Steve & Kate's Camp
Berryessa School District Location TBA, 2550 Greengate Dr., San Jose, CA 95132
About
Steve & Kate's Camp gives campers control over how they spend their time by allowing them to choose their own activities and plan their own days. All campers must be fully toilet trained, able to speak up for their needs, and able to get through the camp day without a nap. Tasty meals and snacks are included in the camp fee, and all-inclusive rates cover any activities that interest the child during camp hours.
• Ages: 4–13 years old
• Schedule: Long camp hours, 8am–6pm, with all camp hours included in the camp fee
• Price: All-inclusive rates with flexible Day Passes and Summer Pass options
Steve & Kate’s Camp has been operating since 1980 and has more than 90 locations, which the organization describes as “glorious islands of freedom from Manhattan to Manhattan Beach.” The summer camp program is designed for children entering PreK through 7th grade, and the camp generally accepts children aged 4 to 13 years old, with a camp age limit of 13; if a camper turns 14 while attending summer camp, they may finish out the summer. Summer day camps and holiday camps are for kids ages 4–12, and Steve & Kate's Camp also offers mentorship programs for children aged 14 and 15, with availability that may vary by location. All campers must be fully toilet trained, able to speak up for their needs, and able to get through the camp day without a nap, and no paperwork is required for age verification during registration.
The camp’s philosophy is to build a camp where kids are in charge of their choices and parents have flexible, refundable day passes, and its mission statement says that when kids are empowered to make their own choices and be their own bosses, they discover new reserves of confidence, resiliency, and creativity. Parents can buy any number of days to use whenever and wherever they’d like throughout the summer, or buy a Summer Pass for unlimited use, and drop-off and pick-up can occur at any time during camp hours. Automatic full refunds are provided for unused purchased Day Passes at the end of the season, and if a Summer Pass is underused, the difference between the pass cost and the daily rate equivalent is automatically refunded, with no processing fees charged on refunds. Parents can attend camp any time and get automatic refunds for any unused passes. All-inclusive rates include all camp hours (8 AM–6 PM), snacks and lunch, and any activities that interest the child.
Steve & Kate’s Camp is staffed with people who share a talent for connecting with kids and focuses on showing kids what can be done rather than telling them what to do, and the camp celebrates the individual by enabling campers to express themselves freely while staff cheer them on. The leadership team includes founders Steve Susskind and Kate Susskind, along with Mike, a VP who started as a counselor at Steve & Kate’s in 1998, and Kevin, a VP who is a former Steve & Kate’s camper and operations staff member. Steve & Kate’s Camp is included as an option for families who have Bright Horizons Back-Up Care benefits.
Testimonials describe the camp in various ways, including Andrew Stanton, Director of WALL-E, Finding Nemo, and Finding Dory, who says, “The children that attend Steve & Kate's blossom and discover a freedom of identity that, in a way, no other institution I've experienced has ever managed. Kids find their thumbprint at Steve & Kate's. My one complaint: Where were they when I was a kid?” Apple’s Hot News states, “If kids ruled the world, it might look something like Steve and Kate’s Camp.” Variety magazine notes that Steve and Kate’s Camp “didn’t set out to cater to the children of folks at Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic and the like, but given their philosophy, it’s no surprise so many attend.” The Washington Post describes it as “a blend of that traditional camp experience combined with a modern, tech-savvy touch” that “evokes a laid-back aura true to its California roots, complemented by the company’s Silicon Valley-inspired innovative approaches to everything from programming to payment.” The Chicago Tribune states, “Working parents’ worries dissipate as they contemplate Steve & Kate’s model.”
Last updated April 30, 2026.
• Ages: 4–13 years old
• Schedule: Long camp hours, 8am–6pm, with all camp hours included in the camp fee
• Price: All-inclusive rates with flexible Day Passes and Summer Pass options
Steve & Kate’s Camp has been operating since 1980 and has more than 90 locations, which the organization describes as “glorious islands of freedom from Manhattan to Manhattan Beach.” The summer camp program is designed for children entering PreK through 7th grade, and the camp generally accepts children aged 4 to 13 years old, with a camp age limit of 13; if a camper turns 14 while attending summer camp, they may finish out the summer. Summer day camps and holiday camps are for kids ages 4–12, and Steve & Kate's Camp also offers mentorship programs for children aged 14 and 15, with availability that may vary by location. All campers must be fully toilet trained, able to speak up for their needs, and able to get through the camp day without a nap, and no paperwork is required for age verification during registration.
The camp’s philosophy is to build a camp where kids are in charge of their choices and parents have flexible, refundable day passes, and its mission statement says that when kids are empowered to make their own choices and be their own bosses, they discover new reserves of confidence, resiliency, and creativity. Parents can buy any number of days to use whenever and wherever they’d like throughout the summer, or buy a Summer Pass for unlimited use, and drop-off and pick-up can occur at any time during camp hours. Automatic full refunds are provided for unused purchased Day Passes at the end of the season, and if a Summer Pass is underused, the difference between the pass cost and the daily rate equivalent is automatically refunded, with no processing fees charged on refunds. Parents can attend camp any time and get automatic refunds for any unused passes. All-inclusive rates include all camp hours (8 AM–6 PM), snacks and lunch, and any activities that interest the child.
Steve & Kate’s Camp is staffed with people who share a talent for connecting with kids and focuses on showing kids what can be done rather than telling them what to do, and the camp celebrates the individual by enabling campers to express themselves freely while staff cheer them on. The leadership team includes founders Steve Susskind and Kate Susskind, along with Mike, a VP who started as a counselor at Steve & Kate’s in 1998, and Kevin, a VP who is a former Steve & Kate’s camper and operations staff member. Steve & Kate’s Camp is included as an option for families who have Bright Horizons Back-Up Care benefits.
Testimonials describe the camp in various ways, including Andrew Stanton, Director of WALL-E, Finding Nemo, and Finding Dory, who says, “The children that attend Steve & Kate's blossom and discover a freedom of identity that, in a way, no other institution I've experienced has ever managed. Kids find their thumbprint at Steve & Kate's. My one complaint: Where were they when I was a kid?” Apple’s Hot News states, “If kids ruled the world, it might look something like Steve and Kate’s Camp.” Variety magazine notes that Steve and Kate’s Camp “didn’t set out to cater to the children of folks at Pixar, Industrial Light & Magic and the like, but given their philosophy, it’s no surprise so many attend.” The Washington Post describes it as “a blend of that traditional camp experience combined with a modern, tech-savvy touch” that “evokes a laid-back aura true to its California roots, complemented by the company’s Silicon Valley-inspired innovative approaches to everything from programming to payment.” The Chicago Tribune states, “Working parents’ worries dissipate as they contemplate Steve & Kate’s model.”
Last updated April 30, 2026.