Nassau County Summer Day Camps

Summer seems so far away, but it’s time to start making plans, especially if your children are hoping to go to camp.  There are hundreds of summer camps on Long Island to choose from.  The camps listed below were chosen for their American Camp Association accreditations and/or because we thought they sounded especially intriguing.  We also decided to include primarily co-ed camps although there are boys-only and girls-only camps out there.  Many of the organizations listed offer multiple camp options so please do check out their websites to see what else may be on offer. 

These are the camps that offer children a wide range of activities including sports, games, arts and crafts. Some of them have overnight options but most are day camps. There are many other wonderful camps out there that we did not have room to list here.

Hofstra University Summer Camps


Hofstra University
900 Fulton Ave, Hempstead

Grades 2–9
July 2 – August 17
9AM – 4PM with extended hours options
Hofstra summer camp provides a half day of elective specialty workshops and a half day of recreational sports and swimming instruction. There are more than 50 electives available in sports, academics, art, music, theater, and dance. Options include such diverse choices as cheerleading, cartooning, rock music, robotics, marine biology, baseball, bowling, and fashion design. All of their offerings are detailed in their 45-page summer-camp brochure or on their website here. You can also find more information by calling them at (516) 463-6114.  There will be a camp OPEN HOUSE on Saturday, March 31 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM.  Costs of all programs include door-to-door transportation from most of Nassau and from several pick-up spots in Suffolk, Queens, and Manhattan.

Long Island University Post Summer Day Camp
720 Northern Blvd, Brookville
Ages 5-16
July 2 – August 17
LIU Post Summer Camp is housed on a lovely historic college campus complete with nature trails, swimming pools, spacious classrooms and grassy playing fields. The camp offers children a wide range of fun electives including cooking, drama, dance, computers, arts and crafts, swimming, and natural history. Children 12-14 may also go on field trips. For more information, visit their website or call (516) 227-9697. Cost for 1 week is $430 per child.  Cost for all seven weeks is $2,520. There is a discount if you sign up before June 1, 2012. The camp also offers an extended-day program for an additional fee.

Miss Sue's Summer Fun
1191 Old Country Rd, Plainview
 
Ages 3-5
June 25 – August 17
9:45 AM – 4:00 PM or mini-day to 2:00 PM
This delightful day camp is run by the staff of Miss Sue’s Nursery and Kindergarten and is exclusively for children ages 3 to 5. Activities include swimming instruction, games, arts and crafts, and rock climbing. Each week the camp invites in special educators and entertainers such as magicians, traveling planetariums, pony rides, live animals, and circus acts. At the end of camp parents have the opportunity to perform for the campers Children may enroll for 4, 6, or 8 weeks and choose to attend 2 to 5 days per week. The cost of 4 full weeks is $3,895, which includes door-to-door transportation and a hot lunch. Enroll by February 29th for a $200 discount. For more information visit the website or call (516) 227-9717.

Buckley Country Day Camp

2 IU Willets Rd, Roslyn
 
Kindergarten-grade 10
July 2 – August 24
This camp offers a broad range of activities to suit children’s interests on a lovely large campus. There are programs in art, writing, music, drama, science, and sports. All campers have swimming instruction daily, and there is optional swimming free time as well. Rates for two weeks of camp are $2,695 and $7,245 for the full eight weeks. Transportation from home to camp is included in the fees; there is a $40 credit per week if your camper does not use the bus. For the full schedule or more information please visit their website or call them at (516) 365-7760.

Rolling River Day Camp

East Rockaway

Pre-K – Grade 10
June 28 – August 21
Rolling River has been providing kids with summer adventures for 20 years. Their campus is well shaded and on the shores of the scenic Mill River. The program includes swimming, sports, free play, arts and crafts, and academic-enrichment options for four, six, or eight weeks. For children in the pre-K camp a half day option is available. Costs vary by age group and of course number of weeks: A four-week session would be $3,300 for grades 1-4 and $3,500 for grades 5-8. Prices go up by about $100 per four week session after March 31. For more information see their website or call (516) 593-2267.

Oasis Point Lookout
15 Parkside Ave, Point Lookout
Ages 4 – 11
June 25 – August 24
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM with extended-day options
This popular traditional summer day camp program has two branches on Long Island. The Point Lookout program offers children access to a beautiful beach, basketball and tennis courts, and a skate park. Children will enjoy a full day of sports, arts, outdoor education and swimming with occasional field trips. You can also opt for your child to spend a half day in a Campers Choice Academy focused on athletics, science, or fine arts. You may enroll for a minimum of two consecutive weeks or any number of weeks thereafter. Cost for 2 weeks is $975 with additional fees of $60 for hot lunch service and $130 for bus service. There is a 10% discount per sibling.  For more information visit this camp’s Web page or call Oasis headquarters at (888) 401-0512.

Oasis on the Sound
158 Manorhaven Blvd, Manorhaven 
June 25 – August 24
The camp has access to all of the facilities of the Manorhaven Beach park, including extensive air-conditioned indoor facilities, several sports fields, tennis and basketball courts, a pool with fountains and slides, a boating facility, and of course the beach.  Activities include athletics, performing and visual arts, environmental studies, orienteering, swimming instruction and more. You may enroll for a minimum of two consecutive weeks or any number of weeks thereafter.  Cost for 2 weeks is $975 with additional fees of $60 for hot lunch service and $150 for bus service.  There is a 10% discount per sibling.  If you register by February 29th you receive a free week of hot lunches. For more information visit this camp’s webpage or call Oasis headquarters at (888) 401-0512

Coleman Country Day Camp
55 Babylon Tpke, Merrick 
Pre K – Grade 8
June 28 – August 22
This Western-themed camp and ranch offers a full day of traditional camp activities including swimming, canoeing, horseback riding and more.  Children entering grade 2 and above choose four in-depth activity “clubs” such as archery, basketball, cooking, computers, nature, jewelry, or fishing.  There are a ton of different options, enough to interest almost any child. The day camp also offers a weeklong circus camp option. Campers can enroll for four, six or eight week sessions. The cost for a child in grades 1-4 for a four-week session is $4,100. There are discounts for siblings. For more information visit their website or call (516) 620-4300.

