Best winter break camps in Mamaroneck, NY (2026)
Mamaroneck's winter break starts a day before everyone else's. The district is off from Wednesday, December 23, through Friday, January 1, while Rye Neck and New York City schools don't close until December 24. That one extra day is the hardest to cover on the whole calendar, and most camps in the area haven't planned for it.
We're Sheridan Fencing Academy, and our Westchester club is at One Depot Plaza, directly across the street from the Mamaroneck Metro-North station. Below is our roundup of the best winter break camps within about 25 minutes of Mamaroneck for December 2026, with the dates each one actually runs. No sponsorships—just the programs we'd point a friend toward.
Winter break camps at a glance
| Camp | Ages | Winter dates | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rye YMCA | Kindergarten to grade 6 | December 28 to 31 | $108 to $149 a day |
| New Rochelle YMCA | 5 to 12 | December 28 to 30 | $75 to $100 a day |
| The Rock Club | 6 to 13 | December 28 to 30, plus single days by request | $150 a day |
| Chelsea Piers Connecticut | 3 to 13 | December 21 to 23 and 28 to 30 | $175 (confirm per day or session) |
| Sheridan Fencing Academy | School-age kids and teens | Posted on our camps page | Listed on our camps page |
| Random Farms Kids' Theater | Kindergarten to grade 8 | December 26 to 27 and 28 to 31 | $250 to $450 per session |
| Hommocks Park Ice Rink | All ages | Holiday public sessions | Town rates |
| SPORTIME Harbor Island | 3 to 17 | Not yet posted | Not yet posted |
| City of Rye Recreation | Preschool to grade 8 | Not yet posted | $147.50 to $220 in 2024 |
| Rye Nature Center | 3½ to 10 | Not yet posted | $95 a day in 2024-25 |
10 best winter break camps in Mamaroneck
1. Rye YMCA December Vacation Camps
Location: 21 Locust Avenue, Rye, about 10 minutes by car. Rye station is a half-mile walk.
Ages: Kindergarten to grade 6 for Vacation Fun Club; ages 5 to 11 for Basketball Club and Gymnastics Club
Dates: December 28 to 31
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with extended care from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Basketball and Gymnastics also offer half days from 9 a.m. to noon.
Cost: Fun Club is $108 a day for members and $128 for non-members. Basketball and Gymnastics full days are $149 for non-members, with lower member rates.
Registration: Online through the Y, booked by the day
Website: ryeymca.org
The Rye Y runs three different camps the same week, so a kid can choose between a general fun club, basketball, and gymnastics. All three run through New Year's Eve, which most area camps skip.
Extended care stretches the day to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., which makes it one of the few options here that fits a full working day.
Why we like it: Choice and coverage. A family with a gymnast and a basketball player can do one drop-off and cover the whole post-Christmas week.
2. New Rochelle YMCA Holiday Camp
Location: 50 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, about 12 minutes by car
Ages: 5 to 12
Dates: December 28, 29, and 30
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. extended
Cost: $75 a day for members and $100 for non-members, or $380 and $415 at the weekly rate. Extended days cost $25 more.
Registration: Call 914-632-1818 or email childcare@nrymca.org
Website: nrymca.org
The New Rochelle Y's holiday camp is the best-value full day on this list, and swimming is built into the day. It runs the middle three days of the break.
The camp needs at least 10 kids enrolled to run, so register early and confirm it's going ahead.
Why we like it: $100 for a full day with a swim, from a Y that runs camp on nearly every Mamaroneck school holiday. Once you've registered here once, the rest of the year gets easier.
3. The Rock Club
Location: 130 Rhodes Street, New Rochelle, about 12 minutes by car
Ages: 7 to 12 for Rock 'N Racquet; 6 to 13 for Camp TRC
Dates: Rock 'N Racquet runs December 28 to 30. Camp TRC runs year-round on school days off, so call to confirm your specific date.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Rock 'N Racquet; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Camp TRC
Cost: Rock 'N Racquet is $945 for the session. Camp TRC is $150 a day or $700 a week.
Registration: Online through The Rock Club, or call 914-633-7625
Website: pinebrookfitness.com
The Rock Club is a climbing gym with two ways into winter break. Rock 'N Racquet is a multi-day camp, and Camp TRC is a single-day climbing camp you can book one day at a time.
Camp TRC is the one to ask about for December 23. The gym runs it for school days off, so it's worth a phone call before you assume the day can't be covered.
Why we like it: Climbing gives kids something new to be bad at and then get better at in a single day, which is exactly what a winter break needs.
