Camp NMOA 2023

Camp NMOA is made up of six individual one-week sessions. You can sign up for any of the weeks at random, or in order. For example, you can sign your child up for weeks 1 & 3 only, if you prefer. Keep in mind that the performance showcases happen only on Weeks 2, 4 & 6, the other weeks end with just an art exhibition.

Our camp staff is made up of professional educators and teaching artists. Some have worked at the camp and as Museum educators for many years. Our high school assistants take part in The Newark Museum Explorers Program, a highly competitive college and career preparation program for high school students at the Museum.

The only discount we offer is for Museum members and Newark residents, who receive a 10% discount on the weekly rates. To receive more information about becoming a member, click here. Unfortunately, we do not offer any sibling discounts currently.

Each age-group’s day is slightly different, but all campers participate in art workshops, gallery tours, science activities, planetarium, and performance art classes every day. There are also a variety of other special events your child will enjoy. Friends and family are invited to our Performance Showcase and/or Exhibition on alternating Friday afternoons to see what campers have been up to all week.

The Performance Showcase takes place on Friday afternoons (Weeks 2, 4, & 6), at 3:00 pm in the Billy Johnson Auditorium, located on the lower level of the South Wing. Friends and family are invited to watch child-centered performances by the campers. Each camp group will perform a short song, dance, poem, or play that they learned or composed that week. Directly following the show, guests are invited to the 2nd floor, South Wing, for an exhibition of campers’ artwork from the week.

During morning drop-off, please leave your car on the Museum side of the driveway and walk your child in through the South Wing entrance. Camp staff will be waiting to help you sign your child in on the attendance sheet and escort your child to the auditorium. Unless you have signed up for pre-care, please drop your child off between 8:45 and 9 am. During afternoon pick-up, please leave your car on the Museum side of the driveway again, and head to the auditorium, which is down a short flight of stairs and to the left in the South Wing lobby.

IDs must be provided by anyone picking up a child.  After ID check, please find you child’s teacher and sign your child out on the attendance sheet before leaving. Regular pick-up is from 3:45 to 4 pm. If you need to pick up your child early, please let us know.

Late pick up fees are $1 per minute for both regular and extended day. If you are running late, please call ahead and let us know. We will bring your child to after-care where there are activities for them to do while waiting for you to arrive.

We offer both pre-care and aftercare which is priced separately at an additional $30 for each. Pre-care runs from 8 to 8:45 am and after-care is from 4 to 4:45 pm. During these times, campers have several free play options. They can draw or read quietly, play games and make simple crafts like lanyards or origami. Please pick up your child by 4:45 pm at the latest. The Museum is closed to the public at 5 pm, and all visitors must be out of the building by that time. Late pick up fee is $1 per minute for both extended day and regular day campers.

Payment by credit card can only be done online through the registration website. We also accept payment by Electronic Check on the registration website. Payments by check, cash or money order can be done in person by appointment at the Museum or mailed to the Museum’s address attention Camp NMOA. Payments must be postmarked on or before the dates of the price changes in order to receive that rate.

Our registration system also functions as a database, which stores camper’s vaccination and health records and is the main reason why a username is required. Each child is registered separately to create an individual medical file, so there is no confusion when it comes to allergies and other medical issues.  Having a username also allows parents to register and pay for a session, then log in later to fill out the medical information and complete their child’s file. Also, the database will allow for easier registration in the future if your information has not changed.

Each registered camper will receive one t-shirt on the first day of camp. Campers are required to wear a Camp NMOA t-shirt each day. Additional t-shirts are available for a fee of $5 each. Campers are required to wear the official camp t-shirt every day. Other clothing should be loose and comfortable and allow campers to move around freely during movement class. It is not advisable to send your child to camp wearing expensive clothing, as we do many messy art and science projects.

Campers are grouped according to age: 3- & 4-year old’s, 5- & 6-year olds, 7- & 8-year old’s, and 9–11-year old’s. Enrollment is limited to ensure campers receive personal attention. Our instructors are all professional educators and teaching artists who have had experience with a range of age groups and abilities. Each art, science and performance art workshop are designed to fit a particular camp group’s age and developmental ability.

Yes, the 3- & 4-year-old group has nap time daily in the afternoon. We ask that you pack a blanket and pillow for your child to rest with. We also ask that you pack an extra set of clothes in a plastic bag. Although campers must be toilet trained, we understand that accidents do happen and would like to be well prepared. Camp NMOA is not classified as a daycare by our state license. As such, we are not permitted to change diapers or pull ups for our younger campers or enter the bathroom to assist them. Please make sure your 3- & 4-year-old’s are completely toilet trained before sending them to camp. Cutoff date by which all campers must be 3 years old is March 1st, 2023.

The Museum no longer requires proof of vaccination, negative COVID-19 tests, or temperature screenings.

Lunch is not provided by the camp. We are a nut free camp, so please do not send your child to camp with any food which contains nuts. Please pack a healthy lunch for your child. Please be sure to pack a water bottle. We also ask that 3- & 4-year-olds bring two additional snacks and 5- & 6-year-olds bring one additional snack for the day. We recommend packing an additional snack for the other age groups as well.

Campers do not have the option to buy lunch at camp.

The vending machines are off limits to campers.

All camp staff are trained in CPR and first aid. If there is a minor injury, camp staff will administer first aid such as a band aid or an ice pack. If your child requires more assistance, or if your child is ill, we will do our best to get in touch with you or your emergency contact using all the contact information you have provided us. If we cannot reach you and feel that your child needs to go to the hospital, a camp staffer will escort your child to the emergency room across the street and stay with him or her until you arrive.

90% of camp registration fee is refundable if cancellation is done before June 15, 2023. 50% of camp registration fees are refundable between the dates of June 15 through July 1, 2023.  After July 1, 2023, no refunds are given, which also applies to any registrations after that date as well.

The main Camp NMOA phone number is 973.596.6637. You can also call the Museum’s main number at 973.596.6550 for general inquiries.