lake Preserve and the Trailside Nature Museum. The program is held weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in three, two-week sessions, beginning July 2. The fee is $725 for each session. For more information, call (914) 864-7326.

•Nature Week at Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers offers a fun-filled week of adventure ranging from nature arts and crafts and cooking with a solar cooker to a visit to the butterfly garden to learn about birds, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Three, one-week sessions begin July 9; fee is $225 per week. For more information,
call (914) 968-5851.

•Boys and girls in grades 1 to 9 can hit the boards at the air-conditioned Westchester County Center during the Slam Dunk Basketball Camp. “Little Hoopers” in grades 1 and 2 runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon for $150 per session. Campers in grades 3 through 9 attend from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for $300 per session. Four, one-week sessions begin Monday, June 25. Multi-week and sibling discounts are available and a special discount rate is also offered for ten or more members from a basketball team who sign up for the same week. For more information, call (914) 864-7173.

•Aspiring duffers ages 10 through 17 can hit the greens during the “Hole-in-One” Junior Golf Camp offered at the six county golf courses: Dunwoodie and Sprain Lake in Yonkers; Hudson Hills in Ossining; Maple Moor in White Plains; Mohansic in Yorktown Heights; and Saxon Woods in Scarsdale. Taught by top Professional Golf Association pros, the camp meets for two hours Monday through Thursday and runs in four-days-per week sessions. Fee for each session is $50. Times and days vary at each course. Call for more information at (914) 864-7173.

•A Volleyball Camp for girls in grades 6 through 10 is offered for all levels of ability at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. Two week-long sessions are offered beginning July 30: grades 6 through 8 meet from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and grades 9 through 12 meet from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fee is $125 per week for middle school camp and $175 per week for high school camp. For more information, call (914) 864-7173.

•The Westchester Summer Music Center at the Westchester County Center in White Plains is a six-week music instruction program for young people in grades 3 through 12, providing daily class instruction in band and orchestral instruments, along with keyboard, guitar and recorder. The program runs from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. daily, beginning June 25 Tuition is $550 for Westchester residents registering before May 25; $600 afterward. Discounts are available for the third member of a family, as well as for Park Pass holders; for non-residents, fees are $75 higher. For information, call (914) 864-7173.

For more information and for applications for all summer camps, go to westchestergov.com/parks or call (914) 864-7000.