Late Labor Day poses childcare challenge for Tri-State Area families
The scramble to book summer camps is familiar to many parents in New York City, but this year has brought an additional challenge.
Labor Day isn't until Sept. 7, creating an even longer gap between the end of most summer programs and the start of school.
Extending programming
Most camps across the Tri-State Area end in mid-August, and most schools don't start classes until after Labor Day, leaving a two-to-three-week gap to fill.
Many camps can't extend, however, because they are staffed in large part by students.
"A lot of those students are going back to college," said Leah Fox, director of Vance Wall Art Education Center. "That really defines how long we can function."
In New York City, more than 100,000 children rely on the city's free Summer Rising program, but it ends Aug.14. Advocates suggest funding from unused seats could help extend.
"Maybe we can take some of that money to support late programming later on in the summer to fill that gap," said Kaliris Salas-Ramirez, president of Community Education Council 4 Harlem.
The 92nd Street Y is also trying to fill this year's extra-long gap with a new program called Summer Send-Off.
The YMCA, JCC and Police Athletic League also have late-summer options with some openings.
"A nightmare for families"
Montclair Art Museum Camp in New Jersey runs until Aug. 21, a week longer than many camps, but after that, parents still have two more weeks of childcare to figure out, and the cost of piecing it all together adds up.
"The end of the summer is a nightmare for families," parent Katie Wassel said. "It definitely highlights the disparities around childcare."
Parent Keri Setaro said she's trying a camp search website called Camperoo, which finds camps by location, date and availability.
"We still have another week that I have zero idea what I'm going to do," she said.
Where to find late-summer camp programs
The following camps may have programs and spaces still available past Aug. 14:
New York City
- YMCA of Greater NY (ends Aug. 21): ymcanyc.org
- Boys & Girls Club of Harlem: harlembgc.org
- Police Athletic League: palnyc.org
- Park Slope Day Camp (ends Aug. 21): parkslopedaycamp.com
- Movement Climbing (ends Aug. 21): movementgyms.com
- Fastbreak Sports (ends Sept. 4): fastbreaksports.com
Long Island
- Camp W (ends Aug. 28): campw.com
- North Shore Day Camp (ends Aug. 21): northshoredaycamp.com
- Camps 'R' Us (ends Aug. 21): campsrus.org
- YMCA of Long Island (ends Aug. 21): ymcali.org
Westchester County
- Camp Hillard (ends Aug. 20): camphillard.com
- Westchester Parks Nature Camps - Hilltop Hanover (Pre-K/K only) (ends Aug. 21): westchestergov.com
New Jersey
- JCC Camps at Medford (ends Aug. 14): jccotp.org
- Kaplen JCC on the Palisades: jccotp.org; contact Carli Bushoven (201) 408-1409
