SPECIALTY CAMPS 2025
Registration opens January 15!
At JCC Specialty Camps, kids get the chance to focus on the things they love to learn and do. Led by expert instructors and enthusiastic staff, Specialty Camps provide campers opportunities to explore interests and gain knowledge, skills and proficiency. Choose from a variety of exciting one-week options, and customize the summer based on your child’s interests and your family’s schedule. Free swim and gym times allow campers to move around and mix with friends attending other JCC Specialty Camps. Snacks and lunch served daily unless otherwise noted.
Switch & Signal Skateboarding
GRADES 3-6 – July 7-11 | $450 | Squirrel Hill
Get ready to ride with Switch & Signal Skateboarding Camp, where skaters of all skill levels come to learn, shred, and have fun! Whether you're stepping on a board for the first time or perfecting your kickflip, our experienced instructors are here to guide you every step of the way. Campers will enjoy hands-on instruction tailored to their skill level, focusing on building confidence, improving techniques, and embracing the joy of skateboarding. We provide everything you need to skate safely, including helmets, pads, and skateboards, so all you have to bring is your energy and enthusiasm. It is recommended participants wear flat sneakers, such as Vans, or a similar rubber soled shoe. Join us for an action-packed camp where fun meets progression in a supportive and inspiring environment!
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Outside the Box Science: Harness the Energy!
Grades 1-3 - July 7-11 | Grades 4-6 - July 14-18 | $450 | Squirrel Hill
Participants will go on a quest to find and harness different types of energy. Campers will use energy to grow bacteria, plants, frogs and snakes and to launch rockets and build small airplanes. We will learn how to use solar energy to build a fire or to make electricity and how to harness gravity to propel a spacecraft through the solar system. We will use the light energy in a laser to trick our eyes, the chemical energy in our bodies to build a battery and much, much more. From explosions to electric motors, we will harness the energy.
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Be An Outsider Multisport with L.L.Bean
Grades 3-5 - July 7-11 | Grades 6-8 - August 4-8 | $600 | Squirrel Hill
Looking for a fun way to get outside and enjoy new sports this summer? Our JCC x L.L.Bean Be An Outsider Multi-Sport Camp is the perfect way to experience new adventures while taking in the outdoors at North Park. During this weeklong camp, you will participate in kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, archery, survival skills, hiking, and so much more! Each day will build on skills learned from the previous days, all leading up to an end-of-camp ultimate challenge that will test your teamwork and newly learned skills. Our expert L.L.Bean Outdoor Discovery Program instructors will be there to guide you every step of the way, and you will emerge with numerous new skills, friendships, and lasting outsider memories!
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Intro to Magic! with Weird Eric
GRADES 1-3 | July 14-18 | $425 | Squirrel Hill
This exciting camp will immerse your child in the fascinating world of magic, illusions, and live stage entertainment. Led by the renowned and award-winning magician Weird Eric, a long-time JCC program partner, campers will learn a variety of close-up magic tricks. They'll also have the chance to create their own magician name and unique style. Throughout the week, they'll perfect their skills and conclude with a performance for their fellow campers, showcasing their magical talents!
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All Star Basketball with Run the Show
GRADES 5-8 - July 21-25 | GRADES 1-4 - July 28-August 1| $500 | Squirrel Hill
Get ready to shine on the court with the All-Star Basketball Camp, part of the Run the Show program! This dynamic camp focuses on building basketball skills, boosting confidence, and fostering teamwork. Campers will develop their dribbling, shooting, and passing fundamentals while engaging in exciting drills and games designed to improve coordination and game sense. This camp is all about learning, growing, and having fun. This camp is led by Run the Show, a basketball betterment company run by current and former professional and collegiate coaches. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned player, you'll leave with new skills, great memories, and a love for the game. Are you ready to Run the Show and become an All-Star? Join us on the court!5
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Kung Fu Training Camp for Success and Fun with Rothrock's Kung Fu
GRADES 1-8 | July 21-25 | $475 | Squirrel Hill
Kung Fu is an ancient Chinese martial art where campers will learn physical techniques, their historical and modern significance, and train for a formal Friday demonstration (wearing their Kung Fu shirts!) for parents and staff. They will actively participate in learning for themselves, helping others, and being guided by adults and Jr. Instructors, discovering they can achieve more than they thought possible. The camp includes Kung Fu animal routines, foam swords, Chinese calligraphy, endurance, focus, teamwork, imagination, and …patience!
