Does it cost anything to apply, and am I committed?

No — there's no cost to apply and no commitment. Approval simply means you can enroll whenever you're ready.

My child is almost 5 but not entering Kindergarten. Can they come?

Unfortunately not. We have a firm age and grade requirement: campers must be 5 by the start of their week and entering Kindergarten or older.

No — full-day campers bring a labelled, nut-free lunch and every camper brings a snack. NYC families can add a pizza lunch.

Are you a nut-free facility?

We're allergy-aware but not nut-free. We ask every family to pack nut-free snacks and lunches.

Can you accommodate special needs?

Genius Gems has always been a warm and welcoming environment, and many neurodiverse children and children with learning differences have been successful in our programs. Email information@geniusgems.com and we'll talk through what your child needs.

Do I need a teacher recommendation?

Not if your child has already taken part in a Genius Gems drop-off program — a class, mini camp, date night or a past summer camp — those families are fast-tracked. New families can share a recent report card or set up a short call with our camp director instead. Our programs are collaborative, so we just want to make sure camp is a great fit.

What if my child misses a day?

We don't offer make-up days, credits or refunds for missed days. If an illness keeps your child out for a full week, ask us about transferring the week.

Can I sign up for single days?

Our first and last weeks are sold by the day. Every other week is Monday–Thursday or Monday–Friday.

STEM Summer Camp in Chelsea, NYC — Genius Gems

Summer Camp at Genius Gems

Summer 2027 at Genius Gems

Hands-on, project-based STEM camp for grades K–6 — small groups, big builds, real science.

Get notified when registration opens

Grades: K–6
Weeks: 10 themed weeks
Day: Full day, 9 AM–3 PM
Care: Before & after care

Every week is a different lab

Campers spend the week deep in one theme — engineering, chemistry, game design, robotics, animal science — taught in a small group by staff who love this stuff. Most weeks build toward a showcase families are invited to, like an Inventors' Expo, a Pop-Up Science Café or a STEM Arcade. Come for one week or all ten.

Almost all of our weeks sold out last summer, so sign up early to reserve your spot.

Campers building massive magnetic-tile structures at Genius Gems NYC

Summer 2027 weeks

Chelsea, NYC — 555 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Registration opens January 1, 2027.

The Summer 2027 schedule is coming Weeks and themes are announced ahead of registration. Leave your email below and we'll tell you the moment they're up.

Our camp themes

The labs we run each summer. Which weeks they land on changes year to year — see the schedule below.

Inventors Lab: Engineering — ends with the Inventors' Expo
A week of invention and innovation. Campers prototype with micro:bits, motors and everyday materials, then test, fail, fix and improve — the real engineering loop. By Friday every camper has a working invention of their own design and can explain how it works.
Mad Science — ends with the Mad Science Fair
Explosive curiosity. Chemistry and physics experiments all week — volcano reactions, rockets, reactions that fizz, pop and change colour — with the why behind every wow. Campers keep a lab notebook, make predictions and find out which ones held up.
LEGO® Engineering Lab — ends with the Engineering showcase
Hands-on engineering with LEGO® bricks: gear ratios, structural stability, bridges that hold and machines that move. A new design challenge every day, tested against real loads and real timers, culminating in an engineering showcase for families.
This program is not sponsored by or affiliated with the LEGO® company.
Tech Creator Lab — ends with the Future Fair
The ultimate creativity challenge: robots, coding, laser cutters and 3D design. Campers dream up a product, sketch it, build it with real tools and code, and pitch it at the Future Fair. Tablets and laptops are tools here, never the point.
Slime Lab — ends with the Slime showcase
Polymers, states of matter and non-Newtonian fluids through gooey, hands-on fun. Every day a new recipe — glow, magnetic, fluffy, crunchy — and every camper their own slime chemist, tuning ingredients and recording what changed.
Game Design Lab — ends with the STEM Arcade Fair
An action-packed week blending digital and physical games — Scratch, sensors and robotics — and a visit from a real-life game designer. Campers design, build and play-test their own games, then run them for each other at the STEM Arcade Fair.
Animal Science: Paws, Claws & STEM — ends with the Creature showcase
Inquiry-based STEM adventures into animal anatomy, behaviour and adaptations, with up-close animal encounters and a visit from a local animal expert. Campers build habitats, compare skulls and skeletons, and design an animal of their own for a real environment.
KPOP Demon Hunters Academy: The Science of Light & Shadow — ends with the Light show
Light, energy and imagination. LEDs, UV light, magnets and shadow play, wrapped in a K-Pop theme the campers picked themselves. Campers wire their own light-up props and build a glow-in-the-dark show for the final day.
Kitchen Chemistry: Edible Experiments & Fizzy Reactions — ends with the Pop-Up Science Café
Food-based experiments on states of matter and chemical reactions — and yes, some of it gets eaten. Campers make ice cream without a freezer, grow rock candy and test what makes things fizz, then serve the results at a Pop-Up Science Café for families.
Not recommended for campers with severe food allergies.
STEM Discovery
The grand finale of summer: a week of exploration across every branch of STEM, with a different theme each day — engineering, chemistry, coding, biology, design. A greatest-hits week for campers who want a taste of everything.
Full day only.

Formats, hours & tuition

Choose the day that fits your family. Every format runs Monday to Friday unless the week says otherwise.

