What’s Happening at Community Day Camp?

Camp Fire brings old-fashioned S'mores eatin', campfire song-singin' kids’ summer day camps right to your neighborhood. Community Day Camp is about doing, not watching. It’s about enjoying nature and living outdoors, and working together with kids from a variety of socioeconomic, racial, cultural, religious and disabled populations.

Before camp starts, volunteer planning committees for each Community Day Camp choose the theme, crafts, games, songs, and special events for the week. As the registrations come in, campers are assigned to a small group of youth their own grade or age for the entire week. These groups of 6 – 12 kids are assigned to one adult staff or experienced older teen counselor and at least one assistant teen counselor, and stay together for the whole session.

Camp Fire Community Day Camps operate at various parks throughout the Puget Sound area using caring, well-trained, responsible volunteer staff.

Fun for Everyone
Make this a summer to remember with days of singing camp songs, cookouts, arts & crafts, games, and so much more!

Grades K-6: Boys and girls sign up as campers.
Grade 7: Spend the week as Counselors-in-Training (CITs). Prepare to join junior staff next year.
Grades 8 - 10: Join the junior staff team - assist with groups or activity areas.
Grades 11 - 12: Become a teen counselor!
Adults Age 18 & Over: Join our team of amazing Day Camp volunteers. Your week will be fun and rewarding.

What is a Typical Day Like?

Check-in: When you drop off your camper(s), they go straight to their groups, where their counselors check them in and make sure they are ready for fun. Campers stay together, with their group and counselor, for the whole session.

Lunchtime: Campers eat the sack lunch they brought with their group at the "campsite" they have chosen. In addition, every camper will have the opportunity to do some outdoor cooking during the week, starting with simple menu items for younger children, and more advanced items for older ones. All children will be taught fire building and fire safety.

Afternoon Activities: Campers choose more activities with the help of their counselors. After clean up and the end of the day assembly, you sign your child out of camp, showing your I.D. for safety.

Volunteers
Youth in grades 8-12 can volunteer at any of the Community Day Camp sites as a junior staff counselor at $15 per camp, plus a one-time $25 fee for non-members. Adults can volunteer at any of the sites (except Camp Sealth) as counselors, activity specialists, purchasers, equipment managers or camp nurses. Full-time adult volunteers get a discount on day camp registration for their own children. Camp Fire provides the required training for all volunteers. Click Here for more information about becoming a volunteer. See registration info below.

Special Needs
Camp Fire Community Day Camps promote an environment of inclusiveness for kids with a wide variety of ability levels. Staff partner with parents to support campers with mild to moderate disabilities, enabling them to succeed at camp. If your child has special needs, you must register at least 30 days prior to the session.

Children who need one-on-one assistance or have significant problems controlling their behavior may not be able to attend camp. If you have a child with special needs, please contact the Day Camp Program Manager prior to registering to discuss making camp a successful experience for your child. TTD users may reach us through the Washington State Relay Services, 800 833 6388; TeleBraille users, call 800 833 6385.

Special Diets and Allergies
Campers bring their own sack lunch daily. Camp Fire Community Day Camps are peanut-free - we do not serve or allow any peanut butter or any peanut products.

Accreditation and Standards
Compliance with hundreds of standards and regulations is required for accreditation by the American Camp Association (ACA). Camp Fire Community Day Camps meet or exceed ACA standards in all areas: health and safety, program quality, staff qualifications, sanitation, and site/facility issues. In addition, Camp Fire has its own high standards. All of our volunteers have taken at least ten hours of training and have been background checked by Camp Fire, as well as checked against the National Sex Offender database. Our Site Directors and staff managers have many years of camp experience and are youth development experts.

How do I sign up?

To Register
Need to find out what Day Camp is closest to you and what the dates of camp will be this summer? Click here for the complete 2013 Day Camp Schedule.

Already know which Day Camp you want to register for? Register online or click below to download a registration form.

Day Camp Registration (Grades K-7)
Junior Staff Registration (Grades 8-12)
Adult Day Camp Staff Registration
Pre-K Registration (for children of adult staff/volunteers)
Volunteer Background Check Form - Adult
Volunteer Background Check Form - Youth

Financial Assistance
Families in King, Kitsap or north Mason counties can apply for financial assistance in the form of a Campership to attend Community Day Camp. If applying for a Campership, please check the box on the registration form and enclose deposit. Click here to download a Campership Application. Apply early, as campership funds are limited.

After You Register
After you register you will receive an email confirmation including payment information. One or two weeks before camp you will receive a letter with program details, what to wear, what to bring, emergency numbers, drop off and pick up procedures, and other important information.

A day or so before camp begins, you and your child(ren) will receive an introductory phone call from your child's counselor. This is your child's opportunity to get acquainted, get excited about the week at camp, and learn how to find his/her counselor Monday morning. This will be your chance to ask questions and share any details that will help the counselor work best with your camper(s).

Finance and Refund Policies

• Camp Fire currency and candy credit may be used for all or part of Day Camp fees. Camp Fire members paying with Candy Currency must
  submit Candy Currency and a paper registration form to the Camp Fire office. We cannot accept candy currency for online registrations.
• The complete fee must be paid, even if a camper attends only part of a session. Days cancelled due to inclement weather will not be refunded or made up.
• Checks will be cashed upon receipt; however, this does not guarantee placement. The full amount will be refunded if there is no opening or if the camp is canceled.
• Camp Fire reserves the right to cancel any program for insufficient registration or volunteer staff
• A $25 fee will be charged for all checks or charges returned.
• If a camper cancels two (2) weeks prior to starting date of camp, all but $25 will be refunded. Otherwise no refund will be given unless due to medical emergency. Cancellations are made through the Day Camp Registrar, and require written notification.
• The entire fee may be transferred to another member of the immediate family or another camp program offered by this Council. Transfer must be requested prior to the day camp’s registration deadline

Questions?
Contact Kerrie Sampelayo, Day Camp & Teen Program Manager, at 206 826 8941.