Mosholu Day Camp

- 261 Arden Valley Rd, Southfields, NY 10975

For parents and guardians across the New York region—especially those in the city's boroughs—finding a traditional, high-quality, and genuinely authentic summer camp experience for their children can often feel like a compromise between quality and affordability. Mosholu Day Camp, however, manages to deliver on all fronts. Run under the auspices of the Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, this camp is an established institution with a long-standing mission to provide affordable, quality camping to children from the Bronx, Manhattan, Rockland, and Westchester. It is widely praised by local parents as "the best kept secret in summer camps" for its ability to offer a comprehensive, enriching program at an extremely accessible price point.

The core value proposition of Mosholu Day Camp is its commitment to providing a "real camp experience in the middle of the woods" for city-dwelling kids. One Manhattan parent highly valued this aspect, noting it as a "valuable experience" for a child "born and lives in Manhattan." The camp’s setting is anything but a concrete playground; the grounds are described as "vast and rustic," featuring a "majestic" lake and beautiful nature trails. Beyond the incredible natural setting, the camp is designed to foster growth, confidence, and skill development, supervised by staff who are described as "loving and experienced." This blend of a rugged outdoor environment, structured activities, and a nurturing community ensures that campers have a fun-filled summer while developing physically, mentally, and socially. Mosholu Day Camp stands as a beacon for local New York families seeking maximum value for an enriching summer program.

Mosholu Day Camp offers an exceptional advantage to New York City and surrounding area families through its location and, most importantly, its accessibility via all-inclusive transportation.

The camp itself is physically located in a deeply natural setting, providing a vital escape from urban life:

261 Arden Valley Rd, Southfields, NY 10975, USA

This address places the camp on beautiful Lake Cohasset within the vast, picturesque terrain of Harriman State Park in Orange County, New York. The location offers sprawling ball fields, serene nature trails, and a majestic waterfront that truly immerses campers in the natural world.

What makes this camp highly accessible for New York City locals is the included bus service. The camp runs its own dedicated transportation network, picking up children from centralized bus stops throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, Rockland, and Westchester County. This essential service—often included in the price—solves the logistical challenges that often prevent city families from accessing high-quality traditional camps located outside the five boroughs. The convenience is a huge plus for parents, who appreciate the regular communication from the camp's leadership regarding their children's safety and comfort during the commute, which is supervised by counselors. The bus ride itself becomes a part of the fun, transforming the daily commute into an extension of the camp community.

Mosholu Day Camp is known for providing a truly traditional day camp experience, offering an incredible breadth of activities that are essential for developing well-rounded skills and positive self-esteem. The program is carefully supervised by adult professionals from the fields of education and social work, ensuring a supportive and safe learning environment.

Services Offered:

• Affordable and Quality Program: A primary mission of the camp is to provide a quality program at a low cost, making a full summer camp experience accessible to a wide range of New York families.
• Inclusive Transportation: Dedicated and comprehensive bus service with central pick-up locations available from the Bronx, Manhattan, Rockland, and Westchester counties, often included in the tuition fee.
• Age-Appropriate Groups: Programs are structured for children from Rascals (ages 5 and up) through Colts, as well as specialized programs like Young Blazers and Teen Adventures, ensuring age-appropriate activities and attention.
• Red Cross Swim Instruction: Daily instructional swim periods are a priority, taught by Red Cross-certified waterfront instructors, enabling campers to develop into "strong and confident swimmers."
• Supervised Staffing: Counselors, many of whom grew up in the camp, are supervised by adult professionals from the fields of education and social work, providing nurturing role models and guidance.
• Nutritious Meals: Lunch is provided by the camp, simplifying the daily routine for parents.
• Flexible Enrollment: Camp sessions are offered from 2 through 8 weeks, allowing parents to select a session length that best fits their family's summer schedule.

The activities at Mosholu Day Camp are dynamic and numerous, leveraging the expansive grounds on Lake Cohasset to provide memorable experiences. Campers are continuously engaged in programs that build self-esteem and encourage the mastery of new skills, often leading to moments of genuine pride, such as "moving to a new swimming band" or mastering a zip line.

Features / Highlights:

• Waterfront Excellence: Features beautiful Lake Cohasset with a scenic and safe swim area, special shallow-water swim bays for the youngest campers, and a comprehensive boating program using paddle boats and canoes.
• Adventure and Challenge Courses: Offers specialized adventure courses, including rope/tree climbing and zip lines, which challenge campers and build physical confidence under expert supervision.
• Sports and Games: Extensive facilities with ball fields, a large indoor facility, and an archery range, supporting a wide range of sports including basketball, soccer, pickleball, tennis, softball, floor hockey, and lacrosse.
• Arts and Culture: Encourages creativity through activities such as art, drama, dance, music, pottery, and unique offerings like Native American culture and engineering.
• Special Camp Events: Known for "spectacular" special events, including cookouts, overnight adventures, and fun periodic treats like ice cream truck days, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the week.
• Focus on Nature: Campers enjoy nature exploration, hiking, and orienteering, developing an appreciation for the rustic, wooded environment of Harriman State Park.
• Accredited Safety: Mosholu Day Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) and licensed/inspected by the New York State Department of Health, guaranteeing adherence to the highest safety and program standards.

Contact Information:

Address:

261 Arden Valley Rd, Southfields, NY 10975, USA

Phone:

(718) 882-4000

Mobile Phone:

+1 718-882-4000

Mosholu Day Camp is uniquely suitable for New York locals, particularly those in the city, for a few compelling reasons. Firstly, it solves the perennial problem of balancing a rigorous summer schedule with the desire for a "real" camp experience. By providing all-inclusive busing from the boroughs, it eliminates the need for daily parental transportation while delivering children to a genuinely rustic, beautiful natural environment—a necessity for a child born and raised in an urban setting. Secondly, the camp’s commitment to providing a quality program at an "extremely affordable" price makes it a financial game-changer for many families, offering activities like Red Cross swim instruction and ropes courses that are often only found at much more expensive camps. Finally, the camp’s emphasis on fostering social and physical growth through a vast array of activities—from archery and boating to drama and engineering—ensures that every child leaves with new skills, lifelong friendships, and cherished memories. For New York parents looking for the ultimate value in a safe, fun, and transformative summer for their child, Mosholu Day Camp is truly the exceptional, and often best-kept, local secret.

Mosholu Day Camp

261 Arden Valley Rd, Southfields, NY 10975, USA