Trail Blazer Camps @ Ps 398

We are currently in our third summer here. Trailblazers, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways... 1) Attentive, fun, incredible counselors 2) Chill about timing and letting kids get lost in their own park activities 3) Immersion in love of nature 4) I don't have to fight for a spot (even if I don't sign up, like, 100 months in advance, ugh, Brooklyn) 5) Flexible about which weeks I sign up for and which group within the camp to be with friends 6) Thoughtful and responsive administrators 7) My kids come home every day exhausted and happy as clams. I love this camp with all my heart. Highly recommended to say the least.

For a program that claims to be appropriate for children ages 3 and up, it falls seriously short in basic care and safety. When I picked up my daughter, she was dehydrated, still in wet clothes from the morning, her water bottle was empty, and she hadn’t used the restroom all day. This suggests a lack of supervision and an inability to meet the needs of younger children who aren't yet independent or outspoken. It’s extremely concerning that children are kept outside for long periods without proper hydration, bathroom breaks, or assistance from staff. If your child is young and still needs support with basic needs, I would not recommend this program. It is not equipped to provide the attentive care younger children require.

I can only comment on this as a camp for 3-4 year olds and I would strongly not recommend this camp. My child came home very dehydrated, shriveled lips, did not use the bathroom all day, did not eat any lunch or snacks, empty water bottle not refilled all day in 7 hours of 80-90 degree weather walking close to a mile. She was in a condition I have never seen her and would never allow a child to be in. I am not sure how trained or what qualifications these counselors have to take care of young children. It may be a good camp for older kids but I recommend any parent with a child under 4 to stay away from this program.

Trailblazers is exactly what I was hoping for in a camp. My 4 yo is exhausted and sooo dirty when I pick him up. The counselors are inventive, kind, and patient with the rowdy pack of kids in their care. I love hearing stories about what they did each day and that he's using his imagination and exploring the beauty of Prospect Park. It took a bit for my kid to get used to the long walks, but he's now fully on board for the adventure.

Trailblazers is a good camp for your kid if your child is neurotypical and has significant physical stamina. If your child has any sort of different needs, or isn’t generally an easy going kid, they will not have a good time at this camp. The counselors are incredibly sweet, but are mostly young (teenagers) and don’t have the staffing levels or training to really help campers who aren’t already pretty independent. It really sucks because Trailblazers has a great financial aid program and are one of the only places in the city that does that for summer camp. I wish my kid could have thrived here, but it’s not for us. Upon speaking with several other ex-trailblazers families, this seems to be a common theme. Their mission is great, and they are truly financially inclusive in a way that most camps aren’t, but my kid unfortunately had a miserable time there due to their lack of ability to accommodate children with different abilities.