Winter is the perfect time to think about summer activities for children. In fact, deadlines are coming quickly for many of the city's free programs. Summer is a great time for children to explore a new challenge or continue to sharpen their areas of strength.

Not sure how to find the right program? InsideSchools offers a guide of more than 100 free and low cost, summer and year-round programs for children.

Here are a few samples from across our five subject areas of math, science, arts, humanities, and academic prep to help you navigate your way to a summer of fun for your child.

For students who will be entering or attending high school during the 2017–18 academic year, the New York City Summer Arts Institute offers a free arts intensive with city professionals in seven subject areas, including dance, visual arts, and film. The program, held at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Queens, also gives students the option to receive ½ unit of credit toward an elective arts or Regents diploma. Act now because applications are due Feb. 3 by 6 pm. Auditions will be held in March.
If your student is a math whiz, or you want to encourage her to flex her computational muscles, enroll your daughter in Girls Who Code. The nationally acclaimed summer coding immersion program partners with tech companies to teach project-based learning and encourage sisterhood. Applications are open now and due March 17.
New York University's Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE) program is a win-win for students with a strong interest in STEM. The seven-week program allows students to take college-level workshops with a student mentor. Upon completion of the program, students receive a $500 stipend. Applications are due March 1.
The New York City Urban Debate League has programs running throughout the school year and during the summer in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens for students at every grade level. The program is also accepting applications for volunteers that could include parents or siblings.
College Now is a citywide dual enrollment program that matches high school students to a City University of New York (CUNY) college. The program provides additional preparation for college through workshops in arts and music, college-credit courses, and pre-college courses.
Here are a few tips about applying:

Apply now! Many program deadlines are coming soon, or have already passed.
Be sure to note application specifics. Is the application submitted online or by mail? Should it be postmarked or on the program officer's desk by the due date?
Call or email the program directly using information from the contact page on their website.
Dates change and programs come and go. Use InsideSchools links to program websites, to find the latest information.
Head to our free programs directory and visit a summer program fair to speak with representatives in person. The American Camp Association hosts a variety of fairs in Manhattan and Brooklyn, an