Brooklyn Day Camp

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

• Exciting weekly skills mastery
• Three “home base” locations to choose from: Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Crown Heights, and Park Slope
• Program hours from 8:00 – 4:00, with aftercare available until 6:00.
• Day trips to Trail Blazers’ 1000 acre forested property in Sussex County, NJ, three times throughout the summer – archery, cookouts, lake swims, and more!
• Weekly swimming in a local Brooklyn pool, including swim instruction and recreational swim led by our American Red Cross certified life guards
• Local trips all around the city, from museums to climbing gyms to zoos
• Healthy snacks and healthy habits incorporated into each day
• Staff from Brooklyn and around the world!

A TYPICAL DAY

Each day at Trail Blazers Day Camp is spent in ‘small camp’, a consistent group of 12-15 campers with 2 dedicated group leaders – plus many more specialist and senior staff for support! Because each child’s group remains small and consistent throughout the summer, our campers and adults form very strong bonds!

Each day includes the same mix of components, which your child’s group leaders will customize in real-time response to the group’s needs, likes and dislikes. These building blocks include:

• MORNING CHECK IN – setting goals and talking through the day’s program
• SKILL BUILDING  – each week features a skill campers will spend some time focusing on each day, so at the end of the week your camper can say: I learned that at camp!
• ART/SCIENCE/GARDEN ACTIVITIES – each day includes an art project and/or a science experiment, all done right outside
• HIKING/ORIENTEERING – campers read maps and go on treasure hunts, getting to know all corners of the park
• TEAMBUILDING – specific games are used to bring the group together, teach group skills, and help groups overcome challenges
• MUSIC/SINGING – we sing all the time, both during specific song session as well as while we move from place to place!
• TRIPS/SWIMMING – campers will go on a trip once per week. This will either be a local city trip OR an exciting bi-weekly adventure day trip to our forested camp property in  New Jersey
• PLAYGROUND VISITS – Prospect Park has many great playgrounds, and we want to try them all (including the awesome splash pad at LeFrak!)
• RUNNING/ACTIVE GAMES – when you’ve got a lot of energy to burn, nothing is better than learning a new game to play with your friends!
• LUNCH/SOLO – we value taking some time for ourselves each day – after lunch, campers spend some time napping, reading a book, or laying back and watching the clouds
• UNSTRUCTURED FREE PLAY – campers spend time each day playing by their own rules in a pre-defined area where they learn how to negotiate rules, engage in creative play, and have fun with friends
• POWWOW – the day always ends around the imaginary fire, singing songs, processing the day’s highlights and transitioning to the day end

Summer 2019 brings an exciting new change in the form of Skills Mastery. This year, in place of open-ended weekly themes to guide our activities, campers will be given opportunities to learn and develop a wonderful variety of hands-on skills that they may never have tried before:

Week 1 (July 1 – July 5): Hikers & Heroes

Skill of the week: Orienteering

An introduction to all things Trail Blazers. Let’s explore our park as a team and learn about the different ways we can navigate towards adventure. There’s 526 acres to discover, so let’s do it together!

Good news: We are still open on July 4^th!

Week 2 (July 8 – July 12): Making Tracks

Skill of the week: Wildlife Identification

‘What’s that sound? Who’s tracks are these?’  The investigation is on as we learn about all the wildlife that shares our world. Fauna and flora of the park await!

Week 3 (July 15 – July 19): We Are Survivors!

Skill of the week: Survival skills

A welcoming introduction to wilderness arts, including how to raise a shelter, filter clean water and craft the perfect marshmallow roasting fire. At Trail Blazers we are not just campers; We Are Survivors!

Week 4 (July 22 – July 26): Spools Out For Summer

Skill of the week: Sewing and Textiles

Our tight-knit group of campers are in for a seamless summer that is sew much fun you’ll needle little rest before you carry yarn. Get thready, because weave got a darn good week ahead!

Week 5 (July 29 – August 2): Breathe, Smile, Repeat.

Skill of the week: Yoga & Meditation

Balance and breathe as you learn to strike many new poses this week. Whether you are a flamingo or a warrior, as we head outside this summer it is also important to focus inward. But, just because we will be calming our bodies and minds, does not mean we will be slowing down. There is plenty of exciting play to be had every day!

