Welcome to Child’s Play NY Summer Camp, where kids’ imaginations take center stage as they escape into fantastic realms through great stories, creative movement, and games galore! Led by professional actors, they flex their imaginative muscles and learn theater skills that inspire self-confidence and community. Campers are led by expert theater artists, trained in early childhood education and skilled at centering kids’ imaginative adventures. Founded in 2009 Child’s Play NY is an award-winning dramatic arts program and offers robust theater education throughout the NY Metro area. Camps meet in Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens and Fort Greene.

Every week has a new theme! Choose sessions that work for you.

Camps have a 1:4 ratio of teachers to campers and are capped at 16 kids.

Sessions for 3K through 1st culminate in an original film, premiered online.

Grades 2nd through 8th perform a final show for families on the last day.

Creative movement games, dance, and daily outdoor play keep kids active.

Original story creation and improvisation celebrate kid’s voices.

Adventure Series
3K & PreK

Kids channel their own superpowers for rescue missions, epic dances and good old-fashioned silliness. Campers are led by expert theater artists, trained in early childhood education and skilled at centering kids’ imaginative adventures. These sessions help kids work collaboratively, practice empathy, and gain confidence in a joyful setting...pure fun!
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Players Series
PreK-1st Grade

Self-expression and artistry are the name of the game! Campers spend the week exploring beloved themes through improvisation, dance and music. Led by professionally-trained actors, kids flex their imaginative muscles and learn the basics of vocal warm-ups, character development, singing and choreography. The final show of songs and games is a treat for all! Whether solving a mythic mystery, helping a character by way of a scavenger hunt, rehearsing a new scene or having a dance-off...joyful collaboration is at the center of it all.
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Showmakers Series
2nd-6th Grades

These campers jump into the rehearsal process with a focus on original story creation and scripted scene study. We meet each actor where they are, and build a company of skilled performers; centering bravery and imagination. Improvisation and theater games help stoke creativity and develop their spirit of play. Taught by master teachers and performers at the top of their field, kids learn skills that will serve them the rest of their creative lives.
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Acting Ensemble
4th-8th Grades

In these sessions, young people work on short plays and scene-study to apply specialized theater training skills training in theater and are encouraged to work as an actor that is brave, specific, and nuanced. Our Acting Ensembles are for young people who are ready to hone their craft during a focused rehearsal process and learn new techniques to embody characters, investigate text and take charge of their technique. Programming is sophisticated while staying true to the Child’s Play NY ethos of imagination and individual expression.
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About Us

At Child’s Play NY, our mission is to empower the next generation through the theatrical arts. Through our programming, we uplift student voices, ignite curiosity, and center compassion. We seek deep truths about the characters we embody, and the stories we tell. The work is both a mirror for self-reflection and a doorway through which we travel for a deeper understanding of other perspectives. Our Brooklyn-based studios are spacious, air-conditioned and well-ventilated. Our theaters for grades 2-6 have stages that elevate our final performance for friends and family. Scholarships are available for BIPOC students and for those from backgrounds historically unrepressented in the arts.

Child’s Play NY camps are helmed by professional actors with years of education experience. These artists are nurturing, creative, and charismatic teachers who delight in sharing their passions with young people. Our camp teaching artists are the same educators who work in Child’s Play NY programs at all our partner schools during the school year. You can feel great about entrusting your child’s artistic education to them for an enriching summer camp experience!

Testimonials

“Child's Play NY is an incredible program that cultivates imagination, storytelling, sharing, collaborating, and fun! My five year old daughter has been able to attend their after-school program one day per week throughout the school year, as well as themed camp weeks during the summer. Both programs leave her feeling confident and creative! The staff is uniquely caring and nurturing, and we have been fortunate to like every instructor involved. I highly recommend Child's Play NY to parents looking to allow their child to release their inner lion, princess, unicorn, you name it!”
Allison Vartolo
“These camps are awesome. My five year old daughter loves them. This was her second summer attending one of the camps. This is a friendly and supportive creative arts camp for young kids. It gives them a chance to explore the visual arts, dance, theater, and music. Their programs offer an engaging opportunity for young artists at all levels to perform and create. The staff are relaxed, fun, and genuine.”
Claire McCue
“Camp was an extreme confidence booster for my son. He truly loved it. I also think it gave him a huge boost in reading. He was so engaged with the script and wanted to read it several times a day. It was like a jump start for him, sort of the thing I was waiting for to get him hooked on reading. He really was so proud of himself which is so important. I love that he felt part of a team of like-minded people. I love that the expectations are high for the kids to learn their scripts and pull their weight and that they all rise to the challenge. There is a huge sense of accomplishment at the end.”
Heather Wanderer

As Seen In:

Time Out NY Kids Mount Sinai Parenting Center BK Family Favorites 2019 Winner