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.

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 State of Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.

Questions? Contact Special and Summer Programs at summer@cranbrook.edu, (248) 645-3674, or use our Contact Us form.