Celebrate the shortest day of the year at Marine Park's Festival of Lights. Photo courtesy of the Marine Park Alliance
47 Free Holiday and Christmas Events in NYC for Kids in 2025
Santa rolls into town at the tail end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and starts taking gift requests at Santaland on Friday. Photo by Jody Mercier
Thanksgiving Day Weekend 2025 in NYC: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and More Things To Do
The Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden is a must-see holiday destination in NYC. Photo courtesy of the New York Botanical Gardens
Must-Do Christmas Events and Holiday Activities in New York City for Kids
GUIDE
Holidays in NYC: Ultimate Guide to Christmas, Hanukkah, & Seasonal Fun
Enjoy the magic of Christmas in Dyker Heights as the neighborhood lights up for the festive season. Photo courtesy of Dyker Heights Lights
Best 2025 Neighborhood Christmas Light Displays and Holiday Lights in NYC
Meet Santa aboard The Polar Express chugging along the Morristown and Erie lines. Photo courtesy of the Morristown and Erie Railway
Polar Express Train Rides and Christmas Trains near NYC in 2025
Lightscape at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has become an enchanting holiday tradition for many families. Photo courtesy of the garden
NYC's Coolest Christmas Events to Book Now Before They Sell Out in 2025
Kids as young as 14 can apply for an eco-focused internship at Alley Pond Park in Queens. Photo courtesy of the Alley Pond Environmental Center
Best Museum Programs in NYC for Teens
The 2025-2026 public school year for NYC kids starts on Thursday, September 4.
Here's the NYC Public School Calendar for 2025-2026
Get ready for back to school with all the right supplies, classes, and tips.
GUIDE
Back-to-School Guide 2025-2026
See the skyline from a whole new vantage point on the Roosevelt Island Tram. Photo courtesy of NYCGo
Ultimate New York City Bucket List: 100 Things To Do in NYC with Kids Before They Grow Up
Stranger Things: The First Shadow plays at the Marquis Theatre and gives the popular Neflix show a prequel. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Best Broadway Shows for Kids and Families in 2025
The Ausable Chasm has been described as the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks and it's one of our top 100 things to do in New York State with kids. Photo by Anna Fader
Ultimate New York Bucket List: 100 Things To Do with Kids in NY State
Diving into the sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream is a great way to cure rainy day blues. Photo by Jody Mercier
47 Fun Indoor Activities in NYC for a Rainy Day
Vinland Playground got a fresh upgrade in Bay Ridge. Photo by NYC Parks/Daniel Avila
Jaw-Dropping New Playgrounds in NYC to Explore with Kids Now
Summer camps help kids develop social skills and have fun
GUIDE
NYC Summer Camp Guide
The Peninsula New York rolls out the red carpet for kids—and their grown ups!
Family-Friendly Hotels in New York City with Perks for Kids
Climb on platforms dangling from ropes at Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC's Best Playgrounds: 21 Parks Worthy of a Subway Schlep
There's always a cool new piece of public art to see and interact with in NYC. Photo by Jody Mercier
100 Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids
Brooklyn's Flying Apple offers action-packed fun for kids of all ages.
24 Best Kids' Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in NYC
Discover the NYC-themed play space hidden inside the Toys
27 Free Things To Do Indoors in NYC: Free Places To Play Indoors on Cold and Rainy Days
Photo courtesy of PLAY Greenpoint.
GUIDE
Guide to Indoor Playgrounds and Play Spaces in NYC
Free activities for Kids in NYC include the Children's Museum of the Arts, which has pay-what-you-wish Thursdays from 4-6pm. Photo courtesy of the museum
GUIDE
Free Things To Do in NYC with Kids Guide
Visit the 180 Pool at the Crystal Springs Resort. Photo courtesy of the resort
14 Family-Friendly Weekend Getaways near NYC
Explore modern humanity through all-new world-wandering exhibitions at Mmuseumm.
Weird, Wacky, and Wonderful Under-the-Radar Museums in NYC that Kids Love
Kids' classes like art lessons can help your NYC child grow and develop
GUIDE
Guide to NYC Classes for Kids
For an only-in-NYC experience, head to the Top of the Rock to enjoy the view. Photo by Jody Mercier
Best Attractions and Things To Do near NYC that are Kid-Friendly
Tea Around Town combines a sumptuous meal with a unique view NYC landmarks! Photo by Jody Mercier
25 Best NYC Tours for Families: From Boat Rides to Free Walking Tours and More
The American Museum of Natural History's blue whale is an NYC icon, and the entire museum is one of the best children's museums in NYC. Photo by R. Mickens/courtesy of AMNH
Best Museums for Kids in NYC: Children's Museums and Family-Friendly Museums in NYC
GUIDE
Guide to Kids' Birthday Parties in NYC
Registration is now open for the reasonably priced summer camps at YMCA locations in NYC.
Free and Cheap Summer Camps in NYC for Kids
The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has 75 animal exhibits and is home to more than 7,000 animals. Photo courtesy of the aquarium
Best Aquariums to Visit from the NYC Metro Area with Kids
Get a Broadway-caliber serenade during a birthday dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner.
Best Fun Restaurants for Kids' Birthdays in NYC
Get a birds eye view of the skyline from the Edge observation deck at Hudson Yards. Plan a visit near sundown to watch the city lights come to life. Photo by Jody Mercier
3 Days in NYC with Kids: Ultimate Itinerary by a Local Mom
Feed a crowd with extra large, classic, New York-style pizza slices without breaking the bank. Photo by Jody Mercier
NYC on a Budget: Cheap Things To Do and Money Saving Tips for Families
These boredom-busting activities turn a stuck-at-home day into a lasting memory.
75 Indoor Activities for Kids on a Rainy Day
The Met offers pay-what-you wish admission at all times to New Yorkers and kids always attend for free. Photo by Jody Mercier
Free Museums and Free Museum Days in NYC for Kids
Kids can while away hours of a day with a set of watercolors and a stack of new paper for painting. Photo by Sara Marentette
Crafts for Kids: 100 Awesome Art Projects
No visit to NYC is complete without an up-close encounter with the Statue of Liberty. Photo by Jess Laird
40 Best NYC Attractions to Do with Kids Right Now
Teach 'em to tie during downtime.
65 Life Skills to Teach Kids at Every Age
GUIDE
NYC Kids Summer Guide: 728 Best Festivals, Deals, Activities & Free Things to Do
Take a hike with your little one on a family day trip from NYC.
GUIDE
Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for NYC Kids
Creating a baking soda volcano is a classic science experiment for kids. Photo by Sara Marentette Nighswander
67 Easy Science Experiments for Kids To Do at Home
Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
GUIDE
Playgrounds & Parks NYC Guide
Suncatcher_Liz Baill @creativishmom
GUIDE
Crafts for Kids Guide: Thousands of Craft Ideas

