Home to a terrific and enriching before/after school programs and Summer Camp
Conveniently located in the First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush (next to the middle school), you'll find TSL Kids Crew's East Greenbush center. Here is where kids have a special place to learn and have fun before and after school. Low instructor to student ratios, hours that work with your schedule and an age-integrated environment are just some of the things that parents and children love about us. And don't forget that during July and August we also host an all-day Summer Camp. Contact us to learn more. As part of the East Greenbush community, we're excited to help kids learn, grow, and be happy. Come be a part of our big family and have a blast with us at TSL Kids Crew!
TSL is proud to also partner with the East Greenbush Central School District to provide Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) to 4 year-old children in the district.
First United Methodist Church of East Greenbush
1 Gilligan Road
East Greenbush, NY 12061
Summer Camp
Summer Camp: 7:30-5:30 p.m.
Vacation Camp: 7:30-5:30 p.m.
Before School Program
Before School: M-F, 7 a.m. - pickup
After School Program
After School: M-F, 2-6 p.m.
Contact
Meet Abby Houser, our Site Supervisor for the East Greenbush location. You can also email us at [email protected] for more information about programs at our East Greenbush facility.
FAQs for our Summer Camp - FAQs for our Before and After School Programs
Week 1, July 1-July 5 WELCOME TO THE CREW
Old friends and new friends will get together in this introductory week and community building week where the crew administers lots of friendship and cooperative-based games and activities to assimilate everyone to the new environment and train them on the TSL way.
Week 2, July 8-12 MEDIEVAL TIMES
Campers will engage in a host of games, projects, and activities that revolve around the medieval period. Whether making dragon eyes, popsicle stick catapults, castle silhouettes, or playing thief, catch the dragon's tail, or protect the castle, kids will have a ball with this engaging theme.
Week 3, July 15-19 ALIEN INVASION
Kids will enjoy crafts, activities and games focused on aliens and the infinite outer space from where they come. Make a flyer saucer or drink some alien slime, play Star Wars and Aliens Vs. Monsters. It's bound to be a week that is out of this world.
Week 4, July 22-26 THE AMAZING RACE
Back by popular demand, the kids will team up with other campers and partake in an everyday race and complete in a variety of activities while visiting countries around the world to be the first ones to the finish line. Who will be this year's winners of...THE AMAZING RACE.
Week 5, July 29-August 2 TSL's GOT TALENT
Campers will get to showcase their skills this week as they engage in a variety of activities that showcase what they can do. Whether it be singing, dancing, acting, or athletics, everyone will have a chance to show what they got.
Week 6, August 5-August 9 UNSPOILED SPORTS
For this week, TSL will focus on traditional sports and gameplay from soccer, touch football, basketball, and baseball. Well...not everything will be traditional. This is TSL, after all. Teddy bear football, circle soccer, Alaskan baseball, and water balloon T-ball aren't exactly traditional, but they sure will be fun!
Week 7, August 12-16 ROY G BIV
Kids will explore a variety of games and activities focused on all the colors of the rainbow. Whether playing the circle game, colors, creating beautiful rainbow portraits, or having all campers wear a particular color each day of the week, it's sure to be a pallet of fun and games this week. Last year TSL did its first COLOR RUN and campers loved it. So you can expect the color run will make its return during this themed week.
Week 8, August 19-23 THROWBACK
Many locations and campers will celebrate their last week together with lots of classic and retro camp activities that capture all the great memories they had from the 2024 camp season. SEE YOU IN 2025!
Are you an academic camp that offers reading, writing, tutoring etc.
No. We are a recreational program. We play multiple small and whole group games, arts and crafts, special projects, activities, cooperative, indoor/outdoor, sprinkler. Think of it as your child attending a birthday party every day of summer. That's us! Your child will not be a NASA scientist, doctor, or lawyer at the end of their camp experience. Your child will perhaps learn social skills and how to get along with others better. Oh, and did we say they would have lots of fun?
What is important to know if my child has never participated in a summer day camp before?
Most importantly, you should know that transitioning a new or young child into a day camp is sometimes an ongoing process. It is not a one day or even a one-week process. Too often parents of young children, in particular, enroll for a full summer and expect that their child is going to magically integrate without any transitional time. We want parents to trust us and the process, or don't enroll for a full summer unless you are comfortable with the process. Parents can sometimes and unintentionally be their child's biggest hindrance in proper transitioning. Parents should also know what a summer day camp is, and what it isn't. Do your homework so your expectations are on point with what type of program your child is getting enrolled in. Summer camps under Department of Health are not self-contained daycare classrooms, nor do they run like school.
