What ages is The Nature Place Day Camp for?

The Nature Place welcomes campers ages 4 through 16. Our youngest campers (rising Pre-K and Kindergarteners) thrive in our gentle, nature-rich environment, while our oldest campers take on leadership roles and more challenging adventures like high ropes and multi-day hiking trips. Groups are organized by age and grade, so every camper is with peers at a similar stage.

How is The Nature Place different from other day camps near New York City?

Most day camps pack the day with scheduled activities, team sports, and structured programming. The Nature Place is built around a different idea: that kids thrive when they have real time in nature, freedom to explore, time to transition, and a community that isn’t built on competition. On 200 acres in Rockland County, campers hike Harriman State Park, tend a working farm, muck around in streams, canoe, do archery, garden, cook, and make things with their hands — all in a cooperative, non-competitive environment where no one is keeping score. There are no devices, no pressure to perform, and no rushing. We’ve been doing this since 1985, and families come from Manhattan, Bergen County, Westchester, and beyond because there aren’t many places left that offer this kind of summer.

Do you provide transportation from Manhattan, Astoria, Bergen County, Westchester, and other places from NYC or New Jersey?

Yes. We run buses from Manhattan, Astoria, Hoboken, Bergen County, Westchester County. Most campers spend the bus ride building friendships that last all summer; it’s genuinely part of the camp experience. More information and a sample bus map are available on our Transportation page. Rockland County campers typically come to us by car.

About Us

Schedule a Camp Tour

The best way to get to know us is to meet us and explore our campus.

A family and Camp Director standing on a bridge over a stream, looking into the distance, with trees in the background and shadows of the forest all around

Experience the wonder of The Nature Place for yourself. We’ll walk around our magical campus together, answer any questions you may have, and connect over our shared values. We hope your family will leave feeling as though you’ve found your summer home here with us.

Schedule Your Tour

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I bring my child to the tour?

Please do — we would love to meet your camper. Seeing how your child lights up when they visit camp is one of the best parts of the tour for everyone, and it gives us a chance to connect with you as a family. Kids who visit often leave already excited about the summer ahead!

What should we expect from a tour, and how long will it take?

Tours last about 45 minutes and are a real walk around our property, not a sit-down sales meeting. We’ll explore the campus together, including the Fairy Stream, our amazing swimming hole we call The Pond, and more of the natural spaces that make up a typical camp day. We recommend comfortable walking shoes that can handle a little dirt, and layers are always a good idea. By the end, most families leave feeling like they’ve already gotten a small taste of what summer here looks like.

Getting Here

The Nature Place Day Camp is located on the grounds of the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge, New York.

For GPS, use 307 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY 10977. This will bring you into the high school parking lot — park there and follow the signs up the path to the Arts Building.

Please note: our mailing address is 285 Hungry Hollow Road, just down the road. For tours and all camp programs, always use 307.

Prefer public transit? Give us a call at (845) 356-1234 and we’ll help you plan your visit.

Chat with our Director

Schedule a private call

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