Your Patch Guide to Picking the Perfect Summer Camp

There's still snow on the ground, but many parents have already begun searching for the perfect summer camp for their kids. With so many choices, the process can be time consuming and stressful.

We've put together this local summer camp guide to help take some of the guesswork out of picking the right one for your child.

Parents have to begin by narrowing down the choices. Is your child ready for a sleepaway camp or are you looking for a day camp closer to home? Should you choose a specialty camp that focuses on certain skills or values? And maybe most important, what can you afford?

Adam Weinstein, the executive director of Camp Wizard, said there's no magic formula to finding the right camp.

"In choosing a camp, you have to look at what's the best match for your child and family. For some families, what kind of mission or values the camp has is important. For others it's how comfortable they are with the director. Or what is the quality of tennis instruction or the facilities? You're going to find different levels of all those things," he said.

 The group's Web site, CampWizard.org, helps parents hone in on specific camps –both sleepaway and day camps–that meet their needs. You can narrow your options by choosing a region, whether you want a coed or single-sex camp, length of session, specialty and budget. Camp Wizard will find camps that match your criteria – and all of them are accredited by the American Camping Association, meaning they've met 300 health and safety standards. Camp Wizard also has a staff member, Renee Flax, dedicated to talking parents through the process. 

Most parents should start looking for a summer day camp now, Weinstein said. He suggests parents plan a year ahead when looking for a resident camp, so if you're looking for a camp for summer 2011, you should start visiting them this summer.

"It's great to see the camps in action, get a tour, meet the directors," Weinstein said. "The earlier you choose the more financial options you have and the more financial planning you can do." 

If you want to send your child to a sleepaway camp this summer and haven't toured the facilities, Weinstein said it's a good idea to talk to parents whose kids have already been there and the camp directors. Make sure the camp is ACA-approved. 

Sleepaway vs. Day Camp 

Both sleepaway and day camps offer a variety of programs including swimming, sports instruction, hiking, and arts and crafts. There are also religion-based camps, those that focus on special skills from gymnastics to theater and karate, and camps that serve kids with special needs. Length of stay and prices at sleepaway camps vary widely – on the low end, you'll pay around $500 a week and about $1,000 a week on the high end. Day camps are generally more affordable, particularly when run by non-profits like the YMCA or your town's recreation department. Most private resident camps don't offer financial aid, but Weinstein said that if your child has been to a camp and the family's economic situation has changed, it's worthwhile to talk to the director and find out if there are other financial options available. 

Sleepaway camps cater to kids as young as 7 up through teenagers. How will you know if your child is ready to go away to camp? Weinstein said if your child is saying they want to go, they're probably ready. Resident camps focus on building independence and confidence, but you should ask yourself how independent your child is already. 

"Are they comfortable sleeping at other people's houses and comfortable being away from their parents for an extended period?" Weinstein said. 

He added that people often make the mistake of thinking the length of a camp stay will determine how well a child will adjust. "If I'm going to be homesick, I'm going to be homesick for the first two days," Weinstein said. After that, most kids are fine, he said. 

You probably won't find a sleepaway camp in Westchester County itself, but there are several options nearby in the Catskills and Hudson Valley. You can check CampWizard.org for more information. Below are several day camps across Westchester. If you're interested in one, call to schedule a tour. 

Scarsdale 

Camp Hillard – www.camphillard.com, Phone: 914-949-8857
Started in 1929, Camp Hillard is Westchester's first day camp, serving kids from 3 to 13 years old. Programs include swimming and sports instruction, horseback riding, tennis, and creative and performing arts workshops. Transportation to and from camp is provided. June 29 through Aug. 19. Cost: $7,600 for full summer.  