Chelsea, NYC

Full Day, Monday–Friday, 9 AM – 3 PM — Genius Gems NYC, 555 6th Avenue. Lunch from home, or add a pizza lunch. Daily walk to the park. · Summer 2027 tuition is published with registration.
Full Day, Monday–Thursday, 9 AM – 3 PM — Genius Gems NYC, 555 6th Avenue. The four-day option for families with long weekends. · Summer 2027 tuition is published with registration.

Before & after care

Extend the day at either end. Book a whole week or single days; care is supervised free play with our staff.

Before care 8:30 – 9 AM
After care 3 – 5 PM

Care happens at Genius Gems NYC.

Four-day weeks are prorated.

A day at camp

A typical day. Building time, lunch and outdoor time shift with the week's activities.

Chelsea, NYC

9:00 AM Drop-off & morning build
3:00 PM Pick-up (late care until 5 PM)

Drop-off & pick-up

Chelsea, NYC

Drop-off

Genius Gems NYC, 555 6th Avenue, from 9 AM (8:30 AM with early care).

Pick-up

Genius Gems NYC at 3 PM, or by 5 PM with late care.

Every adult authorised to pick up must be listed on your emergency contact form, and parents sign their child out each day.
Parents and caregivers don't stay during camp unless we've arranged it in advance.
Late pick-up: $20 for 10–20 minutes late, then $10 for each additional 10 minutes.

What to bring

Pack

A labelled water bottle
A labelled nut-free snack — and a nut-free lunch for full-day campers
Sunscreen or a hat for outdoor time
A backpack to carry it all

Leave at home

Toys and valuables — Genius Gems isn't responsible for misplaced items
Phones and devices; if they come, they may be stored during program hours

We're allergy-aware but not a nut-free facility. We kindly ask that anything you pack be nut-free.

Who can come

Campers must be at least 5 years old by the start of their camp week AND entering Kindergarten or older that fall. This is a firm requirement.

Grades K–6. Groups are formed by grade so every camper is with peers.
Campers must be fully toilet-trained and able to use the bathroom independently.
Genius Gems has always been a warm and welcoming place. Many neurodiverse children and children with learning differences have thrived in our programs — email us and we'll talk through what your child needs.
NYC campers walk to a nearby park each day and need to be able to walk with the group and follow staff directions.

One application, every drop-off program

Camp is a drop-off program, so each family completes our short application once — no fee, no commitment. Children who have already taken part in any Genius Gems drop-off program (a class, mini camp, date night or a past summer) are fast-tracked. New to us? Share a recent report card or set up a quick call with our camp director so we can make sure camp is a great fit.

Start the application — Chelsea, NYC

Camp in action

Two girls smile at the camera while coding robots at a table. Other kids and adults are visible in the bright background. — Our engaging programs inspire young minds, making learning about STEM subjects like robotics fun and interactive!

Three girls at a table excitedly engaging in a science activity involving ice, liquid dyes, and aluminum foil pans. — Our engaging programs make learning an adventure, letting kids dive into exciting experiments and discover the magic of science with their friends!

Three happy boys at a table, one with open mouth, displaying their completed traffic light circuits with glowing LEDs. — Our engineering classes let kids bring their bright ideas to life, from traffic lights to robots, sparking joy in every build!

Kids making slime at Genius Gems Millburn — Kids enjoying slime at Genius Gems Millburn

Four girls smile at the camera while showing off their colorful craft creations at a table. — Our Design Bar is always a hit, offering a rainbow of materials for kids to create unique masterpieces they can proudly take home!

A young girl with dark hair works intently on a small wooden robot with wires on a white table, while another child works nearby. — Our robotics and coding classes offer kids an exciting opportunity to bring their creations to life, sparking curiosity and developing essential STEM skills.

Three children are seated on the floor, constructing with colorful magnetic tiles. Behind them, other children and adults are visible. — Our creative play space provides endless opportunities for kids to build, learn, and imagine together with colorful magnetic tiles.

Questions families ask

Does it cost anything to apply, and am I committed?: No — there's no cost to apply and no commitment. Approval simply means you can enroll whenever you're ready.
My child is almost 5 but not entering Kindergarten. Can they come?: Unfortunately not. We have a firm age and grade requirement: campers must be 5 by the start of their week and entering Kindergarten or older.
Is lunch provided?: No — full-day campers bring a labelled, nut-free lunch and every camper brings a snack. NYC families can add a pizza lunch.
Are you a nut-free facility?: We're allergy-aware but not nut-free. We ask every family to pack nut-free snacks and lunches.
Can you accommodate special needs?: Genius Gems has always been a warm and welcoming environment, and many neurodiverse children and children with learning differences have been successful in our programs. Email information@geniusgems.com and we'll talk through what your child needs.
Do I need a teacher recommendation?: Not if your child has already taken part in a Genius Gems drop-off program — a class, mini camp, date night or a past summer camp — those families are fast-tracked. New families can share a recent report card or set up a short call with our camp director instead. Our programs are collaborative, so we just want to make sure camp is a great fit.
What if my child misses a day?: We don't offer make-up days, credits or refunds for missed days. If an illness keeps your child out for a full week, ask us about transferring the week.
Can I sign up for single days?: Our first and last weeks are sold by the day. Every other week is Monday–Thursday or Monday–Friday.

Give them a summer they'll build on

Summer 2027 at Genius Gems — most weeks sell out early.

Start the application — Chelsea, NYC, 555 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Be first to know Leave your email and we'll tell you when Summer 2027 weeks and registration are live.

Questions? Email information@geniusgems.com or call 973-376-2623. information@geniusgems.com · 973-376-2623