Long before school lets out and the first flip-flops come out of storage, many families are already thinking ahead to summer. How will kids spend those long, unscheduled weeks? In the Hudson Valley, the options are abundant and varied, with programs designed to meet children where they are—curious, creative, energetic, or all of the above. From outdoor adventures and hands-on nature programs to arts, music, and maker-focused camps, these offerings give kids room to explore new interests, build confidence, and have a lot of fun along the way.
Wild Earth Wilderness School
2307 Lucas Turnpike, High Falls | (845) 256-9830
Wildearth.org
Join Wild Earth for Summer Camp! Youth ages 4–17 connect with nature and friends within a camp culture of inclusion, belonging, and joy. Campers explore nature through open-ended play, sensory-rich games, and skills like fire-making, shelter-building, and natural crafts. Engaging challenges build teamwork and leadership, as youth grow confidence and contribute to camp. Staff are trained in safety, first aid, CPR, and in supporting youth developmental needs. With 60% alumni leaders and over 90% returning staff, their experienced team meets youth where they are across developmental stages. Camps are in High Falls, with busing from Kingston and New Paltz. For a sneak peak, join their Spring Break Camp in Kerhonkson!
Hawthorne Valley Farm Camp
Ghent (518) 672-4465 ext 203
Hawthornevalleysummercamp.org
Discover the magic of farm camp! Nestled in the picturesque Hudson Valley, Hawthorne Valley’s Farm Camp invites kids and teens ages 8-16 to an unplugged summer full of adventure, discovery, and connection. On a 900-acre working farm, campers dive into hands-on experiences—caring for animals, tending gardens, and harvesting fresh ingredients for farm-to-table meals. Days are brimming with classic camp fun like arts and crafts, games, archery, swimming, and exploring nature. Campers grow lasting friendships while learning the interconnected wonders of humans, plants, and animals. Whether joining for day or overnight sessions, every camper leaves with unforgettable memories, new skills, and a deeper appreciation for the world around them. Spaces fill quickly—register now for an unforgettable summer adventure!
Berkshire South’s Action Adventures Day Camp
Great Barrington, MA (413) 528-2810 ext 34
Berkshiresouth.org/aadc
Berkshire South’s camp is packed with play and exploration! Campers will perform STEM experiments, build castles, make healthy snacks, craft, play games, and go on fun field trips. They will also have access to onsite amenities including playgrounds, fields, trails, and pools. Camp runs from June 22-August 20, for ages 5-14.
Hudson River Maritime Museum Voyager Camp
Kingston (845) 338-0071 Hrmm.org/youth-sailing
Set sail on an unforgettable adventure with the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Voyager Program! Perfect for ages 9-17, this hands-on, all day summer camp blends sailing, boatbuilding, woodworking and STEAM activities into one extraordinary experience. From July 6 to August 14, HRMM offers young Seafarers, ages 9-12, and Navigators, ages 13-17, six action-packed weeks of learning from professional educators, woodworkers and certified sailing instructors. Whether exploring the Hudson’s rich maritime history, crafting boats or enjoying three hours of daily sailing, kids will build confidence, creativity and lasting friendships. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind journey–register now for one week (or more!) for a summer of discovery and fun.
Growing Circle Children’s House
Gardiner (845) 255-4224 Growing-circle.com
Growing Circle Children’s House is a Montessori-based early childhood program serving children ages three to five in Gardiner. Housed in a renovated farmhouse, the school emphasizes learning that unfolds at a child’s natural pace, guided by curiosity, care, and close attention to social-emotional development.
Rooted in Montessori philosophy, Growing Circle’s approach is summed up by its guiding idea: “where wonder meets wisdom.” Children’s natural curiosity about the world is taken seriously and brought to life through meaningful activity and hands-on, concrete materials. Rather than following a rigid daily schedule, teachers respond to the questions and interests children bring with them, allowing learning to emerge organically. The classroom is designed as a prepared environment that supports independence, collaboration, and confidence, while mixed-age groupings encourage children to learn from one another. The school’s small size further fosters a sense of trust, belonging, and community.
That emphasis on environment extends outdoors, where nature plays a central role in daily life. Gardens, sand and water play, grassy areas, and winding stone paths invite exploration, movement, and imaginative play, reinforcing the idea that learning happens everywhere.
Growing Circle also offers an eight-week Summer Program, running July 6 through August 28, with half-day (9am–12pm) and full-day options available. The summer session is largely outdoors, with themed weeks that rotate through creative, physical, and artistic activities. Families may enroll for the full summer or select individual weeks, offering flexibility alongside continuity of care.
Mountain Laurel Waldorf School
New Paltz (845) 255-0033 Mountainlaurel.org/summer
Conveniently located in the heart of New Paltz, this summer program offers an enriching and nurturing Waldorf-inspired environment for children ages 3-10. Both residents and summer visitors to the Hudson Valley are welcome. Mountain Laurel’s beloved and experienced lead instructors bring wonder and adventure through outdoor play, crafts, building projects using natural materials, song, games, storytelling, and water play. Rhythm and reverence will follow children throughout the day. There are eight one-week sessions from June 23 to August 15. Monday-Friday, from 9am to 3pm. One-week sessions are $450 (or $375 before March 1!) Sibling discounts are available. Space is limited, so registering early is encouraged.
The Vanaver Caravan
New Paltz (845) 243-4927 Vanavercaravan.org
Experience the joy of dance this summer with The Vanaver Caravan. CaravanKids, for ages 4-8, held July 7-19, and SummerDance for ages 9-18, held July 28-August 8, offer movement, music, and cultural exploration in a supportive community. A hidden gem of the Hudson Valley, these programs nurture creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love of dance.