4. Chelsea Piers Connecticut
Location: Stamford, Connecticut, about 20 to 25 minutes via I-95
Ages: 5 to 13 for Camp Chelsea; 3 to 5 for preschool gymnastics
Dates: December Break I runs December 21 to 23; December Break II runs December 28 to 30
Hours: 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. for Camp Chelsea; 9 a.m. to noon for preschool gymnastics
Cost: $175 for Camp Chelsea and $99 for preschool gymnastics. Confirm whether that's per day or per session when you book.
Registration: Through Chelsea Piers' online account system
Website: chelseapiers.com
Chelsea Piers is the one worth the drive, for one reason. It's the only verified camp in the area running on December 23, the day Mamaroneck's break starts and nobody else's does.
Camp Chelsea is a multi-sport day, and the preschool gymnastics mornings give younger siblings somewhere to go too.
Why we like it: It solves December 23. For a family with two working parents, that alone earns the trip up I-95.
5. Sheridan Fencing Academy
Location: One Depot Plaza, Mamaroneck, directly across the street from the Mamaroneck Metro-North station. Street parking and a municipal lot nearby.
Ages: School-age kids and teens. Age groups are listed on the camps page.
Dates: Runs during winter break. Current dates are posted on our Westchester camps page.
Hours: Listed on the camps page
Cost: Day and week rates are listed on the camps page
Registration: Through the camps page
Website: sheridanfencing.com/westchester
This is us. Our philosophy is that good training is fun training, and a camp day is where that shows most. Kids learn footwork and bladework on eight full-length strips, then put it to use in games and bouts with the other kids. All the equipment is here waiting, so there's nothing to buy and nothing to carry.
It's right across from the train, and there's a parent waiting area if you want to stay and watch. You can book a free trial class or look at all our fencing programs and schedules.
Why we like it: Bias acknowledged. Every kid who walks in started from zero, because almost nobody grows up fencing. That makes it an unusually easy room to join over a school break.
6. Random Farms Kids' Theater Vacation Workshops
Location: 1 Zeiss Drive, Thornwood, about 25 to 30 minutes by car
Ages: Kindergarten to grade 3 for Vacation Jellybeans; grades 3 to 8 for Vacation Workshop
Dates: A two-day session on December 26 and 27, and a four-day session from December 28 to 31
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: $250 for the two-day session, $450 for the four-day session
Registration: Opens October 1
Website: randomfarmsny.org
Random Farms is the destination theater program Sound Shore families drive for, and its winter workshops end with a short informal show for families. The weekend session on December 26 and 27 is unusual on its own.
The four-day session runs through New Year's Eve, which makes it one of very few programs covering December 31.
Why we like it: A week of rehearsal that ends in a performance gives a kid something to show for the break, and the show is the part they'll remember.
7. Hommocks Park Ice Rink
Location: 140 Hommocks Road, Larchmont, about 5 minutes from the village
Ages: All ages, with rental skates from toddler sizes
Dates: The Town posts a holiday skating schedule each December. Check the 2026-27 public session schedule for break-week times.
Hours: Vary by session
Cost: Town public-session rates, with lower prices for residents. Confirm current rates on the Town site.
Registration: Walk-up public skating, not a drop-off camp
Website: townofmamaroneckny.gov
The town rink is the local answer for an afternoon that doesn't need a camp. A weekday afternoon between Christmas and New Year's is exactly what it's for.
No membership is needed. Call 914-834-1069 to confirm holiday session times before you go.
Why we like it: Five minutes away, cheap, and the best way to spend the afternoon after a morning camp.
8. SPORTIME Harbor Island
Location: Harbor Island Park, Mamaroneck, about 3 minutes from the village and walkable from the train
Ages: 3 to 17 for tennis
Dates: SPORTIME lists Harbor Island as a school-break camp location. December 2026 dates aren't posted yet.
Hours: Not posted yet
Cost: Not posted yet
Registration: Call 914-468-4470
Website: sportimeny.com
SPORTIME runs school-break tennis camps at Harbor Island, right on the water in the village. Dates and prices for December haven't been posted yet, so a call is the fastest way to find out.
Why we like it: It's the closest camp on this list after ours. For a family that lives near the harbor, that matters more than anything on a cold morning.
9. City of Rye Recreation Winter Mini-Camps
Location: Damiano Recreation Center and school gyms in Rye, about 10 minutes by car
Ages: Varied by program, from preschool to grade 8
Dates: In December 2024, the mini-camps ran across the whole break, including December 23, 24, and 31. The 2026 schedule isn't posted yet.
