Take a Virtual Tour
2025 DATES & RATES
TRANSPORTATION OPTIONSOak Crest Day Camp: Voted Best Camp in NJ
Explorers (1st & 2nd Graders) Summer Camp near Franklin Park
At Oak Crest in Franklin Park, New Jersey, the program adapts to the campers’ age. The Explorer program, similar to the Munchkin program, aims to improve skills in various athletic and creative activities, enhance swimming abilities, and develop social and emotional intelligence.
First-grade campers get acquainted with activities such as the Climbing Tower, Zipline, Giant Swing, and Oak Crest’s GAGA tradition. As they progress to the second grade, campers benefit from a CHOICE period in their schedule, enabling them to choose activities weekly, creating a dynamic and engaging camp experience.
Explorer Athletics
In Franklin Park, New Jersey, our first and second-grade campers participate in adapted versions of traditional sports. These activities take place on scaled-down fields and courts, using age-appropriate equipment. This approach allows campers to experience success while learning fundamental sports skills.
Our Athletic Specialists, who supervise these activities, are trained to allocate a portion of each session for teaching a new skill, followed by gameplay that emphasizes the newly acquired skill. Additionally, Oak Crest counselors actively engage in these activities alongside the campers, collaborating with the specialists to create and reinforce opportunities for success for our young participants.
Creative Arts
In Franklin Park, New Jersey, children have the chance to participate in a wide array of artistic activities led by experienced art teachers in air-conditioned classrooms. Each week, campers attend sessions in various disciplines, including Ceramics, Music, Mad Science, Cooking, Drama, Nature, Dance, Digital Photography, Jewelry Making, Computers, and more.
Additionally, all Explorer Girl groups take part in a dance routine as an integral component of our annual event, Showcrest, which is a significant Dance and Drama Production. Showcrest is a substantial production typically held during the sixth week of camp, in the evening, at a local venue, featuring professional sound and lighting.
Learn to Swim
At Oak Crest in Franklin Park, New Jersey, our Learn-to-Swim Program is a core element of the Oak Crest experience. Our aquatic facility is exceptional, featuring a state-of-the-art 12,000 square foot Aquatic Complex specifically designed for children aged 3 to 8. This complex offers a range of water depths from 1 to 6 feet, allowing us to begin instruction in shallow water and progress to deeper levels as our young swimmers advance in their skills.
Every morning, our Explorer campers participate in a 40-minute swim lesson, guided by certified swim instructors, with group counselors providing assistance. In the afternoon, campers have the opportunity for free swim sessions. Our swim lessons are structured around skill levels rather than age, ensuring that we can challenge swimmers of all proficiencies. Our instructors receive annual training and draw from a wealth of experience, incorporating not only the American Red Cross guidelines but also over 25 years of practical expertise in teaching children how to swim.
Learn to Ride a Bicycle
Mastering the skill of bicycle riding has become a significant childhood milestone, and Oak Crest, situated in Franklin Park, NJ, provides an ideal setting for this achievement through its newly established Bicycle Village. This village includes a 1/4-mile training course, a state-of-the-art pump track, and a mountain bike preparation trail. Cycling not only encourages independence in children but also imparts valuable lessons in balance, posture control, coordination, and the development of motor skills. Our experienced instructors offer personalized attention, enabling novice cyclists to build the confidence needed for success. Oak Crest ensures the availability of appropriately sized bicycles and helmets for the learning process.
Ropes Course and Low Ropes Course
In Franklin Park, New Jersey, Oak Crest has established a low ropes course with a dual purpose: to develop the gross motor skills of our 1st Grade Explorers and equip them with the necessary skills to navigate our Climbing Tower. The 1st Grade Explorers engage in activities on the Low Ropes Course, which include climbing, exploration, and swinging, all conducted at a height just inches above the ground. Upon progressing to 2nd Grade, Oak Crest campers have the opportunity to experience the Climbing Tower and Zipline for the first time. The Ropes Course is designed to allow campers to advance at their own pace, gaining access to higher and more challenging elements as they become more comfortable and confident.
Prior to each season, our ropes courses undergo thorough safety inspections and certification by the company that constructed them. Additionally, certified ropes instructors, who lead the groups through all ropes courses, conduct daily safety checks to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience for our campers.
Social Development
In the Explorer Division at Oak Crest in Franklin Park, New Jersey, there is a deliberate emphasis on cultivating collaborative skills within a group setting. Throughout the day, the campers are encouraged to work together and build mutual support. The group structure, along with the active participation of counselors, plays a pivotal role in nurturing strong bonds and friendships among the campers. Counselors also provide guidance to campers on respectful interactions with their peers and effective communication with both fellow campers and staff. Oak Crest offers a nurturing environment where children develop the emotional and social skills necessary for success in life.
