Rella's Spielhaus Summer Camps 2026
June 22 - August 28, 2026
Enrollment open now!
Daily Camp Schedule:
After a period of free play at arrival, we start the camp day in the circle and learn our German 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 10:30am we’ll head to the sprinklers in Central Park, half a block away. We will return from the park around 12:15pm for lunch. The younger children will start napping at 1pm and the older children will be offered a second period of fun German learning.
Aftercare is from 3-5pm.
Hard Facts
When: June 22 – August 28, 2026
Where: Rella’s Spielhaus: 50 West 97th Street
Schedule:
Mon - Fri: 9:00am-3:00pm
Early Drop-Off: Mon to Thu: 8:30-9:00am
Aftercare: Mon to Thu: 3:00-5:00pm
Weeks can be booked individuallyPrices:
- Full Day: Early Bird: $850 (expires 02/28), Regular: $950
- Early Drop-Off: $100
- Aftercare: $175
- Sibling/twin discount: 3%, code: SIBLINGWe provide snacks (am and pm); the families provide lunch, water bottle, bathing suit, and water shoes.
There will be one day trip per week.
Detailed Daily Schedule
08:30 - 09:00am: Arrival Early Drop-Off
09:00 - 09:15am: Arrival
09:15 - 09:45am: Arts & Crafts
9:45 - 10:15am: Circle Time
10:30 - 10:45am: Snack
10:45am - 12:30pm: Playground/Central Park
12:30 - 01:00pm: Lunch
01:00 - 02:30pm: Nap and quiet time for younger children; arts & craft projects for older children
02:50 - 03:00pm: Dismissal
03:00 - 05:00pm: After Care
Rella’s Summer Camps are turning 10 this year!
During these years, we've been lucky to see campers time and again dramatically improve their German in just a few weeks.
Here a 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. If a child is stimulated on many levels, she will forget that she is in a German language program and is just having fun! Bilingual research shows that the more stimuli (ie, pictures, music, movement, tactile stimulation, storytelling) are involved in bilingual 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).
"Ritter" - Week 1 (June 22 - 26, 2026)
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. For our day trip, we will visit the Arms and Armor Exhibit at the MET Museum.
"Anatomie" - Week 2 (July 6 - July 10, 2026)
This week, we will learn about “Anatomie.” First, we will examine our skeleton using “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. For our day trip, we will visit a German Pediatrician’s office and learn about her daily responsibilities.
"Feuerwehr" - Week 3 (July 13 - 17, 2026)
Why is the New York Fire Department so popular with the Rella’s campers? They are our heroes!
We will learn about the history of New York’s famous firefighters, and we will visit the NYC Fire Zone. We will learn how to do a NYC firefighter workout and create a fun choreography to the catchy “Wir sind als Allererste da.” Our younger campers get to visit our neighboring fire station engine 76.
"Mozart" - Week 4 (July 20 - 24, 2026)
This week, we will time-travel back to Mozart’s time and explore his life and music. Who was Mozart as a child? What was daily life like for him and his family? We will get to know Mozart’s world through listening, movement, and playful exploration. We will dress up in wigs, dance a “Menuet,” and hear the instruments Mozart used in his compositions. The children will experience how music can tell stories, express feelings, and bring people together — then and now. On our weekly trip, we will visit the instrument collection at THE MET.
"Karneval der Tiere" - Week 5 (July 27 - 31, 2026)
“Karneval der Tiere” is very popular with the Rella’s camper. The kids will get to know the music, animal by animal, and we will create our own dances. We will learn the names of the animals, their sounds, and get to know the instruments Camille Saint-Saëns used to portray them. During arts & crafts, each child will create their own animal mask.
On our weekly trip, we will go to the Museum of Natural History.
"Dinosaurier" - Week 6 (August 3 - 7, 2026)
This week, we will travel far back in time to explore the world of the “Dinosaurier.” Which dinosaurs were herbivores, and which were carnivores? How big was a T-Rex compared to us? How did dinosaurs live, and why did they disappear? During arts & crafts we will create our own clay hand prints. We will learn about different kinds of dinosaurs, study their names in German, and learn about their habitat.
On our weekly trip, we will visit the American Museum of Natural History.
"Wir Backen" - Week 7 (August 10 - 14, 2026)
“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 chef also understands the importance of clean-up and organization in the kitchen. We’ll be singing as we bake and writing our own recipes - in grams and deciliters! And for our weekly excursion, we’ll visit a real “Backstube!”
"Fußball" - Week 8 (August 17 - 21, 2026)
Let’s play Fußball!
This week, we will learn about the history of soccer and the most important teams world-wide. We will have a German-speaking soccer coach with us all week. 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.
"Wale" - Week 9 (August 24 - 28, 2026)
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.” For our day trip, we will go to the Museum of Natural History.
