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Editor's note: While applications for some programs have yet to be released, we will do our best to update this post as details are made available.

Best Free and Inexpensive Camps In NYC

• Best Free/Inexpensive Camp for Preschoolers: YMCA Summer Camp
• Best Free/Inexpensive Camp for Elementary School Kids: Good Sheperd Services Summer Camp
• Best Free/Inexpensive Camp for Tweens/Teens: Summer Rising
• Best Free/Inexpensive Camp for Girls: Octavia Summer Project
• Best STEM-focused Best Free/Inexpensive Camp: BEAM Summer Camp

Read on for our pick for the best parent-approved, time-tested summer day camps in NYC that are FREE or inexpensive, listed below. 

Best Free Summer Camps in New York City

1. BEAM Summer Camp – Various Locations

For Ages: Current sixth or seventh-graders
Deadline: March 15, 2026
Best For: Families looking for a free summer math program in NYC for their tweens. In the BEAM Discovery Program, sixth-graders fascinated by math spend five weeks with top instructors, solving problems and learning skills not generally covered in middle schools, like logic or computer programming. Other activities include sports, field trips, and games. Seventh graders experience BEAM programming in a three-week sleepaway summer camp on a college campus upstate.
Eligibility: To be eligible, students must live in New York City and demonstrate financial eligibility. Admission is highly competitive, but both programs are entirely free. The programs include food, field trips, lodging, activities, and daily transportation. BEAM students are offered academic and college readiness support following the program.

2. Good Shepherd Services Summer Camp – the Bronx and Brooklyn

For Ages: Grades K-8, varies by location
Deadline: Application deadline and process varies by location
Best For: Families seeking a free, fun and educational summer camp in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Every summer, this nonprofit runs 12 free summer camps in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Healthy lunches are also provided. Age requirements vary by site, but are generally either grades K-8 or K-5. Some camps are held at the group's existing after-school centers, while others are held at public school spaces. You can find a complete list of centers on its website. Contact the location nearest you to find out how to apply.

3. The Children's Aid Society Summer Day Camp – Various Locations

For Ages: Grades K-8, ages vary by location
Deadline: Application TBD
Best For: Kids who want to attend a traditional day camp with multiple activities. Details on this summer camp program are still being finalized, but the nonprofit usually runs summer camps at sites in the tri-state area, including a country day camp in Westchester and NYC summer day camps housed at centers in Manhattan and the Bronx, as well as local schools. Tuition varies by location. In the past, some programs have been free, while others charged rates around several hundred dollars per week. Financial aid is available to those who qualify. If you are interested in a particular location, check out the entire list of participating programs, which will be posted shortly on the website.

4. Summer Rising – Multiple Locations

For Ages: Grades K-8
Deadline: Applications TBA at the end of February.  
Best For: Families with a whole range of kids looking for a free camp that offers field trips and educational activities. A collaboration between NYC public schools and the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), this free summer program is available to all NYC students, though demand usually exceeds available seats, which are doled out via a lottery. Students in the Summer Rising program participate in field trips, art making, outdoor fun, and more. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are available to all kids. Each program is different, depending on the school that's hosting it, so check the list of participating schools on the Summer Rising website to find a good fit.

5. STEM Matters – Multiple Locations

For Ages: Grades K-12
Deadline: Applications TBA
Best For: Kids ranging from kindergarten to high school interested in STEM-related fields. STEM Matters is a NYC-funded, lottery-based summer program that gives kids a chance to experience summer camp in one of the city's cultural institutions including its gardens, zoos, and the aquarium. Students in grades K-8 can apply for week-long camps while grades 10-12 can join in on multi-week options. Applications for the lottery open at various times of the year, so parents are encouraged to join the mailing list to be notified as soon as an application window opens. MetroCards are available for transportation to and from programs.

RELATED: Summer Internships in NYC for Teens

Girls Who Code is a national program that welcomes high school girls.

6. Girls Who Code – Virtual

For Ages: Ages 14-18
Deadline: Application due February 25, 2026, for early acceptance and Friday, April 10, 2026, for general admission
Best For: Teen girls interested in coding. This is a seven-week, virtual program during which participants will be able to explore coursework in five tracks throughout the program: Data Science + AI, Game Design, Web Development, Cybersecurity, and AI and Society. Beyond coding, students gain real-world insights through virtual Partner Events with leading tech organizations. 
Eligibility: For teens in grades 8th through 12th who identify as girls or non-binary. 

7. Coastal Classroom Summer Institute – Coney Island

For Ages: Grades 5-8
Deadline: Applications TBA
Best For: Middle schoolers who want a science camp focused on marine science and ecology and oceanography. The Coastal Classroom is a free five-week program that takes students around the city's coasts and waterways. The science program teaches middle schoolers about marine life and science applicable to everyday life. It also introduces students to the recreational opportunities on the shores with activities like rowing, fishing, and bird watching. Campers learn how to have fun with and take care of the shoreline that's so important to NYC life. The program runs Mondays through Thursdays in July and August.

