Exciting Summers Await For Youth At Camps
/By Jano Tontangco
jontangco@longislandergroup.com
The Town of Huntington has a range of summer camps with exciting programs that help keep kids sharp, creative and challenged over their summer breaks. And even though we just entered the winter months, some places are already open for registration.
Campers at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts can choose from a diverse selection of classes within the departments of art, music, dance, theater, chess, writing and nature. Photo courtesy of Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts.
Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts
The Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts is not-for-profit summer camp located at 185 Colonial Springs Road in Wheatley Heights for children aged 4 to 18.
Established in 1968, the camp boasts a range of classes and activities in the departments of art, music, dance, theater, chess, writing and nature. Recently introduced classes include architecture design, yoga, lego design, hip-hop and lyrical dancing and even Quidditch of Harry Potter fame. The campers’ day lasts from 10 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.
The camp offers several session options. The seven-week session is offered from June 27 through Aug. 12, with tuition ranging from $4,950 to $5,450. The four-week session is from June 27 through July 22, with tuition coming in at $3,950. The three-week session “A” begins on June 27 until July 15. The three-week session “B” runs from July 25 until Aug. 12. Tuition for three-week sessions is $2,950. Transportation and fees included. For more information, visit usdan.org.
Dix Hills Adventure Camp
The Town of Huntington offers its own camps and programs, including the Dix Hills Adventure Camp. Children entering first through eighth grade are eligible to enroll. They can enjoy swimming, ice skating, arts and crafts, sports and group games. The program is broken down into four session over eight weeks.
Session 1 takes place from June 27 to July 8, with no camp on July 3 for the holiday. Session 2 begins on July 11 and ends on July 22. Session 3 runs from July 25 to Aug. 5; Session 4 is Aug. 7 to to Aug. 19. Days begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at 3:45 p.m.
Each session costs $412 for Huntington residents with a recreation card and $541 for other participants.
There is also a preschool adventure camp for children entering kindergarten, which runs from 8:45 a.m. until 11:35 a.m. It has the same session dates and costs $270 with a recreation card, and $370 without one. Online registration starts Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. Starting Feb. 10, in-person registration is available at the Dix Hills Park Ice Rink or at Town Hall. For more information, call (631) 499-8058.
West Hills Day Camp
The West Hills Day Camp is hosted on an 18-acre property in Huntington and is home to a plethora of programs for children ranging from preschool up to 11th grade.
The camp has a varied array of classes, covering photography to ceramics. They also offer activities like lacrosse, zip-lining, Zumba, fishing and boating. The days run from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Additionally, the camp sponsors two travel programs, the junior program for sixth- and seventh graders, and the teen travel program for eighth through 11th graders. This year, campers in the junior program will be traveling to a dude ranch, Cape Cod, Toronto, Brownstone, Mountain Creek and a week in Ohio.
In the teen program, they will be traveling to New Hampshire, Lehigh Valley, Virginia Beach, Hershey Park, Lake George and a week in Colorado.
Costs range anywhere from $2,000 to $9,000, depending on the programs and activities selected. For more information, visit westhillsdaycamp.com.
