7 Unique Summer Day Camps in New Jersey - Things to Do In New Jersey

NJ Summer Day Camps Offer Unusual Options That Kids Will Love

It may be January but – before you know it – summer will soon be here and parents all over New Jersey will be looking for fun things to do in New Jersey for their kids. Looking for a summer day camp in New Jersey that you and your child will both love? Trying to find a NJ day camp that’s a little different this summer? Check out these unique summer day camps in New Jersey!

Note: A few of these summer camps have not updated their websites with 2017 camp registration information yet. We recommend subscribing to receive email updates or following these camps on social media to be informed when 2017 registration is open as space is often limited.

Unique Summer Day Camps in New Jersey

Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey –
Junior & Senior Shakespeare Corp

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey
36 Madison Avenue
Madison, NJ

Every summer, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey offers kids an opportunity to receive instruction in the theatre arts in a professional environment. The Theatre’s fun and fast-paced programs culminate in a Saturday performance of a piece of classic literature. Past performances have included Beowulf, The Tragedy of Macbeth, Persephone: A Light in the Darkness, Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more. The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Junior Corp is for students ages 10-14, while the Senior Corp is for students ages 14-18.

“Cleared for Takeoff” Aviation Camp at Alexandria Field

Alexandria Field
70 Airport Road
Pittstown, NJ

Got a kid who’s fascinated by planes, or loves science and technology? They’d probably love a week at Aviation Camp! “Cleared for Takeoff” Aviation Day Camp at Alexandria Field provides participants from 5th through 9th grade with opportunities to explore the wide variety of content areas required to become a private pilot. Through participation in camp activities, students develop confidence, leadership skills, and the ability to contribute to a group learning experience. The Living Laboratory offers a hands-on opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, and math and gets kids excited about taking on these types of challenges in an experiential, fun environment. This Central New Jersey camp is led by Certified Flight Instructors from Alexandria Field’s (N85) flight school.

Buehler Challenger and Science Center Space Camp

Buehler Challenger and Science Center
400 Paramus Road, Lot C
Paramus, NJ

Kids that are aiming a bit higher than an airplane will take them are sure to love a summer camp where they can be an astronaut in training! Campers at the Buehler Challenger and Science Center Space Camp learn about living and working in space, the forces of flight, and investigate the possibility of life in other parts of the universe! Activities include rocketry, robotics, engineering, simulated space missions to Comet Halley, the Moon and Mars, and more and are designed to engage students in fun, dynamic, hands-on exploration and discovery opportunities that strengthen knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This unique New Jersey summer day camp offers programs for students from Pre-K through 12th grade.

Summer Farm Camps Howell Living History Farm

Howell Living History Farm
70 Woodens Lane
Lambertville, NJ

Enjoy fun on the farm this summer at the Howell Living History Farm’s Summer Farm Camp! Every summer, the Howell Living History Farm allows campers to experience hands-on care of farm animals, helping with chores, feeding, gathering eggs, and more. In the garden, campers plant, cultivate, and harvest seasonal vegetables. Every day focuses on a different farm highlight in a 1900’s setting. Camp activities also include crafts, stories, games, and hayrides. The Howell Living History Farm’s Summer Farm Camp is for children ages 6 through 12.

Old Barracks Museum Summer Day Camp

Old Barracks Museum
101 Barrack Street
Trenton, NJ

Does your child enjoy learning about history? Then you’ll want to check out the Old Barracks Museum’s Summer Day Camp! Every summer, New Jersey children muster into George Washington’s army at the Old Barracks, where camp life on the Old Barracks parade ground (used over 200 years ago by British, Hessian, and American Soldiers) is recreated! Camp participants have the opportunity to experience 18th century cooking, music, crafts, and more. They also march to other nearby historic sites and drill according to Baron von Steuben’s Manual of Arms. The Old Barracks Museum’s Summer Day Camp provides children ages 9 through 12 with a rich cultural experience (unlike any other in New Jersey) in a fun environment!

Marine Science Day Camp
at the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium

New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium
22 Magruder Road
Fort Hancock, NJ

Does your child love the beach, science, or marine animals? Then Marine Science Day Camp might be just the ticket for them this summer! The Marine Science Day Camp at the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium offers fun, hands-on learning opportunities that are perfect for children interested in the ocean and marine life. Camp is held on Sandy Hook and combines outdoor explorations of the beach and bay with laboratory experiments and fun, educational games and crafts. Topics include Oceanography, Robotics in Ocean Exploration, Marine Biology, Environmental Science, and more. Sessions are targeted towards specific grade levels and are offered for kids from 3rd through 9th grade.

Camp Palisades

Palisades Interstate Park
Alpine Boat Basin and Picnic Area
Palisades Interstate Parkway Exit 2
Alpine, NJ

Here’s a unique New Jersey day camp that’s perfect for kids who love high adventure in the outdoors! Every summer, the NJ Section of the Palisades Interstate Park offers a nature day camp for children ages 8 to 12. Led by the park’s trail crew, Camp Palisades allows campers to experience the many amazing features of the New Jersey Palisades through a series of games, hikes, and activities. Participants learn outdoor survival skills, seine the Hudson River, explore hidden nooks of the Palisades, take a day hike, and more. The week culminates with a family campfire with the trail crew on Friday evening.

Do you know of more unique summer day camps in New Jersey that deserve a mention here? Comment below!

Featured Photo Credit: GTM NERR via Flickr

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