Recreation Summer Camp

Click here for our financial assistance form

  1. 2026 Financial Aide Form

2026 Registration Information


Registration will be done on a first come, first served basis completely online. There will be no lottery. Camp will also be registered by grade. There will be unique links for each camp grade. Payment will be at the time of registration. 


We will have staff at the Summit Community Center to assist with the registration software if you bring your own device. However, there will be no guarantee of registration. Staff will only assist you in completing the process.



Online registration will open Saturday, January 3, 2026 

  • Children entering Grade 1 in September 2026 @ 9:00am
  • Children entering Grade 2 in September 2026 @ 9:30am
  • Children entering Grade 3 in Sepetmber 2026 @ 10:00am
  • Children entering Grade 4 in September 2026 @ 10:30am
  • Children entering Grade 5 in September 2026 @ 11:00am
  • Children entering Grade 6 in September 2026 @ 11:30am
  • CIT Sign Up (without payment) pending interviews will be at 12:00 Noon

Link for all levels, with staggered opening: https://secure.rec1.com/NJ/summit-nj/catalog/index?filter=dGFiJTVCMjUxNzYlNUQ9MSZzZWFyY2g9JnJlbnRhbCU1QmZyb20lNUQ9JnJlbnRhbCU1QnRvJTVEPSYyYzQ5ZGM4NjQ5OWIwNDY1OTViM2ZmNmZiNzk3NGUwMz01YzQxZDZiY2Y5YTIzMWZkNjZiODA1MDAwNDk4ZjBjZA== 

See information below regarding the Counselor in Training changes and NEW Travel Camp information.

This is before registration opens January 5 for the Summit YMCA camps and before the January 15 registration for The Connection camps.




Registration Hardships: 

If there is a medical need, language barrier or any other extenuating circumstance that impeded your access to this registration system you must email dguidajr@cityofsummit.org prior to December 31, 2025 at noon. We will make any reasonable accommodations possible.

Please note, travel during the registration period is not a hardship. Registration is online and accessible everywhere.



Financial Need:

If your family is in need of financial assistance or experiencing a burden, even if not qualifying for free and reduced lunch due to life changes or other situations, you must email dguidajr@cityofsummit.org prior to December 31, 2025 at noon. We will assess each situation and provide registration and financial assistance as needed.



TryCAN Special Needs:

If you will be registering your child in the TryCAN special needs camp, you must email your child's most up to date IEP to dguidajr@cityofsummit.org by December 31, 2025 at noon. This will allow us to send a link for our TryCAN camp, which has 25 spots.

 


Attendance Policy


This year, we will be tracking daily attendance. All campers must attend camp on at least 63% of days. This is 25 out of the 40 days of camp. Should a medical need arise that necessitates missing over 25 days, an exception may be made if a doctors note is provided. If campers are registered and do not attend at least 63% of camp days, they will not be eligible for registration for summer camp in 2027. 

  • If there is a "rain day" where an email is sent where we actively encourage parents keep campers home, this will count as an automatic day attended.
  • There is no camp on the Fourth of July, this will automatically count as a free day of attendance for all campers.

General Camp Information 


Camp will run from Monday, June 22, 2026 through Friday, August 14, 2026. Camp will be held Monday through Thursday from 8:00AM until 3:30PM and Fridays from 8:00AM until 12:30PM.


NEW THIS YEAR - There will be an Upper Camp and Lower Camp following two different scheduling tracks for GRADES 1-6. Children Entering Grades 7-9 can:

  1. Join the Counselor in Training Program through the interview process (25 spots available)
  2. Sign up for the NEW Recreation Travel Camp


Cost per participant: $950 per camper for the entire eight weeks

This eight-week camp includes arts & crafts, special events & outings, sports & games. Campers can also look forward to both yoga and other classes, as well. Many special appearances are made by a variety of entertainers, including magicians, weathermen, and more! There is so much to offer.

 This general camp is open to Summit residents only. The TryCAN portion must be from a collaborating town and have participated in TryCAN programs previously. 


The upper and lower camps will operate as their own entities, with a Camp director, TryCAN director and Medical director for each. 


