It’s that time of summer.
The novelty of sleeping in has worn off. The neighborhood friends are out of town. The toys that seemed exciting in June are now scattered across the floor untouched.
And suddenly, you’re hearing it:
“I’m bored.”
While boredom isn’t necessarily a bad thing (it often sparks creativity!), many parents start looking for activities that keep kids engaged, challenged, and excited without spending the day glued to a screen.
One of the best ways to beat the mid-summer slump is through hands-on creative experiences. Art gives children an opportunity to imagine, problem-solve, experiment, and create something uniquely their own. Unlike passive entertainment, creative play encourages kids to think, make decisions, and explore new ideas.
At Neighborhood Art Studio near Central Park, we still have a few opportunities left this summer for artists who aren’t quite ready for summer to end.
For the Pokémon Fans
If your child dreams of becoming a Pokémon Trainer, this camp might be their perfect adventure.
At Pokémon Training Camp, artists create their own trainer gear, Poké Balls, creatures, accessories, and everything they need for a week of imaginative play and creative making. It’s a favorite among young artists who love crafting, storytelling, and bringing their ideas to life.
Glow, Build, Create
For children who love animals, sculpture, and larger-than-life projects, Glow in the Wild Camp offers a week of building oversized animal sculptures complete with colorful paint, creative details, and glow-in-the-dark surprises.
It’s the kind of project kids talk about long after camp ends.
Design Your Own Food Truck
What happens when creativity meets entrepreneurship?
At Food Truck Camp, artists design and build their own miniature food truck from scratch. Along the way they’ll create menus, sculpt delicious-looking foods, design signs, and build all the details that make their business unique.
It’s a wonderful blend of art, imagination, design, and problem-solving.
Rockstar Dreams Continue in August
Missed our first Rockstar session?
Good news!
The second round of 18″ Doll: Rockstar Edition returns during the first week of August.
Artists will spend the week creating matching accessories for themselves and their dolls, designing concert-inspired projects, crafting rockstar gear, and building imaginative stage elements. It’s the perfect opportunity to let your child dive into a week of creativity while you enjoy a little extra breathing room before school begins.
For Tweens & Teens: Street Art Camp
Finding creative opportunities for older kids can be challenging, which is why we’re excited that a few spots remain in our August session of Street Art Camp while the July session is already sold out.
Students will learn the basics of spray painting, create their own graffiti-inspired lettering style, and design a large-scale artwork to take home. It’s a fun, hands-on experience that combines artistic skill-building with plenty of self-expression.
Need Something More Flexible? Try Art Explore
Not every child wants a themed camp, and not every family needs a full week commitment.
That’s where Art Explore comes in. This session also allows families to create full day coverage with early drop offs if needed.
Available as afternoon drop-in sessions or as a full week experience, Art Explore focuses on the joy of creating rather than a specific finished project. Every day is different, giving artists the chance to explore new materials, techniques, and ideas in a relaxed and inspiring environment.
One day children might be painting toy houses, creating colorful magazine collages, and building miniature worlds with tiny peg people. The next day they could be experimenting with watercolor techniques, building collaborative cities from recycled materials, or discovering colorful science reactions with baking soda and liquid watercolors.
Throughout the summer, artists have explored:
- Shaving cream printmaking
- Clay sculpting and hand-building
- Outdoor chalk art and collaborative murals
- Watercolor techniques using salt and rubbing alcohol
- Engineering floating inventions
- Miniature city construction
- Sensory favorites like kinetic sand, water beads, cornstarch trays, and playdough playgrounds
- Giant group art projects using water guns, spray bottles, and oversized brushes
What makes Art Explore special is the freedom it gives children. Some artists spend an entire afternoon immersed in sensory play. Others bounce between painting, sculpture, engineering challenges, and collaborative projects.
There is no right way to participate and no pressure to make art look a certain way.
Just creativity, exploration, and the freedom to discover what inspires them.
Make the Most of the Rest of Summer
Before backpacks, homework, and school routines return, there is still time for one more creative adventure.
Whether your child wants to train Pokémon, build a glowing animal, design a food truck, become a rockstar, explore street art, or simply spend afternoons experimenting with paint, clay, and imagination, we would love to create with them.
After all, some of the best summer memories aren’t made on screens—they’re made with paint-covered hands, big ideas, and a little bit of creative mess.
A Little Summer Bonus 🎨☀️
To help families squeeze in one more creative adventure before summer ends, we’re offering 10% off any remaining summer camp or Art Explore registration with coupon code:
SCOOP10
Simply enter the code at checkout to receive your discount.
Offer cannot be applied to previously placed orders.
