Camps
FAQ for New Country Day Camp
How do I register for camp?
All registration forms are available online.
Or to get a registration packet, you can email or call the camp office:
Email: newcountry@14streety.org
Phone: 646-395-4357
Where is New Country Day Camp located?
We are located on the Henry Kaufman Campgrounds on Manor Road in Staten Island, right on the Greenbelt.
What are the camp hours?
Monday through Thursday: The camp day is from 9am to 4pm. Camp bus pickup starts at 8 and drop-off is at approximately 5pm.
Friday: The camp day is from 9am to 3pm. Camp bus pickup starts at 8 and drop-off is at approximately 4pm.
Note that for an additional fee, we offer after-camp care each camp day until 6pm at the 14th Street Y.
What does a typical day look like?
8:15- Bus picks up from designated bus stop
9:00- 9:30 Morning meeting in age-groups in shelters
9:30-10:15- Counselors take age-groups of kids to an activity that will alternate throughout the week
10:30-11:00- Instructional Swim
11:15-12- Counselors take age-groups of kids to another activity
12:00-12:30 LUNCH in shelters with age-groups
12:30-2:15 Unit (Choice) Time
2:30-3:00- Free Swim
3:00-3:30- Unit (Choice)Time
3:30-4:00 Snack and bathroom break
4:00- Departure
4:45- Arrival at designated bus stop
Who are your staff?
All of our camp staff have had prior experience working with children. We also provide extensive training sessions before the start of summer.
Each year, approximately half of our counselors are returning staff, and some are even former campers. Our counselors are mostly college students, though we do hire some high school juniors and seniors as counselors, who demonstrate a high level of maturity and sense of responsibility.
Our unit heads are teachers and/or coaches and bring work experience in their various areas of expertise. Our assistant unit heads are college students or graduate students who have extensive experience with children.
We also run background checks on all camp staff prior to the start of the camp season.
What are your camper to counselor ratios?
We follow a 1:7 campers to counselor. Campers are placed in groups of approximately 15 campers with 2 counselors per group. Each unit size ranges from 1 to 4 groups. There is an assistant unit head and unit head assigned to each unit.
What do the children do about lunch?
All campers must bring their own lunch each day. We are a nut-aware camp, so we do not allow children to bring peanut butter or other nut products. Lunches that campers bring will be refrigerated until lunch time. On all Wednesdays we will provide lunch. It will be 2 hot dogs, a juice, and a snack.
Camp will provide an afternoon kosher snack daily.
What happens if my child doesn’t feel well during the camp day?
Our camp has an air-conditioned infirmary staffed with a medical professional. The medical professional will determine whether the child should stay at camp or go home. If necessary, we will call a parent to request that a child be picked up from the campgrounds in Staten Island.
How is your camp unique?
• We offer a safe, nurturing, non-competitive environment for our campers;
• Our camp is located in an outdoor, natural environment which is not common for many New York City camps;
• Our older campers (2nd grade and above) get to choose their activities, fostering a child’s sense of independence and self confidence.
Bussing FAQ’s
How does my child get to camp each day?
All campers must ride on one of our air-conditioned camp buses to and from camp each day. All campers are required to wear seat belts.
How long is the bus ride to camp?
The bus ride is approximately 45 minutes from most pick up points in Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Where are your bus stops located?
Click here for a list of all of our bus stops. In Manhattan, our buses have pick up points from 32nd Street and south. Our bus routes run through Chelsea, the West Village, Tribeca, Battery Park City, the East Village, and Soho. We will provide a bus route through the Lower East Side if enrollment is sufficient in that area.
In Brooklyn, our buses have pick up points in Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, as well as sections of Fort Greene, Prospect Heights, Midwood, Ditmas Park, Bay Ridge, Sunset Park and Windsor Terrace.
What type of supervision do you provide on the bus?
Each bus has two bus supervisors. Bus supervisors are senior, experienced staff members. They greet each child at his/her bus stop and make sure all children are settled onto the bus each morning, including wearing his/her seat belt. If a child is coming to camp for the first time, the bus supervisor makes sure that the child finds a friend to sit with on the bus.
In addition, all of our camp staff rides the camp buses each day in order to ensure that buses have plenty of adult supervision.
What do you do if my child gets carsick?
We encourage you to tell us in advance if your child tends to get carsick. Our bus supervisors will make sure your child is seated at the front of the bus. We are open to trying any remedies you suggest (i.e., eating crackers, chewing gum, etc.).
Swim FAQ’s
Tell me about your swim program.
We offer both instructional and recreational swim every day. All pools are staffed with American Red Cross certified water safety instructors and lifeguards.
Our camp has 3 outdoor pools: one Olympic sized pool ranging from 3-9 ft deep, one Olympic sized lap pool which is 4 feet deep, and one teaching pool ranging from 2.5 to 3 ft.deep. On the child’s first day of camp, his/her swim ability is evaluated and the child is assigned to the corresponding section of the pool. Children wear colored bathing caps to indicate their swim sections, if they are in one of the deeper pools.
When campers graduate between levels they receive a swim report card which will outline all of the skills that a camper has achieved in order to progress. Campers who pass a swim level will be moved on the next instructional swim day.
We are excited to share that this will be our 4th summer participating in the four time Olympic god medalist Lenny Krayzelberg’s Swim Academy. The Swim Academy emphasizes water safety, specifically in regards to backfloats. For a clear outline of the Swim Academy’s levels, please click here.
