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.

Current Families

Packing Lists

Knowing what to pack for summer camp helps every child feel comfortable, confident, and prepared for the adventure ahead. Our summer camp packing lists include helpful guidance for The Nature Place’s Almost Overnight, Onsite Overnight, and One Night Canoeing experiences. Families can review the appropriate overnight camp packing list for recommended clothing, sleeping gear, personal items, and trip-specific equipment. A limited amount of child-sized camping gear is also available to borrow, so please contact our team if your camper needs a frame backpack, sleeping bag, or sleeping pad.

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Packing Lists

Below we have detailed packing lists for all The Nature Place overnight trips. Click a title to download any list.

Additional Resources

A limited number of child-sized frame backpacks, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads are available for loan. Let us know if you would like to borrow gear for your child’s trip.

If you need to purchase equipment for your child, you might find the following links helpful:

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Packing Lists

Packing Lists

Almost Overnight

Onsite Overnight

One Night Canoeing

Additional Resources

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