Online STEM Camps With Early-Bird Discounts and Special Offers

With Camp Galileo Anywhere, choose from a range of engaging online innovation-infused classes for Pre-K-8th graders.
With Camp Galileo Anywhere, choose from a range of engaging online innovation-infused classes for Pre-K-8th graders.
1/18/21 - By Anna Fader

With summer camp registration opening up, we reached out to a number of virtual programs across the country to see if they had any early bird discounts or exclusive offers to share with our readers. Sure enough, we wound up with deals from some much-loved online STEAM and STEM camps that'll keep your kids' brains busy while school is out of session.

From discounts on tuition to free trial classes, take a look at the timely deals below—and don't dawdle, because they'll literally disappear as they expire. If you don't see an offer listed below, it means that it's ended.

Of course, you'll find plenty more virtual and in-person camps in our Camp Guide and Directory. Read on to see all the summer camp deals and discounts we got just for you!

OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Online STEM Summer Camps and Programs

Code With Us

This Silicon Valley-based ED-Tech organization offers online coding camps designed for students ages 5 to 18. Learn various programming languages, robotics, VR, 3-D printing, and creative game design with personalized attention from experienced instructors from top universities. READ MORE

Create & Learn - Online Kids Coding Classes

Founded by tech pros from Google and Apple, Create & Learn is a top-rated project-based virtual coding program for kids in grades K-12. Summer camps cover everything from Scratch and Python to robotics and cloud computing. READ MORE

The Daydreamer's Academy

The Daydreamer’s Academy brings industry professionals together to mentor young aspiring creatives in directing their own blockbuster movies and animated shorts. Summer camp is open to kids ages 8-17, and all you need is a phone camera, a computer, and a little imagination. READ MORE

Galileo

With Camp Galileo Anywhere, choose from a range of engaging online classes to create a innovation-infused, camp-away-from-camp adventure for Pre-K-8th graders. Choose single-sessions or weeklong camps–focused on everything from crafts to cooking to coding–for plenty of flexibility. READ MORE

Genius Gems

At Genius Gems, educators use hands-on learning to lead kids in topics that include science wonder lab, witches and wizards Camp, rainbow and magic potions, Lego brick engineering, and more. Summer camps, for grades K-6, offer themed weekly sessions with early drop-off and aftercare options.   READ MORE

Panda Programmer

At Panda Programmer's online summer camp, kids ages 8 and up learn the joys of computer coding by creating their own customized animations and games. Sign up for half days, full days, once-a-week programs, week-long camps, or multiple sessions to create the best schedule for your family. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

About the Author

Anna Fader

Founder of Mommy Poppins

A fourth-generation Brooklynite, Anna started Mommy Poppins in 2007 to help families find the best things to do with kids in NYC, with a particular emphasis on sharing activities that are free, affordable, and enriching. The site, used by millions of families, has grown to become the ultimate resource for parents in the major US cities, plus travel guides for 100s of destinations.

Anna is a believer in the magic of summer camps, traveling with kids, and that you can raise kids on a budget and still have a rich life full of amazing memories. Anna's first Mommy Poppins book, The Young Traveler's Journal and Activity Book, published in 2025 and co-written with her daughter, Amelia Eigerman, brings that ethos to life, in addition to this website.

Recent Articles By Anna Fader:
Read more articles by Anna Fader.