Why City Parents Are Buzzing About NYBG's Summer Camps
One of NYC's most unique summer camps is hidden in plain sight; a unique blend of environmental learning, creativity & outdoor fun makes the Botanical Gardens a perennial favorite for curious campers.
Events in Your Area ✊🏾⚽🦋
Boston
Juneteenth (FREE! Old Sturbridge Village)
International Day of Play (The Boston Children’s Museum)
Bird Walks (World’s End)
Pride on the Farm (Weir River Farm)
StoryWalk® “Juneteenth for Mazie” (Acton Discovery Museum)
Summer Teddy Adventure Workshop (Happy Heart Playspace)
Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation 5k (Wachusett Mountain)
Craft & Play Pizza Party for Father’s Day! (Little Hands Crafts) 💗
NYC
World Cup Watch Parties (FREE! Pier 86)
All Ages Artmaking: Whitney Community Pride Mural (FREE! The Whitney)
Pride Month Concerts with the Queer Urban Orchestra (FREE! The Whitney)
Celebrate Juneteenth (FREE! Brooklyn Children’s Museum)
Amazon Juneteenth FREE Day (Staten Island Children’s Museum)
World Cup, World Cultures Celebration (American Museum of Natural History)
WICKED on Broadway: At the Whitney (The Whitney)
Colors of Pride (Children’s Museum of Manhattan)
San Francisco
Life in Space Festival (The Exploratorium)
Twin Cities
Groovin’ In The Garden Summer Music Series (FREE! Como Zoo & Conservatory)
Chalkfest (FREE! Maple Grove Town Green)
Pop Up Splash Pads (FREE! Various locations)
Butterfly House Opening Event & Summer Kick-Off (Children’s Museum of Southern MN)
Activity Spotlight: New York Botanical Gardens 🐝🌱🌼🪴🕷️
Camps at the New York Botanical Garden offer a nature-immersive, hands-on camp experience that stands out from more traditional NYC programs. Designed for kids from PreK through 8th grade, these camps are rooted in science, gardening, and outdoor exploration, using the Garden’s 250-acre campus as a living classroom. Campers spend much of their day outside (exploring forests, wetlands, and gardens) while participating in activities like nature walks, experiments, crafts, and environmental discovery.
During the summer, families can choose from several themed programs tailored to age and interest. Younger campers (PreK–K) join Nature Camp, which focuses on sensory play, outdoor exploration, and early science concepts through activities like bug hunts and creative play. Elementary-aged kids can enroll in Science Camp or Green Thumbs Gardening Camp, where they rotate through hands-on experiments, art projects, and gardening experiences in spaces like the Edible Academy. Older campers (grades 7–8) can take part in Field Science Camp, a more advanced program where they collect data, study ecosystems like the Bronx River, and get a behind-the-scenes look at real scientific work.
Area: NYC
Price: $1,485/month
Dates: July 6 - August 21, 2026
Registration: Find your program and register here
Extended Care: Early drop-off (8 a.m.), late pickup (5 p.m.), and extended pickup (until 6 p.m.) are available weekly. Pre-registration is required; register here. The cost is $75 per morning or afternoon, and $150 for extended pickup. Late fees apply if children are picked up after their designated checkout time. Email childed@nybg.org for a $5 discount code (on a combination of extra care for either early drop-off + late pick-up or early drop-off + extended pick-up).
Bonus: For school breaks (winter and spring), NYBG offers shorter, week-long camps that mirror the same philosophy in a condensed format!
What’s New This Week 📰
Minneapolis summer camps and offerings for all children: Minneapolis summer camps offer programs for children throughout the city, starting in June annually!
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Five family-friendly campgrounds in Minnesota: Got kids? Wanna camp? Start with one of these tried-and-true, metro-area sites.
What We’re Working On 🚶⛈️🎠
We’re leaning into summer content on our social channels, with new reels, videos, posts, and stories highlighting family-friendly adventures throughout the South Shore and across Massachusetts. From hidden playground gems and hiking to day trips, outdoor festivals, and rainy-day favorites, we’re sharing ideas to help families make the most of the season. Be sure to follow along, we’ll be adding fresh inspiration all summer long for parents looking to keep kids entertained, active, and making memories.
Cheers,
Your Friendly Neighborhood MomBrains