Is my camper the right age for a particular camp? If your child is 3-5 yrs old, fully potty trained and has not yet attended Kindergarten, then they are good to go! How much time will my child spend outside? Fun in the Sun! Our preschool campers will spend an hour in the morning outside exploring the playground and our park area. We will also spend an hour in the afternoon swimming, running through sprinklers, or throwing water balloons. What should my child bring to camp? Most campers bring a backpack or bag to camp that contains the following items: Closed-toe shoes that attach to the foot (please no sandals or shoes with heels) Water bottle(s) Swimsuit/towel Sunscreen Change of clothes Campers should wear OLD CLOTHES to camp with the camper s full name clearly marked on every item brought to camp When are my payments due? Below is a calendar showing the camp weeks and the automatic draft dates. Cancellations must be 14 days prior to beginning of the week. First Date of Camp Week Week # Draft Date 6/2/2019 Week 1 5/24/2019 6/10/2019 Week 2 5/31/2019
6/17/2019 Week 3 6/7/2019 6/24/2019 Week 4 6/14/2019 7/1/2019 Week 5 6/21/2019 7/8/2019 Week 6 6/28/2019 7/15/2019 Week 7 7/5/2019 7/22/2019 Week 8 7/12/2019 7/29/2019 Week 9 7/19/2019 8/5/2019 Week 10 7/26/2019 Is there financial assistance available for camp? Yes. Scholarships or financial assistance is available for summer camp. To request an application, contact your local YMCA Branch or download one from our website at ymcacolumbus.org/join/financial-assistance ( http://ymcacolumbus.org/join/financial-assistance ). Requests should be made no later than May 1st. Funding may be limited so it is to your advantage to apply early. Does camp accept Publicly Funded Child Care (PFCC)? Yes, for our full day Preschool Camp. The YMCA accepts publicly funded childcare (PFCC) subsidy payments from ODJFS if applicable. Weekly co-payments must be paid
prior to each week. In addition to co-pays, it is the responsibility of a parent/guardian to be consistent with checking in/out of the ODJFS TAP system. Failure to comply with these state mandated requirements may result in removal from the program. What is Tax ID# for claiming child care tax credit? Tuition fees are eligible for child care tax credit. Our federal child care tax ID # is 31-4379495 and a year-end tax statement is available upon request. Are your camps accredited? The YMCA of Central Ohio is a licensed camper care facility while the Day Camp programs are accredited programs through the American Camp Association (ACA). All YMCA of Central Ohio Camps are registered with the State of Ohio Department of Jobs & Family Services. For more information or to file a complaint please contact Job & Family Services at (614) 466-7765. Day Camps are accredited by the American Camp Association. This independent body establishes standards for key aspects of camp operation, program quality, health and safety of campers. ACA accreditation includes an on-site visit every three years. For more information on accreditation or ACA, please go to ACAcamps.org. Accredited Camps Include: Delaware: Mingo Park Eldon & Elsie Ward Family YMCA Gahanna/John E. Bickley YMCA Gahanna: Woodside Green Park Grove City YMCA Hilliard/Ray Patch Family YMCA Hilliard Presbyterian Church Hilliard: Alton Darby Elementary Hilltop YMCA Hilltop: Galloway Ridge Elementary Jerry L. Garver YMCA Garver: Sycamore Creek Park Liberty Twp/Powell YMCA Liberty Park North YMCA
Vaughn E. Hairston YMCA What should my child NOT bring to camp? PERSONAL BELONGINGS Campers are responsible for their own belongings including backpacks, library books, clothing, and other personal items. We discourage campers from bringing their own electronic devices, phones, other special toys, game cards, books, money or sports equipment (unless specified for camp). If these items are brought, the YMCA staff may collect them and will return them when the child is picked up at the end of the day. The YMCA is not responsible for lost items. DANGEROUS ITEMS & CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES NOT ALLOWED AT CAMP Controlled Substances: Illegal Drugs, controlled substances and alcohol are not permitted on the property where a YMCA program is operated or visits Tobacco-Free YMCA camp and facilities; no tobacco products permitted. Family cooperation is necessary to protect our outdoor classroom too for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for keeping YMCA Day Camp space and buildings tobacco free. Pets: Pets or other animals are not allowed and are not to be brought to YMCA programs. Weapons: No children, staff parents or visitors are not permitted to bring or possess weapons (including firearms and pocket knives) Matches, lighters and firecrackers are not permitted. Soda, sugary or any carbonated drinks are NOT permitted How do I reserve a spot in camp? Camp registration requires a deposit per week, per camper to reserve a slot for a week of camp. Standard deposit fees are $25/week for camp. Deposit fees are applied toward the total of weekly camp fee. Do members receive a lower camp registration rate?
Yes. All camp programs have a lower registration fee based on active membership status. Is there a multi-child discount? Yes. For 2 or more children attending the same week of camp, the additional child fee applies to the lower of the camp fee registrations. Multi-child discounts only apply to those connected with a family YMCA membership. Please reach out to your camp registrar to verify appropriate discount. Is there a minimum amount of weeks to register? No. Day campers may register for as many or as few weeks during the summer. Can day camp registration fees be prorated if not attending for the full week? No. Camp fees and staff ratios are set for a full week of camp programming. Though attendance is not required for a full week, registration fees reflect for Monday-Friday (excluding holiday weeks). What does a common day at day camp look like? Daily activity plans vary from camp to camp depending on themes, swim schedule, trips, and other location-specific details. However, an example of a common day will have the structure as follows: Morning (8:30a-11:30am) Camper choice activity during check-in Morning literacy/math activity Opening Circle (camp communication, large group game/activity) Outdoor time Lunch (11:30am-12:30pm) Lunch Story time
Lunch Afternoon (12:30-3:30pm) ½ Day camp will begin now Craft activity Camper choice activities Swim or water activity/closing