Rella's Spielhaus Summer Camps 2025
June 23 - August 29, 2025: Summer Camps for kids 1-12yrs at Rella’s Spielhaus, 50 W 97th St.
Hard Facts
June 23 – August 29, 2025
Address: Rella’s Spielhaus: 50 West 97th Street
Daily schedule: Mon - Fri: 9am - 3pm
Early Drop-Off: Mon - Thu: 8:30-9am: $100/week
After Care: Mon - Thu: 3-5pm, $175/week
Early Bird Discount: $759/week (expires 03/01/25)
Regular Price: $799/week
3 classrooms
Weeks can be booked individually
Sibling discount: 3%, code: SIBLING
We provide snacks (am and pm), the families provide lunch, water bottle
Bathing suit, water shoes, and towel
There will be one day trip per week
Daily Schedule Summer Camp
8:30 - 9am: Arrival Early Drop-Off
9:00–9:15am: Arrival
9:15–9:45am: Circle time: Welcome Song, recounting the previous day or introductions. ABC, counting, shapes, days of the week, months of the year, and, very importantly: Learning about the topic of the week.
9:45-10:30am: First period on the weekly topic
10:30-10:45am: Bathroom break, snack (fresh fruit, crackers, water) 10:45-11:45am: Second period on weekly topic
11:45am - 2:30pm: Playground or Central Park
12:30-1pm: Lunch
1-2:30pm: Nap and quiet time for younger children; arts and crafts projects for older children
2:50-3pm: Dismissal
3-5pm: After Care
A few words about the Rella’s Summer Camps…
For the past nine years, we have been fortunate to watch the kids who attended Rella’s Summer Camp make immense progress in their German in a very short amount of time. Here a little bit of background:
We meticulously prepare the summer program down to the smallest detail so that we are able to offer something for every age group, learner type, and level of German language proficiency. If a child is stimulated on many levels, she will forget that she is in a German language program and is just having fun! Bi-lingual research shows that the more stimuli (ie: pictures, music, movement, tactile stimulation, storytelling) are involved in bi-lingual teaching, the more language retention will predictably happen.
Learning happens so effortlessly when children enjoy what they do. It is our pride to provide this calm, stimulating, and joyous environment where your child knows they will have fun and be accepted even if they don’t know anyone (yet).
“Pinocchio” - Week 1 (June 23 - 27, 2025)
The adventures of little Pinocchio will be at the center of this week's learning. Every day, we will read a few pages of the story and discuss what happened to the little marionette as he is getting to know the difference between “Gut und Böse.” We will look at the different feelings Pinocchio experiences as he gets to know the big, unknown world around him, and we will learn how to connect the little boy’s feelings to our own. We will dress up as Pinocchio and learn the song “Kleines Püppchen.”
In arts & crafts the kids will get a chance to make and wear their own set of fairy wings. On Thursday, we will visit the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater in Central Park.
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Wale" - Week 2 (July 7 - 11, 2025)
Whales are fascinating animals. Why is a “Blauwal” called “blau” and how long is he compared to our classroom? How does a whale breathe? What do they eat? What whales are toothless? How come most whales can survive in very cold water? What is blubber? We will learn about different kinds of whales and their habits, engage in a blubber experiment, and learn the song: "Wal, Wal, großer Wal.” On Thursday, we will go to the Museum of Natural History and visit the Whale Exhibit.
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Ritter" - Week 3 (July 14 - 18, 2025)
How did a child become a “Ritter" 600 years ago? Did they go to school just like our kids today? How was daily life on a “Burg?” What is a “Ritterrüstung?” What kind of music did people in the Middle Ages enjoy? These and many other questions will be investigated during our week of “Ritter.” The children will get a realistic idea of what life looked like on a “Rittersburg,” and we will also read the book of a little knight, who was afraid of horses. And on Thursday, we will visit the Arms and Armor Exhibit at the MET Museum.
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Feuerwehr" - Week 4 (July 21 - 25, 2025)
Why is the Fire Department so popular with New York kids? Because they are our heroes! We look into the start of its famed history by visiting the NYC Fire Zone. By doing a New York City Firefighter workout every day, we will feel how fit firefighters actually need to be in their job. We will visit an actual Fire Station close by and conduct an interview that we will translate into German. That way, the campers will learn interesting vocabulary like “Einsatzleitwagen” or “Brecheisen." And the choreography to “Wir sind als Allererste da” will be sent to the parents on video!
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Körperteile" - Week 5 (July 28 - August 1, 2025)
This week, we will learn about our “Körperteile.” First, we will investigate our skeleton with the help of “Röntgenbilder.” How many bones do our feet consist of? How many “Wirbel” do we have? Then, we will listen to our heartbeat. What does our heart actually do? And what happens to the food once it is in our “Magen?” We will sing the "Körperteil Blues” and follow Conni on her way to the doctor. On Thursday, we will visit a Pediatrician’s office and learn about her daily responsibilities.
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Karneval der Tiere" - Week 6 (August 4 - 8, 2025)
“Karneval der Tiere” is a classic for many of our families. The kids will get to know the entire piece, animal by animal, and create their own dances. We will learn the names of the animals and the sounds they are making and see what instruments Camille Saint-Saënz used to portray them. On our weekly trip, we will go to the Zoo and look for the animals in “Karneval der Tiere.”
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Wir Backen" - Week 7 (August 11 - 15, 2025)
“Backe, backe Kuchen!” We will create our own summer fruit cakes, make fun pizzas, and learn about the ingredients we are using. The perfect opportunity for teamwork. And learning how to measure - “auf Deutsch!” Of course, every good chef also understands the importance of cleanup and organization in the kitchen. We’ll be singing as we bake and writing our own recipes - in grams and milliliters! And for our weekly excursion, we’ll visit a real “Backstube!”
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Mozart" - Week 8 (August 18 - 22, 2025)
We will time travel back to Mozart’s time and investigate his life and music. We will get to know his family, wear wigs, dance a “Menuet,” and get to know the instruments Mozart used for his compositions. On our weekly trip, we will visit a Streichquartett who will play Mozart for us!
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
"Fußball" - Week 9 (August 25 - 29, 2025)
Let’s play Fußball! This week, we will learn everything about the history of soccer and the most important teams. We will have a soccer trainer with us all week, and he will conduct a daily soccer training, including dribbles, kicks, stops, and goal shooting. We will also form teams and play a real soccer game in Central Park. On our weekly trip, we will visit the “Upper 90 Soccer Store,” where we will learn about what a professional soccer player wears on the field.
After a short period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn the basics: ABC, numbers, colors, shapes, new vocabulary, songs, and books related to the theme of the week. Then, we head over to the arts and crafts area, where we will start working on our projects.
Now, we’ll enjoy a hearty snack, and around 10:30/45am we’ll head to Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping around 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun learning.
After Care is from 3-5pm.
