Summer Camp
Where Play is the Purpose

• Carroll Gardens
  • Players Series (PreK-1st) camps meet at Cobble Hill Ballet, 75 3rd St*, as well as PS58, 330 Smith St*.
  • Showmakers Series (2nd-6th) camps also meet at PS58, 330 Smith St*.
• Brooklyn Heights
  • Showmakers Series (2nd-6th) sessions are meeting at the First Unitarian Church, 121 Pierrepont St.

• Fort Greene
  • Showmakers Series (2nd-6th) meets at 138 South Oxford Street.*
  • Acting Ensemble (4th-8th) sessions also meet at South Oxford Space, 138 South Oxford Street* in Fort Greene.

*Denotes wheelchair accessible space.

Yes! A sibling discount will automatically apply at checkout when registering two or more students.

Scholarship opportunities may be available for families facing hardship, for BIPOC students, and for those from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the arts. We have limited funds available, and they are first come first serve. If accepted into the program, families can request a 25%-75% reduction in tuition for one week of camp programming for one child.

Please fill out this inquiry form to be considered for a scholarship.

No. At this time, we are unable to offer early dropoff or extended day hours. Please contact us with any questions.

There is no after camp. If you think you are running late for pickup at any point, please text our office and let us know (347-759-6313). Our team will need to plan accordingly!

Child’s Play NY understands the unpredictable nature of commuting around Brooklyn, and as such, there is a 10 minute grace period for late pickups.
If camp ends at 3p and you arrive for pickup between 3:10p-3:20p, you will be charged $10 through our Sawyer network to the card we have on file.
If camp ends at 3p and you arrive between 3:20p-3:30p, you will be charged $20.

A typical day balances acting, theater games, and outdoor time. While schedules vary by age group (Players Series, Showmakers, Acting Ensemble), a standard day includes:

• Morning: vocal warm ups, character-building exercises, choreography or rehearsal.
• Midday: lunch and outdoor time at a local park.
• Afternoon: crafts, theater games and rehearsal.

You can see example camp schedules here.

Campers are grouped in a three-year age spread:

• PreK-1st
• 2nd-4th
• 3rd-5th
• 6th-8th

Groups are further broken down by age within each session.

Each session has a maximum of 14 campers.

No! Campers in 2nd-8th grade perform a show at the end of the week, but there are no auditions.

Shows and scenes are intentionally curated for these camps, and prioritize community building. Everyone will have moments to shine, a role to be proud of, and opportunity to be a team player in the ensemble.

Roles are assigned after a few hours, when the teachers have gotten to know the campers through games, improvisations and a staged reading. Much thought goes into casting, and all the faculty of a given session are involved in decisions.

While there are no “lead roles,” all parts are not created equally. We do strive for equity on stage as much as possible, so campers may play one or multiple roles.

Many factors go into creating the cast: age and experience are certainly considered, but we also look to stretch campers and allow them to experience new characters and roles they might not normally play.

We have a long history of supporting many kinds of learners in our programs, and we are committed to creating an inclusive, joyful environment for all children. To do this well, we rely on families to share as much information as possible about how their child learns, what supports are helpful, and any challenges we should be aware of.

Communicating this information benefits your child most of all. For example, if your child has dyslexia, we may use auditory and repetition-based techniques to support line memorization. If your child has ADHD, we may incorporate movement breaks and collaborate with you on strategies that help them focus and feel successful. There is space on the registration form to share details, and we strongly encourage you to be as thorough as possible, including any diagnoses, learning plans (IEPs/504s), or effective tools and supports.

Our staff is made up of professional actors who are also experienced teaching artists. While they are trained in positive discipline and strategies that support focus, engagement, and group dynamics, they are not special education teachers, behavioral specialists, or one-on-one aides, and may not be equipped to support all learning or behavioral needs within a group setting.

We are always happy to connect with you to discuss how best to support your child and determine whether our program is an appropriate fit, including whether additional support (such as a one-on-one aide provided by the family) may be needed. Even with advance communication and planning, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet every child’s needs.

If, at any point during the program, we determine that we are unable to safely or effectively support your child – particularly if they are unable to work within our Community Agreements (see #12) – we will communicate with you promptly and work together to find a fair and appropriate next step.