Summer Camp Early Childhood Specialist (NYC & NJ)

Kids in the Game • Jersey City, NJ

52d • $5,200 - $6,400 • Onsite

About The Position

As an Early Childhood Specialist, you will report to the Programming Assistant Director, Early Childhood Division Leader, and Camp Leadership Team and work collaboratively with counselors and fellow specialists to deliver daily programming for Pre-K and Kindergarten campers (ages 3–5). You are responsible for leading structured activity periods across creative movement, art, STEM, and gross motor play, supporting counselors with classroom and behavior management, and ensuring a safe, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate environment throughout the camp day.
This role is highly hands-on, routine-driven, and leadership-focused, requiring strong communication, organization, patience, and a deep understanding of early childhood development and youth-centered care.

Requirements

• Patience: The ability to adapt to work easily with people who have different personalities, backgrounds, cultures, lifestyles and learning styles — simultaneously — is critical.
• Must have strong interpersonal skills to relate to the younger children at program
• Creativity: It is crucial to knowing how to make the curriculum engaging and how to adapt to varying styles of learning among students
• 2+ years experience working with 2 to 5 year olds
• Gross motor skills knowledge for younger age groups
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Strong classroom management and behavior management skill set
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods of time, including during outdoor activities, playground supervision, gym classes, or park-based programming.
• Ability to walk to and from nearby program locations or parks, sometimes several blocks, while supervising children.
• Ability to bend, kneel, crouch, and reach to engage with children at their level, assist with activities, or provide support as needed.
• Ability to climb stairs in school buildings or community facilities.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25–40 pounds, including sports equipment, activity supplies, or personal belongings (weight may vary by role).
• Ability to participate in active games and movement-based activities, including running, jumping, throwing, and demonstrating basic sports skills.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather conditions, including heat, cold, or light rain, depending on program needs.
• Ability to maintain visual and auditory awareness to supervise children effectively and ensure safety in active environments.

Nice To Haves

• Being DOE or DOH fingerprinted is a plus
• Being CPR, First Aid and AED certified is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead 45-minute early childhood activity periods throughout the camp day
• Provide structured, age-appropriate instruction for Pre-K and Kindergarten campers (ages 3–5)
• Prepare and facilitate activities across: Creative movement and gross motor play Art and sensory-based projects Early STEM exploration and hands-on learning Group games adapted specifically for early childhood development
• Modify activities to support varying developmental levels, attention spans, and abilities
• Align daily activities with weekly camp themes and early childhood curriculum goals
• Support smooth transitions between activities, routines, and environments
• Foster social-emotional development, independence, and confidence in young campers
• Support the development of fine and gross motor skills, communication, and cooperation
• Encourage curiosity, creativity, and positive peer interactions
• Help campers learn routines, expectations, and appropriate behavior through positive reinforcement
• Celebrate camper milestones, progress, and participation
• Work closely with counselors to support classroom management and daily routines
• Help counselors implement consistent behavior management strategies and positive reinforcement systems
• Communicate clearly with Camp Directors, Assistant Directors, and Early Childhood leadership regarding camper needs, behavior, or safety concerns
• Support all-camp events, theme days, and transitions as appropriate for early childhood groups
• Contribute positively to staff collaboration, morale, and team culture
• Prioritize camper safety at all times by following Department of Health regulations and camp safety protocols
• Maintain constant supervision of young campers during activities, transitions, bathroom breaks, meals, and outdoor play
• Set up, maintain, and clean early childhood activity areas and materials daily
• Ensure all materials, equipment, and environments are developmentally appropriate and safe
• Identify and respond to behavioral, emotional, or safety concerns promptly and calmly
• Communicate incidents or concerns to leadership and assist with documentation as directed

Benefits

• At Kids in the Game, you can expect to be welcomed into an engaging and spirited environment that emphasizes the importance of teamwork, open communication, and collaboration.
• We are proud to foster an inclusive environment where our team members feel respected by and connected to one another.
• We value the unique experiences, perspectives, and passions of our employees, and we look forward to adding dynamic personalities to our team.
• We are AMBITIOUS. POSITIVE, COMMITTED, INCLUSIVE, and EMPATHETIC.
• We are committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment for all of our interns and employees.
• We recruit candidates from across the city, state, and country, from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• We have developed partnerships with organizations that allow us to target our hiring practices to include chronically discriminated against or low-income groups, and improve their access to high-quality employment opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees