Park Slope Day Camp

For over 25 years, Park Slope Day Camp has been providing Brooklyn families with a safe, nurturing, and unique day camp experience. Located in Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Carroll Gardens and Bay Ridge, Park Slope Day Camp offers a wide variety of...

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PSDC PeeWees gained some TALL Campers for Family Day!

It’s not often that families get to see firsthand what a typical day looks like for our campers; but that changes for Family Day! Families arrived at our Park Slope location ready to meet our staff, participate in activities, and show campers that you don’t have to be a kid to have fun! Our amazing Lead Supervisor Zora couldn’t have been more excited to kick off this Family Day with some group cheers and “round robin” activities. Throughout the day, campers and their families participated in martial arts, singing, camp games, and even break-dancing before ending the day with a raffle! It was a great opportunity to come out and spend quality time with the people we love, and we would like to sincerely thank everyone that took the time to make it a great day.

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The 2018 Summer (Camp) Olympics at PSDC

The Olympic event has been a strong and ancient tradition in Park Slope Day Camp; with our largest Leadership Experience class ever, this year is even more successful than we could have imagined! All week, campers participated in friendly competition between our five sites while wearing their site colors and singing original cheers. Our usual sea of yellow shirts at the park was changed to a beautiful array of blue, red, white, green, and orange. Seeing everyone enjoy the events together and congratulate each other on a job well done set a perfect example of what camp spirit is all about.

“It doesn’t last forever; don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed and try to have fun.”

- B.B., Leadership Experience A week-long event with everyone in PSDC--including for the first time ever our Sports Academy and Circus Camp--would be impossible without a lot of planning and prep work; this is where Leadership comes in. Even though Leadership starts on Week 2 of camp, they manage to put together a huge event that mirrors the major planning our Lead Supervisors put into their special events.

But Leadership doesn't just plan Olympics--they get to enjoy the fun as well! N.J. says,

“I learned that you don’t need to worry about the kids having fun because if you are having fun, then they will too.”

It seems this year’s Leadership class is off to a great start; we can’t wait to hear about all their new experiences this summer!

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Cirque d’Eté’s Broadway Medley is a Hit!

Move Over, Stephen Sondheim! Cirque d’Eté has a new Artistic Director with the same AMAZING imagination!

Cirque d’Eté, commonly known as Circus Camp, led by 8-year camp veteran Daniel Dixon, wrapped up their first show last Friday. All through Carroll Gardens you could hear the Sound of Music playing. It was a Wicked awesome show that centered on the main theme of “Broadway!” It was clear to see that our campers didn’t need to Rent any talent from anywhere as their performance left parents saying “Mamma Mia!” With our second session of Cirque underway, we can expect big things from our future stars and it’s clear to see Daniel is a Wiz at what he does!

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Just the Beginning

Week 1 of Summer 2018 is in the books, and Week 2 is well underway! Our summer started with trips to 5 Wits, Luna Park, Liberty Science Center and a bunch of Special Events that had our campers dressed-up and looking amazing.

For those not aware, this is the Summer of SPIRIT—and for good reason! Nothing creates a better sense of spirit and community than its members coming together and embracing one another and the things that make us unique. Throughout our amazing 27 years in the Brooklyn community, we have seen so many campers, counselors, and families walk through our gates at 8:00 am sharp. They may start as strangers, but everyone leaves at the end of the summer as part of a new Park Slope Day Camp family. As soon as our campers enter the door, they are greeted with the familiarity of an old friend; through cheering, comradery and team-building, you can’t help but feel the camp spirit!

Park Slope Day Camp is not just a place to spend eight hours a day—more if you’re Extra Fun; it’s our goal to make sure that at the end of the day, our campers go home feeling part of a community made great by the individuality of each and every one of us. The smiles at the end of the day make all the preparation, dedication, and perspiration of our biggest summer yet worth it!

Here’s to the beginning of a summer full of joy, love, and of course, SPIRIT.

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Why Open Houses

It’s Saturday.

We’ve had a long week in the office prepping for summer: ordering supplies, booking trips, planning activities. General camp readiness stuff.

And yet, we still wake up, gather up the crayons, coloring books, laptops and banners and make our way to our Park Slope site for another Open House.

The question is why.

In this digital age, we could simply tweet about how camp creates advantages for school, career and life readiness. We could post videos of Theme Days on YouTube or Instagram shots of how camp activities turn into experiences. We can blog on our Tumblr…

So why, when we have the world at our fingertips, do we insist on taking more time out of our busy lives to talk about camp for a couple of hours.

