Last summer, Traci Suppa’s daughter, Emilia, spent a week at the Pied Piper Youth Theater day camp in Stormville. It was Emilia’s first experience participating in theater and she was a bit unsure and shy on the first day. By the end of the week, the 8-year-old had made new friends and was much more confident.
“On the last day, the kids put on a performance for their families, and she was obviously comfortable on stage by that point,” Suppa says. “I think the biggest value in arts camps is boosting kids’ confidence in their artistic abilities.”
Camps that specialize in the arts also tap into kids’ creative side – whether it’s drama, art, dance or music.
Here are 11 local creative camps your kids will love!
1. Aerophone – Wappingers Falls; 845-417-5568
2. Be Creative As Possible – Beacon; 845-905-2338
3. Camp at Gold’s Gym – LaGrange; 845-926-7829
4. Dutchess Arts Camp – Beacon, Red hook, Millbrook, & Poughkeepsie; 845-471-7477
5. Hudson Valley Writing Project – SUNY New Paltz; 845-943-8437
6. Orange County School of Dance – Monroe & Highland Mills; 845-782-2482
7. Pied Piper Youth Theater – Stormville; 845-878-9780
8. Spark Media Project – Dutchess & Ulster; 845-485-4480;
9. Stringendo Summer Strings – Poughkeepsie; 845-264-1206
10. The Voice Theater – Woodstock; 845-679-0154
11. The Wayfinder Experience – Stone Ridge, Saugerties, Kingston & New Paltz; 845-481-0776
Lisa Iannucci is a freelance writer who lives in Poughkeepsie and is a regular contributor to Hudson Valley Parent. For more information, see this full article in our May issue.