Who Are Our Campers?
Green Cove campers are children entering 2nd-7th grades who are looking for a fun camp experience where they love the activities and really connect with their peers. Their parents know that their children can best find that success in communities that understand and celebrate neurodiversity.
Many Green Cove campers have a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1, 2e (twice exceptional), or a similar neurodivergent profile. Many others are undiagnosed but benefit from a little extra social support or simply gravitate to environments that are more intimate and/or more predictable.
Green Cove campers typically do best when they:
- Know what to expect going into an activity or event
- Get a written or verbal preview of transitions ahead of time
- Socialize in a structured environment with established expectations
- Are given step-by-step instructions to support their executive functioning
- Have a trusted adult/mentor they can go to when they have a question, concern, or are upset
Successful Green Cove campers must be able to:
- Participate cooperatively in a group of 8-10 other campers and 3 counselors
- Independently manage acts of daily living, with some staff prompting
- Re-engage with Relative ease after a brief period of upset
- Enjoy reciprocal conversations with peers, perhaps needing staff facilitation for more robust friendship-building
- Adhere to a structured daily camp schedule
Green Cove campers DO NOT exhibit the following behaviors:
- Regular or long-lasting behavioral outbursts or meltdowns
- Recent history of physical or verbal aggression
- Oppositional and/or defiant, or refuse to participate in less preferred activities
- Require 1-to-1 support or consistent prompting to stay on task during activities or in class
- History of wandering or running away from a group
- History of self-harm, suicidality or psychiatric hospitalization
Green Cove Core Four
Camp is about more than activities and adventures—it’s about growth, connection, and embracing the best version of yourself. At the heart of Green Cove, four core principles guide us and make every day at camp meaningful.
Be True To You
At camp, we believe in embracing who you are—every unique part of you. There’s no need to be anyone other than yourself. We want you to thrive here at camp by being the best version of yourself and accepting others just the way they are.
Be a Kind and Thoughtful Friend
Camp is all about building connections and being a contributing member of a community. We believe in supporting each other and being a good friend, whether that’s cheering someone on during a challenge or being flexible and going along with the group plan. Together, we create a warm, inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome.
Stretch Yourself
Camp is a place to step outside your comfort zone and try new things. Growth happens when we challenge ourselves. We encourage you to be brave, try something new, and push past what you thought was possible. When we stretch ourselves, we find our true strength and potential.
Have Fun!
At the end of the day, camp is about having fun! It’s about letting go, making memories, and enjoying every moment. So, go ahead—be silly, be spontaneous, and soak up the pure joy that camp has to offer
When we live these core values, we create a camp environment that is positive, inclusive, and full of opportunity. You’ll leave camp not only with new skills and experiences, but with a deeper sense of self and a group of friends who truly support you. These values are not just for camp—they’re for life. Embrace them, live them, and carry them with you long after camp ends. We can’t wait to see you grow, laugh, and create memories this summer! Let’s make this an unforgettable experience.
Green Cove Day Camp is where you can truly be yourself, make new friends, stretch yourself, and—most importantly—have a blast!
Our Location
Nestled in a picturesque Bronxville, NY, our summer home is critical to carrying out our mission. Green Cove Day Camp is located just 8 miles from White Plains and 15 miles north of Manhattan.
Based at Iona University in Bronxville, Green Cove campers have access to grass playing fields, air-conditioned facilities, a college-size gymnasium, and daily swim at the Hynes Pool on Iona’s New Rochelle campus.
Scroll through these photos to see a few of our wonderful facilities at Iona’s Bronxville campus.
Being on a college campus allows our campers to explore their interests in state of the art facilities. Green Cove campers will have access to:
- Heated Pool
- Athletic Fields
- Basketball Courts
- Gaga
- Archery
- Performing Arts Areas for music, dance and drama
- Creative Arts
- Science/Engineering areas for exploration
- Yoga
- Shaded Areas for group gatherings
- Air-conditioned cafeteria
2025 Dates and Rates
Session 1 … Mon July 7 – Fri July 25 (3 weeks) … $5,600
Session 2 … Mon July 28 – Fri August 15 (3 weeks) … $5,600
Both Sessions . . . Mon July 7 – Fri August 15 (6 weeks) … $10,000
Financial assistance is available. Round-trip transportation, lunch and early drop-off / late pick-up will incur additional fees.
Our Approach to Social Skills
Green Cove campers work on social skills while enjoying traditional camp activities. They don’t attend any stand-alone social skills lessons; instead, we’ve intentionally infused the goal of social growth into everything we do at camp. Whether it be art or swimming, STEM or gaga, or even moving as a group from one activity to another, the camp environment provides endless opportunities for our staff to give social coaching and feedback.
Counselors are trained as “social coaches”. They’re excited to support campers’ individual growth and to help them connect with others so that they have meaningful group experiences. Working with real world situations, in real time, they guide children towards greater understanding of themselves, their peers, and ways to engage the world.
Green Cove is designed from its inception as a home for neurodivergent kids. The size and structure of the community, the flow of the program, our staff-to-camper ratio … These are just some of the ways we ensure camper success. That doesn’t mean, however, that no camper ever has any difficult times at camp. As adults and child development professionals, we know that life (even camp life) presents challenges — and that those challenging moments, when properly supported, can help young people learn and grow. Social strategies that are used at camp will be shared with families to create a common language and consistency for our campers.
The end result is that Green Cove is the place where campers feel they can truly be themselves. Unlike other settings, where they often have to work hard to fit in, Green Cove is filled with people who appreciate them for who they are. Enjoying a peer group and a program designed specifically for them allows campers to be more open to feedback from staff and friends, which in turn leads to profound growth and connection. Campers leave camp feeling more confident, capable and connected.