Buffalo is located in upstate New York. Although the city itself is a bustling metropolis, it is surrounded by the region's natural beauty. Buffalo offers kids a variety of opportunities to participate in recreational summer camps. While some of these Buffalo-area camps feature outdoor activities, others take advantage of the myriad cultural activities the city offers.
The YMCA Buffalo-Niagara offers summer camp programs for children ages 3 to 11. Children attending the recreational day camp go swimming, take weekly field trips to area museums and other local cultural centers, play sports, make crafts and participate in plenty of outdoor activities. Youths ages 12 to 13 can participate in the YMCA camp's Leaders-in-Training program, which helps them develop camper curriculum and polish their leadership skills under the supervision of the staff members. The Counselor-in-Training program, for 14- and 15-year-olds, allows the teens to help lead groups of younger children in activities and gives them work experience. In addition to summer day camp, the YMCA also offers specialty programs, such as gymnastics camp, sports camp and teen camp. There are several different camp locations around the Buffalo metro area so parents can select the most convenient spot.
YMCA Buffalo-Niagara
301 Cayuga Road
Buffalo, NY 14225
716-565-6000
http://ymcabuffaloniagara.org/
Happyland Day Camp is an outdoor-based recreational summer camp that's been in business for more than 40 years. The facility serves kids ages 3-1/2 to 10. Daily activities at the camp include swimming and swimming lessons, arts and crafts, nature programs, music classes and sports. Happyland Day camp also hosts twice-weekly clinics for children to learn about specialty activities such as cheerleading, beading, flag football and yoga. The camp holds a cookout for all the campers each Wednesday, complete with entertainment such as puppet shows and petting zoos. Though the majority of campers attend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, extended-day and overnight programs are available.
Happyland Day Camp
314 Cottonwood Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-688-9518
http://happylanddaycamp.com/
Cradle Beach Camp is designed to serve special-needs children, as well as campers from low-income families. The recreational summer camp program welcomes youths ages 8 to 16 and focuses on education and special-skills training. The residential sessions offer campers a chance to participate in activities such as basketball, swimming, cooking, drama, dance, photography and computer classes. The fees for Cradle Beach Camp are determined on a sliding scale, based on income and family size, and the camp is equipped to deal with children of many different ability levels. It is especially geared toward campers with autism and has a sensory integration cabin and a specialist on hand each summer.
Cradle Beach Camp
8038 Old Lakeshore Road
Angola, NY 14006
716-549-6307
http://cradlebeach.org/
