Kids in the Game

What Kids in the Game does

Kids in the Game is a New York City-based, sports-based youth development organization founded in 2003 that delivers physical activity, creative-arts, STEAM, and social-emotional programming to children ages 3 through 8th grade across the Tri-state area. The company operates a multi-channel service model: (1) direct-to-consumer summer day camps at 13+ physical locations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Westchester, and Jersey City; (2) B2B contracts with 100+ NYC public, private, and charter schools for after-school programs, recess supervision, physical education, and field days; and (3) a B2B2C employer-benefits channel via partnerships with Bright Horizons, 1199 SEIU, and Care.com. Revenue is generated primarily through recurring fees — weekly summer camp tuition, monthly after-school program billing, seasonal competitive travel team fees — plus ancillary registration and processing fees.

The underlying technology stack is operationally rather than technically differentiated: third-party registration platforms (UltraCamp, LeagueApps) handle enrollment; HubSpot runs marketing; Paycom runs HR/payroll; and a portfolio of curriculum modules (Sports & Games, Creative Club, Discover Club, Movement) built on the TPSR (Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility) framework is delivered by credentialed coaches. The company has acquired adjacent capability through its 2018 acquisition of Fit 4 Life NYC, which added charter-school programming and ~125 youth development instructors to the existing 300+ coach base.

Kids in the Game is a privately held, certified B Corporation with no disclosed institutional investor base. The company operates under multiple regulatory credentials — American Camp Association accreditation, NYC Department of Education vendor approval, and NY State Office of Children and Family Services licensing — that materially raise barriers to entry for unlicensed competitors. Its customer base is broad and distributed: 25,000+ youth served annually across 39 community districts, with revenue diversified across consumer camp families, school contracts, employer-benefits participants, and competitive travel team participants (KING Hoops, KING Spikes, KING Speed).

Name

Kids in the Game

Legal name

Kids in the Game

Website

https://kidsinthegame.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kids in the Game is a New York City-based sports-based youth development organization founded in 2003, operating 13+ summer camp locations and serving 100+ schools with after-school, recess, and physical education programs for 25,000+ children annually across the Tri-state area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Child and Youth Services (62411), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps) (MPAKAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF), Youth & Amateur Sports Tournaments (MPAGAMAF), Recreational & Intramural Sports Programs (MPAKACAG), Life Skills & SEL Camps (Confidence, Executive Function, Social Skills) (EDAMALAO), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Youth sports programs
• Summer day camps
• After-school enrichment
• School physical education
• Competitive travel teams

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Summer Camp Fees: Day camp programs offered across 13+ NYC and NJ locations with weekly/daily rates, extended care options, and sibling discounts. Families pay registration and program fees directly.
2. After-School Program Contracts: Recurring contracts with schools for recess, physical education, after-school enrichment, and field days. Programs billed monthly with school-year commitment.
3. Employer Partnership Revenue: Partner employer benefits programs (Bright Horizons, 1199 SEIU, Care.com) where employees access camp and after-school programs through workplace benefits.
4. Registration and Processing Fees: Non-refundable registration fees ($25), processing fees (2.7% credit card, $0.60 e-check), and late pickup fees ($30 per 15 minutes) as ancillary revenue.
5. Competitive Travel Teams: KING Hoops, KING Spikes, and KING Speed competitive travel team programs for middle and high school students with seasonal fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kids in the Game runs sports-based youth development programs for children ages 3 through 8th grade in the NYC tri-state area. Core services include summer day camps at 13+ physical locations, in-school after-school programs, recess supervision, physical education, and field days, plus competitive travel teams (basketball, volleyball, track) under the KING sub-brand. Programs blend sports, creative arts, STEAM, and social-emotional learning using a TPSR-grounded curriculum delivered by 300+ credentialed coaches.

