2025 Summer camp

June 16, 2025 to August 29, 2025

Please read through this page before registering for camp.

What is Summer Camp At The Yard?

Summer camp at The Yard is a unique experience of freedom for imaginations to go wild and for play to flourish. These busy days are filled with unstructured time, giving campers unlimited choices about how to spend their day. We arrive at The Yard each morning at around 9:30, and we pack to leave at 2:20 in the afternoon. Between those hours, so much is possible!

Campers can build with real tools, dig in the dirt and mud, splash around in puddles or on our famous slip-n-slide. They may put on a play, paint, draw, dress-up. They can zip through the sky on our zip-line or slide down the fire pole 1000 times in a row. They might climb, jump, tumble, wrestle, tag, chase, smash, or lie in the shade with a book. They can organize restaurants, or wars, play capture the flag, or cards. From mushroom and bug hunts to bike rides and soccer tournaments, the days just fly by.

Payment Options

We offer tiered pricing for all of our camps to reflect household income levels. We may ask for proof of income.
Please remember that your tuition helps make it possible for play:groundNYC to provide free access to The Yard every weekend for thousands of children, and to organize play pop-ups all over the city - thank you!
If you can pay with the Electronic Check option rather than a credit card, it would help us significantly to reduce fees. We are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, and every dollar counts. Thank you in advance!
If you would prefer to pay by check or cash, please reach out to us directly at play@play-ground.nyc
We offer a Payment Plan option for families who register before March 1st. An initial installment of 40% will hold your spot. Two additional payments of 30% each will be automatically charged to you on March 31st and April 30th.
Please reach out to play@play-ground.nyc if you need additional assistance.
*Update 1/16/25: As of now all of our 2025 scholarships have been awarded. We are still accepting applications for the waitlist so please reach out - play@play-ground.nyc
We are proud to once again offer a limited number of scholarships to low-income families for our Summer Camp. We are only able to accommodate one camp week per qualifying family.
Qualifying families are those who receive SNAP benefits. A registration fee of $25 will be collected, and we will need qualifying families to confirm plans to attend camp one month in advance.
We will also offer a wait-list in case anyone who receives a scholarship is unable to join.

Feel free to reach out with questions: play@play-ground.nyc
For an additional fee, after-care is available until 5pm for our Summer Camp program. Please note after-care does NOT take place at The Yard, but at a public playground in Manhattan (Typically the Battery Playscape or, in inclement weather, the National Museum of the American Indian, both near the ferry terminal).
You can pay a flat fee for each week or add individual days for $35 each at any time. After-care can be added at any time. Email play@play-ground.nyc

Special Sessions 2025

*Two-Week Summer Camp Sessions

After a positive test run in 2024, we are offering 2 two-week sessions this summer: July 7-18 and August 18-29.

These two-week sessions offer families and campers an opportunity for more time together with a consistent group which can help to enrich time together and encourage friendships well beyond camp.

If we are unable to fill these sessions as planned, we may open space for individual weeks. Please reach out to us so that we can adjust based on interest.

** (STP) Smash The Patriarchy Week

By popular demand, we offer one week of Summer Camp which provides space for campers who self-identify as female, trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming to create, explore and play. In 2025, this will be the week of July 28th

To be clear, play:groundNYC values diversity, inclusion, and sensitivity towards all individuals, regardless of gender identity or expression, for every week of summer camp and in every program; and nothing in the way this week is operated differs from other weeks, so it is entirely up to families to discuss and choose which setting is best for the child enrolled.

Summer Camp Schedule

2025 Sessions

June 16-20
June 23-27
June 30-July 2: 3 day week
July 7-18: Two-week session*
July 21-25
July 28-August 1: STP week**
August 4-8
August 11-15
August 18-29: Two-week session*

Please note! Not all schools have the same calendar; please check your child’s calendar before enrolling. NYC Public schools end on June 26, 2025. (Also double check your vacation plans)

be prepared

What to Expect

Your child will get dirty and/or wet and may get small bumps, bruises, or scratches, as is the nature of play. We recommend packing clothes you don’t mind getting dirty, and a change of clothes. Closed-toe shoes are mandatory inside The Yard, and you will receive an updated packing list before the start of camp.

We are not authorized to provide food, so please be sure to send plenty of choices that your camper will want to eat. Camp days are very busy and calories are burning! Also, please provide a water bottle. We have drinking water available to refill throughout the day.

Please reconsider sending any valuable items as they will likely be lost or damaged.

