IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR CAMP FAMILIES
Welcome
Outdoor Adventure Summer Day Camps prioritize the safety and well-being of all campers and staff. Our camp staff attend training, are certified in First Aid/CPR/AED and Bloodborne Pathogens courses. They are eager to teach, explore, have fun, and share memorable experiences with your children at camp this summer. The following is information and guidelines to help ensure success for both the campers and camp staff.
Camp Packing List
• Morning Snack and Lunch (all day campers need to bring their lunch)
• Water Bottle (refillable)
• Weather-appropriate clothes
• Hat
• Sunscreen/Bug Spray
• Sturdy shoes (sneakers, boots)
• Towel or pillow case to sit on for lunch and other sit down activities
• A backpack or tote bag to hold personal items
• No crocs, flip flops or sandals
• No electronics or toys
• It is a camper’s responsibility to keep track of all of their belongings while at camp. To support campers’ success in this area, we encourage families to label all belongings with your camper’s first and last name and send all items in a backpack or tote bag.
Important Reminders
• Camp Hours; Half-Day 8:30-11:30am and All-Day 8:30am-3:30pm.
• Daily Health Screening form must be completed at sign in prior to allowing your camper to enter camp.
• Anyone picking up a camper, even parents, must be listed on the Camper Release form.
• All campers must be picked up and signed out by someone listed on their Camper Release form.
• We must charge a fee of $25 (after a 10-minute grace period) when campers are picked up late. If you know you will be arriving late to pick up a camper, please call the office at 517-782-3453 ext. 0
• Health Records and Camper Release forms must be completed with the Registration form. These records include release information and activity waivers for your camper. Campers may not attend camp until we have all completed forms on file.
Medication at Camp
• Campers are not permitted to carry their own medication at camp.
• All medications required by a camper at camp must be given to the Camp Director at sign in on their first day of camp. Emergency rescue medication (such as inhalers, Benadryl, EpiPen®, etc.) will be carried by camp staff and remain near your camper.
• All prescription medication must be in the original prescription bottle with the camper’s name on the label.
• Please be sure that medication you are providing does not expire before the camper’s last day at camp.
• All remaining medication will be picked up by the camper’s family at sign out on their last day of camp.
Special Programs and Visitors
• Guest Instructors/Presenters: Any guest instructors or special visitors will be pre-screened before coming onsite and will follow camp rules.
Typical Daily Schedule for All-Day Camp (Half-Day camp follows the same morning schedule)
Each camp day follows the same basic schedule, though daily activities vary depending on age group and camp theme. All activities are done with camper’s assigned team and they will not blend with the other teams. Staff and volunteers are also designated for a single team and will not be moving between teams during the week.
8:15-8:30 Camper Sign In
Parents and guardians sign campers in at the grassy area near the parking lot each day. While we are waiting for everyone to arrive, campers will have social time with their peers and sing camp songs.
8:45 Pavilion (home base)
To start off our day, campers will gather to hear the day’s schedule, play some name games, and sing camp songs. On Mondays, all camp teams review the camp rules, the week’s agenda, and talk about camper’s hopes and expectations for the week.
9:15-11:30 Morning Adventures & Activities
We’ll go on hikes, explore, play games, participate in hands-on activities, and enjoy the sunshine. Camper’s bring their own morning snacks and bottle of water.
11:45-1:00 Wash up/Restroom break, Lunch and Free Time
Lunch is held eating picnic style sitting outside with their camp team. To make sure they have enough energy for the day, campers, staff, and volunteers stay seated (on their towel/pillow case) and focused on eating and drinking water for 20-30 minutes. Campers are encouraged to recycle and compost. After lunch, we have free play, with each team at a designated area (yard, natural playscape). Campers may choose to play games, to relax and reflect on the day’s adventures, draw pictures, rest, read, and other quiet activities.
1:00-2:45 Afternoon Adventures & Activities
We’ll go on hikes, explore, play games, participate in hands-on activities, and enjoy the afternoon.
3:00-3:20 Clean-up and Sign Out
Campers return to the pavilion to pack up and clean up the area for the day. After the pavilion is tidy and everyone is ready to go, camp teams will head down to the grassy area near the parking lot and wait for families to arrive.
