Brookside Tots Camp

Offerings in this active, hands-on program encourage self-expression and creative diversity while developing coordination and muscle skills. Each morning, campers and staff start by singing the morning cheer. Campers then move right into a full day of activities, such as art, drama, music, science, sports, and STEM. Each week has a theme, such as Animals, Wacky Week, When I Grow Up, Science, Earth, and Nature. As campers practice following directions, sharing, and safe play behaviors, social interactions and cooperation are stressed.

Brookside Tots Camp

About the Camp

(coed, ages 3-4)

Note:
Campers must be fully self-sufficiently potty-trained in order to participate in camp.

A Day in the Life
Campers begin the day by singing our morning cheer and holding a brief safety orientation, including talking about kindness and treating others with respect. Then, campers are off to three core activities: art, drama, special, science, sports, or STEM. During science, campers explore Brookside and Cranbrook’s historic campus. Midday, campers participate in rest time by napping or engaging in quiet activities. Campers also enjoy Water Fun Day throughout the week. Our rich and engaging schedule includes bathroom breaks, handwashing, and numerous water breaks. The day concludes with pack-up and dismissal to reunite with family. Each week has a theme, such as Animals, Wacky Week, When I Grow Up, Science, Earth, and Nature. We rotate between an A Day and B Day Schedule to ensure campers attend all activities throughout the week. 

Basic Daily Schedule
  • Greeting & Safety Orientation
  • Cheer & Unpack
  • Activity 1
  • Wash hands and bathroom break
  • Activity 2
  • Wash hands and bathroom break
  • Snack & Playground
  • Activity 3
  • Wash hands and bathroom break
  • Lunch
  • Wash hands and bathroom break
  • Rest time
  • Water Fun Day
  • Wash hands and bathroom break
  • Snack
  • Pack-up & Dismissal 
Ages, Groups, and Buddy Requests
Tots are assigned to groups. Buddy requests are considered in the order received and fulfilled as best as possible. Group assignments are included in the email newsletter sent on the Friday prior to the start of the week.

Lunch, Snacks, and Allergies
Lunches and snacks are included in tuition and are provided by Chartwells Dining Services. They are a nut-free organization that caters to Cranbrook Schools during the academic year. Special arrangements can be made for campers with food allergies. Lunches are served family style in the Brookside Dining Room.

Water Fun Days
Tots enjoy fun in outdoor water activities near the Early Childhood Center building including kiddie pools, sprinklers, toys, and more.

COVID-19
At a minimum, Cranbrook’s COVID-related protocols will comply with applicable State of Michigan mandates and align with Oakland Country Health Division and the American Camp Association. 

Extended Care
Extended Care offers open time outside and in the gym, games, and activities as early as 7 AM and as late as 6 PM. Afternoon care includes a snack.

Communication & Photos
Parents/guardians are emailed a newsletter each week that includes a recap from the prior week, highlights for the following week, and updated group lists. Daily camp photos are posted on a secure website for you to see each day. Enhanced options include saving favorite photos, facial recognition with push notifications when a photo of your child is uploaded, posting to social media, emailing a photo to family, customizing photo gifts, and ordering high-resolution digital downloads or prints.

Why Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps?
Cranbrook Educational Community, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is one of the world’s leading centers of education, science, and art. Comprising a graduate Academy of Art, contemporary Art Museum, House and Gardens, Institute of Science, and PreK-12 independent college preparatory Schools, Cranbrook welcomes thousands of visitors, students, and campers to its campus each year.

Founded by Detroit philanthropists George and Ellen Booth in 1904, Cranbrook’s 319-acre campus features the work of world-renowned architects such as Eliel Saarinen, Albert Kahn, Steven Holl, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, Rafael Moneo, Peter Rose and sculptors Carl Milles, Marshall Fredericks and others. Critics have called Cranbrook "the most enchanted and enchanting setting in America" and in 1989, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps operate under Cranbrook Schools in a dedicated department named Special and Summer Programs. This year-round department focuses solely on summer camps, after-school programs, school rentals, and the school store. The dedicated full-time staff in the department spend the entire year preparing for camp. During the summer, over 1,800 campers from 20 states and nine countries come to Cranbrook for their summer experience. The campus, its facilities, the highly skilled and committed service departments such as Cranbrook's 24/7 security department, and all of Cranbrook's employees, residential faculty, and guests create a wonderful environment for children to learn and have fun. 

Each camp includes a dedicated Director, Assistant Director, Office Administrator, Instructors, and Counselors. Each age-aligned group has one or two counselors who remain with their campers throughout the day and take them to each of the instructional areas. The camps are accredited by the American Camp Association and licensed through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
 
 
2024 Tuition and Fees
  • Tuition
    • Full Session (8 weeks): $2,960
    • Half Session (4 weeks): $1,610
    • Partial Session (1 week): $445
  • Fees
    • Cancellation Fee: $50 fee per canceled week if a cancellation request is received in writing prior to 21 days of session start date. No refund within 21 days of state date.
    • Rush Enrollment Fee: $35 per session within 21 days of session start date
    • Late Payment Fee: 10% of balance 21 days prior to session start date
  • Discounts
    • Early Enrollment Discount: $100 off Full Sessions & $50 off Half Sessions. Use code EARLY24 until 4/1/24.
    • Multi-Session Discount: $30 off each additional session. Applied automatically.
  • Cancellation Policy
    • Refunds, less a $50 processing fee per canceled week, will be issued if a cancellation request is received in writing prior to 21 days of the session start date. No refunds will be provided within 21 days of the session start date.
  • Financial Aid
    • Aid is available based on calculated need and availability of funds.
    • Awards range 0-50% of tuition and 0-100% of Extended Care; Excludes fees and other options.
    • Awards are funded by Cranbrook and other camp families.
    • To donate, visit our donation page.
    • Submit an application here. During the "Student Applications" section, you will see "Select Schools." After clicking "Add a School," begin typing "Cranbrook Schools Summer Camps," and it should autogenerate for you to select.
  • Tuition Includes
    • Lunch
    • Morning and Afternoon Snacks
  • Options Available:
    • Morning Extended Care: $80 per week
    • Afternoon Extended Care: $100 per week
    • Transportation Service: $50 per way per week
    • After Camp Activities: $130
    • Camp Merchandise
    • Monthly Payment Plan: $0
Questions? Contact Special and Summer Programs at summer@cranbrook.edu, (248) 645-3674, or use our Contact Us form.
 

Dates, Times & Locations

Full Session
  • June 17 - August 9, 2024
    • No Full Session Spots Available, Register by Week Below
Half Sessions
  1. June 17 - July 12, 2024
    • No Half Session Spots Available, Register by Week Below
  2. July 15 - August 9, 2024
    • No Half Session Spots Available, Register by Week Below
Partial Sessions
  1. June 17 - June 21, 2024
  2. June 24 - June 28, 2024
  3. July 1 - July 5, 2024
  4. July 8 - July 12, 2024
  5. July 15 - July 19, 2024
  6. July 22 - July 26, 2024
  7. July 29 - August 2, 2024
  8. August 5 - August 9, 2024
Time
  • 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Location