Black Bear Lake campers play their way with a unique and innovative Elective Program allowing your child to choose the activities they want. Every Monday, you and your camper select electives online for the following week. Campers have the option to choose the same electives as the previous week or try something completely new! They may choose all sport electives, all fine art, or any combination imaginable. From favorites like gaga or science, cooking or lake waterpark, choices will provide your child with a variety of new experiences sure to create a lasting memory.
Black Bear Lake Campers Play Their Way!
Black Bear has two regulation size Baseball fields for your camper to enjoy. Our facilities include batting cages, bullpens, dugouts, and our baseball clubhouses to hang out in and cool down.
Our Baseball Clinic elective is a great activity to choose if you want to improve throwing, catching, fielding, hitting, and running. Use our extensive facility to be the next best MLB player.
During this elective, our experienced staff will help your camper improve their pitching mechanics. Did you know that there are starter pitchers, relief pitchers, lefty specialist, setup man and even the closer pitcher? What kind of pitcher are you?
Two custom courts, a professional scoreboard, and equipment is just the beginning for your camper to enjoy a friendly game of Basketball. Our outstanding coaches add the finishing touches by teaching you what an Alley-oop or block out means.
For those of you who love the game of basketball, or simply want to improve your dribbling, enhance your ball handling, even practicing passing. Some may want to practice their jump shots, layups, or free throws. See you on the Court!
Join the cast of Black Bear Lake’s Camp Show under the direction of our talented Drama Specialists!
Our Craft Specialists will guide your camper in creating beautiful and unique craft projects that can be proudly displayed in any room of your home! Projects include acrylic self-portraits, Paper Mache cat banks, bottle sculptures, lighted fairy mason jars, tie dye t-shirts and so much more!
If your camper loves to cook, bake, and eat then this is an elective for them. Your camper will learn the proper way to use cooking utensils and the handling of food. What is SAFE and what is NOT! Get your apron and chef hat ready for this elective and become the next Top Chef!
Our Drama Specialist will encourage campers to gain the confidence needed to speak in front of an audience using various techniques, including acting out scenes, learning improvisational skills, playing quick drama games and more.
Campers always enjoy the fun of tracking down their friends across our outdoors laser tag area. Using forts and nature to move into position for the perfect shot, this is one of camp’s oldest, most popular electives.
Camper’s FLIP for this elective. From a beginner to advanced gymnasts you are guaranteed to improve skills like round offs, cartwheel, back handsprings, or something simple like a bridge.
The Black Bear Lake Waterpark is a special activity! Utilizing our private 5-acre lake, campers enjoy our multi-element waterpark, bouncing on water trampolines, climbing across the Cliff, chasing each other around the Roundabout and crossing the monkey bars while staying cool all summer long.
Our awesome Science program promotes hands on exploration and learning through doing. Our diverse program includes the study of electricity and magnetism, engineering, sunlight and color, polymers, putty and gunk, and the ever-popular Slime week! Plus, Science enthusiasts will get a chance to show off their creativity while participating in our Science Fair.
Our regulation size soccer field is the perfect place for a great game of soccer!
Our regulation size soccer field is one of the most popular spots at camp! During Clinics, our staff will run drills to improve your camper’s fundamental soccer skills.
Black Bear Lake is a wonderful place to learn how to swim! We follow the American Red Cross Swim program. When your child arrives at camp, they will be placed in the appropriate swim instruction group. Our staff will help your camper advance at their own place throughout the summer and we will send you progress updates.
We are home to the Garden State Trampoline Academy and during the summer our campers enjoy the same level of instruction as team members. Our facility offers 4 in-ground Olympic size trampolines and a double mini trampoline. Campers will have a great time learning to flip, tumble and exercise at this activity!
Learn the skills of using a bow and arrow in target Archery.
T.A.G You are out! This NEW elective is a combination of Dodge-ball and Laser Tag all into one game. The object of the game is to TAG your opponents before they TAG you!
