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During our school break programs campers will bundle up and spend time outdoors connecting with nature. Each day offers a new adventure where we’ll learn about our environment, connect with friends – both new and old, learn through hands on activities and games, and of course – PLAY!
Our Brooklyn day programs are based largely out of Prospect Park. Our overnight camp programs are held at our spacious campsite in Northern NJ. Transportation to overnight programs is provided from our Brooklyn office, but you can also choose to provide your own transportation.
One hundred thirty-eight years is a long time to perfect the art of youth development. Formal metrics confirm what anecdotal reports have always shown us: building strong social and emotional foundations sets children up for true long-term success.
Every Trail Blazers program is designed with the same five building blocks – research-backed strategies, seamlessly woven into each day’s plan:
This approach – which looks different every day, within every program, and for every group – delivers a uniquely powerful youth development experience.
We believe our program is the best – but is it the best fit for you?
We really care about being outside and are passionate about the program that we offer. When signing up for one of our programs you are agreeing to join our ‘unplugged’ community. Free from their devices, our campers learn how to build relationships through meaningful conversations, and to be present in their environment.
We do things differently from most other camps, we hope that you will take time to consider the following in order to ensure that we are a good fit for you and your family:
INDEPENDENCE AT A YOUNG AGE – Throughout the program, our campers learn a lot about self-management: packing their own backpack, getting ready for lunch, hiking in the park, etc. Your camper has to be ready to take on those challenges in increasingly more independent ways.
UNSTRUCTURED PLAY – We believe that children learn best from things they experience on their own, and that the process of figuring out an activity is of equal or greater value than the activity itself. Unstructured free play allows kids to learn more – and learn differently – than during highly structured, instructor-led activities. Each day has lots of play built in, during which we explicitly train staff to step aside into the role of an observer and facilitator, but not teacher.
RAINY WEATHER – As a nature-loving outdoor adventure program, we are not easily scared inside! While hugely inclement weather may bring us indoors, we’re much more likely to seek shelter from rain under a tree – if at all! Puddle jumping and mud pies are right up our alley, and in order for you to have a great experience with us, this needs to be something you’re excited about as well.
LOUD SINGING – Your camper will come home and sing camp songs incessantly, and will more than likely require you to participate. Are you ready for that fun?!
LITTLE LEGS AND BATHROOMS – Spending time outdoors. in the park or at our NJ campsite, means we may not be directly next to a bathroom all the time. Sometimes, we have to walk a little. Our staff knows to map their program around bathroom locations; however your camper should be able to recognize the need for a bathroom trip, communicate this need to their group leader, and then possibly hold on for a few minutes!
Considering one of our summer camps? Our break camp programs will give you and your child a great taste of what summer at Trail Blazers is like.
Central to our philosophy has always been the small camp experience. Small camps will consist of no more than 12 campers with two group leaders. These groups will plan their days collaboratively and overcome challenges together, allowing for deeper relationships and connections that last a lifetime.
At Trail Blazers we welcome campers of all backgrounds and identities. Your child’s small group is open to boys, girls and gender non-conforming. To learn more about our inclusive program approach please visit our DEIB page.
Considering Trail Blazers for summer camp? School break programs are a perfect opportunity to try out our programs to make sure it’s the right fit. Sign up for a program to make sure our philosophy and practices align with what you are looking for.
Day programs are available to campers ages 4-10. Overnight programs are open to campers ages 6-12.
Registration for our 2024 break camps is now open! We strive to make camp accessible to all! If you cannot enroll through our online registration system please contact our registration team to enroll over the phone or to schedule an in-person appointment.
Review our refund policy, terms and conditions here.
Each day at day camp is spent in ‘small camp’, a consistent group of 10-12 campers with 2 dedicated group leaders!
Schedules will vary from day to day, but include a mix of various activities. These building blocks include:
Considering one of our Brooklyn Day Camps? Our break camp programs will give you and your child a great taste of what summer at Trail Blazers is like.
Registration for School Break Programs 2023-24 is OPEN!
Yom Kippur (9/25):
Open to Pre-K – Grade 5.
Indigenous Peoples Day (10/9):
Open to Pre-K – Grade 5.
At Trail Blazers, Indigenous People’s Day is an important opportunity to recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and explore the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. Campers will engage with local indigenous history, and utilize agriculture and land use as a lens to examine the collision of colonization and the environment. Campers will be challenged to imagine more sustainable futures.
Election Day (11/7):
Open to Pre-K – Grade 5.
Youth Voice and Impact! Local and national elections are an opportunity for our voices to be heard! On Election Day campers will explore what topics and projects are meaningful to them, and engage in activities emphasizing the strength and impact of the youth voice.
MLK Jr. Day Break Camp (1/15):
Open to Pre-K – Grade 5.
The impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the larger Civil Rights Movement’s mission of equality is enduring, though the fight for equity continues even today. To honor Dr. King and those who have and will continue to fight for justice for all, campers will explore the impact of local Black community leaders, and engage with their peers on themes of identity, friendship, and advocacy.
Mid-Winter Break (2/19-2/23):
Open to Pre-K – Grade 5.
As we brave the coldest months in New York City, mid-winter recess is the time to ignite new fires! Here at Trail Blazers, we know that sustainable futures must start with radical imagination and collaborative critical thinking. Campers will engage in activities that reimagine and explore architecture, urban design, environmental technology, and sustainable design. Groups will be challenged to work collaboratively to design, create, build, and model man-made environmental challenges and possible solutions.
