THE DEAN
EXPERIENCE

Easy for parents.
Purposeful for kids.

DEAN Adventure Camps offer something
rare: a specialty-camp experience
wrapped inside the warmth, flexibility, and
joy of a traditional day camp.

Kids come to DEAN to build, create, cook,
design, explore, and move. Parents choose
DEAN because every detail, from the
schedule to the meals to the end-of-day
pickup, has been thoughtfully handled.

HOW THE DAY WORKS

 

Every DEAN day follows a predictable, reassuring rhythm so
campers feel confident and parents feel at ease.

Flexible Drop Off &
DEAN Zone
7:30am - 9:00am

Campers ease into the day with free-choice activities such as
games, building, reading, and connecting with friends. Breakfast
buffet is included everyday, and mornings feel unhurried.

Morning Assembly
9:00am

A brief, energizing gathering to connect, set intentions, and kick
off the day together.

Morning Program Block
9:15am

Campers head into their chosen specialty programs, whether that’s
Fashion & Machine Sewing, Culinary Arts, Woodworking, Innovation Lab,
or Velocity, immersing themselves in hands-on, skill-building work.

Morning Snack Break
10:30am

Nutritious snacks and hydration are provided to keep energy steady and
focus strong.

Lunch at the Dining Center
11:30am

Campers enjoy a full lunch with multiple choices—hot entrées, salad and sandwich bars, and
familiar favorites. Lunch is included, every day.

Swim, Water Activities
& Recess
A 45-minute block to move, play, and reset.
  • Younger campers enjoy water play like slip-and-slides and splash activities
  • Older campers may swim, play games, create in the maker space, or relax with friends
Afternoon Program Block
1:00pm

Campers return to their specialty programs, continuing projects, refining
skills, and building confidence.

Snack & Community
Celebration
3:00pm

Snack time fuels up campers for the day's grand finale - a lively assembly
where we celebrate achievements, share shout-outs, and recognize the
awesome people who made the day unforgettable.

DEAN Zone &
Flexible Pick-Up
3:30pm - 5:30pm

The afternoon is filled with a rotation of activities like outdoor games,
maker projects, reading, or relaxed time with friends. Pick up happens
on your schedule, not a stopwatch.

Friday Fun Days!
3:30pm - 5:30pm

Friday Fun Days with camper showcases, themed celebrations, and
weekly surprise activities!

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DEAN Zone

DEAN Zone is our before- and after-camp program which wraps around the
core camp day with safe, supervised, and genuinely enjoyable time, giving
parents flexibility and giving kids a calm, happy start and finish to their day.

DEAN Zone & Flexible Drop Off
3:30pm - 5:30pm

Arrive anytime between 7:30 and 9:00. Your camper will be greeted by counselors who lead them to a full, included buffet breakfast every morning and campers ease into the day with free-choice activities such as games, crafts, reading, or outdoor play.

DEAN Zone & Flexible Pick-Up
3:30pm - 5:30pm

When the specialty programming block ends, DEAN Zone continues. Pick up anytime between 3:30 and 5:30 PM. Your camper will be happily occupied until you arrive with a rotation of activies planned by the Director such as; games, art, group play, and/or quiet spaces to read, relax, and reset. Your camper chooses how they want to spend their time.

What Parents Love ABOUT THE DEAN ZONE

IT’S INCLUDED — NO ADD-ONS,
NO SURPRISE FEES
 
IT’S FLEXIBLE — DROP OFF
AND PICK UP ON YOUR
SCHEDULE
 
IT’S SUPERVISED AND
INTENTIONAL — NOT JUST
“AFTER-CARE”

 

DEAN Zone isn’t an extra. It’s part of how we make camp feel calm, capable,
and thoughtfully run from the first drop-off to the last pick-up.

Painting
children
enjoying

Friday Fun Days

After four days of creating, building, and discovering, Friday Fun Days turn the
entire camp into a showcase and celebration of camper accomplishments.

How Friday Fun
Days work

Regular programming runs through the morning, with campers putting final details on projects and preparing to share what they’ve worked on.

The Friday Showcase

After lunch, the camp comes together to celebrate:

  • Fashion shows featuring hand-sewn creations
  • Displays of woodworking builds, culinary creations, and innovation projects
  • Performances, presentations, and proud explanations
the grand finale

Friday afternoons go big with inflatables, color runs,
themed challenges, petting
zoos, or counselor competitions. Each week brings a new surprise tied to the camp theme.

And when parents arrive for
pick-up, there are cold drinks
and warm pretzels in the car
line, because the parent
experience matters too!

Girl in a jacket

DEAN Adventure Camps - Premium summer day camps serving Haverford PA (Main Line/Philadelphia area) and Lawrenceville NJ (greater Princeton). Specialty programs for ages 4-16 include woodworking, machine sewing, robotics, culinary arts, performing arts, STEM, and leadership and entrepreneurship development. Full-day care with breakfast, lunch, and snacks included. Serving families from Bryn Mawr, Ardmore, Radnor, Princeton, Hopewell, and surrounding communities since 2001. Call 610-660-9600.