Because real connections happen face-to-face. That’s why we still host Open Houses – they are our way of saying that, in a world full of technology, camp exists on the ground, not in a cloud. And that human interaction is an essential part of the definition of camp.

You can scroll through the “Meet Our Team” page on our website over and over again but it will never replace actually meeting our team. You can read our FAQs but if a question isn’t answered you can ask our camp director directly. We can tell you that we have spirit but you can experience it at an open house.

Yes, we will still post on Facebook. Yes, we will continue to blog. But most importantly, we will continue to do Open Houses.

Come and meet us. Face-to-face.        

Click here for dates and times for our upcoming open houses.

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Campression

Campression: the feeling of depression caused by a lack of summer camp, felt most in the dead of winter when it feels like camp will never come back.  Campression is a real issue many campers and camp staffers face, because let’s be real, there is no better time of the year than summer time at camp. Symptoms of campression include but are not limited to wearing shorts when it is snowing, singing boom chicka boom on the subway with no one responding, and constantly telling people stories about summer camp.  It is okay though because we have 5 tips on how to beat campression.  

1.      Using old camp shirts as pajamas.  Always having a piece of camp on your person is very comforting.

2.      Teaching your non-camp friends your favorite camp songs. Sometimes you just want to bust out a good Bo Didley Bop or Bazooka Bubble Gum but you only camp friends know the songs.  If you teach your other friends now everyone can share in the fun and you don’t have to wait for summer camp to sing!

3.      Camp themed birthday parties. Batman is cool and we are sure you’d love a great Disney themed party, but are those things really better than camp?  Why not have a cold weather bar-b-q with lemonade and ice pops.  Why not invite your camp friends while you’re at it?

4.      Scrapbooks.  Making a scrap book with pictures, friendship bracelets, favorite camp song lyrics, and great inside jokes is a great way to remember the summer.  You can always go back and look what makes camp special to you.

5.      Patience.  We know this is not the best piece of advice and patience is easier said than done but remember camp is not just a place but a feeling, camp is always with you.

We hope our tips will help with your campression.  No says it will be easy to get over but in a few short months we’ll all be back at the greatest place on earth, camp.  

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26 Years of Teamwork with the Leadership Experience

Themes are an important part of the Park Slope Day Camp experience; this summer’s theme is teamwork.  Teamwork plays an essential role in making camp work. It takes teamwork to do large tasks like taking 250 campers to an amusement park and it takes teamwork to do small tasks like complete an arts and crafts project.  Over the course of the summer our Leadership Experience campers have completed various exercises to determine why teamwork is important.  The exercises have included things like figuring how to get toothpaste back in its bottle and how to get a car tire over a standing log, as depicted in the above picture.  In each exercise one person could not do alone, the campers had to work together to find a solution.  Check out some thoughts about teamwork from our campers:

“Teamwork to me is when a group of people work together efficiently and respectfully to accomplish a task. Something that may be impossible for an individual to succeed in alone may become possible as a team, two heads are better than one.”

-          McKenzie and Brandon

“Teamwork to me means working together to accomplish a goal. Teamwork requires a few things such as being nice to the others you’re working with, helping each other and trying your best. Teamwork is a great thing.”

-          Nate Angle

“Teamwork is when a group of individuals come together to accomplish a challenge. Like the activities we did at Club Getaway, each challenge we learned something new. Listening, patience, respect, communication and more. With each new challenge, we learned and accomplished all of them.”

-          Bri Bri

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Leading the Way for Young Campers

Our Leadership Experience gives rising 9th and 10th graders insight into their leadership styles and helps them develop their personal strengths, develop their skills, and prepare themselves to become counselors. The first big opportunity to use the skills they’ve honed is when they produce “Camp Olympics” for our Junior and Middle Camps, a very big undertaking! Check out what a few of our leaders thought of their experience:

 “Olympics was a lot more work than I thought. However, it was really fun.  The kids loved the stations me and my friends ran. Even though some kids didn’t listen it was fine because that was expected.”

TR

 “The Olympics were fun and most of the kids had fun playing our game.  The Junior camp listened better and generally had more fun playing.  The Junior Camp also had better sportsmanship. The Middle Camp also were clumsier and knocked over more buckets than the Juniors. “

SB

 Our Leadership Experience lead supervisor Naser also reacted to the great job that our campers did with the Olympics:

 “The Olympics were a major success. I am very proud of all of the young leaders who put a lot of effort and talent into every stage of the Olympics, from the planning to the execution. This year was extra special as we also helped the Pee Wees and Circus Camp run their Olympics. The Young Leaders got a very diverse and important experience working in multiple settings and age groups.”

