As we approach summer, many working parents in New York and across the U.S. are making arrangements for their children during the summer months. One idea, of course, is a traditional summer camp experience.

At a recreation center in Beacon, it’s all about having fun. There are no rules in art class. Creativity flows freely.

The after-school program offers a glimpse into how Beacon Rec runs its summer camp program.

Assistant Recreation Director Nate Smith says this year’s online enrollment for the summer filled up fast, in just seven minutes.

“Part of the reason why it’s so popular, is not just because we do good stuff, because we absolutely do good stuff, but it is because just the need for child care is so prominent nowadays,” Smith said.

Smith has been doing camp for 30 years, seven of them in Beacon. In order to serve more families in the summer, each child can only attend camp for two weeks. The coveted spots are limited to 120 families in total each summer. The cost is around $550 per child.

Parents who missed out on registering their child for this year’s summer camp want the city to invest more funding into the program, to increase access by opening more spaces for young people.

“What’s really important for the city of Beacon to think about is the equitability for the students and families,” said Fay Pacht, a parent, who had to make summer arrangements elsewhere for her daughter. “Some students and families have the means to use other camps and other programs that are available, but some are cost prohibitive to families.”

Another parent, Moraya Seeger DeGeare of Beacon, is grateful her second grader is able to attend the summer camp for a third year in a row.

She’s also pushing to make it accessible to as many families as possible.

“Nate just gets kids. And really creates programs that kids are the center and focus,” Seeger DeGeare said. “And I’m a marriage and family therapist, so the social-emotional learning that they do at Camp at the Camp is amazing. And they’re in nature. And the kids are just really focused on building community.”

The old-school, classic camp experience, described by Seeger DeGeare as having hippie vibes, is something she’s already thinking about for her two-year-old daughter.

Smith said he is proud of what he and his team of counselors offer.

“When they come home and around the dinner table, their parents are like, ‘hey, how was your day?’ And they’re talking about all the cool things,” Smith said. “Like, ‘I saw an owl eat a mouse and it was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!’ ”

Over the years, Beacon Recreation has served families from out of town, including children from New York City and Los Angeles. There is currently a wait list, so there’s still a chance for parents to get their children into this year’s program.

Spectrum News 1 reached out to the City of Beacon for a reaction on meeting the demands of parents to increase access. In a statement, Beacon’s City Administrator, Chris White, said: “The City recently concluded a one-year public plan on improving recreational facilities and programs. We look forward to continuing the incremental expansion and improvement of recreational facilities and services, including summer camp, as we have the necessary resources and staffing.”