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ECO Art with Outside the Box Science
GRADES 2-6 - July 21-25 | $450 | Squirrel Hill
Create your own media and art from the natural and recycled resources all around you! At this camp, you will learn the science behind the creation of different types of art. Campers will create tie-dye with natural materials, recycled paper, stepping stone molds, henna tattoos, charcoal pencils forged in fire, and other natural art!
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Lights, Camera, Camp! With WQED Film Makers
GRADES 5-8 - July 27-August 1 | GRADES 1-4 - August 4-8 | $550 | Squirrel Hill
The experts from WQED Film Academy will guide campers through the movie-making process, allowing them to explore their creativity. Throughout the week, campers will learn the language of cinema and the various roles involved in creating a movie through hands-on experience. Together, we will collaborate to create a short film by writing, storyboarding, capturing footage, using lighting, recording audio, and editing. This short film will document their camp experience, creating a lasting memory for them to share with their families.
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
GRADES 1-3 - July 28-August 1 | $425 | Squirrel Hill
Calling all witches and wizards! Are you ready to immerse yourself in the enchanting Wizarding World of Harry Potter? Well then, I am pleased to inform you that a place has been reserved just for YOU at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! Believe it or not, this summer, you will be designing and crafting your very own wand; learning the art (and science!) of mixing potions; identifying, caring for, and creating magical creatures; unlocking the mysteries of the future through various forms of divination; solving spellbinding puzzles and STEAM challenges; learning and crafting spells; brewing and sampling magical treats; competing in the fast paced thrilling game of Quidditch; and plenty more surprises along the way.* Ready to receive your acceptance letter? Then, sign up now for an unforgettable week filled with magic, wonder, and adventure where each day will spark creativity, problem solving, and camaraderie. We’re looking forward to meeting you this summer at JCCs very own Platform 9¾… *No previous reading or viewing of Harry Potter required, just curiosity and a sense of adventure! Spoilers will be kept to a minimum.
Dance Fusion Frenzy! Dance Camp
Grades 4-6 - July 28-August 1 | $425 | Squirrel Hill
Join us for an unforgettable week at Dance Fusion Frenzy, where movement meets creativity! Led by the talented Christa Cummings, Program Assistant for the JCC Dance Department, campers will dive into the exciting world of ballet, jazz, choreography, and dance composition. Through engaging and interactive activities, dancers will learn foundational techniques, explore self-expression through choreography, and bring their own creative visions to life. Whether perfecting pirouettes, jazzing up routines, or crafting original compositions, every camper will experience the joy and artistry of dance. Dance Fusion Frenzy is the perfect place for young dancers to grow, shine, and take center stage! All skill levels welcome!
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O’Ryan the O’Mazing’s Spectacular Circus Camp
Grades 2-4 - August 11-15 | $425 | Squirrel Hill
Focusing on personal identity and self acceptance, this workshop uses the fundamentals of clowning, physical theater, and circus skills to help each child unlock their own unique sense of character. Together, we explore emotions, identity, and problems by becoming a clown for a week and tackling failure head on! We also learn tons of games and exercises that teach focus and strength, while helping students to embrace their inner clown, making this workshop a unique and empowering experience. Campers learn the basics of clowning, juggling, plate spinning, and improvisational physical theater while having fun, working as a team, and building a discipline of practice.
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Learning the Art Masters with Art Imagined!
GRADES 1-3 - August 11-15 | $425 | Squirrel Hill
Join Ms. Heather, owner of Art Imagined, on a trip learning about the Masters that shaped the Art world we know today. From Michelangelo to our own Local Andy Warhol we will explore all the different mediums and techniques they made famous! Some of the mediums we will be using are watercolor, acrylic paint, printmaking, clay and many more!
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VIEW SAMPLE SCHEDULEDAILY SCHEDULE
7:30-9:00 AM
Before care
9:00‐9:15 AM
Morning flagpole
9:15‐10:30 AM
Specialty activity
10:30‐10:45 AM
Morning snack
10:45‐12:30 PM
Specialty activity
12:30‐1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00‐2:00 PM
Specialty activity OR Campers Choice*
2:00‐3:00 PM
Specialty activity OR Campers Choice
3:00‐3:30 PM
Afternoon snack
3:30 PM
Dismissal
Afternoon activities depend upon the specific camp. Campers Choice activities can include swimming, a trip to the library or Davis Park, no bake cooking, gym games, wacky sports, board game tourneys and more.
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