Mid Island Y JCC Summer Camp
45 Manetto Hill Rd, Plainview 
Pre-K – Grade 12
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
June 28 – August 24
This Y JCC offers a traditional day camp, an early-childhood day camp, a performing-arts camp, and a teen travel camp. The day camp is located on a 300-acre partially wooded property that includes sports fields, trails, a zipline course, and four pools with diving and water slides. Camp activity options include swimming, sports, nature hikes, music, dance, computers, arts, photography and Jewish culture. You can sign up for four or eight weeks.  Costs vary by program and age of child. A four-week camp session for a child in grades 3-4 would be $2,075 and for the full session $3,450.  Additional children would be only $200 for the half session and $300 for the full summer. Transportation and lunch incur additional costs. Nonmembers should add $200. For more information you can visit their website, download the 2012 camp brochure, or call them at (516) 822-3535.

YMCA of Long Island
The YMCA of Long Island offers both traditional day camps and a wide variety of specialty camps. It also offers a wide range of programs and classes for children throughout the summer. This is one of the largest day camp programs in the country. Some of its offerings are detailed below, but a visit to the summer camp Web pages is worthwhile. Membership in the Y is required for all camps.  

Camps 'R' Us
Multiple locations
Pre-K–grade 9
June 25 – August 17
Camps 'R' Us operates summer camps on the campuses of some of the top independent schools on Long island.  All include state-of-the-art facilities and playing fields. The camp is a full-featured day camp with a mix of activities and a travel program for older teens.  They have campuses in Baldwin, Bellmore, Hicksville, Northport, and Valley Stream. You may enroll for three days or five per week and for one week up to all eight.  Cost for one full week for children in grades 1 through 6 is $500. For more information visit their website or call (516) 935-2267.

Twin Oaks Day Camp
58 Babylon Tpke
, Freeport
Ages 3 – 13
June 28 – August 22
This day camp offers swimming, sports, arts & crafts, woodworking, theater, and music on a lovely spacious campus. Each week’s programming is arranged around a theme. Campers may enroll for four, six or eight week sessions.  Cost is based on grade and length of stay. The cost for a 2nd grader for a four-week program would be $3,240, which includes lunch and door-to-door transportation. For more information visit the camp website or call (516) 623-4550
.

Friends Academy Summer Camps
Duck Pond Rd, Locust Valley 
Ages 2 - 15
This camp, on the 65-acre Friends Academy campus, provides a wide mix of sports, arts, crafts, music, and performing arts as well as daily swimming instruction. Activities include tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, ceramics, woodworking, and fun science experiments. Campers may enroll for a minimum of four weeks or for five, six and eight week sessions. There is a half-day option for kindergarten and pre-K children, and there are extended-day options as well for older age groups. Four weeks for grades 3-8 is $3,995.  For more information visit their website or call (516) 393-4207.

Camp Jacobson at Robin Hood

340 Wheatley Rd, Old Westbury 11568
Pre-K – Grade 10
Three heated pools, tennis courts, playing fields, and a rope-climbing adventure course await campers on this 15-acre summer camp run by the Sid Jacobsen JCC.  The camp especially prides itself on its low staff-child ratio and its inclusion of community-service projects and trips. Campers must enroll for a minimum of two weeks with any number of additional weeks (up to 8) possible.  Costs for nonmembers of the Sid Jacobsen JCC for two weeks for a child in kindergarten through grade 4 are $2,115. Financial assistance may be available.  For more information visit the website or call (516) 626-1094.

Merrick Woods 

1075 Merrick
 Ave, Merrick 
Pre-K – grade 8
This camp, founded in 1956, has everything a camper could want on a wooded, landscaped campus in the heart of Merrick. The complex includes three heated pools, playing fields, and 14 crafts workshops.  Activities include swimming, athletics and sports, woodworking, ceramics, puppetry, leather work, cooking, drama, and art. There is also a travel program and a counselor program for tweens and teens. You can enroll for four or eight weeks. Cost of a four-week session for grades 1-4 is $2,925. For more information visit their website or call (516) 483-7272.

Greentrees Country Day School & Camp

247 Jackson Ave
, Syosset
Ages 2-8
For 20 years this camp has provided younger children with a safe and fun summer experience. Activities include swimming, music and dance, theater, arts and crafts, cook-outs and cooking, noncompetitive sports, yoga, and gymnastics. For more information visit their website or call (516) 921-4949.

Red Robin Country Day Camp

878 Jericho Tpke, Westbury
 
Ages 2 - 10
June 27 – August 18
Since 1957 this camp has welcomed children to its campus for a full mix of activities including swimming, sports, arts and crafts. The camp is one of very few that allows campers to sign up for any 16 days or any 24 days of camp instead of the regular 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 week options. It also offers a half-day program. Cost for the four-week full-day program is $2,990, which includes transportation and lunch. For more information, visit the website or call (516) 334-1144.

Next up, Suffolk camps....