You will have fun crafting and designing jewelry, accessories and more, plus get a pretty manicure with your choice of colors!
Volleyball fun on our sand court!
Float around Black Bear Lake in our paddle boats, paddle boards, canoes, kayaks and more!
Rah! Rah! Black Bear Lake-Rah! Elements of dance and acrobatics are combined with shouted slogans for some cheerleading fun!
Many campers enjoy learning how to play Chess at camp! Chess helps develop thinking skills and is fun to play with friends.
Have fun sharing and comparing trading cards with your friends!
Enjoy coloring intricate designs while relaxing under our palm tree umbrellas on the beach.
This NEW elective is the Next Level of crafting. This DYI elective allows you to put custom creative designs on t-shirts, canvas, water bottles, and tote bags.
Achieve your training goals before the Cross-Country season begins this Fall!
How quickly can you solve a Rubik’s Cube? Twist and turn until you solve a multitude of puzzles in different shapes and sizes!
Learn a new dance from our talented Dance Specialist every week and perform it for the entire camp on Friday!
One of the most popular kids’ sports and many campers enjoy playing at Black Bear Lake! It is a great game to enjoy some spirited competition!
Learn how to coach baseball, keep score, enter player stats and more under the guidance of our professional coaches.
One of the most popular electives at camp, our campers catch and release hundreds of fish each summer. Our beautiful 5-acre lake is home to sunny, bass and catfish. From the shoreline or docks, campers enjoy making a big catch.
Flag Football has emerged as a fun and safe way to enjoy football without full contact!
This extremely popular game is a fast paced, high energy sport played in an octagonal pit. Gaga is played with a soft foam ball, and combines the skills of dodging, running, and jumping, while trying to get your opponents out with a ball below the knee.
All skill levels welcome! Beginners will learn how to ride in our enclosed corral and have fun learning about grooming and care of our horses. The experienced rider will enjoy exploring our 10 beautiful scenic trails.
Containing elements of soccer, softball and baseball, kickball is a game that can be played by any age.
New for 2021! Details coming soon….
Learn all the coolest lanyard stitches with tons of colors to choose from!
Show off your creativity and originality in this fun and imaginative elective!
Choose a book from our BBL Library to enjoy reading under our palm tree umbrellas on the beach!
Construct car model kits, Laser Pegs and more in this creative elective!
You will have a blast tubing down Black Bear Mountain on our cool slides!
Imagine the playground game of 4 square combined with volleyball on a sand court with multiple players, and you have the awesome game of Nine Square!
Rock Wall, Bungee Trampoline, Zip Line, and our Giant Swing all add up to Outdoor Adventure fun!
This paddle sport is a mix of tennis, racquetball and ping pong played with a plastic ball.
Build your own mini car and race it on our awesome 6-track raceway!
Grab a friend or two and enjoy the game also known as table tennis!
Enjoy fun pool games including water basketball, floating ping pong, water polo and more.
Create beautiful, original pieces of artwork out of clay.
3…2…1… New and improved Rocketry will teach you the safety procedures, materials needed and proper way to launch your own rocket. Look out Space BBL Rockets are coming!
Design, construct and paint the set of the Black Bear Lake summer spectacular production!
This extremely popular game of “spiking” a ball into a small circular net is a combination of volleyball and 4-square.
For girls who would like to participate in a variety of different sports throughout the week.
Practice and improve your strokes, racing, dives, and flip turns.
Enjoy a great game of tennis on our 3 custom tennis courts.
Learn the basics of tennis or refine your skill level under the guidance of our professional coaches.
Combining the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football, ultimate frisbee is a great game to play with friends!
Our professional artists will teach you how to create beautiful, original clay pieces of art on a potter’s wheel.
This popular sport is similar to baseball but uses a plastic bat and ball.
Our Woodworking Specialist will guide you in creating beautiful pieces out of wood including birdhouses, shelves & more!
Learn basic Yoga techniques. Namaste!