Product overview

Kids in the Game is a sports-based youth development organization offering a multi-product portfolio centered on youth physical activity and developmental programming. The core offerings include Summer Camps (day camp experience across 13 NYC/NJ locations), After-School Programs, and Physical Education/Recess services delivered directly in schools. Add-on enrichment modules include After-Care, After-School Enrichment, Field Days, and specialized clubs (Sports & Games, Creative Club, Discover Club, Movement Classes). The company also operates competitive travel team sub-brands (KING Hoops, KING Spikes, KING Speed) and a non-profit arm (KING Kids) focused on scholarship access. An acquired brand, Fit 4 Life NYC, expanded their reach in underserved communities. All offerings integrate sports/physical activity with social-emotional learning, STEAM, and creative arts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Camps Day camp experience offering sports, games, theme weeks, creative movement, art, and STEM activities during the summer months for children ages 3 through 8th grade across 13 NYC and NJ locations; families register directly online using UltraCamp or LeagueApps.
• After-School Programs Comprehensive after-school programming blending sports and games, creative movement, dance, STEAM projects, homework assistance, and special events, delivered on-site at partner schools for enrolled students.
• Recess Program Experienced coaches run engaging activity stations with structured activities and free play during school recess, increasing participation, inclusion, and student engagement while decreasing bullying and injuries; sold as a school contract.
• Physical Education Phys Ed curriculum delivered at partner schools, covering basketball, soccer, volleyball, locomotor movement, and spatial awareness activities for dynamic and enjoyable student learning experiences.
• Field Days Outdoor school event days featuring relay races, tug-of-war, obstacle courses, and group games that promote physical activity and social interaction among students; contracted through schools.
• KING Hoops Competitive basketball travel teams for middle school and high school students competing in regional tournaments, operated as a seasonal subscription program under the KING sub-brand.
• KING Spikes Volleyball program offering competitive travel teams and recreational options for youth, operated under the KING sub-brand.
• KING Speed Track and field program led by professional coaches, serving schools and competitive meets across the NYC area under the KING sub-brand.
• KING Kids Non-profit arm of Kids in the Game offering scholarships, academic support, life skills workshops, and community programs that bridge the opportunity gap for underserved youth.
• Fit 4 Life NYC Acquired youth organization brand focused on sports, creative movement, and physical education programs for charter schools in underserved communities; operates within Kids in the Game reaching 50+ schools post-acquisition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of campers improved self-esteem following camp participation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Fit 4 Life NYCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2018Acquired Fit 4 Life NYC, a youth organization focused on sports, creative movement, and physical education for charter schools in underserved communities. Combined organization serves over 20,000 youth across 50+ schools with over 125 instructors.
• UNICEF Kid PowerstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Selected by Jr. NBA to participate in UNICEF Kid Power Training program where 4th-8th graders earn therapeutic food packet donations through physical activity tracked by fitness bands.
• Jr. NBAstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Jr. NBA partnership selecting Kids in the Game to participate in UNICEF Kid Power program and supporting youth basketball initiatives.
• Physique SwimmingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Swim instruction partner for Riverdale summer camp location providing professional swimming lessons.
• AquabilitiesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Adaptive swimming instruction partner providing swim lessons at Riverdale camp location.
• Bright HorizonscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBright Horizons employer partnership allows employees to access Kids in the Game camp and after-school programs as part of their workplace dependent care benefits package.
• 1199 SEIUcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor1199 SEIU union benefit partnership providing camp program access to healthcare worker families through employer-sponsored benefits.
• Care.comcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCare.com benefits partnership enabling employees to book Kids in the Game programs through the Care.com enrollment platform.
• American Camp AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACA accreditation partner ensuring camp programs meet industry standards for safety, programming, and youth development best practices.
• B Corp NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertified B Corporation member meeting verified social and environmental performance standards.
• NYC Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproved vendor providing after-school programs, recess, physical education, and field days to NYC public schools.
• Junior NBAstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerJunior NBA partnership supporting youth basketball development and programming aligned with NBA youth initiatives.
• Up2Us SportsstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerUp2Us Sports partnership providing coach training and sports-based youth development support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• i9 Sports: National youth sports franchise and league operator with multi-sport programming for children — comparable at the sports-based youth development model level, though broader geography and a franchise-led structure differ from Kids in the Game's direct-delivery NYC model.
• Skyhawks Sports Academy: National youth sports instruction provider offering multi-sport camps, clinics, and after-school programs across the U.S. — comparable as a multi-sport youth sports instruction operator, though Kids in the Game is concentrated in NYC.
• US Sports Camps (Nike Sports Camps): Largest network of sports camps in the U.S., operating multi-sport and sport-specific day and overnight camps under the Nike brand — comparable as a multi-sport youth camp operator, though the network model and national reach differ from Kids in the Game's NYC-direct delivery.

Emerging players

• New York Road Runners (NYRR): NYC running organization that runs youth running programs, school-based fitness initiatives, and youth events — partial overlap with Kids in the Game's track and competitive travel team offerings (KING Speed) and school enrichment services.

Direct peers

• 92nd Street Y (92Y): NYC cultural and community institution running day camps, after-school, and youth sports/enrichment programming with strong NYC DOE-adjacent relationships — directly comparable as a multi-program NYC youth services provider.
• Asphalt Green: NYC nonprofit sports and fitness organization operating youth sports, swim, and aquatics programs as well as summer camps and school partnerships — directly comparable to Kids in the Game's sports-based youth development and camp model.
• Police Athletic League (PAL) NYC: NYC nonprofit providing free youth sports, after-school, and summer camp programming to underserved communities — directly comparable given Kids in the Game's Fit 4 Life NYC charter school focus and KING Kids non-profit arm.
• Super Soccer Stars: NYC-founded youth sports instruction operator running soccer and multi-sport programs for young children through camps, classes, and after-school enrichment across the tri-state area — overlapping directly with Kids in the Game's after-school and camp offerings.
• YMCA of Greater New York: Operates a network of NYC branches with youth sports, after-school, and summer day camp programs, often contracting with NYC public schools — directly comparable to Kids in the Game's school-based and camp model.
• Chelsea Piers: Major NYC sports complex that runs youth sports camps, classes, and leagues, and hosts school break programming — directly comparable as a NYC-based youth sports/camp competitor with a similar multi-sport curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kids in the Game