Camp Daily Schedule

8:30-8:50 AM: Drop Off at Citi Bike Station
9:00-9:10 AM: Ferry to Governors Island
9:10-9:30 AM: Walk to The Yard
9:30-2:20 PM: Play!
2:30-2:50 PM: Walk to ferry/reflect on day
3:00-3:10 PM: Ferry to Manhattan
3:10-3:20 PM: Pick up at Citi Bike Station
3:20-3:30 PM: Walk to After-care
3:30-5:00 PM: After-care

More Considerations

Unstructured play is wonderful, but it also has its tough moments. Campers will struggle with challenges both physical and social. We encourage families to talk to campers about their time, to listen, and to offer support for big feelings that come up.

We do not allow actions involving bullying, harassment, hitting, cursing at people, offensive language, throwing heavy things, claiming part of the playground (restricting access for others), and threatening. If these actions take place, we will address the issue. We encourage campers to listen to each other and respect others, including peers, team members, other visitors on the Island, families, and animals.

The Basics

play:groundNYC advocates for and practices age-mixing at our camp programs. Children of various ages have the opportunity to play together. For camp, we welcome children ages 6-12+ years old. Children must be 6 years old by the first day of their camp session.
For children over 12, we welcome back former campers who know the program and are still interested in joining. Email us at play@play-ground.nyc for help with registration.
Also check out our Playworker-In-Training Program
We offer an option for older campers (13+) to participate in our Playworker-In-Training (PIT) program. More details here.
Our Camps run from 8:30am to 3:15pm. Please note these times are subject to change, should the Governors Island ferry schedule change.
For all camp programs, drop off and pick up takes place at the Citi Bike station near the Battery Maritime Building (downtown Manhattan), unless otherwise indicated by our team.
Options to Drop Off and Pick up on Governors Island are also available. Please email play@play-ground.nyc to discuss
For an additional fee (see Payment Options), we provide after care until 5:00 PM.
Please note after-care does NOT take place at The Yard, but at a public playground in Manhattan (Typically the Battery Playscape or, in inclement weather, the National Museum of the American Indian, both near the ferry terminal).
We do NOT provide food or snacks but we DO keep drinking water onsite. Please note that we allow children the freedom to choose when to eat, and while we will give reminders about lunchtime and offer to eat together, it is not a mandate.
All campers should pack a refillable water bottle.
Always pack plenty of foods that your camper will enjoy. We have very busy days and require lots of calories.
Your child must be potty-trained to attend camp. There are both gendered options and unisex bathrooms next to The Yard. Bathrooms are both heated and air conditioned for all seasons.
Playworkers can escort campers to the bathrooms, but cannot assist any camper inside the bathroom unless it is a medical emergency.
If your child is sick, we ask that you please keep them at home to protect our team and fellow campers. If your child is at camp and visibly unwell, we may call to ask you to pick them up.

Important Info

Families must submit a camp release waiver, camp policy agreement, trip consent form (all included in registration), and a recent health form for each participant at least two weeks before the first day of camp attended by your child.
Children must be immunized according to DOH guidelines with supporting documents.
We reserve the right to delay your child’s first day, with no reimbursement, if these documents are not submitted in time. Thank you for understanding!
We maintain a ratio of at least 1 playworker to 6 children at The Yard for all camp programs. Our Summer Camp is capped at 25-30 children per day (depending on staffing).
Our playworkers are trained to support children to make their own decisions around risk taking while being vigilant to remove hazards. Risks and hazards are not the same.
A risk involves a choice by an individual child, while a hazard is an unknown factor.
To ensure that we can provide a hazard-free space, we are unable to provide continual 1-on-1 support to individual campers.
Camp at The Yard is a dynamic setting with lots of freedom for young people to explore. Handling freedom well in community is a skill that we hope to support your child in developing and do not wish to overwhelm them with. Our staffing ratio is such that we are unable to provide one-on-one attention to any young person for extended periods of time. Be it due to anxiety, impulse control, or illness, if you think that your child may need such close support and/or receives it at school, please get in touch before registering by emailing play@play-ground.nyc. A conversation will help us determine if:
- Your child is likely to succeed at summer camp within our 1 adult to 6 child ratio
- We may be able to work with your family to provide accommodation
- Your child would benefit from developing some skills before joining our camp.
We are committed to being a welcoming space for all children, and we have successfully accommodated a variety of children with various support needs across our programming.
Again, if you feel that your camper may need any extra support, please contact us at play@play-ground.nyc before registering for camp.
Our camps follow the DOH requirements for CPR and first aid training. Each camp session will have a trained Health Director on site. Governors Island also has EMT professionals who can respond to any major injury.
Our staff are all able to administer basic first aid for the typical cuts, splinters, bumps, and bruises that happen during play.
Our staff cannot administer medications (with the exception being emergency EPI-pen administration), but our Health Director can supervise campers who self-administer any necessary medications. This includes sunscreen and bug spray.
Please notify us of any allergies and provide an allergy response plan if one is available.
Camp is outdoors. Stinging insects and a variety of pollens will be present.
We ask all families to avoid sending typical allergens (like nuts) to camp. We will do our best to notify families if any camper has a severe allergy to a food item at a camp session.