Hours: Mostly half days, 9 a.m. to noon or 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cost: In 2024, sessions ran $147.50 to $220 for non-residents. Confirm current rates.
Registration: Opened in mid-December in 2024. Non-residents were welcome.
Website: ryeny.gov
Rye Rec brings in outside providers for short winter mini-camps, including Mad Science, Ninja Warriors, and MakeInspires workshops. The 2024 lineup covered the days nobody else did, including Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Rye's programs follow the Rye City School District calendar, so check the 2026 dates against Mamaroneck's before you book.
Why we like it: It's the closest thing to full-break coverage in the area, and it's open to non-residents.
10. Rye Nature Center School's Out Workshops
Location: 873 Boston Post Road, Rye, about 8 minutes by car
Ages: 3½ to 10
Dates: In the 2024-25 season, a winter workshop ran January 2. The 2026 dates aren't posted yet.
Hours: That workshop ran 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cost: $95 a day in 2024-25. Confirm current rates.
Registration: By the day, with no refunds or credits
Website: ryenaturecenter.org
The Rye Nature Center runs single-day workshops on school days off. The grounds are also open daily from dawn to dusk for a free walk any day of the break.
Why we like it: A morning outside in the woods is the best reset after a week of holiday screens, and the young age range makes it a good fit for kindergartners.
Honorable mentions
A few more worth watching as December gets closer.
Pelham Art Center runs School's Out camps on fall holidays and has run December camps in past years. Its winter page says "none at this time," so check back in November.
My Gym Larchmont at 1030 West Boston Post Road runs pay-by-the-day winter camps for young kids when they're scheduled.
MakeInspires at 1139 West Boston Post Road in Mamaroneck runs 2.5-hour workshops on school days off.
Goldfish Swim School in New Rochelle runs Jump Start clinics, several days in a row of short lessons, at select times of the year.
Larchmont Public Library and Mamaroneck Public Library both run free children's and teen programs, with holiday hours posted in December.
How to choose the right Mamaroneck winter break camp
A few honest things to think about before you book.
Solve December 23 first. Mamaroneck is off that day and almost nobody else is. Chelsea Piers is the only verified camp running it, and Camp TRC at The Rock Club is worth a call. If neither works, that's the day to plan as a family day.
Most camps only run December 28 to 30. Both Ys, The Rock Club, and Chelsea Piers cluster in that window. For December 31, look at the Rye YMCA and Random Farms. No camp we could verify for 2026 runs December 24 or January 1, though Rye Rec covered Christmas Eve in 2024.
Residency changes the price. Town and city programs charge non-residents more, and some open registration to residents first. Check what you qualify for before you fall in love with a price.
Decide how far you'll drive in December. Most of this list is in Rye, New Rochelle, Thornwood, or Stamford. A 25 minute drive is easy in September and less so twice a day in a snowy week, so weigh the commute against the camp.
Frequently asked questions
When is winter break for Mamaroneck schools in 2026?
Mamaroneck schools are off from Wednesday, December 23, 2026, through Friday, January 1, 2027. School resumes Monday, January 4.
Does Rye Neck have the same winter break?
No. Rye Neck has an early dismissal on December 23 and is off from December 24 to January 1.
Is there a camp near Mamaroneck on December 23?
Yes. Chelsea Piers Connecticut in Stamford runs its December Break I camp from December 21 to 23, and The Rock Club's Camp TRC is worth a call.
Which camps run on New Year's Eve?
The Rye YMCA and Random Farms both run December 31. Rye Rec's mini-camps covered it in 2024.
What's the best-value full-day camp over winter break?
The New Rochelle YMCA runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $75 a day for members and $100 for non-members, with swimming included.
Can I book single days instead of a full week?
Yes. The Rye YMCA, New Rochelle YMCA, and The Rock Club's Camp TRC all sell single days.
One final thought
Mamaroneck's winter break rewards the families who look at the calendar closely. December 23 and the two holidays are where plans fall apart, and the camps that cover them fill first. Book those days, then fill the middle of the week with whatever your kid is most excited about.
The right camp is the one your kid will be happy to go back to the next morning. That's usually about the room and the people, not the brochure.
If you want to see whether fencing is that room, we offer free trial classes for kids at our Mamaroneck club year-round. No commitment, no sales pitch—just a class to find out if it clicks. For every other day off this school year, our guide to the 2026-27 Mamaroneck school calendar has the full list, and our guide to the best summer camps in Mamaroneck is a good place to start planning July.