Seed Song Farm
Kingston (845) 383-1528 Seedsongfarm.org
Give children the gift of summer fun! Kids ages 4-16 connect with nature through farming, caring for animals, art, and outdoor adventures. Campers foster creativity, teamwork, and environmental stewardship in a supportive, hands-on environment. Flexible weekly registration.
Woodstock Day School
Saugerties (845) 246-3744 Woodstockdayschool.org/summer-adventure
Summer Adventure 2026 is calling! Kids ages 3-11 can enjoy swimming, art, music, drumming, and nature in this full-day program. Speciality camps for ages 5-18 include Animation, Photography, Ceramics, Media Arts, Rock Jam and Theater. Week-long sessions are available between July 6–August 14.
Curious Jane Camp
Woodstock Day School, Saugerties (347) 770-0420 Curiousjane.fun
For girls who like to make things, look no further! Programming is two weeks only during August 3-7 and 10-14. Campers can enjoy project-packed themes like Fab Lab, Room Makeover, Craft Party, Carnival, and Toy Design. Choose a week, choose a theme! For girls entering K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-6th grades.
The Art Effect
Poughkeepsie (845) 471-7477 Thearteffect.org/summer-2026
The Art Effect’s summer art camps and classes empower young artists ages 5-19 to explore fine art, digital art, and performing arts while strengthening their self-confidence, creative thinking, and art-making techniques. Professional teaching artists lead your child or teen to imagine, discover, create, and have fun this summer. Register today!
Woodland Playhouse
Phoenicia (845) 688-3320 WoodlandPlayhouse.com
Entering its tenth year of summer day camp, Woodland Playhouse offers a variety of options for children aged 2-12, ranging from art and music to outdoor exploration and hikes and bikes. Time is spent in small groups, exclusively outdoors, adventuring and deepening connections with each other and the earth. Extended-day hours are available until 5pm.
Olana State Historic Site
Hudson (518) 567-2170 Olana.org/panorama
Dive into Frederic Church’s Olana during five weeks of hands-on exploration for children ages 6-11 from July to August. Experience art, science, architecture and nature through sketching, lake exploration, hiking, painting, play, and more, with special guest visits and creative activities. Don’t miss this unforgettable summer adventure!
Garrison Art Center
Garrison | (845) 424-3960 | Garrisonartcenter/summer-programs
This summer, Garrison Art Center invites young artists to dive into creativity with three inspiring programs—Summer Arts on the Hudson, Art a la Carte, and the Summer Art Institute. Designed for kindergarten through high school, students explore new skills, make friends, and create something unforgettable.
YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County
Camp locations in New Paltz, Kingston, and Shokan | Ymcaulster.org
On a summer morning in Kingston, the ramp leading into the YMCA fills with a familiar soundtrack: hands clapping in unison, kids chanting, counselors calling out instructions that quickly dissolve into laughter. It’s the sound of Camp Starfish in full swing—and for generations of local families, it signals that summer has officially begun.
The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County runs three distinct day camps, each designed to meet kids where they are developmentally while delivering the shared joy, camaraderie, and sense of belonging that define the Y camp experience. From nature-immersive days at Camp Seewackamano in Shokan to learning-forward programs at Camp Starfish in Kingston and all-day adventures at Camp Wiltmeet in New Paltz, these camps offer different flavors of summer, united by a common ethos.
“Our camps are really about youth development,” says Katie Giordano, the Y’s Youth Development Director. “Our counselors are deeply invested in the whole child—socially, emotionally, and developmentally. We believe in our four core values—caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility—and those values guide everything we do, from how staff show up to how campers treat one another.”
Camp Seewackamano (ages pre-K through grade 9), the Y’s traditional outdoor camp, unfolds across 34.7 wooded acres in Shokan. Each morning, a bus from the Kingston YMCA brings campers to a landscape of lake water, trails, ropes courses, and open fields. On any given day, foursquare games are in full rotation, boats skim across the water, and a distinctive metallic ping rings out from the camp’s beloved rock barrel—an invitation for the entire camp to erupt into cheers.
“That moment captures it,” Giordano says. “There’s this constant energy—celebration, joy, excitement—moving across the whole site. With around 300 campers a day, something is always happening.”
In Kingston, Camp Starfish (ages pre-K through grade 5) offers a different rhythm, blending play with purpose. Hosted at the YMCA’s Broadway facility, Starfish focuses on preventing summer learning loss while keeping days active and fun. Campers swim daily, work with educators at the YMCA Farm Project, and participate in literacy-based programming designed to keep young minds engaged. Breakfast and lunch are provided, easing the load for families. “We track where kids are at the beginning and end of the summer,” Giordano explains. “It’s about maintaining momentum, so they head back to school feeling confident.”
Then there’s Camp Wiltmeet (ages pre-K through grade 9), based out of Duzine Elementary School in New Paltz. Wiltmeet leans into classic camp traditions—songs, games, sports, and wacky group activities—alongside weekly trips to Moriello Pool and special excursions like Renegades Camp Day.
Across all three camps, the throughline is staff. “Our counselors are the magic,” Giordano says. “They model the values we care about, and they create an environment where kids feel safe being themselves—and making new friends.”
Registration is now open, with flexible session options and income-based financial aid available. Families are encouraged to register early, as sessions fill quickly. Full program details, session dates, and pricing are available through the YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County’s Day Camps.
For many campers, the verdict is simple. As one Starfish camper announced after his first day last summer: “Best day ever!”
This article appears in February 2026.