Spring Break Camp (4/22-4/26):
New Beginnings & Spring Cycles: Spring has sprung in New York, and here at Trail Blazers we take it as a reminder of all the beautiful cycles that begin, end, and keep us rolling as the snow melts away and the city blooms. During this week-long camp, campers will explore the plant and animal life cycles triggered by warming weather. Participants will get their hands dirty investigating decomposition and germination, model climate and migration patterns, and challenge themselves to reflect on their own cycles of growth and change this year.
All Trail Blazers programs are offered on a tiered basis, loosely linked to family income, with additional scholarship opportunities available. Your tier is self-selected during the enrollment process.
Single Day Break Camps
5 Day Break Camps
We encourage you to select the tier that makes the most sense for your family. Additional scholarships are available on a limited basis for families to further reduce cost. Contact registration@trailblazers.org for more information.
Aftercare (extended care from 4 – 6 pm) is available for a flat fee of $13 per day.
There is a 5% administrative fee per registration, which is automatically added during the enrollment process. This fee helps to cover administrative costs associated with registration. Tier discount coupons will apply to this fee as well.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens (Trail Blazers Office):
We’ll start and end each day outdoors, with drop off and pick up directly in Prospect Park. We are located at the Prospect Park Carousel lawn – use the park entrance at Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard.
Drop off is between 8:30 and 9 am daily. The regular camp day ends at 4 pm, with normal day pick up available between 3:30 and 4 pm each day. Aftercare is available for a flat fee of $13 per day. Aftercare pick up is available anytime between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. Aftercare is held indoors at the Trail Blazers Office: 495a Flatbush Avenue.
Trail Blazers does not shy away from a little rain or cold weather and will stay outdoors whenever possible; If weather conditions do not allow us to remain outdoors, we will utilize our office located at 495A Flatbush Avenue.
Park Slope (PS 118 – Maurice Sendak Community School):
We’ll start and end each day indoors, with drop off and pick up at PS 118 in Park Slope. Campers will spend a few hours each day in Prospect Park, entering near our Park Slope Summer drop-off location at the Lafayette Memorial – 9th St. and Prospect Park W.
Drop off is between 8:30 and 9 am daily. The regular camp day ends at 4 pm, with normal day pick up available between 3:30 and 4 pm each day. Aftercare is available for a flat fee of $13 per day. Aftercare pick up is available anytime between 4:00 and 6:00 pm. Aftercare is held indoors at PS 118.
Trail Blazers does not shy away from a little rain or cold weather and will go outdoors whenever possible; If weather conditions do not allow us to remain outdoors, we will remain at PS 118.
Registration for break camp is now OPEN.
Break camps are available to campers currently in grades Pre-K through 5 and aged 4-10.
Program fees must be paid in full for all school break camps at the time of registration. Please reach out to info@trailblazers.org if you have questions or would like to apply for scholarship. We look forward to seeing you at camp!
We’ll leave Brooklyn at 8 am for our Mashipacong Estate (210 Deckertown Turnpike, Montague, NJ) and return on the last day by 8 pm. Transport for this camp is provided by Trail Blazers
Our winter break camp is designed specifically for children aged 9-11yrs and is focused on outdoor education and nature crafts. Your child will explore 1000 beautiful acres of our NJ property through a variety of fun outdoor adventures and participate in hands-on activities that encourage creativity and learning in a social space.
Campers will spend the nights in our heated Great Hall, falling asleep to bedtime stories and the crackle of the fire in our fireplace.
2024 Dates: TBD
Overnight break camp programs are open for registration and payment is due at the time of enrollment.
Sibling discounts of 5% are automatically processed during enrollment. Scholarships are available on a limited basis for families to reduce cost. Contact registration@trailblazers.org for more information.
*** PLEASE NOTE – Overnight break camps require a minimum sign up of 10 campers to go ahead. We recommend signing up with a friend!
Overnight break camps are available to campers in grades 1 through 6 and aged 6-12. Individual camps may vary by age.
Program fees must be paid in full for all school break camps prior to program start. Please reach out to info@trailblazers.org if you have questions. Can’t wait to see you at camp!
Looking for an exciting program where your loved ones will develop valuable life skills, build meaningful relationships and have a ton of fun as they spend their days completely outdoors? Look no further than Trail Blazers.
Our camps are designed around a small group experience. We believe that challenges are essential to a child’s ability to grow and we include team building activities each day. Through these activities, campers learn how to work together, how to problem solve, and in turn build more meaningful relationships with one another.
Each program offers an environmentally focused theme, we’ll learn all about our planet, all the living things it is home to, and how best to take care of it! Campers will engage in hands-on activities focused on developing hard and valuable life skills. We’ll practice basic survival skills, knot-tying, plant and animal identification, and more!
At Trail Blazers we fully embrace the outdoors. Rain or shine, provided it is safe, we will opt outside. We spend our days exploring the beauty of the world around us.
We strive to make camp accessible to everyone! We serve a diverse community of campers and search for staff from all backgrounds that bring unique skills and experiences with them to camp. We believe there is tremendous value in learning to interact with those that are different from us.
“Our son is a 100% remote learner, so we can’t tell you how important it was for him to get out and be with other children. In addition to the planned program aspects, so much of what our son reported was the fun the kids made for themselves, and we are so grateful that Trail Blazers makes room for that!”
~ PARENT
“I felt so comfortable with the staff and confident that my child was in great hands with them during the day. My daughter couldn’t stop talking about her group leaders and all the friends she made. I’m very happy we found this program!”
~ PARENT
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