Frequently Asked Questions

Children must be between the ages of 7-12 at the time of camp. .

Each year educators from the six member institutions collaborate with the BCAP Director to create a curriculum of fun new activities that weave connections between the arts, nature, history, culture, technology, literature, and science. .

View a sample daily schedule and a sample 2-week schedule.

BCAP runs from 9:30-3:30pm early July to Mid-August, in two-week sessions. Summer 2024 dates are: July 1 to 12 (discounted one day) July 15 to 26 July 29 to August 9

BCAP has free early drop-off from 8-8:50am. We have limited space in our Stay&Play after-care program from 3:30-6pm, for those in need of this service. You can put in a request for Stay&Play as part of your online registration, and we will offer you a spot, if available. We are not able offer transportation to and from camp.

• Session 1: $750 (9 days) 
• Session 2: $800 (10 days) 
• Session 3: $800 (10 days) 

Online payment with credit card preferred. Payment plans available. Check or money order must be made out to "Brooklyn Public Library."  Stay&Play aftercare is $225 for session 1 and $250 for session 2 & 3.

Generous financial aid is available on a sliding scale for 50% of our spots in camp. Please read our instructions online before registering for camp.

All online documents should be completed at the time of registration. A 10% deposit is due immediately to reserve your spot in camp, if applying without financial aid. All final payments and changes to paperwork for camp, with and without financial aid, are due no later than June 1st. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis upon the completion of all online forms and payment of the $50 deposit. Therefore, we suggest completing your online paperwork and deposit immediately upon registering. *The Physician's Exam and Immunization Record are not required to make your reservation, but are also due by June 1st. Please plan ahead and make an appointment with your doctor, or request a copy of your child's recent school physical and immunization record, if less than a year old at the time of camp.

BCAP offers generous financial aid based on a sliding scale, and 50% of our spots in camp are reserved for FA applicants. Please read these simple instructions before applying for Financial Aid. When registering online, select a session with "Financial Aid". Please note that an Income Verification Document document is required to assign your award package (Federal Income Tax form 1040), and should be sent immediately upon applying. A deposit will also be needed to reserve your spot in camp. (See instructions.) After beginning your application, we will hold your spot for 2 business days while you complete the next step of the application process-- sending your income document. We cannot guarantee your spot after 2 days if you have not completed the next step of the application.

A detailed information packet called the "BCAP Family Handbook" can be downloaded at the top of this page. On the first day of your camp session you will arrive early to check in and attend a short parent orientation. Campers will receive an orientation their first morning with their counselors.

Campers must be signed in and out by a parent or guardian each day at the Brooklyn Museum Home Base. Morning sign-in is in the Education Gallery, accessed through lower rear entrance next to the parking lot and Sculpture Garden. Afternoon sign-out is outside in the Sculpture Garden. The Brooklyn Museum can be accessed on public transportation via the 2/3 Brooklyn Museum metro stop, the nearby B/Q, 4/5, and Shuttle lines, as well as many buses. Free parking is available for a maximum of 15 minutes in the Museum parking lot..

Campers are assigned to group A B, or C depending on grade, and will be with the same group of counselors for the entire session. A camper can request to be placed with his or her friends, however we encourage a camp community that is inclusive of all campers and based around making new friends. We cannot assure placement, but will keep your request in mind.

Parents are encouraged to communicate with the Camp Director to ensure a successful summer for their children. Please call the Camp Cell (347) 971-2356 for communication during the camp day, or email bcap@bklynlibrary.org. . The Directors and Head Counselors will have cell phones on them at all times, and the Directors can receive email periodically throughout the camp day.  BCAP Summer Camp is an electronics-free environment for campers to help make sure they are getting the most out of their cultural experiences. Any electronics brought to camp will be checked with the Head Counselor upon arrival.

Our camp groups travel primarily by foot throughout our cultural campus. All visits to BCM and our youngest groups' trips to AUD, PPZ, and LEFF receive private bus transporation. Each group has a team of counselors who follow our strict safety plan for traveling between institutions, and we maintain a ratio of 5:1. We do travel, rain or shine, to our member institutions. However, campers do not walk in lightening storms, and travel and activity plans will be modified for extreme heat. Campers are encouraged to bring rain gear, sun screen, hat, and water bottle, and to check the weather report each morning to plan accordingly.

Campers must bring their own nutritious lunch and reusable water bottle each day. BCAP provides an afternoon snack and juice before dismissal, and during Stay&Play. You will be asked to inform us in advance of any food allergies or dietary concerns during the online registration process, so we can accommodate your camper. Due to allergies, BCAP Summer Camp has a no-nut and no-sharing policy. Campers must bring their own reusable water bottle, and are encouraged to drink plenty of water throughout the day to insure proper hydration.

BCAP Summer Camp is licensed by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, including a detailed risk-prevention and safety plan, and is inspected twice yearly. All counselors are mature and experienced individuals that are First Aid and CPR certified, and have completed a full week of BCAP training. Camp groups have access to emergency and security personnel at all partner institutions. The Camp Director also maintains contact with parents regarding the well-being of each child before and during camp, as needed. A cross-institutional safety plan is in place for both emergency and non-emergency situations. BCAP takes COVID 19 precautions very seriously and is a mask-friendly camp. Campers and staff follow the COVID Safety Precautions outlined at each of our partner sites during visits. You can read the COVID 19 safety protocol, including if a camper or counselor falls ill during camp, in our Family Handbook.

For everyone's safety, all campers and their adults must wear a well-fitted mask at pick up and drop off, regardless of vaccination status. Campers must wear masks indoors and where required by our Partner Sites. We encourage campers to bring a spare mask incase theirs is soiled or lost during the day.

Clothing: T-Shirts & Shorts. For security reasons, campers must wear our Camp T-Shirt every day. Each child will receive 2 BCAP Summer Camp T-Shirts the first day camp. Please indicate the size you need using the online BCAP T-Shirt Form during registration. Additional shirts may be purchased on the same form for $10. Please place your order as early as possible. Comfortable shorts or cool pants should be worn to camp. Skirts and dresses are not recommended. If a child arrives in another shirt, a Camp T-shirt will be supplied and charged to the family account. BCAP Adventures must wear comfortable sneakers that are appropriate for walking each day. Dress shoes, sandals, open-toed shoes, and flip-flops are not allowed at camp. In order to be ready for adventure, campers must come prepared with the following supplies in a back pack.

• Sunscreen & Bug repellent
• Hat & Sunglasses
• Bagged lunch (no nuts or glass)
• Reusable water bottle
• Rain coat, waterproof poncho, or compact umbrella 
• Light long sleeved shirt (for air-conditioned rooms)

After signing in at the BPL Central Home Base, your camper will travel to two different BCAP Partner Institutions on our Cultural Campus daily: Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect Park Audubon Center, Prospect Park Zoo, Lefferts Historic House, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, or Brooklyn Public Library. You will be provided with an exact schedule of your camper’s whereabouts at the orientation on the first day of your camp session.

If you must cancel your reservation, a partial refund may be granted up until six (6) weeks before the first day of your camp session. No refunds can be made after this date. The deposit is non-refundable.