Summer Camp Policies

play:groundNYC reserves the right to cancel registration for any camper who does not submit required paperwork, any camper who does not meet the minimum age requirement for camp, or any camper who requires accommodation beyond our stated capacity.

Summer Camp Cancellation Policy:
If you choose to cancel your child's Summer Camp session prior to April 1, you will receive a full refund (minus 5% processing fee) so long as we can fill your child's spot. If you choose to cancel prior to June 1, you will receive a 50% refund (minus a 5% processing fee) so long as we can fill your child's spot. After June 1, the camp fee is nonrefundable.
Transfer Policy:
We will consider requests to change sessions depending on space available. We reserve the right to charge a $10 administrative fee.
If using the Payment Plan option (Summer Camp Only):
If for any reason the full payment is not completed by May 1, 2025, we maintain the right to cancel registration and offer a refund of 50% (minus a 5% processing fee) of the total camp session price.
Grace Period:
If you register between April 1st and May 31st and you cancel within 24 hours of registration, we can offer a full refund minus a 5% processing fee.
Smash the Patriarchy Week – July 28th – August 1st:
STP Week (July 28-Aug 1) is designated for campers who self-identify as female, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming.
If your child is male and you register for this week by mistake, we will work with you to find an alternate week if possible based on our Transfer Policy. If an alternate week is unavailable, refunds will be handled based on our Cancellation Policy. Reminder that registration after June 1st is nonrefundable.
Mandatory Health Forms:
We reserve the right to cancel registration without refund for any camper who does not submit required paperwork including mandatory immunization acknowledgment as required by the NY State Department of Health.
Age Requirements:
We reserve the right to cancel registration without refund for any camper who does not meet the minimum 6-year-old age requirement for camp.
Restrictions to Accommodation:
If our playworkers determine that your child is unable to handle the adventure camp environment or is behaving in a way that harms or jeopardizes themselves or others, we reserve the right to refuse entry to your child for the remainder of the session. No refunds will be offered in this case. Please communicate with our team before registration if you feel that this may be a concern.
Read our Capacity & Support Section above for more details
Pick-up Policy:
Pick up is between 3:10 and 3:20 PM. At 3:20, the group will move to our aftercare location (typically the Battery Playscape). The designated pick-up person will need to coordinate with the playworker team to arrange to meet us in transit or at the aftercare location. If pick-up is after 3:30pm, families will be charged $30 for each 15-minute interval (rounded up) that you are late. We can offer one 15-minute grace period for the week. Please plan accordingly.
After Care:
We offer ONE grace period of 15 minutes for delays past 5:00 PM for the camp season. Families will be charged $30 for each 15-minute interval (rounded up) that you are late.
Please be especially careful of the time for After-Care pickups as the day will already exceed 8 hours for staff. Thank you!
Inclement Weather:
We operate rain or shine. In the event of extreme weather or high AQI (140+), the camp will be held at the Harbor School on Governors Island at 550 Wheeler Avenue, on Governors Island. Indoor activities are limited and may require more structure than what we offer outside, but we find ways to have fun.
Hazardous Conditions Cancellations:
We do our best to operate camp regardless of any situation. However, if we deem the weather, environmental conditions, or an unforeseeable situation to be too hazardous for the young people or for our staffand are unable to find an alternative offer, we will notify you as soon as possible and cancel. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to offer a refund in whole or in part as we are committed to paying our staff.
Ferry Interruptions/Cancellations:
Due to the unique location of Governors Island, we are beholden to the ferry service provided by the Trust for Governors Island. If the ferry service is cancelled or interrupted, we will do our best to provide an alternate play option in the area near South Ferry for the scheduled camp hours. We will do our best to communicate with families as soon as we are aware of any ferry disruption.

Are You Ready To Register?

We use the ACTIVE registration system for our camps.
Please reach out to us at play@play-ground.nyc if you have any issues using their system.

ACTIVE Refund Notice
Please note, play:groundNYC’s cancellation policy is distinct from ACTIVE's payment protection plan: ACTIVE REFUND, which you can purchase at an additional charge directly from Active during registration. play:groundNYC does not receive funds from ACTIVE Refund, but will honor all cancellations made using this plan.