Top Educational Summer Camps in New York City

Many kids rejoice at the idea of summer break: they can spend their days lazily watching TV on the couch, and, most importantly, they don't have to crack open a book until September. But, New York City is filled with summer camps for kids that will get them off the couch, moving around, and learning-in a fun way. Here are the top five educational summer camps for children and teens in the Big Apple that will inspire creativity, feed minds, and get kids active.

Sweet Soul Summer Arts Workshop

Know a kid who likes dancing? How about acting? The Sweet Soul Summer Arts Workshop has rotating classes in singing, music, acting, yoga, gymnastics, as well as in dance, including ballet, tap, hip-hop, modern, and Broadway. For outdoor play, kids can compete in sports, swim, and go on field trips to shows and more. Every week, professional artists visit the camp and perform for kids. The camp, for children ages 4 to 12, runs from June 27 to August 19. A two-week session is $1,100. To register, click here.

City Sculpting Summer Arts Program

For kids who are more artistically inclined in a visual way, the City Sculpting Summer Arts Program offers kids (from age 5 to 18) an opportunity explore different sculpting techniques and master the elements of design. Classes include life casting, clay sculpting, mold making, ceramics, paper mâché, and mosaics. At lunchtime, students bring their meals and eat them in the James J. Walker Park. The program costs $425 per week with early registration (before June 15), increasing to $525 per week after. Register quickly here, because each weekly session is limited to 16 participants.

Global Kids' U.S. in the World: International Law and Foreign Policy Institute

Held for three weeks at the Council on Foreign Relations, up to 30 high school students will gather at the Institute to talk and learn about international law, global security, trade development, and more. Teens go on field trips meeting with leaders from the United Nations and other organizations, participate and leadership workshops that build communication and critical skills, and develop projects that are designed to engage their peers in public affairs dialogue. The three-week session is $1,500. For more information and to apply, click here.

LIU Brooklyn Children's Academy

Divided into two age groups, the LIU Brooklyn Children's Academy's classes feature topics from language to robotics. Kids age 3 to 6 can choose to participate in one of four different language tracks (English, Spanish, Italian, or Hebrew), and activities include those that fall into the themes of make, move, sing, play, see, and cook. For older kids, ages 7 to 12, class options include game development, graphic design, modern design, robotics, theatre, and more. The summer academy is divided into three sessions, running from July 5 to August 12. Tuition is $500 to $950 per session. To register, click here.

NYC Junior Rangers Day Camp

With locations in Northern Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island, kids can easily become a Junior Ranger this summer at the Junior Ranger Day Camp. As a Junior Ranger, kids, ages 8 to 11, will have the opportunity to canoe, fish, camp out in the park, and more. Each week of the seven-week summer camp has its own topic, including ecology; plants and trees; explorers, maps, and compasses; Native American pathway; birds and raptors; insects and invertebrates; and outdoor survival. Best of all, the camp is low-cost-$65 per week. For more information and to apply, click here.