Staff Report
Even though the official start of spring doesn’t arrive for another two weeks, it’s already time for parents to look past the current school year and begin considering summer alternatives for their children. Boston-area kids can choose from a range of different offerings this year, but enrollment for these unique programs is limited.
Registration is now open for the Advent School’s Explore Design at Advent, its vibrant STEM program for kids aged 5-12.
Design at Advent is based out of 99 West Cedar St. on Beacon Hill.
Session 1 focuses on ‘Theater Engineering ‘and runs from June 16 to June 27. Session 2, which explores ‘Urban Agriculture,’ runs from July 7 through July 18. Session 3, called the ‘Cardboard Carnival,’ runs from July 21 through Aug. 1.
“What makes The Advent School’s summer program so special is that we utilize Greater Boston as an outdoor classroom, visiting iconic places such as The USS Constitution, City Hall, George’s Island, and the Puppet Library,” said Advent’s Director of Enrichment Stephanie Foland. “We also invite guest presenters — artists, landscape architects, and more — so kids can see what it’s really like to work in these fields.”
Also, ‘Hiking Adventures,’ in partnership with Guineafowl Adventure Company, offers kids on a variety of day hikes to the mountains, hills, and waters of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. ‘Art on the Trails,’ also offered in partnership with Guineafow, is a two-week program that runs from July 7-18. Kids will take day hikes in Massachusetts and Southern Hampshire and create art based on their observations.
Visit adventschool.org/summer for more information.
BC High, based at 150 Morrissey Blvd. in Boston, is offering a wide range of Summer Camps and Programs.
For boys and girls ages 5 to 10, Eagle Day Camp provides a full-day camp experience for two to eight weeks. Campers, ages 5 to 7, can take part in myriad activities, such as arts and crafts, organized sports, scavenger hunts, LEGO sets, water games, painting, and tie-dying, among other offerings. Half-day option available for ages 5-7 while campers ages 8-10 can customize their schedules to suit their personal interests.
Additionally, the Adventures in Boston! program will offer a new field trip each day while the Inspirit AI class will teach middle and high school students in separate sessions about the fundamentals of AI and how to use it responsibly.
“I believe what sets our camps and programs apart from the rest is our dedicated staff and our beautiful campus which provides a safe oasis for kids to learn, grow and have some summer fun,” said Sara Feloney, BC High’s director of summer camps and programs and external events.
Other offerings will include Sports Camps, including soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and flag football for Grades 4–12; High School Academics, with courses including Inspirit AI, Chemistry, Intro to Chemistry, Intro to Algebra, ACT/SAT Prep, Spanish Language and Culture, High School Writing, and The Common Application and The College Essay; Middle School Academics, with courses including Intro to Algebra, Math Fundamentals, English Fundamentals, and Study Skills; and Middle School Specialty Programs: including Inspirit AI, Art, Coding and Robotics, Minecraft, Theatre, Roblox Mission to Mars!, Dungeons & Dragons, and The Art of Cooking.
Visit www.bchigh.edu/summer-camps or call 617-474-5181 for more information.
The Boston Children’s School Summer-Fun-Program will begin its 43rd year on July 7 and continue for six weeks, ending Aug. 15, at 8 Whittier Place in the West End.
The program, designed for children between the ages of 3 and 8, is located at Charles River Park in the West End. The Boston Children’s School has its own private playground, which allows children to play safely outdoors, away from the noise, congestion, and traffic. Inside, the facility is fully air conditioned.
The program is organized by age, and each group is taught and nurtured by state certified teachers with the help of teacher interns from local area colleges and universities. All activities are designed to be developmentally appropriate for each age group.
Besides daily play activities, children can use the swimming pools on a daily basis at The Clubs at Charles River Park. The program also offers children science, music appreciation, and field trips.
Visit BostonChildrensSchool.Org for more information. Early registration is encouraged because space is limited.
If you have any questions about the BCS Summer-Fun-Program, please call Judy Langer, Program Director, at 617-367-6239 or 617-BCS-KIDS.
BCS is also registering students for 2025 academic year, and applications are available online (BostonChildrensSchool.Org).
Buckingham, Browne & Nichols School, a pre-K-12 private school in Cambridge, provides a valuable and enjoyable, ACA-accredited summer camp experience for campers from 4 years old through rising 10th grade every summer. This year’s program runs from June 16 through Aug. 8.
Summer@BB&N offers specialty camps (such as Chess, Outdoor Explorers, Parkour, and Codemoji); sports camps (i.e. Soccer, Basketball, Golf, Fishing, and Ultimate Games), and its Classic Camp for pre-K through Grade 10, which provides rotating activities each day ,like arts and crafts, sports, theater, hands-on fun, water play, and archery. The Teen Camp also offers more time for activities, as well as off-site trips. Each camp offering has a variety of weeks to choose from and is grade specific.
“Summer@BB&N is unique because it combines the warmth of a close-knit community with the excitement of hands-on exploring, offering campers the opportunity to explore their passions while developing valuable skills in an environment that fosters both creativity, personal growth, and community,” said Emma O’Loughlin, Director of Summer@BB&N.
Visit https://bbnsummer.com for more information on the Summer@BB&N program.
This summer, Essem Art Studio, located at 15 Tufts., third floor, in Charlestown is offering five-day Minicamps designed for kids who love to create.
