10 Gifted and Talented Summer Programs in NYC and NJ

If you have a particularly exceptional child, check out these gifted and talented summer programs in NYC and NJ.

When I was in elementary school, my school district had a gifted and talented after-school program called PEN. I have no idea what it stands for, and I even Googled it and found nothing, but all I know is that I took some test in first or second grade and they decided I was smart enough to join. I can’t even remember what kind of activities we did, but I think I had fun and it was nice to be fancy enough to join something that seemed prestigious and only for geniuses. Like, calm down, second grade me, it wasn’t MENSA and it was never that serious. I felt special though.

Summer programs are a great way for kids to participate in recreational activities that boost their talent and creativity and spend time with other like-minded individuals. These programs provide some extra learning opportunities to prepare for the next school year or any upcoming exam. Sometimes students who have an especially unique learning style or who are gifted in some way have a little difficulty paying attention in class or socializing well, so these types of programs help those students to make friends and find people who also think the same way. It’s like an educational summer camp experience. There are other options aside from summer, though, as evidenced by the best online gifted programs in America for smart kids. Those can be taken all year.

In order to create this list, we utilized Answer the Public. This is a source that aggregates top searches, so from there we were able to see what the best recommendations were for these programs. These summer programs last at minimum one week and span throughout New York City and New Jersey, so there are plenty of options if you’re in that general area.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some gifted and talented summer programs in NYC and NJ.

10. USDAN Summer Camp for the Arts

This program has activities for art, dance, theater, music, and writing. The campus includes a drama center, discovery center, chess center, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pools, yoga platforms, archery range, and recreation areas.

9. Summer Institute for the Gifted

This program is held at Princeton University with various classes to choose from like humanities, math, science, technology, multi-disciplinary, visual and performance arts, and fitness and recreation. You can choose a residential or extended commuter program.

8. Breakthrough Collaborative

With 33 locations across the US, these programs give low-income middle school students the chance to be inspired to pursue educational careers.

7. Summer Medical and Dental Education Program

These programs are great if you’re thinking about pursuing a medical or dental career. It’s an intensive program that includes academic enrichment and exposure. The goal is to produce highly qualified medical school applicants.

6. Center for Talented Youth

This program focuses on the academic talent of children and has a variety of programs within it. They evaluate children to see which program would be best for them to take.

5. Oxbridge Academic Program

There are over 20 courses you can take at this program, including advertising and media, fashion, international business, journalism, medical science, musical theater, human rights, and politics. Children will be enriched in a variety of activities, so it provides well-rounded development.

4. Research Science Institute

The American Museum of Natural History is not the only place that offers the Research Science Institute’s programs. Here, though, there’s a week of experience in geology and planetary sciences, which is why it’s on our list of gifted and talented summer programs in NYC and NJ.

3. Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America

These programs focus on leadership and academics. They also offer standardized test preparation and help children develop problem-solving skills.

2. Learning Through Exploration

Like the name suggests, kids learn when they explore. At the Elisabeth Morrow School, students aren’t just limited to academic activities, as there’s a range of outdoor exploration to do.

1. Telluride Association Summer Program

This program will help kids develop skills that are needed to survive college. Students not only improve intellectually, but they get to learn new interests and interact with other students with similar interests.

That concludes our list of gifted and talented summer programs in NYC and NJ. If you live in these areas and you’re looking for activities for your child to do over the summer, give these a look and see if your child will enjoy them! Maybe they’ll discover a new passion or area of interest.