ABOUT CAMP

Deer Mountain Day Camp was founded in 1956 by Mel Katz, then a twenty seven year old teacher.  A camp director since he graduated from college, Mel realized his dream of owning his own camp when he purchased a bungalow colony named The Woodlands and started Deer Mountain.  His wife Rita, also a teacher, joined him at Deer Mountain when their youngest of two daughters was old enough to attend camp.  Together, they built Deer Mountain into one of the most well known and well respected camps in the industry.  Forerunners in the field, Mel and Rita implemented programs and activities that are now commonly found in day camps today.  Their alumni number in the tens of thousands and live across the country and around the world.  Above all their professional accomplishments, Mel and Rita valued the individual connections they made with the campers and families that attended Deer Mountain through the years.  Certainly, this feeling is shared by the camp’s current Directors, Roberta and Carol, Mel and Rita’s two daughters.  To the Katz family, Deer Mountain is more than a family business, it is a family legacy.

Day Camp Overview & Philosophy

Deer Mountain Day Camp is one of the first established and most respected day camps in the Tri-State area, located just minutes from the George Washington and Tappan Zee bridges.  Founded in 1956, Deer Mountain sits on 25 beautiful mountainside acres surrounding our spring-fed lake.  At Deer Mountain, age-appropriate programs for children 3-15 years old have been crafted by certified teachers and educational professionals to give your child the most enriching summer experience possible.  With swimming, sports, arts, outdoor adventure, lake and special event activities, campers rave that they have “the best summer ever".  Deer Mountain Day Camp has been family owned since its inception and is now in its second generation of leadership.

Deer Mountain is committed to creating an environment where our campers feel connected and understood.  We value differences, teamwork, respect, sincerity and warmth.  This environment, coupled with best-in-class facilities, activities and instructors, facilitates learning and growth.  Our campers make new friends, become more open to new experiences, improve skills and gain confidence.  Most importantly, at Deer Mountain, our campers shine as they grow more comfortable with exactly who they are supposed to be.

Deer Mountain Day Camp is an accredited member of the American Camp Association and a member of the New York State Camp Directors Association.

ACTIVITIES

Day Camp Sports

The crack of a bat, the swoosh of a basketball net, the pop of a tennis ball off a racquet…  All sounds coming from the courts, fields and numerous other athletic facilities at Deer Mountain each day.  Our approach focuses on building skills, coordination, collaboration and confidence as well as improving technique.  The result?  Teamwork, sportsmanship, healthy competition and self-esteem - all components our athletic directors build into each program.  What’s more: each sport is run by professional domestic and international specialists with extensive experience both as competitors and instructors, so they are trained to encourage children to learn at their own pace, take risks, make mistakes and try, try again.  What else makes Deer Mountain so special?  Our fields, equipment and games are all matched to your child’s age and ability, which means our sports programs are both fun and challenging.  From beginners to advanced athletes, Deer Mountain means sports!    

Sports Leagues

Want to focus on sports?  Campers entering second grade and up can opt in to more sports time through their elective periods.  Extended sports leagues and clinics enable campers to focus more time on the sport of their choice - participating in advanced drills, perfecting techniques, enjoying more competitive play and experiencing the excitement of updated standings, playoffs and more!

Outdoor Adventure at Deer Mountain

Our Outdoor Adventure program utilizes our breathtaking, twenty-five acre, mountainside facility to its fullest potential.  We use our unique, natural surroundings to take our campers on a journey through the wonders of the environment, exploring, discovering, learning and growing all the way.  Animals, plants, trees, pond life, science and environmental awareness, plus pioneering and camping skills, are all combined to teach, enlighten and entertain our campers.  They also love our nature garden, campsite and petting zoo, complete with farm animals, reptiles and insects.

Our ever expanding ropes course is an exciting chance for our campers to venture into a world of self-discovery and self-confidence.  Complete with a full array of low ropes elements, a 30 ft. climbing wall, several advanced high ropes elements strung through the trees and 2 zip lines (one that goes over our lake), our ropes course is undoubtedly a place for our campers to flourish.  Through a variety of initiative games, our trained staff enables our campers to learn how to work together as a team, hone their leadership skills, face challenges and problem solve.

For aspiring equestrians, we offer pony rides for our younger campers and optional horseback riding lessons.  And, for a different kind of ride, we have an awesome mountain biking track.

What We Offer

Softball

Football

Baseball

Basketball

Soccer

Hockey

Volleyball

Tennis

Gymnastics

Lacrosse

Touch Rugby

Martial Arts

Cricket

Yoga

Bonzo

GaGa

Batting Cages

Golf

Mini-Golf

Archery

Fencing 

And more...

经历了…

1095天

186000公里

Soucamp，由乐行机构倾力打造

为青少年精选全球

5大洲，

26个国家，

5372个营地，

24185个活动项目，

It is all for LOVE.

So，Camping！