With exciting themes like Furry Friends, Deep Blue Sea, and COLOR!, young artists will dive into painting, mixed media, and design, building skills, confidence, and endless creativity along the way. Minicamp hours run from 9 a.m. to noon, with an option to extend to 2 p.m.
“We provide a boutique art camp experience in our sunny studio. We get to know each young artist while providing instruction and support so they can have a joyful and magical experience while growing as individual artists,” said Sophia Moon, the studio’s founder.
For more information, visit essemartstudio.com.
French Library, located at 53 Marlborough St. in the Back Bay, offers ‘Summer in French for Kids’ (with classes for ages 3-5; ages 6-8; and ages 9-12, respectively)’ and ’Summer in the French for Teens.’
For Kids, participants can participate in half-day (from 9 a.m. to noon) or full-day programming ( 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) The first week of five-day programming kicks off Monday June 23, with ‘Robots and Advanced Technologies.’ The 10th and final week begins Monday, Aug. 25, with a focus on ‘Magic and Fantastical World.’
Teens can choose from three options, including a one-week, half-day program with a specific theme, which is offered once in July, once at the end of July/early August, and once in August; a one week, morning-only option at the end of August, which is a perfect refresher before going back to school; or afternoon workshops.
Visit frenchlibrary.org/summer-in-french/ for more information, or email youthprograms@frenchlibary.org with any questions.
The Newman School, located at 247 Marlborough St. in Boston’s Back Bay, offers educational programming via its renowned International Baccalaureate curriculum, including small classes, and individualized attention.
As Boston’s only day and boarding all-gender 7-12 independent School, Newman’s student body holds passports from 40 different nations while the faculty hails from 10 countries.
Additionally Newman offers more than 25 clubs and activities, as well as a range of sports for first-time participants through D1 recruited-collegiate athletes.
Visit newmanboston.org for more information.
North End Music & Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC) will be offering programs at the Charlestown Working Theater this summer, including a range of full-week-long summer workshops for youth and teens in Charlestown, as well as one-off workshops and class sessions.
‘Act! Sing! Dance!’ – a series of week-long musical theatre workshop for ages 5-9 where students will work on a short production presented at the end of the week , including ‘101 Dalmatians,’ The Jungle Book,’ and ‘Where the Wilds Things Are.’
‘Broadway Bootcamp Jr.’ for ages 10-13 is a week-long program which allows participants to learn, rehearse, and perform selections of songs, dances and scenes from some favorite musicals and plays.
‘Broadway Bootcamp’ is week-long program for ages 12 – 15, which allows participants to learn, rehearse, and perform selections of songs, dances and scenes from some favorite musicals and plays.
“NEMPAC is so excited to be expanding our summer programming into Charlestown to further engage with the many amazing families this neighborhood has,” said Shannon Fitzgerald, NEMPAC’s Charlestown outreach and engagement coordinator. “Our popular Music Theatre Production Workshops, Broadway Bootcamp, and PlayLab: Create, Produce, Perform, will now be hosted on site at the Charlestown Working Theater, with early drop off and extended day, to make our programming even more accessible to Charlestown families. With programs open to ages 5 – 15, in theatre, music, and dance, there’s something for everyone! Enrolling your student in a performing arts program will build their confidence, communication skills, creativity, and collaboration skills.”
Visit nempacboston.org for more information.
School of Fashion Design, located at 31 St. James Ave, second floor, offers two sessions of its Teen Program in Fashion Design this summer.
This program will provide an introduction to the fashion design process, from conception to sketch to garment completion, with no prior experience necessary. The curriculum , which offers a taste of SFD’s adult Certificate in Fashion Design program, is taught by the school’s expert faculty.
“Our high school program in fashion design is a great experience for students who want to explore fashion design as a career option, boost their college application profile, or just explore a new creative outlet,” said Executive Director Jennifer Leclerc. “Students in our program have access to the same expert faculty and tools as our adult students, and will leave SFD with a fashion mood board, a garment of their own making, and hopefully some new fashion friends.”
Projects will include creating a fashion garment from a pattern, as well as creating a mood board of inspiration and fashion-plate illustrations of an original garment collection.
Visit https://www.schooloffashiondesign.org/pre-college-program for more information.
Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Natick offers a range of summer programs taught by the school’s own world-class faculty and featuring special guests artists.
Programs include the String Quartet Intensive for ages 11-18; Summer Voice Intensive for ages 12-16; a range of dance classes, including the Children’s Ballet Program for ages 4 to 7, and Boston Ballet Summer Intensive for ages 9-12; a Jazz Intensive for ages 13-17; Theater Intensive for ages 13-17; Fashion Immersion for ages 12-16; Visual Art for ages 13-17; Cameraless Photography for ages 13-17; and Game Design: Crafting Interactive Stories for ages 13-17, among other offerings. All programs include excursions into Boston to enhance the curriculum, such as visits to museums, exhibits, and concerts.
“The true magic of our programs lies in the sense of camaraderie that develops as students learn and grow together,” said Michelle Rush, associate director of auxiliary programs and admissions. “Time and again, we hear students say, ‘Wow, there are kids like me here!’ This feeling of belonging, of finding their tribe, is what makes the Walnut Hill experience so special.”
Day and boarding options are available for some programs, with boarders getting a taste of college life residing in air-conditioned dormitories.
Visit www.walnuthillarts.org for more information.
Author: Staff
http://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2025/03/13/summer-brings-unique-options-for-local-children/