Schedule
Drop-off: Please arrive between 8:50 AM and 9:00 AM for sign-in. Monday and Tuesday will take a bit longer as everyone learns the ropes of the sign-in process. We intend to have all campers signed in by 9:15 – 9:30 AM.
Pick-up: Please arrive to pick up and sign out at 3:00 PM.
Sign-In and Sign-Out
Campers must be signed in every morning and signed out every afternoon by an adult authorized by the parent. We will check identification at pickup until we recognize faces, and this ID must match the name of an authorized adult. Please make a note at sign in if your child is going home with someone else not previously listed as authorized. Sign in each morning will be at the camp director’s table. Sign out each afternoon will be with your child’s instructor.
No Early Arrival or Late Pickup
Although our staff are on site before and after sign in and after sign out, this time is used for program planning and debrief and it is critical to providing a great camp experience. We know that this is challenging for working parents and appreciate your understanding that we are not able to accommodate early or late arrivals.
What Your Child Should Wear
Summer Days in the Pacific Northwest can have a wide range of weather. They can be ideal, 75 degrees and sunny, damp and cool with a need for layers, or more occasionally, blistering hot (over 90 degrees). Please dress accordingly.
Here are some tips of what to wear:
- Comfortable clothes that can get very dirty and are appropriate for the weather. If it is cold or raining, please avoid cotton clothing. Cotton is great for beautiful sunny summer days. Fleece, wool and synthetic fibers stay warm when wet.
- Sturdy closed toe shoes that can get wet and dirty
- Raingear or poncho if significant rain is in the forecast
What to Pack in your Child’s Backpack
Please send the following items in a small backpack with two shoulder straps. They will need to carry their pack throughout the day.
- Lunch (We do not allow sharing of food due to allergy risks.)
- Mid-morning snack
- Full water bottle or hydration pack (16 oz minimum, larger kids may need 32 oz)
- Sun protection or Sunblock – apply before camp
- Bug repellant if desired (herb-based, as opposed to DEET-based, is encouraged)
- An extra layer or rain gear for cold, damp weather. Synthetic or wool is better than cotton.
- Bandana (for games)
- Small personal bottle of hand sanitizer
- For hot days (over 80 degrees F): Extra water bottle (full of ice if possible)
- Campers at parks with waterfronts, such as Seward and St. Edward, may wish to pack water shoes that can get wet and muddy.
What NOT to Pack:
- Electronic devices, games, and screen based gadgets (Mobile phones may be carried turned off inside a ziploc bag inside the pack, but are not to be used during camp.)
- Knives. We do not teach knife safety or use knives at this camp. Do not send your child to this camp with a knife, even to “leave in their backpack.”
- Excess extra clothes – an extra layer / rain gear is fine if necessary but please do not pack a change of clothes for after camp in their backpack. This is adds extra weight and bulk that tires kids out. Keep these (or a blanket or towel for your muddy child to sit on) in your car.
- Extra weight. We will be hiking each day, and heavy backpacks become a challenge for all. Bring only what you need.
What to Expect at Camp
Monday Morning:
Please arrive between 8:50 and 9:00 to sign your child in. The camp director of your child’s camp will greet you at the sign-in table. Monday and Tuesday will take a bit longer as staff and parents learn the ropes. We intend to have all campers signed in by 9:15 – 9:30 AM. Please keep your child with you until after sign in. At that point your child will be invited to join their group or participate in a large group game. This is a good time to check in with the camp director if you have any questions or concerns. The camp director can pass along any important information to your child’s instructor once the initial arrival phase has passed.
Daily Schedule:
Each morning there will be an active game that campers can join as they arrive. This is followed by one of the staff sharing a story that introduces a general theme or focus for the day. After the story, campers head out to explore the park. They return to the basecamp location approximately 30-45 minutes prior to pickup, where they will debrief the day.
Closing Circles:
On Fridays, parents are welcome to join campers at 2:30pm. Celebrate the end of camp by listening to the adventures of the week! These are optional for parents and those who cannot attend can still pick up their camper at 3pm.
Groupings:
At camp, students are placed into small groups called “clans.” If you requested that your child be placed with a friend at registration, we do our best to honor that request and sometimes we are not able to meet every request. Requests for students of significantly different ages to be grouped together will not be accommodated.
Coyote Mentoring and Nature Connection:
We call our natural flow style of teaching “Coyote Mentoring.” Our goal is not only to teach kids about nature but more importantly to help them develop deeper connection to nature, their friends, and themselves while having wild fun outside. You can learn more on the about us and about Summer Camps sections of our website or by checking out our book Coyote’s Guide to Connecting to Nature.
For our Health policies and guidelines, click here.
If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to seeing you this summer!
With Gratitude,
| Dan Corcoran – Program Director | Nicole O’Byrne – Summer Program Manager |