The Hamilton Area YMCA’s Sawmill Summer Day Camp, situated in the heart of Mercer County, offers your child, ages 5 – 15, an unforgettable summer experience. With 50 acres of vast outdoor space and the largest pool in Mercer County, our camp is a haven for fun, learning, and adventure. Over five exciting days packed with activities, campers are encouraged to participate in a variety of options including STEM, art, sports, games, special events, theme weeks,
and more!
Unplug. Summer camp is the perfect antidote to screen time. Your child can make genuine connections with peers, free from the distractions of technology. Engaging in unstructured outdoor play sparks kids’ creativity and energizes their bodies and imaginations.
Explore. Every day at camp presents a new adventure for kids to stretch their imaginations and embrace creativity without fear of failure. Our camp offers opportunities in arts and crafts, music, science, dance, sports, and swimming, allowing children to explore and express themselves in ways they might not be able
to elsewhere.
Grow. Our camp provides a safe, nurturing environment where kids develop essential skills, build confidence, and forge new friendships. As they engage in a variety of activities, from outdoor play to swimming lessons, they acquire valuable personal development skills. These experiences help shape their identities and passions, influencing their academic pursuits, relationships, and future career choices.
It’s not just about acquiring new skills and life lessons; it’s also about forming lifelong friendships and creating unforgettable memories. The laughter, sense of accomplishment,
and community spirit come together to create an amazing summer experience that your child will cherish forever.
Kids view camp as a fun way to enjoy their summer in the sun and play in the pool, but parents understand that camp provides children with many life benefits that will remain with them long after their summer camp days have ended.
Join us at Sawmill Summer Day Camp for a Summer where kids unplug, explore & grow! To learn more about our vibrant camp community, please visit hamiltonymca.org/summer-camp/sawmill-branch-2025.
Liberty Lake Day Camp
Summer Camp: The Antidote to Screen-Based Society
By Andy Pritikin
At a restaurant last week, I watched a family order their food, then immediately bury themselves in their phones — for the entire meal. Sadly, this isn’t surprising. In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt highlights how today’s teens spend 8-10 hours a day on screens, with constant notifications fragmenting their attention. Childhood has shifted from real-world interactions to isolated digital consumption.
Before smartphones, kids played together, watched TV as a group, and even gamed in the same room. Now, they “hang out” alone, on separate devices. This social deprivation is fueling an anxiety epidemic. Once kids get phones, their real-life friendships decline. Online interactions don’t replace the need for in-person social development. The perfect antidote? Screen-free summer camp.
Haidt suggests four solutions to counteract screen dependency, all of which align with the values of summer camp:
1. No Phones in Schools — It’s already happening! Eighteen U.S. states, plus the UK and Canada, are banning phones in schools, leading to improved test scores and happier students. At my camps, we’ve never allowed phones, and kids consistently
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thank us for it.
2. No Smartphones Until High School — Kids get smartphones because “everyone else has one,” yet it brings unnecessary stress and social pressure. Giving younger kids a flip phone is a better option. Parents are stuck in a no-win situation—until summer camp offers them a muchneeded screen detox!
3. No Social Media Until 16 — Social media, especially TikTok, is addictive and damaging, comparable to gambling. If another product harmed kids this much, we’d ban it. Yet we overprotect kids from the real world while under protecting them from the online one. Camp provides a safe,
screen-free environment where kids can be kids.
4. More Unstructured, Unsupervised Play — Kids need real-world play, risk-taking, and adventure to develop social and problem-solving skills. Society has prioritized test scores over play, but camp restores this balance.
At summer camp, kids form deep friendships, learn resilience, and build social skills — all while immersed in an encouraging, screen-free community. Haidt believes one of camp’s greatest benefits is teaching kids to take safe risks — a crucial skill for facing life’s challenges.
Encouraging children to put down
YMCA Camp Mason
Welcoming Campers for 125 Years
For 125 years, YMCA Camp Mason has welcomed campers to be a part of our community. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve. We engage and encourage youth and deliver meaningful and memorable experiences.
Our campers say it best!
“I made so many friends!”
Campers can try new programs while developing confidence, gaining independence, having fun and
their screens and embrace real experiences is more than nostalgia —it’s essential for their development. Summer camp isn’t just a getaway; it’s a necessity in today’s digital world.
Andy Pritikin is the owner/director of Liberty Lake Day Camp in Bordentown, NJ, as well as the co-owner of Everwood Day Camp in Sharon, MA, and Camp Southwoods in Paradox, NY. He’s the Past President of the American Camp Association NY/ NJ, and the host of the “Day Camp Podcast”
Liberty Lake Day Camp, 1195 Florence Columbus Road, Bordentown. www.libertylakedaycamp.com.
making lifelong friends.