JCC Midwestchester Camps -- www.jccmw.org, Contact: Director Caryn Symons Email:symonsc@jccmw.org, Phone: 914-472-3300 x 336
The JCC camp offers six different that celebrate camper individuality and Jewish American tradition: Camp Gadol, Camp Xtreme, Summer Arts Center, Dance Intensive, Toward Tomorrow, and the CIT Summer Experience. Coed for kids 2 to 15; seven-week sessions. Cost: $500 to $650 a week. 

Chappaqua-Mount Kisco

Wagon Road Day Camp in Chappaqua – www.childrensaidsociety.org/wagonroad
Contact: Vince Canziani Email: vincec@childrensaidsociety.org, Phone: 914-238-4761
Wagon Road is a coed camp for kids 6 through 13 run by the Children's Aid Society that serves kids with special needs, including those with asthma or respiratory ailments. The camp also has an overnight respite program for developmentally disabled kids ages 7 to 17. Cost: $200 to $350 a week. Financial aid is available. 

Bits, Bytes & Bots in Mount Kisco -- http://bitsbytesbots.com/locations/westchester-ny/ Email:westchester@bitsbytesbots.com, Phone: 914-218-8175 
Bits, Bytes & Bots Summer Camp provides a "mental playground" for kids, where they can build and program robots, make animated movies, create computer games and comic books. The curriculum teaches engineering, logic, problem solving, programming, and story-telling along with computer skills. Program includes beginners and advanced classes for 6 to 14-year-olds.

Cost: $315 a week. Register by April 1 and get a $20/week discount. Register for more than one week and get an additional 5% off. 

Rye 
Rye YMCA Discovery Camp -- www.ryeymca.org/camp_discovery.htm, Phone: 914-967-6363
The Discovery Camp is for kids 4 to 11, split into a lower camp (pre-K to first grade) and an uppercamp (second to fifth grade). Campers learn the YMCA's four core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through character development education built into all programs. Cost: There are four two-week sessions, costing $440 to $450 for two weeks. Membership to the Y is required. The YMCAsummer program also offers Just 3 and Kinder Camps, Sports Camps, Teen Expeditions and more. 

Bedford-Katonah
The Bedford Learning Center – Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bedford-NY/The-Bedford-Learning-Center/227808816850
Email: BedfordLearning@aol.com, Phone: (914) 234-2620
At The Bedford Learning Center kids enjoy a fun, relaxed and small group experience. Mini-camp themes include: arts/crafts, science/nature, cooking, animals, and children's literature. Programs are offered during vacation weeks and three weeks before camp starts in June. Camp classroom centers include dramatic play, blocks, art, literacy and science areas. During the school year, they offer afternoon enrichment classes for preschool children. 

Katonah Art Center -- www.katonahartcenter.com Phone: (914) 232-4843
The Katonah Art Center offers weekly half-day or full-day camps in art, computer art, pottery and photography. The camps cater to three age groups: Art and Imagination Camp (ages 3 1/2 - 5); Children's Art Camp (grades 1 - 5) and Teen Art Camp (grades 6 and up). Cost: Children and Teens Art Camps cost $335/week for five half-day session, and $560/week for five full-day sessions. Cost of the Art and Imagination Camp varies widely based on how many days a week your child attends. All camps provide an extended day program from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for an additional $75 a week. 

Harrison 
Harrison Recreation Center – http://www.town.harrison.ny.us/recreation.aspx Email:recreation@harrison-ny.gov, Phone: 914-670-3035 
The Harrison Recreation Center offers a number of year-round youth programs, many of them free. You can download a schedule from their Web site. This summer, the Rec Center will offer a one-week intensive film camp for ages 11 to 14 and one for ages 8 to 10. With guidance from professional filmmakers, aspiring filmmakers will work as a team to produce short films as actors, directors, camera operators, writers, editors, and light and sound engineers. Cost: $295 for older group; $275 for younger group. Fee includes materials, equipment and a DVD of the finished product. Contact Patrick McCullogh at 413-320-6071 for more information. 

