10 Questions With Barry Wasserman From Eagle's Landing Day Camp

The men and women behind Eagle’s Landing Day Camp collaboratively work year-round to create the best possible environment for their campers, promoting a safe, secure and fun-filled experience for children ages 3 to 15. From Kiddie Kingdom to the Counselor In Training program, there’s something for everyone at Eagle’s Landing Day Camp.

Barry Wasserman discusses this with Patch in detail, highlighting the story behind Eagle’s Landing, why it’s important to have ample options for Eagle’s Landing campers and new activities and adventures that children can look forward to this year.

Patch: How did you first get the idea to run a Summer Day Camp?

Wasserman: The reason we picked a camp was simple. Working with children has always been something both Barry and Ruth Ann enjoy. At camp, each child has the ability to be who they want to be and do the things they enjoy doing. Camp gives children the opportunity to grow socially and physically in a safe environment.

Now more than ever, camp is so important because children need to socialize and be outside to play. So much time now is spent with technology and academics that we sometimes forget that having fun, and making friends is just as important to a child. Our favorite part of camp is walking through during the day when all of the campers are here and hearing the laughter and watching the pure joy they have while engaging in activities with other campers.

Patch: Eagle's Landing Day Camp features a water park, air-conditioned facilities, beach volleyball, swimming and mini golf — just to name some of the amenities. Why was it important for you to have so many options for kids at Eagle's Landing?

Wasserman: Camp is about both doing activities you and love and trying new things. Some children come to camp and want to play sports and swim all day long. We also have campers who feel the most engaged when they are working with our live animals or performing science experiments. Then, of course, we have kids who enjoy baking, cooking and creating art. It's important for kids to feel empowered to pick what they like to do along with learning new skills in activities that are interested in.

It is an amazing feeling to watch a child develop confidence and climb to the top of our ropes course and zip for the first time or to see the joy in a camper’s face when they pass the deep water test. Activities as simple as a 4-year-old learning how to use scissors can be monumental. That's why we have so many options and a large range of choices and opportunities!

Patch: If you had to recommend three books, what would they be and why?

Wasserman: There are so many children's books that I love and share important messages. My top pick is “The Giving Tree.” The book tells a story of how important it is to think of others before yourself. That's something we model for our campers, and we pride ourselves on here at Eagle's Landing. Teaching kids to help kids and, in some cases, the adults learn a thing or two from the book!

“Where the Wild Things Are” is a book I used to read to my kids all the time. I love how Max, the main character, uses his imagination even when things are not going his way. I love the creativity of the writing and I feel like I am on the journey with Max.

The last book would have to be “Goodnight Moon,” and the reason is simple as to why this is one of my favorites. In my opinion, one special quality time is when you tuck your child into bed at the end of the day. In this busy world we live in, I love that quiet time at the end of the day and hearing about my children's adventures of the day. When I see that book, I think of all those conversations we would have.

Patch: What are some new things campers can look forward to in 2017?

Wasserman: We just finished construction on a brand new ropes course with some very exciting new elements! The course includes deuling 400-foot zip lines plus activities for both our first timers and our daredevil campers. Every year, we evaluate and upgrade our facility and programming based on feedback we receive from our families and staff.

This year, we added podcasts with the campers along with computer coding and working with drones. We added sewing and quilting to our arts program along with a Ninja Warrior Course down on our sports fields. Every summer, we refresh our recipes for cooking and baking and our project ideas for wood shop, art, STEM and the sciences.

Patch: The age range at Eagle's Landing is 3-15 years old. How do you ensure that kids of all ages have a fun summer?

Wasserman: We have a wide range of campers at Eagle's Landing. Every age group has a structured program that is designed specifically with age-appropriate activities. Developmental acitivities for a 3-year-old do not work for an 8-year-old. As the campers get older, they have more and more input as to what activities they want to choose on a daily basis. We encourage campers to try new experiences to broaden their horizons.

Patch: What's your definition of success?

Wasserman: We aspire to ensure that every camper and staff has a safe and fun summer. When we achieve that goal, we consider the summer a success. Success comes in many different forms when you deal with many people on a daily basis. Making a friend may be a true success for one child, while scoring the first goal could be another camper's. We are aware that we cannot be everything to everyone, but we try very hard to listen to what is important to our staff and families.

Patch: What sets one day camp apart from another? And how are you unique?

Wasserman: We get asked that question all the time. We continually upgrade our world-class facility and our staff is second to none. However, the most important aspect of our camp is that we know every camper and staff by name and treat them as family. We, as directors, feel that it is important to know all of our families and have a personal connection to the campers. Camp is all about family and their trusting us with their most precious commodity — their children — and we take that honor seriously.

Patch: Eagle’s Landing has a firm anti-bullying policy. Why was it important to implement that at camp?

Wasserman: As we said earlier, feeling safe is our number-one priority. That means safe emotionally and physically every day. Our groups are small and we have great staff to camper ratios. We have an open-door policy for staff and campers to come and talk to us about anything that is a concern for them. We have certified teachers who run each of the age groups to ensure there is qualified adult supervision available. During our pre-season staff orientation, we review our policies, including bullying, and what they should do if it occurs in their area.

Patch: Do you personally have any fun summer traditions outside of Eagle's Landing?

Wasserman: As directors, we're outside with the campers and staff joining in the fun. We personally have different areas of interest, yet we try to spend time at all the areas at least once a day. You can usually find Ruth Ann out playing kickball or with our youngest campers since her background is as a preschool and kindergarten teacher. Barry loves the nature and outdoor adventure areas. As far as personal traditions, we don’t really have any time outside of camp during the summer since we are here seven days a week about 12-14 hours a day.

Patch: Patch readers care about their communities and the people who live and work within them. How can our readers contact you to learn more about Eagle's Landing Summer Day Camp?

Wasserman: People can follow us on social media or contact us at our website, or just give us a a call at (732) 821-9155.

Photo credit: Eagle's Landing Day Camp