Camps ‘R’ Us

What Camps ‘R’ Us does

Camps 'R' Us is a family-owned and operated summer day camp company founded in 1993 on Long Island, New York by Joanne and Gary Turnier (originally operating as Holy Family Summer Camp). Today, the company operates 9 campuses across Nassau and Suffolk Counties with a 10th campus scheduled to open in Middle Village, Queens in 2027, employing over 400 staff members during the summer season. It serves children ages 3 through 8th grade through three core age-graded programs — Tiny Tots® (early childhood, ages 3 through Pre-K), Campers (Grades K–4), and Explorers® (Grades 5–8) — supported by 18+ activity offerings spanning field sports, court sports, swimming, arts & crafts, the WonderWorks® STEAM/sensory lab, Splash Zone, Gaga Ball, and field trips.

The company's technology and operations stack is built on the CampInTouch online camp management platform (used for enrollment, health forms, billing, calendars, and family accounts) and the Campanion mobile application for iOS and Android. Operations are run by a leadership team of 40+ camp professionals, including Campus Directors, Program Directors, and centralized Communications, Operations, Marketing, and Health & Wellness directors. The company holds American Camp Association (ACA) accreditation and BBB Business Review accreditation, distinguishing it from unaccredited competitors on Long Island, and operates under Nassau County Department of Health permits with twice-yearly inspections.

The business model is direct-to-consumer seasonal tuition. 2026 pricing ranges from $588 (Half Day, 1-week) to $6,298 (Explorers 8-week full summer), with a $500 non-refundable deposit per child at enrollment. Revenue streams include core tuition, on-demand extended hours ($12/day early arrival, $10/day late dismissal), bonus field trips, and camp apparel/merchandise. Demand is generated through SEO-driven website content, blog and podcast output, organic social (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), email, campus open houses from January through May, a $100 referral credit program, and a Workforce Discount Program covering 60+ participating employers plus parish/school and Adventureland partnerships. Second-generation owners Jason Turnier (Managing Director) and Cheryl Turnier (Creative Director) currently lead the company, continuing family ownership without external investors.

Name

Camps ‘R’ Us

Legal name

Camps 'R' Us, New York LLC

Website

https://campsrus.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Camps 'R' Us is a family-owned Long Island summer day camp founded in 1993, operating 9 campuses across Nassau and Suffolk Counties (10th opening in Queens in 2027), serving children ages 3 through 8th grade through tiered age programs with over 400 seasonal staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Summer Day Camp Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports) (EDAMALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Summer day camp
• Children's recreational programs
• After-school childcare
• Outdoor youth activities
• STEAM youth education

Headquarters

HQ city

Farmingdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Camper Tuition: Seasonal summer camp tuition charged per camper based on program, number of weeks enrolled, and number of days per week. Programs include Full Day, Mini Day, and Half Day options. Explorers program includes all trip fees in tuition. Extended hours (early drop-off and late pick-up) billed as-used. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required per child at enrollment.
2. Extended Hours: On-demand early drop-off (starting 7:30 AM, $12/day) and late pick-up (until 5:30 PM, $10/day) billed to family accounts as the service is used.
3. Bonus Field Trips: Optional bonus field trips offered for an additional fee not included in standard camp tuition. Trip fees are calculated based on admission costs, transportation, parking, and insurance — offered at passthrough pricing.
4. Camp Apparel and Merchandise: Additional camp t-shirts available for purchase at campus for $10 each. Spirit wear and merchandise available through the camp shop.
5. Sibling and Referral Credits: Referral program provides $100 family credit for referring new campers. Discounts (sibling, workforce, parish/school) reduce overall tuition but represent revenue optimization mechanisms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Camps 'R' Us operates a multi-campus seasonal summer day camp for children ages 3 through 8th grade on Long Island, New York. It sells tiered camper tuition across three core programs (Tiny Tots for ages 3–Pre-K, Campers for Grades K–4, and Explorers for Grades 5–8) that bundle structured activities such as swimming, field sports, arts and crafts, STEAM, and field trips. Enrollment is managed through the CampInTouch portal and Campanion mobile app, with add-on revenue from extended hours, bonus trips, and apparel.

