Download your 2013 Registration Form Here.
Download the Electronic Funds Transfer Form here
Download the Highlands and Santa Fe Trail Packet Here
Download the Kansas Packet Here
Download the Missouri Packet Here
Download Scholarship Application Forms Here
What items do I need to bring to camp?
In addition to your child's Emergency Information Packet and a lunch, we ask that you send a tub or crate that your child can keep his belongings in during the day. Please also send sunscreen and insect repellant. Your camp director may also ask you to bring additional items. Always send your child to camp with a water bottle - everyday.
How should my child dress for camp?
Please dress your child appropriately for the weather. Keep in mind that the children will be active and may get dirty. Please dress your child in clothes that are okay to play in and that you don’t mind if they get dirty. Children must wear close-toed shoes to camp. Remember to send swimwear and a towel to camp on the day your child's camp goes swimming. Your child must wear their camp shirt on days the camp goes on fieldtrips.
How many camp shirts will my child get?
Your child will receive one shirt on the first day of camp. Write your child's name somewhere on the shirt. The shirt must be worn on days your camp goes on fieldtrips.
How do I register my child for camp?
You will need to complete the 2012 Summer Day Camp registration form that is appropriate for your camp location or school district.
When do I need to register my child? Is there a registration deadline?
Our camps are very competitive to get into, and many of our camps fill up early. While we do not have a registration deadline, we do encourage families to register as soon as they make the decision to use our camps.
Do I have to register my child for the whole summer?
You register for camp by the week, and you only pay for those registered weeks.
Can I register my child at different camps for different weeks?
Absolutely. Many families like to have their children attend the same camp all summer, while others prefer to have their children attend different camps different weeks. While this can be a fun way to have campers experience a variety of camps, our experience shows that once a child starts at a camp, they prefer to stay at that camp. Of course, no one knows your child better than you, so please try to find the best match for your child's camp(s).
Can I register my child for half-day or part-time camp?
The YMCA does not offer a half-day or part-time schedule.
Can I change the camp my child attends or the weeks my child attends camp?
In many circumstances, we can accommodate those changes. Requests must be made in writing at least two weeks in advance. As long as there is space in the camp or a week that you would like to change to or add, we can accommodate that change. Keep in mind that deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable.
Can I cancel a week of camp?
You may cancel a week of camp by providing a written two-week notice. You will forfeit your deposit for that week, but by providing a two-week written notice, you will not be held responsible for the remainder of the tuition. We have been holding that spot especially for your child, and have potentially turned other children away. You will be held responsible for the tuition for that week if you fail to give a two-week written notice.
How much does camp cost, and what fees are associated with camp?
There are two components to the cost of camp: weekly deposits and tuition. There is no registration fee.
Deposits are paid at the time you register. The deposit is $10 per child per week. The deposit holds your child's spot at camp. It is a tuition deposit, so it is applied directly to your tuition each week at camp. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable. Tuition is the cost of camp. Please see the information on your district's page for the appropriate tuition.
Does the YMCA have scholarships available for camp?
Yes. The YMCA is one of the oldest, largest, and most trusted charitable non-profits in the world. Our YMCA of Greater Kansas City has not only survived the Civil War and the Great Depression, but has adapted to meet the needs of its current participants and members in many ways. Scholarships provide a 25% to 50% discount to your tuition. You can find scholarship applications in the forms section.
I already have a scholarship; do I need to reapply for Summer Camp?
If you have a current scholarship, then you do not need to reapply for a scholarship for summer camp.
Does the YMCA take state childcare subsidy payments from SRS in Kansas or DFS in Missouri?
Yes. We will need a copy of your eligibility notice. Please contact your case manager for more information.
Are YMCA Camps licensed?
Yes. All of our School Age and Early Learning programs, including camps, are in full licensing compliance of the laws and regulations of either the Kansas Department of Health and Environment or the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
What ratio do you have during camp?
State laws require we keep a 1:15 staff to camper ratio. We do even better than that. At camp, we strive for a 1:12 ratio, and we do even better than that on field trips. When we go swimming, our ratio is at least 1:8, usually even stronger.
What about safety?
Safety is very important to us. All of our staff are trained in CPR, First Aid, recognition of illnesses, signs and symptoms of abuse and risk management. We have an extensive risk management program and have recently achieved an accreditation from our risk management group, Praesidium.
How does the YMCA address safety on field trips?
When we are on field trips, we take all of our children's files with us.
We frequently take attendance and use a method called "name-to-face" checks - that means that when we take attendance, we aren't just calling names and listening for the child to say "here." We want to see who is saying it. We do this every time we take attendance, and as the children get on the bus.
When we are on swimming field trips, we expect our staff to be in the water interacting with the children - but not all at once. Some staff will be in the water, while others will be equally spaced around the side of the pool monitoring the children. You will not see our staff lounging or sunbathing at the pool. We help the children apply sunblock before we leave for the pool and about every hour while we are at the pool.
We always check restrooms before a child goes into a restroom in a public place. We want to know exactly who is in the restroom before they go in. We monitor who goes in and out of the restroom while our campers are in there. Children never go anywhere unattended. Hyrdation is another major component of health safety. We encourage multiple water breaks that greatly benefit our campers. You should send your child to camp with plenty of water.
How many field trips will my child go on?
Typically, our camps go on two field trips per week including one to the pool. Your camp director will have that information available for you. Also, you can check the Parent Tool Kit for schedules and lesson plans for your camp.
What forms are required for summer camp?
After the registration form is completed, you will also need to complete the appropriate Emergency Information Packet. The packet contains a set of documents that the health departments require we keep on file for each child. You will take these documents to camp on the first day your child attends that camp. If your child attends more than one camp, you will need to take a copy each time your child starts a new camp. You can find the Emergency Information Packets in the Forms section. We will also email it to you as part of your confirmation email. If your camp is in Kansas, use the Kansas packet, unless your child goes to Santa Fe Trail. Then use the Pre-School Santa Fe Trail Packet. If your camp is in Missouri, use the Missouri Packet. Do not send these packets back to the YMCA office. They need to be at the camp with your child. It is the parent's responsibility to take a copy of the Packet each time their child goes to a new camp.