NH

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The Reviews Are In, Cirque d'Été Brought Down The House!

Pow! Zap! Kaboom! Superhero Circus was a blast under the Carroll Gardens big top. The superheroes of Circus City defeated those zany clown villains once and for all - no banana peels to slip on in this town anymore! The tumbling was thrilling, and the juggling and spinning plates were the best around. Singing, drumming, feather balancing, cartwheeling - these campers did it all. Congratulations to the Lion Tamers, Tightrope Walkers, and Ringmasters who all earned their clown noses! We'll see you soon under the bright lights of Hollywood...Hollywood Circus, that is!

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Park Slope Day Camp By the Numbers

From campers to juice boxes and gaga pits to hula hoops, all camp directors and counselors know that keeping count is important for a successful and safe season.

To celebrate our 25th year, check out these 25 stats and get a glimpse into the Park Slope Day Camp summer!

1 vision for an enriching summer camp that combines informal learning and fun!

94 boomerangs to chuck through the air on Australia Day!

5 locations across Brooklyn with amazing staff

139 amazing graduates of our Leadership Experience since 2006

3  Cirque d’Ete  performances for families to enjoy!

252 "passports" for Senior Campers to travel the world in 39 days!

16 hours of orientation for junior counselors to reach PSDC’s high standards

160 tiny kites to design and fly around the Prospect Park Picnic House

51 years of combined PSDC experience between our six Lead Supervisors!

96 pet rocks that will soon become a camper’s best friend!

322 yo-yos given as a token of appreciation for our 2nd year campers!

7 open houses in the off-season for parents to find out what makes us so special

23 journals full of Young Leaders thoughts

260 eye patches to sport on Pirate Day

325 weekly certificates presented to celebrate our Pee Wee and Junior Campers

106 swim days to cool off!

10 air-conditioned yellow buses to keep us moving

500 “Happy Camper” t-shirts given to thank counselors for perfect attendance!

420 pillowcases to decorate on Pajama Day

2 overnight trips to get older campers out of the city, into lakes, around camp fires, and under the stars

Countless smiles and laughs every day

396 paper crowns to make birthday campers feel extra special!

8 weeks of fun, adventure, and friends

200 spools of lanyard . . . because everyone loves lanyard.

25 years of kindness and caring

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Leading the Way for Young Campers

Our Leadership Experience  gives rising 9th and 10th graders insight into their leadership styles, and helps them develop their personal strengths, develop their skills, and prepare themselves to become counselors. Our Young Leaders participate in hands-on workshops in areas like public speaking, goal setting, and group communication, with the end goal of becoming committed and enthusiastic leaders.

The first big opportunity to use the skills they’ve honed is when they produce “Camp Olympics” for our Junior Camp; a very big undertaking. Check out what a few of our leaders thought of their experience!

“The Olympics were fun. I got a real feeling of being a counselor.  We got to teach cute kids new games.  It gave me a good feeling of responsibility.  I can’t wait for Middle Camp Olympics.”  

IW

“It was a lot of work to be able to explain the game in a way that they would understand, but it was a learning experience and I will take away a lot from this.”

LP

“I had so much fun; I enjoyed spending time with my fellow leaders and enjoyed helping the little campers get into the camp spirit.”

NA

“It made me realize how much I want to be a counselor. By the end of the day I was really tired because we had six different groups each with a lot of kids.  It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it again.”

JM

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After 25 Years, What’s Old is New

Earlier this summer, Richard Medina brought his daughter to the Park Slope Day Camp office to hand in her employment paperwork.  It would be her first summer working as a Junior Counselor at our Park Slope location, but with six years under her belt as a camper, she was a familiar and welcome face. Her arrival was made even more special by the presence of her father. Richie was quickly greeted with smiles and hugs and “Remember when…” stories from friends he’d known since he was a teenager.

“I didn’t realize how much I missed camp until that moment,” Richie told me at the start of our interview. “So I asked if I could come back and revive Storytelling.”

It’s 10’clock on a Thursday at Windsor Terrace. Richie has just finished a workshop with our Young Leaders and is waiting in the schoolyard with On Wheels. We’re leaning against the fence while campers await their workshop assignments. He’s wearing the ubiquitous PSDC staff t-shirt, camo shorts, and a backpack stuffed with books and notebooks needed for his work craft.