Product overview

Camps 'R' Us is a family-owned Long Island summer day camp operating since 1993, offering a multi-level program portfolio organized around three core age-based programs — Tiny Tots® for ages 3 through Pre-K, Campers for Grades K–4, and Explorers® for Grades 5–8 — supported by over 18 activity offerings including Field Sports, Court Sports, Splash Zone, WonderWorks®, Arts & Crafts, Swimming, Gaga Ball, and Field Trips. Add-on services include Extended Hours (early drop-off and late pick-up) and the Campanion mobile app for iOS and Android, which connects to the CampInTouch camp management platform used for enrollment and account management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tiny Tots® Early Childhood Summer Program Early childhood summer program for children ages 3 through Pre-K, introducing Nursery and Pre-K campers to their first camp experience in a structured, nurturing environment with age-appropriate curriculum, small group sizes, and foundational school readiness activities.
• Campers Day Camp Program (Grades K–4) Grade-based day camp program for children completing Kindergarten through 4th grade, offering structured daily activities, special events, theme days, swimming, and field trips organized in age-appropriate groupings with an aspirational arc curriculum.
• Explorers® Trip & Travel Program (Grades 5–8) Trip and travel program for campers completing 5th through 8th grade, combining three off-campus excursions per week with on-campus activities and events; trip fees are included in tuition, with flexible 3-, 4-, or 5-day enrollment options.
• Extended Hours Add-On Service On-demand early drop-off from 7:30 AM ($12/day) and late pick-up until 5:30 PM ($10/day) available daily for all programs; billed to camp account as used with no registration required.
• Bonus Field Trips Optional off-campus excursions offered for an additional fee not included in standard camp tuition, priced at passthrough based on admission, transportation, parking, and insurance costs.
• Camp Apparel and Spirit Wear Additional camp t-shirts ($10 each) and spirit wear/merchandise available for purchase at each campus and through the camp shop.

Quantifiable outcome

• Smallest Camper-to-Counselor ratio in the day camp industry
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Steppin' Out Ponies and Petting ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteppin' Out Ponies and Petting Zoo has been bringing farm animal experiences to Camps 'R' Us for over 35 years. They provide pony rides and a petting zoo featuring ducks, pigs, alpacas, and goats for Tiny Tots and KinderKamper campers. They are Board of Health Certified and insured. This is an included on-campus special event in the standard camp program at no additional cost.
• AdventurelandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventureland provides season pass holder discounts ($20 per week enrolled, up to $160 per camper) to enrolled CRU campers who also hold a 2026 season pass. CRU families also receive special pricing on Adventureland season passes through a reciprocal discount program. Note: May not be combined with Workforce or Parish/School Discounts.
• Long Island LoyaltyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong Island Loyalty is a consumer loyalty program. CRU participates by offering a 10% rebate on tuition deposits, apparel, extended hours, and bonus trips for Long Island Loyalty card members. Rebates are calculated and applied during the final billing period in late August.
• Oliver's LabelsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Oliver's Labels for easy ordering of camp clothing labels directly from the family camp account. Provides convenience for parents to label camper clothing and personal items.
• Label DaddyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Label Daddy offering alternative label design options for labeling camper clothing and personal items. Available through camp account ordering.
• Over 60 Participating Employers (Workforce Discount Program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 60 companies and organizations participate in the CRU Workforce Discount Program, providing employees with $20 per week enrolled savings (up to $160 per camper). The specific employer names are listed in a separate document with terms and conditions. Employers range from local Long Island companies to national and international organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• 92Y Camps: Established New York-based day and specialty camp programs serving K-9 with multi-activity curriculum. Comparable in age tiering and NY metro family demographic; broader institutional scale than Camps 'R' Us.
• YMCA of Long Island Day Camps: Long Island YMCA operates multiple day camps across the region with similar age tiers and multi-activity programming. Broader community-based incumbent with overlapping geography and accreditation profile.

Direct peers

• Camp Galileo: Multi-activity day camp for ages 4-12 with a STEAM + arts + sports curriculum similar to Camps 'R' Us's WonderWorks + sports mix. Comparable in tier-based programming, weekly enrollment structure, and urban/suburban family demographic.
• Steve & Kate's Camp: Multi-activity day camp operator serving elementary and middle-school-aged children with flexible enrollment and a similar self-directed activity model. Closest direct comparable in business model (multi-week, multi-day enrollment, family-direct pricing) and target demographic.
• Lavner Camps: Day camp operator serving K-8 with multi-activity programming (sports, arts, STEM). Operates multiple Long Island-area locations, making it a direct regional competitor with overlapping customer base.
• Sid Jacobson JCC Day Camp: Long Island-based day camp operated by a JCC, serving families in the same geography with multi-activity programming for K-8. Direct regional competitor targeting the same Long Island Jewish family demographic.

Emerging players

• Goldfish Swim School: Specialty swim-instruction franchise overlapping with Camps 'R' Us's Swimming activity. Not a full day camp, but competes for parents' summer programming budget and seasonal enrollment dollars.
• iD Tech: STEM-focused summer camp and instruction provider. Partial overlap with Camps 'R' Us's WonderWorks STEAM activity and Grades 5-8 Explorers demographic, but STEM-specialized rather than multi-activity.

Regional players

• Camp Paquatuck: Long Island-based summer camp serving children with medical or developmental needs (and siblings). Not a direct competitor but operates in the same Long Island summer camp market for similar family demographics.
• Bideawee Camp: Long Island nonprofit organization offering pet-themed and general day camp programming in the same geography. Competes for local family summer budget rather than directly head-to-head on multi-activity curriculum.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/campsrus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/campsrus
• Facebookfacebook.com/campsrus
• Instagraminstagram.com/campsrus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Camps ‘R’ Us