Upper Camp (tentatively Grades 4/5/6) - Oldest 200 Campers in Grades 1-6 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

8:00-8:30 

Drop off at Summit Family Aquatic Center - 100 Ashwood Ave

8:30-9:00 

Activity @ Pool

9:00-9:45 

Activity @ Pool

9:45-10:00

Prep to Walk to CC

10:00-10:30 

Walk to Community Center

10:30-11:00

Activity at Community Center

11:00-11:30 

Activity at Community Center

11:30-12:00

Lunch

12:00-12:45

Activity at Community Center

12:45-1:00 

Prep to walk to Pool

1:00-1:30

Walk to Pool

1:30-3:00

Pool

3:00-3:30 

PICK UP AT SUMMIT FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER - 100 Ashwood Ave












Lower Camp (tentatively Grade 1/2/3) - Youngest 200 Campers in Grades 1-6 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

8:00-8:30

Drop off at Summit Community Center - 100 Morris Ave

8:30-9:00 

Activity @ CC

9:00-9:45

Activity @ CC

9:45-10:00 

Prep for Walk to Pool

10:00-10:30

Walk to Pool

10:30-11:00

Activity @ Pool

11:00-11:30 

Activity @ Pool

11:30-12:00

Lunch

12:00-1:30

Swimming

1:30-2:00 

Return to Community Center

2:00-2:30

Activity

2:30-3:00

Activity

3:00-3:30

PICK UP AT COMMUNITY CENTER - 100 Morris Ave

Rec Camp
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CAMP WRAP AROUND PROGRAM

Do you need childcare after 3:30? This year, we will be adding a wrap around program where children will be welcome to stay at the Community Center for a more relaxed, free structured “afterschool” type program. This program will run Monday through Thursday from 3:30 until 5:30 PM. You may add this program by the week for $35 per week. 

General Summer Camp
Open to Children in Grades 1-6 (400 spots total - 200 in lower camp and 200 in upper camp)

This eight-week camp includes arts & crafts, special events & outings, sports & games, as well as afternoons spent swimming at Summit’s Family Aquatic Center. Campers can also look forward to both yoga and hip hop classes. Many special appearances are made by a variety of entertainers, including magicians, weathermen, and DJ Fusco! There is so much to offer.

Counselor In Training Program  
Open to Children in Grades 7-9 (25 spots)

Assist Recreation Summer Camp Counselors in facilitating all programs and activities for Recreation Summer Campers. Counselors-in-training will still enjoy the full Recreation Summer Camp experience while learning the basics of what it takes to be a great summer counselor. 

Travel Camp (NEW) for Children

Open to Children in Grades 6-9 (45 spots)

This camp will run from June 29 through August 6 - Monday through Thursday ONLY. Cost will be  $2500 for all six weeks. Every day the camp will take a trip to a different location and be fully supervised by our staff. Full schedule and information is available here:  https://summitcommunityprograms.com/513/Travel-Camp 

Generally the camp will follow the below schedule:

  • Monday: Water Park/Amusement Par Trips
  • Tuesday: Asbury Park Trips
  • Wednesday: NYC Day Trips - Broadway, Yankees, Bronx Zoo
  • Thursday: Specials (Medieval Times, iPlay America, Tubing, etc.)

TRY CAN INCLUSION CAMP (25 spots)

This component of our program is open to ALL municipalities in the TryCAN Collaboration for children who require accommodations for their successful participation in camp. 

Your child will be placed into a group with a 1:3 ratio that will be a subsection of grade appropriate groups of our general summer camp program. This model allows for your child to have a little extra attention and receive supports they require, while also getting the full camp experience! All TryCAN camp counselors will be college students who have completed at least a year in educational studies or related fields (social work, speech language pathology, psychology, etc). Please be sure to select the Inclusion Camp option when registering. If you have any specific questions about the inclusion program, please contact dguidajr@cityofsummit.org.

  • Children must be comfortable in an inclusion setting and not require constant 1:1 attention
  • All children will be expected to remain in programming rooms with their groups, understanding breaks may be required. However, our camp cannot accommodate elopers.
  • All children must be toilet trained.

Must provide documentation of special needs or have previous participation in TryCAN Programs.