Blog - Summer Camp

For the last three decades, the YMCA has been a cornerstone for Christine Nunn’s family. Raising her own two children, who are now adults, she counted on the Greater Bergen County YMCA for programs like early childhood care, after school care, and swim lessons.

CALDWELL, NJ - Growing up attending summer camp was a “life-changing” experience for Brian Mateer. He wants to bring that same transformative experience as the new Director of the West Essex YMCA’s Pioneer Trails Day Camp, kicking off on June 24 at Caldwell University.

LIVINGSTON, NJ — The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges invites enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to join the Y’s vibrant team at camp this summer.

Each summer, as families arrive at camp to drop off their kids, staff wonder if these adults know the incredible impact they are making on their children by choosing to send them to camp.

Over the summer of 2023, the Sussex County YMCA was able to support a camper who is on the autism spectrum and nonverbal.

NEWTON, NJ - Fairview Lake YMCA Camps is offering a new summer camp program this year to help students with dyslexia boost their reading skills.

Along with a durable backpack to store belongings, here are five things campers should pack each day.

After a difficult year for children and their families, the interest in summer camp is high to start in 2021. Parents will want their children to get outside, socialize with other kids, and experience camp after a long wait.

When kids are outdoors they are learning, being active and improving their health in a variety of ways. Here’s a look at how nature can benefit children of all ages.

Summer camp is an opportunity for kids to have the time of their lives while making new friends or reconnecting with old ones. Here’s how camp can foster new relationships.

To help you decide which summer camp program is the right fit for your family, the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges has created a list of questions to ask directors when comparing programs. 

Summer camp is an American tradition, and millions of children attend some form of camp each year. Camp gives children a chance to grow in a multitude of ways, and is a great chance for children to develop life skills that they can practice long after the camp concludes.

For many, summer camp will be filled with new activities in a new environment. Some children handle this fine, while others take time to adjust. So how do you know that your child is ready to experience camp for the first time?

Here's what it means for a camp to be accredited by the American Camp Association and why it matters. 

For many families though, budgeting for day or sleepaway camp while also planning for expenses like summer vacations and child care is challenging. Sometimes just saving money isn’t enough.