Parent Testimonials and FAQ

Here’s What Parents Have to Say About NCDC

• Our camper grew so much emotionally and intellectually and as a swimmer over the summer. It’s plainly noticeable to people who haven’t seen them since the school year ended. Fantastic experience.
• My kids had a great summer. This was their first real camp experience and I was so pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed it. 
• We are so happy with NCDC—my son grew so much this summer thanks to both the freedom and guidance provided by the staff.
• We love NCDC. The camp is amazingly well run and I thank you for that!
• Shabbat was particularly soothing and special for my camper, and he absolutely adored swimming! It was a fantastic summer and we’ll be returning next year!
• When we were discussing the highlights of 2021 as the new year came in, my son Elias said ‘NCDC!’ Thank you for giving Elias a magical summer in the midst of a most chaotic and challenging year!
• What a gift to have my city kid enjoy the wonders of nature throughout the summer! I always feel so much peace of mind knowing he is outdoors, active, swimming and simply having a blast instead of being stuck in the city. The added benefit of knowing that camp places Jewish values at its core is priceless. If you ask him though, his favorites are lunch and the bus!
• I love the work that teaches respect for nature and nature education.
• The NCD camp experience helped my son grow tremendously. It was exactly what he needed after a year and a half of isolation and quarantine. He was able to play with friends and connect with nature and for that we are all so grateful!
• The inclusion program is a gem.
• My son was entertained and happy all summer.
• My kids have become excellent swimmers and LOVE swimming because of their time at NCDC.”
• “New Country provided our family with substantial financial aid—without which my son would have never been able to attend camp. His father, our sole breadwinner, has been out of work for nearly a year due to COVID. He works in commercial construction and not a lot of office buildings in NYC are being built or renovated right now! In any case, we were blown away by the generosity of your financial support and we are incredibly grateful for it. [He] just said to me, I loved my time at New Country Last summer. I want to go there again! Fingers crossed that he’ll be able to attend again.”
• Our children had an incredible summer at New Country Day Camp. They loved being outdoors and we loved seeing their smiling, happy, tired faces when they got off the bus each day. Their favorite part of camp was definitely the two swim periods and they are very proud of how far their swimming skills progressed this summer. As parents we felt confident throughout summer that they were in a warm, supportive, safe environment, and we are all already looking forward to next summer at New Country Day!
• Our son loves NCDC. He even said yesterday that he would like to go to college at NCDC. He’s made wonderful friends since the beginning and keeps adding new friends to the mix.
• NCDC sets the bar for planning and communication with families, from orientation to daily bus pick-ups/drop-offs. I wish all organizations were this prepared and family-friendly. I couldn’t believe the amount of support given to families with special needs children. I was thoroughly impressed with the intake/interview process and the weekly email updates. I felt like my child was truly included.
• As the parent of a child with ADHD and sensory issues, it can be really, really hard to find a summer camp that is set up to support her needs. With New Country Day Camp, we breathed a sigh of relief all summer long. It was so good for her to spend so much time in nature, and to be so active, with two swim sessions a day — and yet the way you balance that activity with plenty of down time in nature, was just perfect for her (not too frenetic/ always running from one thing to another). And the convenience of your bus was a godsend, plus, she made several friends on the bus! We are very grateful to you for showing our daughter her best summer yet.
• The counselors are warm and amazing, it was awesome that the camp provided lunch and towels (it made prep so much easier!), the unit selection this year was very cool, my kiddo was so excited to get to pick units to focus on.
• NCDC has my utmost respect in terms of logistical organization! The communication is really terrific.
• The inclusion program is exceptional.  We could not believe the incredible effort that staff made to really understand our son well before the summer even started.  Because all the right supports were in place, he thrived.  We are so grateful for NCDC’s dedication to making summer camp accessible to as many kids as possible.
• I love the camp’s emphasis on personal responsibility. My daughter really matured over the summer.
• My daughter had a wonderful first summer at NCDC. From the welcome picnic until the final day, she felt comfortable and supported. She tried new foods and new sports, and made new friends. She came home happy and tired, which is what camp is all about.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do campers get to camp?

Campers are bused every day from our stops in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. Click here to see our list of bus pickup locations.

Every bus has two bus supervisors who are staff member that have shown exemplary leadership skills at camp.  Additionally, all of our staff ride the bus to get to camp, so each bus is staffed appropriately.

Can my camper get on the bus at one stop in the morning, and off at another in the afternoon?

In general, we don’t allow many bus changes in the interest of camper safety; however, changes can be made in certain circumstances. Your camper may always get on and off at different stops if the stops are on the same bus if you have communicated with your bus supervisors. If there are specific occasions in which a switch is completely necessary for your family, please contact us to speak about this and we will see if an accommodation can be made.

What do we do about lunch?

In Summer 2022 we will have camp provided lunch 5 days per week! Last year we had meals like Mac & Cheese, Tacos, Chicken Wraps, Meatballs and Pasta, and Pizza. The menu for this summer will be published soon. We also provide a daily afternoon snack, which comes from a sustainable, local farm. Snacks include berries, peaches, and other fruit. All leftover food is composted as part of our commitment to greening.

Is there swimming at camp?

Yes! Every camper has two scheduled swim periods during the day; one instructional and one free. Click here to visit our swim program page and learn more about the program.

How does camp group the campers?

Campers belong to co-ed groups of children going into the same grade. There are between 12–18 campers in a group, with at least 2 counselors. The younger the campers, the tighter the camper:counselor ratio. Since we are a fully inclusive camp, we group campers together regardless of need or ability.  If there are campers who require additional support for success at camp, there is an extra counselor in their group to help support them and all of the campers in that group.

Can we make group requests?

We allow one grouping request per camper, and requests will only be taken until June 1. Requested campers must be in the same grade as your camper. This policy is essential to provide all campers with an amazing summer experience and guarantee safety for campers and staff, as well as create a space for those campers who attend camp without friends. We thank you for understanding!

What is included in the camp tuition?

Camp tuition includes transportation to and from camp, lunch and afternoon snack daily, towel service, and a camper t-shirt!

Do you offer an extended day program or late pick up?

Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer AfterCamp, our extended-day program, for Summer 2022. We hope to bring this back in future summers!

What does camp do on rainy days?

Camp is camp; rain or shine!  When it is lightly drizzling, camp program goes on as it would normally as long as it is safe.  If the rain makes it so we can’t be outside anymore, we all return to our shelters which have been outfitted with rain curtains on all sides which prevent rain from getting into the shelter.  In our shelters, we project movies, sing songs, play games and have a blast!  Overall, we try our best to maintain a normal schedule as much as possible (including swim!).

Have questions that aren’t answered here?

Connect with a NCDC staff member! Call us at 646-395-4357 anytime between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. You can also email the camp team at newcountry@14streety.org.