I watch a few campers circle Alfons, the OW’s Assistant Supervisor, and laugh at inside jokes. Another group that has clearly become close through their long days at camp, hug and write sentimental goodbye notes in red marker on each other’s PSDC shirts to commemorate their last week in camp together.

The warm reception from his old home at PSDC is just one of the reasons why Richie hoped to return. After a few minutes, my interview is interrupted by two young campers who are anxious to speak with Richie. They want to get his take on the newest King Kong movie.

Despite wearing a staff t-shirt, the campers give me curious looks. They know right away that I’m not one of their counselors. Finally one of them pipes up.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Carla. I work in the office,” I explain. “I’m here to listen in on Richie’s storytelling.”

“Oh man, I love Storytelling,” the camper states matter-of-factly and then jumps up to go join the now very animated conversation with Richie.

It’s especially fitting that Richie is back for our 25th anniversary. “My first real job was at Park Slope Day Camp,” he tells me with a hint of pride. He began working as a counselor at 17-years-old and has been involved with PSDC for a third of his life. Speaking of Ronny, Owner/Director of PSDC, Richie says, “he was like a father figure to me, a real friend, and after all these years it’s good to be back.”

Throughout his 17 years at the day camp, broken up by active duty in the National Guard, he moved from counselor to Karate Specialist and Storyteller.

“One! Two! Three! Eyes on me,” Alfons shouts. “Everyone who wants to go to Storytelling line up.”

A group of boys and girls run toward him.

I follow Richie into the Windsor Terrace site. As we pass through the cafeteria where Lego campers are busy demonstrating their engineering chops, and into the designated spot for Storytelling, he explains his method. “I know all about the movies and books that they’re interested in and then I incorporate it into my storytelling.”

I help him drag a wooden table to the center of the room. He places two chairs in front of it and then sits down.

“Want to see the images I use?”

He shows me six ink sketches of caped warriors. The campers file in, excited. Without any prompting, they grab chairs and form a semi-circle around Richie.

He stands and shows the campers the drawings. They’re instructed to choose the character they’d like to be. They lean forward in their seats, eager to pick their favorite. Richie gives each kid a 20-sided dice. He doesn’t waste any time. He only has an hour and a half to plunge the campers back into the world he’s created for them.

“You guys were coming down this chamber,” he points to the top left of the map he’s holding up. “And it looks like you passed something…here.”

In today’s story, the group is looking up at an ominous chamber door, deciding whether or not to go in. Suddenly one camper offers to use his power of clairvoyance to check out the potential danger. They all take a vote on whether they should go ahead with the plan. The group allows it.

Richie beckons the clairvoyant camper over to him to look at a picture. The camper turns and describes what he sees to the group in great detail.

For the next hour the campers journey through the multi-level chamber, encountering three-headed dogs and electing friends to use their special powers to accomplish obstacles.

“I’m training the kids to use their imagination,” Richie had told me earlier. “To spark their creativity.”

Although he’s up against iPads, Playstations, and TV screens, I’m heartened to see that the campers are just as enraptured by Richie’s words as the kid I saw playing Geometry Dash on the subway to work that morning.

Yet, as I watch the campers high-five each other over spells they cast, cheer each other through frightening obstacles, and offer tactical advice, I see kids understanding how friendship works.

Through Storytelling, they’ve experienced the best kind of friend - one who listens, respects, and encourages and supports others to step out of their comfort zones.

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The Reviews Are In, Cirque d'Été Brought Down The House!

The reviews are in, folks, and critics are going bananas about Cirque d'Été's Around the World Circus! The New York Times called it "the most fun I've ever had at a kids show" (or at least, that's what they would have said if they came). The Ringmasters wowed the audience as world explorers when they cartwheeled and flipped their way across rugged terrain Indiana Jones style. The Tightrope Walkers and Jugglers snapped away on their selfie sticks as Tourists - until they realized they weren't selfie sticks at all, they were spinning plates! And did you see their New Zealand haka? Unbelievable! The Lion Tamers and Circus Bears were adorable as animals of the world, balancing the feathers they caught from a wild peacock and singing songs in perfect Spanish. It was a trip around the world no one will ever forget - and it all happened under the big top right here in Carroll Gardens!

