Some families might have questions about sending a summer camp to an active cemetery, and some children may have big feelings and questions about the visit. We wanted to share a special note from our friends at Green-Wood to address some common questions from caregivers.
What is Green-Wood?
Green-Wood is a 478-acre active cemetery that looks a lot like a park. There are over 7,000 trees there! Open since 1838, it is also an amazing place to learn about art, architecture, history, and nature. It has always been a tourist destination, and even hosts art exhibits, concerts, and family events. Most importantly for us, Green-Wood has a professional education team that leads programs for more than 5,000 students a year. Green-Wood has been leading 3K through 12th grade school programs since 2002. Green-Wood educators receive rigorous training, including grief-sensitivity training.
Even better, Green-Wood is open 365 days a year and admission is always free for self-guided visitors. You and your family can visit any time they are open, for free!
What we will be seeing and doing at Green-Wood
We are visiting Green-Wood to learn about ____(subject of your program)_______.
FOR HISTORY/ART HISTORY PROGRAMS: We will: visit gravesites and monuments; study documents, photos, and objects related to the people buried there; and discuss, write or sketch.
FOR A NATURE PROGRAM: We will be walking around Green-Wood’s grounds observing trees/birds and other aspects of nature.
If campers have factual questions about death, burials, and mourning, Green-Wood educators will provide truthful, age-appropriate, and concise answers, when appropriate. They will redirect sensitive, religious, or deeply personal questions that are better answered by family at home. Campers will also be welcome to talk with our counselors or camp staff privately at any point before, during, or after the field trip.
What we will *NOT* be seeing and doing
Our camp will not interact with funerals or burials. If we happen to encounter a funeral procession, or individuals visiting a loved one’s grave, Green-Wood educators will reroute the class.
FOR A NATURE PROGRAM: We will not focus on the cemetery aspects of Green-Wood. If campers have questions about the grave monuments, we will say that they are “monuments/memorials/statues that honor peoples’ lives.”
Helping your child prepare for the field trip
Please share the information on this page with your child to help answer their questions before our field trip. And please let me know if you would like to discuss the field trip further before we go, including any personal concerns you may have about your child’s participation.
Green-Wood is a unique and wonderful place that highlights the history and cultural richness of Brooklyn. We are confident it will be a very valuable and engaging part of our summer!
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us in the BCAP office.
Email: bcap@bklynlibrary.org | Phone: (718) 230-2753 | Fax: (718) 230-2039