Avoid the Summer Slide with a little Academics (Updated for 2023)

Summer break is usually a little over 2 months and studies have shown that students are most likely to experience learning losses during this long vacation. Adding a little academic stimulation throughout the summer can ensure your student does not forget what they worked so hard to learn throughout the school year and even improve on critical skills necessary for their future success. Summer academic programs typically infuse education with games and activities, reducing the student’s stress levels and increasing their joy for learning and possibly their retention for the subjects at hand.

For 2023 here is our Guide to Academic Camps, including camps that incorporate a good part of the camp day to academic learning for kids to enjoy learning in a safe and nurturing environment.

ABILITY SCHOOL

75 Knickerbocker Road, Englewood, NJ 07631
www.abilityschoolnj.com
Ability School Summer Program offers a unique experience for children to have a great summer while enhancing academic skills. Students work on individualized programs in the mornings and spend their afternoons enjoying great camp adventures & activities in the afternoons. Themed weeks from art, music, drama, science, sports, outdoor adventure.

APPLE MONTESSORI

15 locations throughout New Jersey
www.applemontessorischools.com
Enriching environment for students aged 2-12 where each day is filled with adventures and activities including coding, robotics, music, drama, arts, sports, Montessori lessons, and more. Day-to-day programs like Innovators & Explorers, Crafts & Creations, Tech Time, Celebrity Kids, and Montessori Connection keep our students learning all summer long and prepare them for the school year ahead. Most locations offer daily swimming lessons with Red Cross certified instructors while others offer other fun water-play activities! 
Learning has never been more FUN.

BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUMMER LEARNING ACADEMY

Paramus, NJ  www.bergen.edu/ce/courses-programs/kids-and-teens  
Spark your intellect and discover a hidden talent. Develop a new hobby and take your skills to the next level. Whatever your interests are, you can broaden your imagination and learn valuable knowledge. Their Kids and Teens Summer Learning Academy offers classes for students from Grade 1 to Grade 12; from fun and enriching activities, to summer high school academic programs. Choose from exciting STEAM and STEM programs, music, performing arts, culinary arts, computer/gaming design, creative writing, reading and mathematics programs (which we make fun!), and so much more.

ELISABETH MORROW SCHOOL SUMMER EXPLORATION

435 Lydecker St. Englewood, NJ  www.elisabethmorrow.org
Summer day program offering a unique blend of camp and educational activities providing enrichment activities and experiences in an 14 acre beautiful outdoor setting with state of the art facilities. Experienced, dedicated teachers and specialized program vendors design age appropriate activities for weekly sessions offered on June 27-August 5, 2022.  Full and half day options are available. Students in grades 2-6 choose from a variety of workshops including sports, art, STEM, technology, animation, nature, Minecraft, app design, literature and much more! Leaders in Training program offered for students in grades 7-9. Full and half day programs are available.

ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM

303 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102
www.essex.edu/summercamp
Our Summer Youth Program provides academic instruction, recreation, and cultural indoor and outdoor activities. Programs offered include, math, literacy, writing, test prep, video gaming, coding, cooking, fine arts, acting, arts & crafts, STEM and Entrepreneurship. Youths have the opportunity to explore and develop self-interests through a variety of academic, skill building and artistic enrichment classes offered for future growth and development. Classes are offered at convenient times and can be mixed and matched to tailor the experience of youth needs and interests. Tuition offered at a modest cost.

GAINVILLE LANGUAGE CAMPS

Ridgewood, NJ  and Rutherford, NJ
www.gaincontact.com/gainville
Offering language immersion for ages PreK to 12 grade. For July - August 2022. Enroll in their 6-wk language program in Spanish, Italian or French in Ridgewood; ESL Immersion and Cultural Tourism Camp for adolescents “Educating Global Citizens One Culture at a Time” approach to language learning with outdoor excursions to near by New York City; and Summer Camp for Teens via Sights and Sounds NYC, combining cultural and tourism outings with language classes (geared towards adolescent international students coming from abroad to enhance their English proficiency while visiting the New York area).

PRINCETON DAY SCHOOL

Princeton, NJ  www.pds.org
Princeton Day School nurtures the mind, the body, and the character of each student. In academics, athletics, the arts, and service, we celebrate the pursuit of individual excellence and the spirit of collaboration that binds us together as a community. We seek diversity of cultures, views, and talents to promote the intellectual growth and moral development of our students.

SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL SUMMER ACADEMY

Saddle River, NJ with in-person, hybrid and remote learning  www.saddleriverday.org/academics/summer-academy
SRDS Summer Academy provides students an opportunity to maximize their learning experience beyond the normal school year. Classes include full-credit advancement and elective courses, semester-credit electives, and non-credit enrichment courses. Unless otherwise noted, all classes will be conducted in a hybrid format, so students may choose to join in-person or remotely. 

SPRING ACADEMY

Two locations:  115 E Grove St, Westfield & 10 North Road, Warren
www.springacademyus.com
In-person and online camps are available here for students 6 months to 16 years. Students will be grouped by ability and grade level to experience strong academic classes, creative arts, as well as enriching field trips. Half and full day options are available along with various subjects for each grade level. Specifically, 1) Montessori Fun & Learn Camp (age 2 – K) Morning Chinese/Spanish Immersion and afternoon English Montessori with bi-weekly themes, arts and crafts, cooking, outdoor water play, stories, and songs -- all round out a full day! 2) Day camp for Grades 1 and up – morning targeted English/Math classes to build mastery for the upcoming school year, combine with movement, sports and enrichment programs. Grades 3 and up. 3) Academic classes for students in Grades 3 through 10. Pick one or more programs including leveled English & Reading/Writing workshops, Math classes, middle school and high school subject Math classes, SAT Prep, Biology, Chemistry, English and more. 

SUMMER ADVENTURES AT OAK KNOLL

www.oakknoll.org/summer
Located on a beautiful 11-acre campus our summer programs offer excitement and fun for children ages 3-17. Summer Adventures day camp (Jun 27-Aug 12) offers swimming, fencing, science, nature, sports, arts and more. Career Series: HS students can spend 1 hr/wk virtually with an expert in a chosen field; plus Kindergarten Ready, June Mini Camps (Jun 13-24), Summer Scholars and Youth Sports Camps.

 

Links to Find More Camps: 
2023 Camp Guide eBook

Traditional Day Camps 2023 in and around NJ
Sleep-away Camps 2023 in and around NJ
STEM / STEAM Camps 2023 in and around NJ
Performing Arts Camps 2023 in and around NJ
Special Needs Camps 2023 in and around NJ