“I come to camp for all of the great activities.”
Camp offers archery, pool swimming, boating, arts/crafts, drama, music, climbing tower, zipline, movie making, field/court sports, skateboard park, mountain biking, FREE trips and countless other activities.
“At camp I can be myself.”
98% of parents report their child felt a sense of belonging at camp. We teach and live our values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.
For THE BEST SUMMER EVER, register at campmason.org, call 908-362-8217 or email shani@ campmason.org.
RSM Princeton
Advance Your Child’s Math Learning This Summer!
Summer math classes at RSM Princeton are now enrolling!
RSM’s award-winning program can help your child reinforce their math skills over the summer. RSM’s program has been trusted by parents for over 25 years across 75+ locations in North America. We take pride in ensuring each student learns in an environment that is optimal for them while boosting their confidence in math and learning abilities.
About RSM. At RSM, we use the rigorous study of mathematics as a vehicle to develop our students’ math fluency, intellect, and character, empowering them for life. Our unique approach consists of a continuous K-12 curriculum, taught by expert teachers, in a classroom environment of peers who study together year after year.
RSM’s curriculum is inspired by elite mathematical schools in the former Soviet Union, adapted to meet
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the needs of students in the U.S. educational system. Our curriculum has continually been perfected by our curriculum department over the past 25 years.
Why Choose RSM’s Summer Program? A Program for All Students: RSM offers summer classes for K-12 students looking to strengthen their grasp of the fundamentals, prepare for the upcoming school year, or experience additional challenges.
Prevent Summer Learning Loss: RSM’s program ensures that students retain and strengthen their math knowledge, keeping them on track when they return to school in the fall.
Talented Faculty: All of our teachers have a background in mathematics or a related field and a deep passion for the subject.
Summer Program Details: 6-Week and 3-Week Offerings. This summer, RSM Princeton is offering courses that run for six or three weeks. Our 6-Week program has two classes per week and starts in June. Class durations vary depending on the student’s grade. Our 3-Week program
has four classes per week and begins in July. Classes in our 3-Week program run for three hours per day.
Classroom Environment: Students are instructed by an expert teacher leading an interactive lesson in an in-person class environment. Who Can Join? RSM Princeton
has summer classes for students in grades K-12 and is also offering math competition classes for students looking for an additional challenge. Get Started Today! Visit our website at mathschool.com/Princeton to view the summer schedule for RSM Princeton and enroll your child today.
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Leaping Dog Art Studios
Let Your Imagination Run Wild This Summer
When you enter Leaping Dog Art Studios on 325 Farnsworth Street in downtown Bordentown City, you are immediately transported to a vibrant, creative atmosphere. Approaching the entrance, you will pass a Little Free Art Gallery welcoming anyone to share or take art. Upon entering the building, there is a colorful and welcoming mural about kindness painted by the students of Leaping Dog. Good music is usually pouring out of the studio sound system and a plethora of eye-catching paintings and clay projects sit on shelves that line almost every wall of the interior.
On their website, Leaping Dog Art Studio’s promise is to be “A place where imaginations are allowed to run wild, creative expression is the norm, and fun is had by people of all ages.” Stopping in during any class proves this to be true. Kids and adults
alike cannot wait to come to the next class and are sad when they have to leave or miss a class. Founder and director Jennifer Szeto says, “As a small business owner in these times especially, I am thankful each day to be open and booming. When classes and camps and workshops fill up,
I know that there is a need for the services we provide and I am happy that there is a community of people who, like me, value the arts and want creative activities to be a part of their lives.”
For the summer of 2025, Leaping Dog will offer nine weeks of 5 day
camps — with the exception of the week of July 4th — which is only a four-day week due to the holiday. Each week promises fun and exciting themes including the popular “Kawaii & Cartooning” week, “Sculpture & Clay” weeks, “Fashion Design” week and “Fantasy Art” week and our newer “Game Creation Week” and “We Love Music & Musicals!” Weeks. This summer, we are also happy to offer a camp for older teens interested in more serious drawing and painting experiences called “Art Portfolio Camp.”
“Camps fill up quick so I recommend registering as soon as possible,” says Jennifer, who earned a Masters in Art Teaching from the University of the Arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from Syracuse University and has more than 18 years of experience as an art educator and 11 years running her studio.
For more information on art classes and art camps or booking a private party or lesson, please visit www. leapingdogartstudios.com.
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Tomato Patch Summer Workshops
Reach for the Stars — Register Now!
