Oak Crest Day Camp: Voted Best Camp in NJ 3-5 Year Olds (Munchkins)
Limited Spots Left for Summer 2024
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Transportation
Oak Crest provides Bus Transportation to dozens of nearby towns.
Transportation
Oak Crest provides Bus Transportation to dozens of nearby towns.
New to Camp?
Learn more about how we tailor our program for each age group.
New to Camp?
Learn more about how we tailor our program for each age group.
3-5 Year Olds (Munchkins) Summer Camp near Watchung
In Watchung, New Jersey, Oak Crest offers both a 5 full-day program and a 3 full-day program for young children. Within our Munchkin Division, we maintain an exceptional camper-to-staff ratio, typically ranging from 10 to 12 campers per group with 3 to 4 staff members. Additionally, every activity is supervised by a Munchkin Specialist, specially selected and trained to address the unique needs of children aged 3, 4, and 5.
The Munchkin Program focuses on a threefold approach, which includes:
1. Enhancing gross and fine motor skills through engaging athletic and creative activities.2. Teaching essential swimming skills.3. Promoting social development among the young campers.
Munchkin Athletics
Oak Crest provides modified versions of various sports activities tailored to the needs of our youngest campers. These include mini-soccer, mini-basketball, t-ball, and gymnastics. We have carefully adapted these traditional sports to ensure that children aged 3, 4, and 5 can experience success in mastering the fundamental skills. Our athletic specialists, who are specifically trained to work with this age group, guide your child in a developmentally appropriate and engaging manner, making learning these sports a delightful experience.
Creative Arts
Nestled in Watchung, New Jersey, Oak Crest’s Creative Arts Center serves as an exceptional hub for nurturing artistic expression. Here, your child will have the opportunity to engage in a wide spectrum of artistic endeavors within well-appointed, air-conditioned classrooms led by experienced art instructors.
On a weekly basis, our campers actively participate in a broad range of activities encompassing Ceramics, Music, Cooking, Drama, Nature exploration, Dance, Digital Photography, Jewelry Making, Computers, and more.
Enhancing the depth of this creative experience, each Munchkin group contributes to the annual Showcrest—an elaborate Dance and Drama Production. Far from an understated event, Showcrest, held during the sixth week of camp, unfolds in the evening at a local venue and features professional-grade sound and lighting, resulting in a truly remarkable spectacle.
Low Ropes
Climbing and Ropes Courses play a significant role in the Summer Camp experience. In Watchung, New Jersey, Oak Crest offers a low ropes course designed with dual objectives. First, it aims to promote the development of gross motor skills among our Munchkin campers. Second, it equips them with the fundamental skills necessary for navigating our Climbing Tower. During their time on the Low Ropes Course, young campers engage in climbing, exploration, and swinging activities, all while being just inches above the ground.
Safety is of paramount importance to us. To ensure the utmost safety, our ropes courses undergo rigorous inspection and certification by the company responsible for their construction at the start of each season. Moreover, our certified ropes instructors, who guide the groups through all ropes courses, conduct daily checks to maintain a secure and protected environment for the campers.
Learn to Swim
Swimming is not merely a life skill; it is a crucial proficiency that is best acquired at our newly established, state-of-the-art 12,000 square foot Aquatic Complex in Watchung, New Jersey. Our commitment to excellence is evident through our annual training of instructors, which incorporates American Red Cross guidelines and draws upon our extensive practical experience of over 25 years in teaching children to swim. We guarantee with absolute confidence that your child will master the art of swimming at Oak Crest.
For our beginners, our Aquatic Facility boasts two shallow pools, ensuring that even the youngest campers can confidently stand, thereby enhancing their comfort level and initial progress. Each morning, our campers partake in a 40-minute swim lesson led by a certified swim instructor, with the support of group counselors. In the afternoons, they return to the Aquatic Complex for 40 minutes of free swim, fostering a sense of camaraderie with both fellow campers and group counselors.
Social Development
One of the most captivating facets of the camp experience centers around the development of children’s proficiency in navigating group dynamics. This process fosters heightened confidence and independence as they transition between different activities. Within these groups, campers actively participate in nurturing friendships, collaborating, sharing, taking turns, and learning to interact respectfully with both their peers and the staff. Our dedicated team empowers Munchkin campers to express themselves verbally and facilitates direct communication. Oak Crest offers a nurturing environment where children acquire the emotional and social skills that are indispensable for success in life.
Munchkin Lunch
To meet the nutritional needs of our preschool campers, Munchkins have a distinct dining arrangement separate from the rest of the camp, and they enjoy the first lunch period of the day. Our Oak Crest Staff is highly attentive to any dietary requirements your child may have, guaranteeing a personalized and accommodating approach to their meals.