Larchmont-Mamaroneck 
Applause Westchester, Mamaroneck – www.applauseny.com Phone: 914-835-2200
Applause Westchester presents Camp Applause, week-long theater camps. Each week your child will cycle through classes such as acting, singing, set design, audition technique, Broadway dance, hip-hop, acting for TV, costume design and more. Different weekly themes and a visit from a Broadway star are highlights of each session. Week-long summer camps run from July through Sept. 3. Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: Camp Applause Stars (4 & 5 year olds) $275 a week. Camp Applause (K-5th grade) $495 a week. 

Badger Sports Camp, Larchmont – www.badgersportsclub.com Phone: 914-834-1084
Badger is a classic all-around, day camp with activities that include swimming, baseball, basketball, soccer, gymnastics, tennis, tae-kwando, yoga, arts and crafts, and miniature golf. Operated by the Collins family since 1945, Badger camp includes hot lunch, door-to-door transportation, and towels. For kids ages 3-13. Cost: $4,500 for 4 weeks. Four week minimum, dates are flexible. 

Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow 
YMCA Tarrytown -- http://www.ymcatarrytown.org/child_care.htm#summercamp
The Tarrytown YMCA offers a number of summer programs for all ages. For information about the Tiny Tots and Kinder Care Camps, call Susan Barak at 914- 631-4807 ext. 26.
Camp Combe program is designed for children ages 4 –15 to enhance self-esteem, build interpersonal relationships, develop skills, appreciate the environment, work on character development and have fun.Camp Combe is located on 80 acres of wilderness in Putnam Valley. Featuring Mini Camp, Big Camp, Arts Camp, Camp Y Tech, Camp Upward Bound. Reservations and deposits are being accepted now. Prices for the different camps vary. For more information contact Camp Combe at 845-526-0808. 

Summer Shakespeare Camp for students entering grades 2- 5 and 6-12. Intensive, four-week program culminating in multiple outdoor performances of Shakespeare at Patriot's Park in Tarrytown. Kids will be able to hone their acting skills, design costumes, create props and sets and produce a show. Cost: tuition for 2-5 graders is $800; tuition for 6-12 graders is $900. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact Barbara Turk at 914-631-4807 ext. 19. 

Off the Beaten Path 
Circus Arts Camp -- www.circusartscampny.com
Email: mail@circusartscampny.com Phone: 914-923-4650 
555 West Hartsdale Avenue, Hartsdale 
420 S. Riverside Avenue, #174, Croton 

Your kids can run away to the circus this summer, minus the creepy carnies. Safety-certified instructors teach juggling, clowning, unicycling, trapeze, wire walking, balancing and more. For kids ages 7 and up. Three, 2-week sessions run 6/28 through 8/6, each session ending with a student performance. Aerial Arts Week is offered 8/9 to 8/13, featuring instruction in the lyra, Spanish web and flying trapeze. Cost: $1,500 per session, $450 deposit; Counselor in Training program: $575 per session; $275 deposit; Aerial Arts Week: $800, $350 deposit. 

School of Rock – www.schoolofrock.com Email: Westchester@SchoolofRock.com Phone: 914-234-0418
The Paul Green School of Rock, 12 Court Rd., Bedford
The School of Rock – inspired by the movie of the same name starring Jack Black – says it's "saving rock and roll one kid at a time." Students enrolled in the Performance Camp or Song Writing/RecordingCamp will spend their weeks working in a hands-on atmosphere learning performance techniques and the complexities of being in a rock band. Workshops will include group lessons on an instrument of their choice (guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals), music theory instructions, rehearsal techniques, performance practice, songwriting and group band rehearsals. All students will perform a real all-ages rock show on the last day of the program. For kids 7-18. Cost: Camp 1 Performance, June 28-July 2: $595. Camp 2 Songwriting and Performance, July 12-July 23: $1,500. Camp 3 Performance Aug. 2-Aug. 13: $1,250. Camp 4 Performance, Aug. 23-27: $595.