Camp Hillcroft Day Camp

ceramics studio located camp hillcroft

Here's what our Families are Saying!

Parent of 3rd grade child, 3rd Summer at Hillcroft

Great Day Camp in Hudson Valley


My daughter has gone to Camp Hillcroft for the past two summers, and we anticipate many more. The camp is extremely well-organized with a wide variety of activities, including a strong swimming program. She is outdoors every day and comes home tired but happy. She does see friends from school at camp, but also has many new "camp friends" that we look forward to seeing each year. I am glad that she has an opportunity to develop interests and confidence in a supportive, friendly environment in the summer.

The Ceramics Studio is always a busy and exciting place for children who love art. Here our older children practice the art of throwing a pot on one of our wheels, and all aged campers perfect a variety ofhand-building techniques. Our Ceramics Studio is located in a beautiful setting surrounded by trees and most of the class instruction  takes place on a spacious and airy porch, enabling all classes to continue despite the weather.  

Class sizes vary but small class size is our focus in the Ceramics Studio.  Typically there are around 10-15 campers taking a class at a time and they are always accompanied by their camp counselor for added supervision and assistance with the lesson. Pinch Pots, Coil technique and slab building are the  main focus for our younger campers.  The fine motor skills required for these techniques is perfected as the campers return to Ceramics throughout the summer.  Ceramics is offered to all campers from aged 5-14 years old.  For our younger children they will experience this wonderful creative area once a week.  

For older campers they have the opportunity to choose to go to Ceramics 3 times a week.  Children explore the numerous possibilities clay has to offer, such as wheel throwing, hand building, sculpting, tile/mosaic making, decorating and glazing.  Camp Hillcroft has its own firing kiln to harden and set the colorful glazes children use to decorate their handcrafted clay creations.  All campers prudly take home their wonderful creations to share with their families.  

In our Ceramics Studio, campers have the satisfaction of creating an artwork from scratch and bringing it to its final completion. All campers are encouraged to explore their creativity and begin a new project led by our experienced Ceramics Instructors.  Due to the popularity of this area Camp Hillcroft hires 2 experienced Ceramics Teachers who enjoy working in our open plan studio and outdoor porch area.  Our instructors are typically Art Teachers or College students who are following a path in Art Education.  All Instructors have a passion for ceramics and their idea of the perfect place to be is in a Ceramics Studio all day long!