A few weeks can last a lifetime! Find out at Tomato Patch Summer Workshops in Theater, Dance, Vocal Music, Video and Visual Arts! Students make lasting friendships and wonderful memories while becoming an accomplished performer and artist. Now in its 52nd year, Tomato Patch is the longest-running, most successful multi-disciplinary Visual and Performing Arts program in Central New Jersey. Featuring classes for all school age students, Tomato Patch is taught by a talented staff of professional artists. Visual and performing arts wotrkshops explore arts, dance, theater, and vocal music. Session one is a four-week session for ages 13 to 18. Session two is a three-week session for ages 10 to 12. Master class is for students ages 13 to 18 who have attended Tomato Patch or had other formal theater training.
Tomato Patch Workshops is a multidisciplinary full-day Theater, Dance, Music, Visual Art and Video summer program for ages 10-18 in two sessions:
Session 1: Grades 8-12; minimum age 13.
June 30 through July 24. No Tomato Patch July 4. Only $1,175.
Session 2: Grades 4-7; minimum ages 10.
July 28 through August 14. Only
$1,100.
Tomato Patch Workshops culminate in an Evening of the Arts!
Unlike every other performing arts camp, Tomato Patch allows you to major in one subject and take classes in other areas. Become a triple threat! The majors to choose from are Acting, Vocal, Dance, Visual Arts, and Video Production.
The Master Class is full-day acting intensive summer program for ages 13-18 only in two sessions:
Session 1: June 30 through July 25 – No Class July 4, 5. Only $1,175.
Session 2: July 28 through August 15. Only $1,100.
Hours are 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available.
The Master Class in Theater culminates in A Night of One Acts!
Hours for all programs are Mondays through Fridays from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. with before and after care available. Before care starts at 7:15 a.m. and costs $50 per week. After care ends at 6 p.m. and costs $75 per week.
Still looking for something during the school year? Junior Tomatoes is 10 week-long Saturday morning theater workshops exploring creativity, movement, improvisation, and more from September through June for ages 4-12 in three sessions. All classes culminate in performances for family and friends!
Tomato Patch Workshops are conveniently located on the West Windsor Campus of Mercer County Community College. Visit us online at www.tomatopatch.org or call 609-5703566 for more information.
PBS Trainees Lauren Grace Onderko, Avery Alley, and Finlay Nyce. Photo by Megan Teat Photography.
artistry, collaborating in a dynamic creative environment. They gain a deeper understanding of how ideas evolve into choreography and performance, and how the technical and artistic elements seamlessly come together.”
The Summer Intensive Advanced is an excellent way to begin Princeton Ballet School’s Trainee Program, which serves as a bridge between the student phase of training and a professional dance career. The Trainee Program is ideal for homeschool students ages 15 and up, as well as posthigh school dancers, who are looking to further extend their training as they transition
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toward professional careers. Princeton Ballet School’s Trainee Program also offers international students the opportunity to complete the twoyear program, as the school is certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) to enroll nonimmigrant students on F-1 visas. Based on individual progress and performance, trainees will have the opportunity to perform in American Repertory Ballet productions. Visit www.arballet.org or call 609-921-77458 to learn more and enroll today!
Bob Smith Soccer Academy
Soccer camps for ages 5 to 14
The Bob Smith Soccer Academy has been a family-owned and operated business since the early 1990s. This summer, it offers camps at two locations for boys and girls ages 5 to 14.
The first camp takes places outdoors at Robbinsville Community Park from July 14 through 18 and August 11 through 15. The second is at the Multisport Kingdom in Manalapan from July 21 through 28, August 4 through 8, and August 18 through 22.
Full-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and half-day camp runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Camps have skill stations from 9 to 11 a.m., games from 11 a.m. to noon, lunch from noon to 1 p.m., and group training and games until 3 p.m. Before and after-care are available, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bob Smith, A United States Soccer Hall of Fame member since 2006, played internationally and in the USA for nine years with the Philadelphia Atoms, Fury, and the New York Cosmos alongside the great Pele, Beckenbauer, Chinaglia, and countless pioneers of
Building Character & Community
the game. He then played for the Phila Fever, the San Diego Sockers, and finally, the Montreal Manic.
After he retired he turned to passing on his love of the game to the young players of New Jersey by having soccer camps at Mercer County Park for many years. He has always had the most qualified staff by his side, Including his own four children, who served as junior trainers at the camps.
His soccer academy first moved to the Robbinsville Fieldhouse, where his skilled staff and manager Joe Donigan provided training for players ages 4-15, hundreds of youth travel teams, and men’s leagues.
Operations have since relocated to Multisports Kingdom in Manalapan, where they continue to train players of all ages and levels, host summer camps, and run travel leagues for 225 youth teams from all around the state. Bob Smith’s son Dylan, who also played in college and some internationally, helps run the academy and is the director of coaching for Freehold Soccer.
Bob Smith Soccer Academy, 150 Woodward Road, Manalapan. www.bobsmithsoccer.com email: info@bobsmithsoccer.com. Register today and get a $25 discount for early registration.
