Preparing for Camp

Day Camps operate Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. If your child is taking a bus to Camp Chippewa, please refer to the bussing times for drop off and pick up times. If you require a longer camp day, Extended Care programs are available from 7:00am to 9:00am and 4:00pm to 6:00pm at an additional cost. 

Communication between camp/camp families is key to making this a great summer.  You will receive an email prior to your camp week to share some important information about your camp experience. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook. 

Extended Care is offered before and after camp from 7:00am to 9:00am and 4:00pm to 6:00pm at an additional fee.

• $30/week; $24/week (week 1 and 6) - Burlington, Hamilton, Stoney Creek and Brantford.

If you require this service, you can review our before and after care locations in our brochure and add Extended Camp Care through our online registration when you register your camper(s).

Drop Off: All campers must be signed in by a parent/guardian over the age of 16. Wristbands will be given to each camper at the beginning of the week to identify your child as a YMCA Day Camper. These wristbands are colour-coded for safety and represent the camp program and bus route. Please ensure your camper keeps the wristband on for the entire week registered. 

Pick Up: All campers must be signed out by a parent/guardian over the age of 16. A late fee of $20 for each half hour (or part of) per camper will be levied if a camper is not picked up by the specified time. This fee will be added to the family's account. 

If you are not available to pick up your child in the event of an emergency, please ensure that the emergency contacts you have identified are available in your absence. 

For the safety of our campers, please call and leave a message if your child is going to be absent from camp. Please leave your name, camper's name, the program and location they attend and your phone number. 

• Hamilton, Burlington & Flamborough: 905-317-4929 

• Brantford: 519-512-4891 x3133

• Helping Hands: 905-317-4907

Please label all belongings and dress for the weather - camp operates in both the rain and the heat. To ensure comfort and full participation, each camper should bring the following each day: 

• Running shoes or strapped sandals (no flipflops) 

• Comfortable clothing 

• Swimsuit and towel 

• Hat and sunscreen 

• Bug spray (if attending Camp Chippewa) 

• Nut-safe lunch and snacks 

• Water bottle (drinking water will be available on site)

Campers will be participating in a variety of activities and clothes may get messy. 

No electronic devices are permitted i.e. iPods, cell phones, personal gaming devices. Please leave these at home. 

For many children going to summer day camp is the first time they will take a bus or meet a new group of friends outside of their school environment. In order to prepare your child for a positive experience follow these tips: 

1. Talk about the camp program and about some of the activities your child will be involved in. 

2. Visit the camp location ahead of time. 

3. If your child is taking the bus, drive the bus route and point out familiar landmarks along the way. 

4. Talk about the routine of the day, and get your child involved in packing their knapsack. 

5. Review Behaviour Guidelines with your child.

Should you wish to change any component of your registration (i.e. add/delete a camp or extended care, modify bus stops or emergency contacts or any information related to the camper), please complete a Change of Status Form and send it to hamburl.daycamps@ymcahbb.ca. Changes can be made up until Monday at 4:00pm (of the current week) for the following week. 

Any refunds requested after May 16, 2023 will be subject to a $35 administration fee for each registration. No refunds or cancellations will be accepted if less than 5 business days notice in writing are given.

All campers are required to bring a lunch to camp every day. With high energy activities, children will require lunches plus additional snacks and drinks. Please send nut free lunches 

• Please pack lots of extra water and frozen juice boxes 

• 3-4 healthy snacks, such as fruits and vegetables; lunch which does not require re-heating 

Tips for a litterless lunch 

• Purchase a reusable drink container and fill each day with water or 100% fruit juice. 

• Avoid single-serve snack items in disposable packaging. Use reusable containers for snacks. 

• Use an insulated lunch bag to preserve freshness. 

While we make every effort to adhere to the bus schedule, we place an emphasis on safety and ask parents to arrive at least 5-10 minutes before the bus time and wait until the bus arrives to sign in your camper(s). Please do not leave children unsupervised at the bus stop. 

• Each bus route has a bus monitor that rides the bus from the beginning to end. All children under the age of 16 must be signed in/out by an adult (over the age of 16) from this person.  

• Please include cell phone numbers for all authorized pick-ups in the event of a delay.  

• The bus stop selected must be the same for pick up and drop off for the entire week.  

• Buses will wait 5 minutes for children to be signed out at the end of the day before moving onto the next stop. Adults who arrive after the bus has departed must then pick up their child at their local YMCA  (for Hamilton – lower city routes will go to the Downtown YMCA; mountain routes will go to the Les Chater YMCA). A late fee of $20 for every half hour (or part thereof) will be applied to the family’s account.

In the event that you miss your bus in the morning, you have two options: 

1. Drive to the next stop on the route to catch the bus there. 

2. Drop off your child(ren) directly at the camp site. You can drop your child(ren) off as early as 9:00am at Christie Conservation Area 

It is our goal to provide a healthy, safe, and secure environment for all participants. Rules for each camp will be based on the YMCA's core values: belonging, caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Children who attend YMCA camps are expected to follow the rules, listen to staff, and behave appropriately in a group. Failure to follow the rules or behaviour guidelines may result in suspension or removal from camp. Camp Counsellors will review the camp rules at the start of each camp week. Expected behaviour guidelines include: 

• People are responsible for their actions 

• We respect each other and the environment 

• Honesty will be the basis for all relationships and interactions 

• We will care for ourselves and those around us

Day Camp staff can administer drugs / medication to a child when the parent / guardian has completed the Administration of Medication Form. All medication must be in the original container labeled with the child's name and prescription number (when applicable). Medication will be collected on the first day and returned on the last day of the camp week. Please send only enough medication for the week. If your child requires an inhaler, please indicate whether your child's counsellor or your child will carry and administer the inhaler. If you did not fill out the form when registering, you can log into your CampBrain account and upload the completed form to your child’s profile.

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION FORM 

My child has allergies and requires an epi-pen. 

If your child requires an epi-pen for life-threatening allergies, the epi-pen will need to accompany your child to camp each day. For their safety, they will not be admitted to camp without their epi-pen and complete individual Anaphylaxis Plan and Administration of Medication forms. If you did not fill out the forms when registering, you can log into your CampBrain account and upload the completed forms to your child’s profile. 

ANAPHYLAXIS PLAN 

ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICATION FORM

Yes. All lost and found articles will be kept at the camp site for up to two weeks after the session. Any unclaimed belongings will be donated to a local charity after the 2 weeks has passed. Parents can email hamburl.daycamps@ymcahbb.ca with a description of their missing items, along with their camper's name, program, and camp location. Our camp staff will then search through the lost and found for your items and will be in contact if your items are found. The YMCA is not responsible for lost, damaged, or misplaced belongings. Please do not send valuables to camp.