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A Child’s Day at Camp

Dear Journal,

Today was amazing!  I woke up this morning before my mom and jumped in her bed and screamed mom it’s time for camp!  She looked at me funny because it was 5 AM but like come on mom it’s a camp day.  So I rushed back to my room got dressed, played some Pokémon, ate cereal, drank milk and I was on my way to camp.  Every morning we walk past this cool dog that lets me pet him. When I got to camp I saw all of my friends and knew that today was going to be special.  My counselor Lenny said that we were going to Coney Island today and I was like woo and I started running around the gym getting dizzy until I fell down into another groups circle. Those kids thought it was hilarious.  After a long bus ride through some places I’ve never seen I saw it, Luna Park! We got our wristbands and we were off.  My friends seemed totally scared of the rides but I was like guys we’re in 2nd grade now, we got this.  We went upside down on airplanes, got wet on the log flume, and felt like we were going to get thrown out of our seats on the Cyclone. When the counselors said we were going to leave me and my friends were bummed so I tried dragging my buddy with me back into the park but our counselor Carla was quick to catch us and before I knew it I was back on the bus.  On the forever ride back to camp we hit a huge bump, I love those bumps, that’s why I always sit on the bus wheel.  After we got back I ate snack and then left.  The walk home is not as good as the walk to camp but its okay because I get to go back again tomorrow!  I hope summer never ends!

Child

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5 Ways to Get the Scoop on Your Child’s Camp Day

Hey! How was your day at camp? Good.

How was your super awesome trip to Luna? Fine.

What was your favorite ride? Awe, mo-om….

Well, can you at least tell me what the best part of your day was? Sure, snack.

Snack? Really?! If this end-of-the-day exchange with your child sounds familiar, you’re not alone! For some families, starting conversations on how camp is going is as tricky as pulling teeth. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.

Below are five tips that will help unleash your child’s inner chatterbox!

Let your child unwind before getting the scoop.

Let’s face it, camp envy is real. After spending hours cooped up inside at work or at home, it’s easy to want to pepper your children with questions about their exciting day…and disappointing when all they can muster is a sleepy, “It was good.” Don’t worry! It’s natural for our campers to be so busy having fun they don’t even realize they’re tired until they plop down on the couch or bed. If you want all the fun details, we suggest letting your children unwind before asking them about their day.

Swap stories.

Children respond to positivity, and a little enthusiasm can go a long way. Swapping stories about silly things that happened in your office or reminiscing about similar camp experiences you had when you were young quickly changes a conversation about your child’s day at camp into a daily bonding experience.

Ask about their friends.

As a guardian, it’s quite amazing to watch your child start and nurture close friendships during their time at camp. That Anika or Owen your child can’t stop raving about every day could easily become a lifelong best friend. Acknowledge the significance of that new relationship by inquiring about your kid’s new pal. For example, asking questions such as, “What talent did Anika perform at the Talent Show?” or “Did you and Owen build an awesome sand castle at Jacob Riis?” are great openers.

Ask them to show you what they learned.

Camp isn’t school – and we pride ourselves on that! Nevertheless, campers are exposed to new and cool activities throughout the day and will learn a lot. From camp songs, soccer tricks, swim strokes, and ice-breaker games – their day is full of informal education and enrichment.  Ask them to show off their dribbling skills or belt out a bus song (PSDC loves ‘Bazooka Bubble Gum’). It’ll help them get psyched for the next camp day and show you how much they’ve learned!

Follow us on social media!

Checking out the camp’s social media is a useful and fun way to jog your child’s memories about the pony ride they took at Prospect Park or the epic water slide they rode over and over again at Camel Beach. But most importantly, browsing through those photos together will help your children open up and share their camp experience with you.

If you’re a PSDC parent we’d love for you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for daily updates – and don’t hesitate to give us a shout on your social media!

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Meet Our Staff

Reina is gearing up for her 12th summer at PSDC! This consummate veteran is one of our lead supervisors, standing watch over Junior Camp. She’s an expert at swimming in shallow pools, taking short walks in large parks, and competitive games of huggy bear. When she’s not at camp, Reina enjoys re-reading the Harry Potter series, brushing up on her random facts by binging Jeopardy, and cheering on her Michigan State Spartans. Reina defines what it means to be the whole camp package.

Meet Reina at our next Open House! RSVP here!

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Meet Our Staff

Lauri is the Il Capo dei Capi (The Boss of the Bosses) and the administrator of the PSDC office.  As a 25 year veteran, she is the hero that camp deserves; the silent guardian standing tall behind the scenes making sure all goes according to schedule, our dark knight.  Always reminding us to work smarter, not harder!  In her free time she enjoys training at CrossFit718, bike riding, hanging with her grown family, and strolling with her dog Julius, our unofficial office mascot.

Meet Lauri at our next Open House! RSVP here!