“You want me to put my 5 year old on a bus from the city to Long Island every day this summer, are you crazy?”
We often hear these words or see the wheels spinning in parents’ heads when we talk about campers coming to Shibley Day Camp from Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens. In fact, a large percentage of our campers do come from the east side of Manhattan in addition to areas in Queens like Long Island City and Forest Hills; and parts of Brooklyn including Park Slope and Williamsburg.
So why do parents send their children in droves from the city every day to day camps on Long Island? We asked a mix of first time Shibley families and veterans and here were some of their answers:
“I feel so grateful to have found Shibley for my daughter. I’m so glad that I can give her the perfect summer camp for a city kid; one where she is outdoors in the sunshine, swimming in the pool and running in the grass every day. She comes home exhausted with dirty knees and crazy hair. Most importantly, she comes home happy.” – Mrs. Grillo
“Sending our children out of the city for summer camp was the best decision we could have made. We love our city living most of the year, but the amazing landscape at Shibley provides a true camp experience and the ability to be outdoors for activities as much as possible – a luxury not local camp could provide. While the bus ride to and from was my greatest hesitation, this was actually one of their daily highlights. They made friends outside of their groups and age bracket which made them feel even more connected to the Shibley community. I know it was a good thing when I offered to pick them up from camp one day and they both quickly responded ‘NOOOO!’”– Mrs. De Angelis
“As much as we love the city, you can’t beat the variety, offerings, and outdoor facilities that a suburban day camp has to offer. The minute my active little city-bird saw Shibley, he asked if he could go there over the summer. We’re confident that it’s the right choice for us.” – Mrs Goldenberg
“We knew it was time to give Marco a taste of suburban life when he saw the Camp Shibley promotional video and said “look, it’s in the jungle!” There’s more to life than steaming hot sidewalks and fenced-in city parks. We wanted to give him the opportunity to spend his summers running around in fresh air and green grass, and swimming in a beautiful outdoor pool.”-Mrs. Zambetti
“…imagine not hearing the shrill of car horns and emergency vehicles for days on end. Instead, imagine the magical sound of kids having fun in a truly natural setting. My daughter loves escaping the noise of the city and enjoying full days filled with the sounds of nature…” – Mr. McLaughlin
“Sending our daughter to Shibley from LIC was one of the best decisions we have ever made! Our daughter gets the opportunity to be active in the outdoors on a beautiful large suburban property while participating in so many activities including; swimming, ropes course, playgrounds, sports, color war…the list is endless. Shibley provides convenient busing, which is amazing especially for working parents. She is currently counting down the days until she goes back to camp!” – Mrs. Fritz
“This will be my daughter’s second summer at Shibley Day Camp, and the excitement in our home is at a whole new level! ‘When is camp starting mom?’ ‘How many more days again?’ Living in Manhattan is an amazing experience for my daughter and our family, but like every New Yorker and especially my child who is born in and being raised in NYC, you need a break every once in a while. When my daughter was old enough she went to Shibley and upon her return from camp that afternoon her happiness and exhaustion was evident. The activities were beyond her imagination and the staff and counselors were just amazing… even the bus ride home was an exciting adventure for her filled with fun and appropriate songs and games. City kids have benefits like no other children, but you should not pass up an opportunity to send them to a camp outside the hustle and bustle of the jungle of Manhattan. And make sure it’s a place like Shibley that your child will love just as much as their own home.” – Mrs. Sticco
“I love sending my daughter to camp in the suburbs for so many reasons. First and foremost is getting her to spend time outside surrounded by large lawns of green grass and giant shady trees. She learns about nature and escapes the concrete jungle. Also, I love that there are various pools for swim instruction dedicated to each age level. My daughter finally learned to put her head under water and started to swim last year and now she runs and jumps into the water with no fear. This year she will work to pass the deep water test. Let’s not forget about the bus! I feel like my daughter grew up on that bus, gained independence, developed patience and made great friendships with boys and girls of different ages. Lastly but equally important are all the outstanding activities that take place outside like carnival, Olympics, relay races, bungee .. and so much more.. We love Shibley Day Camp!” – Mrs. Fastenberg
“The environment is such a departure from more urban settings. It’s like a having a relative with a country house who lets your kids go run, swim and play all day (under adult supervision). Their summer days don’t crawl by looking for things to do. Every day is spent in a beautiful wooded sanctuary that gives my children the feel of a upstate sleep-away camp. But I get the added bonus of seeing them at the end of every day, exhausted and relaxed as they regale me with the stories of their adventures. Without a haven like Shibley, my kids would probably never lay back on the grass and watch the clouds on a beautiful summer day like they were in their own backyard. They don’t have to compete with neighborhood kids for a hot swing on a blacktop playground. They don’t have to wonder how they will fill their hot summer days in a concrete jungle. Instead, all four of my children learned to swim from Red Cross certified instructors, they climbed rock walls, played softball, hockey, basketball and gaga….Over the many years I have realized it is a different kind of friendship that forms over the summers, when you only see each other for a few months. Those relationships are special. They will have these camp friends for a lifetime.“ – Mrs. Haberstumpf
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!
