Good Morning!
The Camp Day begins each morning at 9:00 AM and ends at 4:00 PM. Your child may arrive anytime after 8:45 AM and must be picked up before 4:15 PM. We encourage your camper to arrive between 8:45-8:50 AM to get to the daily team meeting before the morning rally. If you arrive before 8:45 AM, your child will be taken to the third floor for the early show. If you happen to arrive at 9:15 AM or later, no worries! We will make sure a staff member gets your child to where their team is!
Please enter camp at Door 11 under the covered entrance at the back of the building. Never leave your car unattended under the covered entrance - rather, park in a marked parking spot.
When you arrive, check your child in with their team's Head Counselor, who will be gathered with the rest of the team around a flag of the team’s color (be sure to keep in mind what team your child is on when you arrive). Your child will be given a name badge when they arrive and will be escorted by a counselor to their team room!
After the first day of camp, a camper on the blue, orange, red, or yellow team may sign in without parental assistance. You can drop off your child to go in to sign in independently. Parents (or another adult authorized by the parent) must, however, sign out their campers each afternoon.
At the Front Desk...
Schedule
Each day at camp is different (activities come in a different order from day to day), but there’s a general daily rhythm we usually stick to. Here is a typical day at camp:
Each day every team has a “Snack Time” during which campers may buy snacks or eat snacks brought from home as well as have free time with their teams to participate in various activities. There is also one “Act” devoted to lunch. There's usually a kid-friendly Bible study, either during the Morning Rally or in a separate Act. Campers usually visit the Craft Shop each day, go to the gym for competition or special events, and head outside for the waterslide or one of other numerous activities. Campers go to the "Spark Lab" most days to enjoy the high-tech and brainy activities they'll find there. Plus, each camp has specific activities planned just for that week of camp.
Afternoon Pick-Up
When camp concludes at 4:00 PM, the campers will all return to the main lobby with their counselors. They will gather by the team flag where they check-in in the morning, so you'll want to meet them there. Please check your camper out with their Head Counselor (be sure you've added "Trusted Contacts" to your child's profile!) and be sure your camper receives an exit pass. As you head out the doors, your camper will drop their exit pass in the jars held by our bouncers, and you're on your way!
The Filling Station
The Filling Station Snack Shop offers beverages, fruit, yogurt, ice cream, candy, and various healthy snacks. The snack shop also sells the traditional candy and other things you may want to limit. Parents are encouraged to deposit funds in their campers' Filling Station account so kids can buy items without carrying cash. When you make a deposit in your child's account, you have the option to put limitations on what they can or cannot buy or how much they can spend. If you ever want to amend your instructions, let us know at the Front Desk or send us an email! Items may be purchased at the daily snack time or at lunch, and from time to time outside at the water slide.
Campers bring their own lunch, but we always try to keep microwavable lunch items on hand for campers who forget. Please do not depend on this as a daily option, as our supplies are limited.
To honor parents’ wishes, we will not sell snacks or beverages to any camper who does not have an adequate balance in the account. This prevents campers from buying without parental permission. You may also let us know what food or drink items are off-limits for your child in advance. Please explain to your camper that you have deposited funds in the account and what the funds are (and are not) to be used for. To make purchases, campers make their selections at the counter and present their name badge for their account to be debited.
Early & Late Show
What are the hours for camp? A day at Camp Kids Place is from 9:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Campers may arrive as early as 8:45 AM and stay as late as 4:15 PM without additional charge. In fact, we encourage campers to arrive by 8:50 AM to get to their team meetings and begin their day at camp.
Suppose my child needs to arrive even earlier or stay later? We’ve got you covered! Campers who arrive between 7:15 AM and 8:45 AM are a part of the “Early Show.” Campers who are at camp after 4:15 PM and are picked up no later than 5:45 PM become a part of the “Late Show.”
Do I need to tell you when my child will arrive early or stay late? No! Campers may come to the Early Show or stay for the Late Show any day for which they are registered as a camper.
How do I pay for the Early or Late Show? To participate in either the Early Show or the Late Show campers must present an Early/Late Show Ticket. These should be purchased in advance for $5 each, filled out before you arrive and turned in at the Front Desk when you arrive at camp. So in addition to the regular weekly Camp Tuition, you will need an Early/Late Show Ticket any day your camper arrives early or stays late, or two tickets if they do both. Just turn them in when your camper arrives. If at the last minute you need your child to be in the Late Show (for instance, if you're running late), just give us a ticket when you pick up your camper. If you have tickets leftover from last year, they are still valid and you may use those.
Oops! What happens if I’m running late and unexpectedly can’t pick up my child by 4:15 PM?
We understand unexpected things come up. We’re here to help! If a parent had not planned on the camper staying for the Late Show but is running late picking up the camper, we will automatically put the camper in the Late Show. The parent may present a ticket when arriving to pick up the camper or pay $5 for arriving after 4:15 PM. (4:00-4:15 PM is an automatic free grace period). We suggest you give us a call at the number printed on the ticket if you are unexpectedly late so we can notify your camper that you will arrive later. Kids worry about things like that.
How do I get Early/Late Show tickets? These tickets are available for purchase any time at the Front Desk!
Suppose I show up for the Early Show or pick up from the Late Show without a ticket?
No problem. You can simply pay when you arrive.
Traffic was awful today! Suppose I arrive after 5:45 PM? Oops! There is a penalty for picking up your child after 5:45 PM. You will be charged an extra $5 if you pick up your camper after 5:45 PM, whatever the reason. After six o’clock, you will be charged a dollar per minute. Why? Our staff is tired, too, and they need to get home. We pay them extra if you are late. They deserve it.
Can I get a refund for tickets we don’t use? Oops! No, but they can be transferred to other campers or saved for next year.
That’s all nice but I still have a question. What do I do? No problem. Give us a call at (703) 243-1506 and we’ll do our best to answer it for you.