Arrival & Departure
Overnight drop off is 4:00pm on the first day. On the last day, parents/guardians are invited to a slideshow that begins at 4:45pm, followed by sign out and departure at 5:15pm.
Daily Day Camp drop off is 8:30am and pick up is 4:00, unless Extended Care is purchased.
Please note, pick up and drop off will only be allowed during designated pick up and drop off times. Our staff is busy running an exciting, engaging, and safe camp program, and cannot always be available to sign campers in and out. Additionally, campers may be off site or engaged in specific activities such as swimming in the pool. It is crucial that we maintain the safety of our campers and our site.
- Sign in with the directors.
- Give any medications to the camp healthcare staff.
- Choose a family password that will be used on departure day.
- Submit any outstanding forms and payments. Please note, campers will not be allowed to attend until all paperwork is complete and all fees are paid.
- Campers are checked for head lice and bed bugs.
- Campers meet their leaders and are oriented to their cabin or tent.
We offer early pick up at 12:30pm, during lunch time. Please note, pick up and drop off will only be allowed during designated pick up and drop off times. Our staff is busy running an exciting, engaging, and safe camp program, and cannot always be available to sign campers in and out. Additionally, campers may be off site or engaged in specific activities such as swimming in the pool. It is also crucial that we maintain the safety of our campers and our site. If an emergency situation arises where your camper must be picked up outside of this window, please contact the camp director to make special arrangements.
Communication
No. Part of the magic of summer camp is having the opportunity to learn and grow in a new space, apart from a child’s everyday experience. Additionally, for the safety of all campers, we do not allow visitors who are not volunteers to be on site while camp is in session.
Absolutely! Letters are a great way to maintain a connection with your camper while they are away, and to encourage campers who might be homesick their first time away. If you wish to send letters, we recommend writing them all before camp and giving them to your camper’s counsellor. The counsellor can then deliver them at different times in the week.
No. We don’t have the administrative system to handle ongoing emails between campers and parents/guardians. In case of extended homesickness, Camp Directors may decide to facilitate some communication between campers and their families, on a case by case basis.
Food & Water
Yes. Day Camp caregivers send a campers with a bagged, nut-free lunch. Cave Springs provides a morning and afternoon snack for Day Campers.
Starting this year, 2025, Cave Springs will provide a pizza lunch for day camp on Thursdays. Campers do not need to bring their own lunch on this day, unless they do not want pizza.
No. Our kitchen team provides all Overnight meals and snacks. Campers are not permitted to have any food, treats, or drinks besides water in their cabin. Tuck money is included in the registration fee, so extra money is not needed for tuck.
All water in our taps at Cave Springs is drinkable because it is filtered and tested every day.
Yes! Please do! It’s important that each camper drink lots of water throughout the day. If a child loses their water bottles, we can replace it for them.
Yes, during online registration there is an opportunity to tell us about any diet restrictions and instructions. You may also reach out to us directly if you unique needs. Some parents choose to send their camper with specific food that they know is safe for them. In this case, please reach out to us in advance. The kitchen will take care of all food preparation and storage for those with dietary needs.
Inclusion
Yes! Absolutely! Cave Springs is open to people from every creed, race, ethnicity, sex, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Cave Springs does our best to actively identify and removes barriers that prevent people from accessing and participating in our camp experience.
Absolutely! Cave Springs Camp is an inclusive camp open to people of all cultural and religious backgrounds! There are certain aspects during the day that involve the Christian faith. These include saying grace before meals, singing religious songs and spending about 45 minutes a day in our session which features a fun universal faith teaching. We also spend lots of time with typical camp activities like swimming, canoeing, archery, crafts and more!
Inclusion is something we highly value at Cave Springs. At this time, Cave Spring is not able to provide staffing for 1:1 support. If 1:1 support can be arranged through a third party, we welcome the partnership and will work together for a successful integration experience.
Packing
No. Camp is a special time to be free from electronics. Please leave all electronics at home.
Yes, please leave the following at home:
- Candy
- Food
- Knives
- Money
- Any medications that have not been signed in to the Healthcare Coordinator
- Cell Phones and other similar electronic devices.
Yes. The packing list is attached with your registration confirmation email.
Registration
Day campers must be at least 5 years old at the time of their desired session.
Camper age is determined by the camper age on December 31, 2023. If your camper is not age elibible for a session, the session won’t be available for your online cart. To request an exception, email: registration@cavespringscamp.on.ca.
Before June 15, there is a $25 cancellation fee and after June 15th there is a $75 cancellation fee. Cancellations made four or fewer days before camp are not subject to a refund unless compelling evidence is provided to the director.
Supervision
We follow the standards of the Ontario Camps Association which require a ratio of 1 counsellor to 8 campers. The ratios of all our staff to campers is around 1:4.
Yes, 2 or more trained counsellors sleep in each cabin.