What are the facilities like in which you operate?
Our campuses vary in their aesthetic. We operate out of schools, church halls etc. some are older and some newer. Though most of our pictures are taken on location, some of our photos are stock photos. "Like" TSL Kids Crew on Facebook and see lots of actual pictures from all our programs and facilities.
Do you have to be a current member to enroll in summer camp?
Summer camp is open to all members of the community. You do not have to be enrolled in any clubs, obtain any memberships, or live in a particular place. Our doors are open for everyone at your most convenient location.
Are you a traveling camp?
TSL, in general, does not travel, except at our Rotterdam location, to Rollerama roller skating rink once per week. In North Colonie, the campers will have an opportunity to use the mini golf course and batting cages once per week. At all other locations we implement our standard program on campus. In Delmar, campers travel twice a week to our sister site on Schoolhouse Road in Guilderland for their outside water play adventure!
What is the age range for children?
Children going into Kindergarten (in this case 4 year olds can enroll in the school-age program) through age 12 are invited to enroll at any site. In our Troy and Cohoes locations, we offer the pre-school summer program for ages 3 to 5. Children ages 13-15 can apply to be a LIT at any site location.
What are your camp hours?
We are open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. Our core program is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and we like children to be present for the full core program. Drop off and pick up can be at any time. The price of camp is all inclusive, but we do add late fees if a child is picked up late after camp hours close (5:30). Daycare locations are open from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
What are your prices?
See our summer price chart here.
Can you tell me what the program template is?
Though we do not publish our template, we can say our summer day is broken down into a series of routine program components that flow nicely from one activity to the next and include time for the children to play, exercise, craft, unwind, engage in water games and play during the sprinkler time, or engage in small group play, whole group play and age-integrated play. They bond as a community all day long with multiple program subtleties and nuances that have community development in mind. This is the hallmark of the TSL program. We have established a unique culture that permeates every site and that is realized by the most invested of families who understand and appreciate our goals.
Each week has a theme. Please note that our themes serve mainly to help us focus our planning and are underlying and secondary to our community-driven program template, the true heart of the program. Our program template does not change from week to week, but the activities, games and projects do, based on the planned theme. Regardless of our theme, your children will enjoy the routine-based program.
Are the kids separated by ages?
Sometimes we break the campers down into two distinct groups: ages 4-7 or ages 8-12. Other times they work together in a cooperative and age-integrated fashion to accomplish tasks, challenges and projects. We employ a high level of diversity in how we mesh and mold the group throughout the day.
How much time is spent outdoors?
Typically there is a 50/50 split between outdoor and indoor play.
What are the kids' outside activities?
Daily water play with sprinklers every day. Water relays, circle games, whole group games, scavenger hunts, nature hunts and much more!
Are the staff members all screened for the safety of the children?
Yes. All staff members have multiple clearances as required by the Department of Health. Many of our staff members are year-round employees of TSL in our after-school programs.
How many instructors or staff members do you have at a site? What’s the ratio?
Our ratio is 1:12, per DOH requirement. Depending on the number of enrollees at each site, our staffing numbers vary.
How do you handle any injuries or emergencies if a child gets hurt?
For cuts, bumps and scrapes, we use soap and water, ice packs, Band-Aids and TLC. Parents are called in the event of serious injury or sickness, and if needed we will call 911.
Do you serve lunch?
We offer a lunch two days per week. Pizza on Tuesday and Friday. Friday is pizza and ice cream truck day. The other three days, the children bring a lunch and two snacks.
How are you different from other programs?
We are different in our planning, how we present programs, how we engage children, and how we integrate children. TSL is founded by elementary-school teachers who prefer to acknowledge the way children develop, their physical and emotional needs and preferences. We know children. Our staff members are trained to know children. Because our program is not dependent on unpredictable variables, the structure and integrity of each day is ensured. We ARE childcare, and if you want safety, love, engagement, professionalism, high-level communication, trust and affordability, you would come to us.
How does payment and invoicing work?
As you enroll, you will note an opportunity to read the Terms of Service. We encourage everyone to read and understand these terms prior to enrolling, as we do vigorously uphold them.