8. Octavia Project Summer Camp – Downtown Brooklyn

For Ages: Grades 6-8
Deadline: Application TBA 
Best For: Middle school girls interested in STEM-related fields. The Octavia Project is a summer camp open to young women, trans, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming youth as a safe place to create, explore, and learn about topics in STEM. Daily workshops take participants through science, tech, art, and writing activities like drawing comics and coding video games. The summer project is held at the Urban Assembly Institute Mondays through Thursdays, and includes several Friday field trips. The program includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, and MetroCards to get to and from the institute.

9. Little Lions Camp  – Morningside Heights

For Ages: Grades 1-7
Deadline: Applications will open in February. 
Best For: Families who live in Manhattan Community District 9 seeking a summer day camp for their kids. Columbia offers 375 scholarships through the West Harlem Development Corp. to those who live in Manhattan Community District 9 to attend its Little Lions Camp. Scholarships provide free, full-day summer camp experiences. The Little Lions Camp provides children with access to Columbia's Division I athletic facilities, including gyms, fields, a pool, tracks, and courts, and fills the days with a dynamic mix of physical and creative activities. Camp runs mid-June through mid-August, Monday through Friday.

Best Inexpensive Summer Camps in NYC

We realize that we all have our definition of what constitutes inexpensive, but we've done our best to round up a sampling of some of the least expensive summer camps in NYC. The programs below start at $500 for the entire summer and go up from there.

10. Advancing the Community of Tomorrow (ACT) Summer Camp – Morningside Heights

For Ages: Ages 3.7 to 15 years
Deadline: Application available now
Best For: Families who want a holistic day camp that won't break the bank. ACT has been running a summer day camp on the campus of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine since the early '70s. Kids enjoy arts and crafts, cooking, daily water activities, and playing on the gorgeous grounds, plus field trips. The session runs for eight weeks from Monday, June 39-Friday, August 28, 2026. The camp costs $720 per week but financial aid is available.

11. All Access Maker Camp at the Intrepid Museum – Midtown West

For Ages: Ages 8-14
Deadline: Application due Sunday, April 12, 2026
Best For: Families with kids who have development disabilities and special needs. The Intrepid Museum's All Access Maker Camp invites kids with developmental disabilities and autism to spend a week exploring behind the scenes, meeting with experts, tackling big problems, and learning about new tools and technology. There's a strong focus on building social-emotional skills and practicing communication and teamwork. The cost of the week-long camp, which runs Monday, August 24-Friday, August 28, 2026, for new campers and Monday, August 31-Friday, September 4, 2026, for returning campers, is just $75. A spring session is also offered for first-timers the week of April 6.

12. Riverbank State Park Summer Day Camp – Harlem

For Ages: Ages TBD
Deadline: Application TBD
Best For: Families looking for an affordable summer day camp. This stunning state park hosts a summer day camp that costs around $550 for five weeks, and registration occurs in person during the late spring. Find more info on the green space's Facebook page and keep an eye on the list of documents on the website for the Spring and Summer programs to be announced.

13. YMCA Summer Camp – Citywide

For Ages: Ages 4 and up
Deadline: Registration is now open
Best For: Families with a wide range age of kids who want a classic camp experience. With sleepaway camps and summer day camps located in all five boroughs and beyond, the YMCA provides youth with supervised activities that teach core values, conflict resolution, and leadership skills. These camps are well-priced, between $200-$450 a week, depending on the location. Financial aid is also available to those who qualify. You can find more information on our favorite YMCA camps near NYC here.

RELATED: School Break Camps in NYC: Winter and Spring Break Camps

14. NYC Parks Experience Summer Day Camp – Citywide

For Ages: Ages 6-13
Deadline: Registration details for 2026 TBA. 
Best For: Families seeking a low-cost summer camp that takes place outside in the parks. The Parks Department runs summer camps in NYC at recreation centers throughout the city that feature arts and crafts, sports, computer time, and field trips. The cost for the entire summer ranges from $500 for regular days to $575 for extended days. To vie for a spot at this low-cost summer camp, enter the online lottery in March.

Grants & Other Ideas for Affordable Summer Camps

Some summer camp grants are available to New York City kids. Several of my friends have participated in the One Happy Camper program, which offers up to $1,500 off a child's first year of Jewish sleepaway camp. These grants are not need-based, so anyone can apply.

There are also need-based programs like the venerable Fresh Air Fund, which gives city kids the chance to experience sleepaway camp at no-cost. Wishbone is a local nonprofit that helps low-income NYC high school students attend the summer camp or after-school program of their choice.

Another good bet is to contact local Catholic schools, churches, or community centers in your area. Many of them run inexpensive summer camps in NYC for kids, and not all require membership.

We also keep a list of free summer sports programs for New York City kids if you're not looking for full-time coverage.

Finally, if your kids have their hearts set on a particular summer camp, inquire about financial aid. Many programs offer assistance to families who qualify.

Photos courtesy of the summer camps

This article, originally published in January 2010, is updated annually.