 Week 6 (August 5 – August 9): Healthy Helpers

Skill of the week: First-Aid & Wellness

The doctor is in; Camper M.D!  Whether it is something as small as knowing when to ask for help, or taking a big step towards helping others, this week presents plenty of opportunities to learn about the body and how to take care of yourself and each other.

Week 7 (August 12 – August 16): Knot-Knot, Who’s There?

Skill of the week: Knot Tying

From simple survival knots to intricate friendship bracelets, it will be easy to get tied up in how much fun we’ll have with this extremely useful skill week.

Week 8 (August 19 – August 23): Prospect Park-itects

Skill of the week: Lashing

In this building and engineering focused week, we will be crafting anything from picture frames to mega-structures! How big can you build? Your imagination is the limit.

Week 9* (August 26 – August 30): Time Machine

We’ll revisit our favorite games, activities, and experiments from the summer!

*Please note: Week 9 has limited capacity, and is offered as a full 5-day week only. Registration for this week will begin in July, and is only open to families who have enrolled in two or more regular summer weeks.

Trail Blazers Day Camp offers three daily drop-off and pick-up locations. Groups at all locations follow similar weekly programs: Prospect Park adventures, swim days, city field trips, and day trips to our New Jersey camp. However, the theme and skill of the week may vary on each site.

• Prospect Lefferts Gardens – serving PLG, Ditmas and Crown Heights and surrounding areas. Our home base is the Carousel Lawn, by the Empire Blvd entrance to Prospect Park. Indoor/after care location: PS 375, Jackie Robinson. Staff will be available daily to meet your camper at designated spots along the Q line as far south as Newkirk Plaza. This service is offered at a fee of $5/day.
• Crown Heights Drop Off – serving Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy and surrounding areas: We meet daily at PS 316 Elijah Stroud, on Sterling Pl and Classon Ave, which also serves as our indoor/after care location.
• Park Slope Drop Off – serving Park Slope, Gowanus, Sunset Park and surrounding areas: We meet daily at Greenwood Baptist Church, on the corner of 6th street and 7th avenue in Park Slope, which also serves as our indoor/after care location.

New for 2019: Shuttle (S) train Subway service!

Drop off time is between 8.00 and 8.30 at all locations.

Regular pick up is between 3.30 and 4.00pm.

After care pick up is between 5.30 and 6pm.

Please note – Any campers still with us after 4:00pm will automatically transition into After Care and will result in the $10 charge being added to your registration.

During the registration process you will be asked to list authorized adults to pick up your child. Your child will only be released to individuals on the list.

Shuttle TRAIN SUBWAY SERVICE (Prospect Lefferts location only) – For families in Bed Stuy and Crown Heights, staff will be available between 7:30 am – 7:45 am on the (S) Shuttle line (in the subway station, behind the turnstile) at the following stops: Botanical Garden Station (2,3,4,5 lines) and Franklin av (C line). Your camper will return to that location between 4.00 and 4.15.

Q/B TRAIN SUBWAY SERVICE (Prospect Lefferts location only) – For families in Ditmas Park, Midwood, and Sheepshead Bay, staff will be available between 7:30 am – 7:45 am on the B line (in the subway station, behind the turnstile) at the following stops: Newkirk Ave, Beverly Rd, Cortelyou Rd, Church Ave, and Prospect Park. Your camper will return to that location between 4.00 and 4.15.

You will be asked to sign up for subway service on a weekly basis, using an online form. There is $5 fee per day for each day you signed up for this service.

On certain trip days, such as New Jersey days, drop off location may change. We communicate extensively through email and cell phone app so you always know where to drop off or pick up your child. Please contact us with any questions.

AGES

Trail Blazers Day Camp is designed for campers entering Pre-K (4 years old or 3 year olds who will turn 4 by december 1) to 10 years old. The Crown Heights and Park Slope locations take campers entering Pre-K to 8 years old (entering grade 3).

COST

All Trail Blazers programs are offered on a tier basis, loosely linked to family income, with additional scholarship opportunities available. Your tier is self-selected during the application process.

• TIER 1 (family income up to $30,000)- $55 per day
• TIER 2 (family income $30,000-$60,000) – $65 per day
• TIER 3 (family income $60,000-$90,000) – $90 per day
• TIER 4 (family income over $90,000) – $110 per day
• FULL FEE – $125 per day

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 in the tier 1 range to further reduce cost. Sibling discounts of 5% are automatically processed during enrollment.