3:20-3:30 Camper Sign Out
Our camp day ends promptly at 3:30pm. All campers must be picked up and signed out by someone on their Release Form. Campers will remain near their assigned Team area until a staff member calls to collect them. Whoever is picking them up will remain near the sign in/out tables. Unscheduled late pick up (over 10 minutes from end of camp day) will be charged the Late Pick Up fee of $25.
Camper Behavior Policy
Whenever possible, Dahlem summer camps strive to offer campers positive choices, to recognize their feelings, to develop language for talking about behavior, and to teach them through conflict. If a camper’s behavior is disruptive to the program or to the experience of others, the following actions will be taken:
1. Staff observing the behavior will redirect camper’s behavior by offering a positive choice.
2. If a positive choice is not appropriate, or if the behavior persists, staff will identify the problem and discuss it with the camper, letting the camper know that the staff member is there to help. Staff will immediately stop any physical (hitting/kicking) or emotional (name calling or teasing) damage being done before moving to the next step.
3. Staff will help the camper identify possible solutions and help them choose a solution. Camp staff will make every effort to check back in with the camper to see if the solution is working.
4. If the issue still persists, or if a camper needs to decompress, staff will ask the camper to take a break from the team’s activities and then talk with them to process what happened.
5. Staff will notify the onsite Camp Director if any situation escalates to the “take a break” level, or if they need additional support. Camp staff will make every effort to check in with camper’s parents/guardians at pick-up, explain what happened and what action was taken by both camp staff and the camper, and discuss additional solutions and ways to support the camper further.
Dahlem reserves the right to remove a camper from camp for any unsafe or inappropriate behavior including: bullying, violence, sexual harassment, endangering the safety of any camper or staff member, any type of discrimination, destruction of property, theft, verbal abuse, and possession of any type of weapon. No refunds for any camp fees paid will be issued in the event that a camper is asked to leave camp for unsafe or inappropriate behavior.
Team Requests, Session Limit and Waitlist Policy
Teams/groups will be divided by age; youngest, middle, and oldest. If your camper requests to be on the same team as a specific friend or family member (same or very close in age), you must register them for the same camp session and note their name (first and last) on the registration form. Camper requests are just that. For instance; a 5-year old will not be placed in an older Team/group or vice versa. Campers are allowed to register for all summer camp sessions designated for their age.
Due to the high-volume of camp transactions, sessions will fill fast and then taken off the online Registration form. Please call the office to be put on the Waitlist. When a camp session is full, you may call the office to be added to the waitlist for the camp. In the event there is an opening, we will contact individuals on the waitlist in order from first added to last. Waitlisted individuals have a day to respond before the next inline is offered the open position. Once the spot is filled, the waitlist will continue until another opening becomes available. Questions regarding waitlist opportunities should be directed to the Dahlem Office at 517-782-3453 ext. 0.
Cancellation and Refund Information
All summer camp registrations must be paid in full upon registration. Any cancellation made up to 8 days prior to the start date of a camp program will receive a full refund minus the $35 cancellation fee per session. Any cancellation made within 7 days of the start date of a camp program will not be eligible for a refund.
All cancellation requests must be submitted through email in writing to the Office Manager Denise Bigham at dbigham@dahlemcenter.org and Camp Director Carrie Benham at cbenham@dahlemcenter.org. Refunds will be issued and may take up to 2 weeks for processing.
If a participant fails to attend a registered session without notice, no refund will be issued. In cases of homesickness, dismissal or voluntary withdrawal, there will be no refund of any fees. We reserve the right to grant exceptions in situations as needed. If you choose to switch your registration to a different date, please note that this is only possible if openings exist. This must occur 15 days prior to the first day of your event.
Please contact the office if you have additional questions or concerns. Thank you for giving your child(ren) a wonderful summer day camp experience at Dahlem! We look forward to meeting you all.
Thank you kindly,
Dahlem, Jackson’s Nature Place
7117 South Jackson Road, Jackson, MI 49201
Ph. 517-782-3453 Fax. 517-782-3441
DahlemCenter.org