The kids are having a great summer, but it’s dragging a bit. Good thing Queens has some fun, educational options on tap.
The New York Hall of Science is about to coordinate two mini-camps — Animal Discovery & Design and Puzzles, Patterns and Play – from Monday, Aug. 14, to Friday, Aug. 18. Both run daily from 9 am to 3 pm and both engage campers in games to boost their problem-solving and math skills.
Animal Discovery & Design is recommended for youngsters aged six and seven. The program involves hands-on activities that demonstrate adaptations found in insects, reptiles, mammals, and birds. Campers apply their knowledge to solve challenges such as designing prosthetics to help an injured bird, creating a prototype for a new paragliding suit, and building a better spider web. They also meet live creatures, including the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach (below).
Puzzles, Patterns and Play is suggested for children aged eight and nine. Campers discover how to use angles to create works of art, utilizing sleuthing techniques to solve mysteries or identify patterns to win a logic game.
Each one costs $450 per participant.
The New York Hall of Science sustained considerable damage during Hurricane Ida, but it has recently reopened fully after a renovation that created some new child-friendly features. The Great Hall Terrace is now home to the Island of Fun, where oversized Jenga, Connect 4, Tic Tac Toss!, and Dominoes encourage collaborative play.
Plus, the Anthony Viscusi Gallery now boasts a Chill Zone with blacklight games, crafts, science challenges, physical activities like hopscotch, a tape obstacle course, interactive projection activities, and Silent Disco.
The museum is located at 47-01 111th St. on the Corona side of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. A large parking lot lies just to the north.
Images: New York Hall of Science