If you are interested in being considered for additional scholarship assistance, first submit your registration, then  complete the Scholarship Request Form and the Summer Food Service Form on your dashboard. Scholarship allocation are made on a rolling basis and as available. Please talk to registration staff if you have additional questions or needs.

Trail Blazers Day Camp accepts HRA/ACS vouchers for full week campers. If this applies to your family, please contact us for more information about this process, before you enroll your camper with us.

Camp Fees

ADDITIONAL SERVICE FEES

After care is offered at each location for $10/day. In order to give you as much flexibility as possible, you may indicate at drop off whether you wish to use the after care service that day. Each week’s aftercare charges will be added to your account at the end of the week.

Q Train Subway Service is available for $5/day. This service must be signed up for a week in advance, and will be added to your account at that time. Don’t worry, we’ll send you reminders!

Minimum Registration: 2 days per week

The Trail Blazers program approach relies heavily on the social experience within the group – we recommend you enroll for several consecutive days at the start of the summer, so your camper can get used to the group and get to know their group leader. Be sure to consult the summer schedule – this way, you know on which days your camper will attend a city trip, a NJ trip, will go swimming, or will mostly be in the park. We give you full flexibility.

Ages, Groups and Summer Schedule

Because consistent grouping is so important to what we do, we require you sign up your camper for the same group in each week. If a group is no longer available, you may not sign up for a different group. Doing so will result in your registration being cancelled. If you encounter the waitlist, please contact registration@trailblazers.org

Register Today!

Registration Help

We offer one-week overnight mini camp adventures, designed especially for campers who have been with us at Trail Blazers Day Camp who want to give overnight camp a try. All sessions depart at 11am on the first day and return at 3pm on the final day.

• Mini Camp 1: Sunday June 30 – Friday July 5
• Mini Camp 2: Sunday July 14  – Friday July 19
• Mini Camp 3: Sunday July 28 – Friday August 2
• Mini Camp 4: Sunday August 11 – Friday August 16

This 6 day, 5 night camp is a great introduction to overnight camp and is designed specifically for children 5 – 8 who have been to Trail Blazers, either this season or in prior years. Your camper will have the full experience of the regular overnight programs: sleeping in canvas tents, going on hikes, building fires, swimming in our lake, spending time in our garden, riding bikes, doing archery and so much more. Each mini session of no more than 10 campers will have 2 dedicated staff members who are with your camper 24/7, plus additional specialist and senior team support at all times throughout the day.

Spots are limited to 10 campers per mini session. The session is offered at a limited tier rate. Additional scholarships are not available for this program, however if you are enrolled in at least 15 days of regular Day Camp we will apply a 25% discount to your Mini Camp registration.

REGISTER FOR MINI CAMP

Trail Blazer Camps are American Camp Association accredited. All leadership staff are trained professionals in their area of expertise. Trail Blazers certifies American Red Cross Life Guards and recruits staff members from across the country and around the world that have a passion for working with youth in the outdoors.

Each staff member undergoes an intensive interview and reference check process. We run criminal and sex offender background checks on every person employed by our organization. Before children arrive, our staff completes a thorough training, covering all aspects of the Trail Blazers program, to prepare for the important job of looking after your child’s physical and emotional safety.

We assign one international staff member and one American staff member to each group, with the intention of keeping this co-working team intact for the duration of the summer.

Trail Blazers is also a Summer Youth Employment site – we hire wonderful young staff eager to work with children, who serve as extra sets of eyes and ears on each group. This means that, typically, each group has at least 3 adults present at all times.

Meet the Day Camp Team

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. If you are new to Trail Blazers, please plan to attend one of our info sessions if you can, held the first Tuesday of the month, to learn more and ask as many questions as you have!

Because 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:

LITTLE LEGS AND BATHROOMS – Being in the park 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, and we equip our youngest groups with emergency potties. 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!

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.This includes traveling to our New Jersey site with us, if you choose to enroll on those days.

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 summer, 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?!

WE ARE READY!

Please familiarize yourself with our Terms and Conditions. This document will be available on your ACTIVE enrollment portal as well.

If you have have any questions, please contact our office.

Terms and Conditions