Summer Camps

Registration for “Let’s Go WILD” Summer Camp 2024 is now OPEN!

Our 2024 Summer Camp Brochure is up now!

Family Memberships get advanced registration – Opens at midnight on January 8th. Members will receive an email with the registration link.

Join or renew your membership now!
Registration opens on January 15th for the general public.

Go Wild This Summer!

Walk in the woods, dig in the dirt, and wade in the water during our week-long nature camps. Daily activities include hands-on experiences and experiments, visits with native wildlife, and creative play. Sessions available for ages 3 through 8th grade. Camps run June 24-August 16, 2024.

**Please note: The first two weeks themes have switched from previous years. The first sessions of Discovery by the Day and Fledglings will now be during the first week of July.**

Camp is filling fast! Is your camp full? Let us know! Use the waitlist form at the bottom of the page if the camp you would like is full. We may be able to open more spaces for some camps! Families will be notified via email if space becomes available.

Dates for Summer 2024!

  • June 24 – June 28 – Forest Frolic, Awesome Adventurers, Jersey Devil Adventures (Week FULL!)
  • July 1 – July 5 –  Fledglings (Half Day), Discovery by the Day (FULL!) ** Camp will run as normal on July 4th**
  • July 8 – July 12 – STEAM Jr (FULL!), Kids STEAM Ahead
  • July 15 – July 19 – Polliwogs, Pond Paradise, Earth Avengers (Week FULL!)
  • July 22 – July 26 –   Polliwogs (FULL!), Forest Frolic, Awesome Adventurers (FULL!)
  • July 29 – August 2 – Fledglings (Half Day), Polliwogs (Half Day) (FULL!), Pond Paradise
  • August 5 – August 9 – STEAM Jr (FULL!), Kids STEAM Ahead
  • August 12 – August 16 – Discovery by the Day (FULL!)

Ages 14+: Contact us about volunteering as a Counselor in Training (CIT). More information can be found here. Being a former Cedar Run camper is recommended but not required.

Pricing per Camper

Full Day Camp — $315 per week
Half Day Camp — $225 per week
Discovery by the Day — $65 per day, $315 per week
STEAM Camps — $325 per week
Jersey Devil Adventure — $365 per week
Earth Avengers — $365 per week

Aftercare — $10 per day, $40 per week

Discounts Stack!

Member Discount — Members with a Family Membership and above get $25 off per week registration
Early Bird Discount — Register by April 15th and get $15 off per week registration

Scholarships

Apply for a Summer Camp Scholarship and send your child to camp and reduced or no cost to you! See below for more information.

Required Forms

Health History Form 2024 (PDF)
Permission to Treat Form (PDF)
Guidelines 2024 (PDF)

Or fill out our Registration Form 2024 – Completed forms may be submitted by mail or simply dropped off. Checks may be made payable to “Cedar Run,” or call to pay by credit card. Please allow for 5-10 business days for processing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the age requirement for camp?

We have camps for 3 years old up to entering 8th grade. Camp groups are divided based on the grade campers will be going into. Grades are determined by the grade your camper will be entering the following year. PreK campers must turn be turning 4 by October 1. This ensures that campers are developmentally similar and can keep up with our programs and other campers.

Can my children stay with their siblings or friends?

Camper groups are divided by grade level, with two or more grades in each group depending on the camp week. For example our Polliwogs camp weeks are for grades K-1st, but our Kids STEAM Ahead camp is for grades 4 through 8. This way we can do age appropriate activities and campers that are of similar grades will be in the same group. Some exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Camp Director with prior approval. However, we often do activities and games involving the entire camp, so your campers will have plenty of time with their friends and to make new ones!

How are snacks and lunches handled?

Campers bring a healthy packed snack and lunch from home! Snack is at 10:30am and lunch is at 12pm at the outdoor Pavilion. Campers eat at their tables with their friends, before going out to the Nature Playscape for recess. We do not have designated nut-free tables, but we can accommodate any dietary restrictions.

What if it rains?

“We’ll weather the weather, whatever the weather!” Our camp runs rain or shine, and some of the most fun experiences have been on those rainy days where campers can jump in puddles and get wet and muddy. That said, thunder and lightning will put us inside for the duration of the storm for safety. While inside, the fun and learning continues with games, crafts, and maybe even meeting one of our Education Ambassadors!

What is "Swamp Day"?

Swamp Day is our campers’ favorite day! Every Friday, no matter the week, we give our campers a chance to get the messiest they’ve ever been by jumping right into our swamp! Campers who don’t want to get muddy can play in the stream next to the swamp, or not get wet at all by looking for frogs around the edge of the swamp and stream. At the end, we have a Mud Monster Line-Up Photo and hose off the worst of the mud. Fledgling campers will not go to the swamp, but to a smaller, messy stream close to the Nature Center to have the same opportunity to get wet and dirty!

Clothes for Swamp Day are expected to get ruined, including shoes. Old clothes or an old bathing suit and old lace-up sneakers or close-toed water shoes are the best. Galoshes, rainboots, and crocs tend to get lost in the swamp and are not recommended. Bring a towel for afterwards, and a change of clothes and shoes to change into.

What if my camper has allergies and carries an epinephrine auto-injector?

Our First Aid certified counselors will be able to keep your camper’s epinephrine auto-injector with them to be available at any time during an emergency.

What if my camper has an IEP, medications during the day, or special considerations?

Great! Cedar Run does not discriminate but we will need to know what we can do to help your camper have a wonderful experience at camp. Please contact us at camp@cedarrun.org to discuss how we can work with you and your camper.

Can someone else drop off/pick up my child?

Certainly! We just ask that you let us know by that morning if someone else is going to pick up your camper. For drop off, we require that someone signs your camper in on the first day of camp for the week, so they can meet their counselors and we can answer any questions you may have. If someone else will be dropping them off on the first day, let us know before the first day of camp by email to camp@cedarrun.org.

Can I drop my camper off early?

We are out at the Pavilion by 8:45am, ready for the day and to receive your campers! While we offer after care from 3pm-4pm, we unfortunately do not offer before care. We do require that campers get signed in on Monday morning to meet their counselors, but after that they can get dropped off and we will check them in.

What if my camper can only come certain days or times? Can I get a discount/refund for those days or times?

If you need to miss a day or two, or have your child get picked up at certain times, we understand but unfortunately we are not able to prorate any part of the camp week. We often do activities that span several hours during the day or for several days during the week. We do offer specific camp weeks that have half-day programs for younger campers, and our Discovery by the Day camps are designed to be chose-your-day camps.

All proceeds from your camp tuition goes directly towards supporting Cedar Run’s mission of the preservation and protection of New Jersey’s wildlife and habitats through education, conservation and rehabilitation.

Summer Camp Sponsorship Application

Know someone who is having a hardship this year and would like to send their child to camp at Cedar Run? Apply for one of our Sponsorship spots! Through generous friends and grants from organizations, many camp spots are available for Summer 2024. If you would like to help sponsor a camper this year, please visit our Summer Camp Scholarship Fund page for more information.

To apply for a sponsorship for Summer Camp 2024 at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge, please fill out the form here.

The information submitted will be reviewed thoroughly by our Camp Director and will be kept strictly confidential. Deadline for scholarship submission is April 15, 2024. Awardees will be notified of acceptance on a rolling basis.

Summer Camp 2024 Wait List
Please fill out the form below if you would like your camper to be put on a waitlist for Summer Camp. For multiple campers, please fill out separate forms.
Please select the camp weeks your camper would like to attend. Be sure that your child is eligible for a camp running that week.