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Typical Camp Day Schedule

The camp day is broken up into different periods.  The schedule below is an example of what a camp day can look like, however it may vary depending on your campers Unit. 

8:45am-9:00am       Parent/Bus Drop-Off

                               Campers are dropped off at camp are are led to their appropriate Unit 

9:00am-9:30am       Morning Announcements/Attendance

                               Kick-off to the day; includes daily announcements 

9:30am-10:30am     Swimming Period

                               Swim instruction and games to get campers in the water and having fun

10:30am-11:30am   Unit Period

                                Large group activity with an entire Unit (60-120) campers

11:30am-12:00pm   Lunch

                                A chance to take a break and talk to the counselor and other campers

12:00pm-1:00pm     Rotating Period

                                Different traditional camp activity each day (arts and crafts, archery, tower, etc) 

1:00pm-1:30pm       LOGS

                               "Lots of Great Stuff!"; the entire camp gets together for an assembly loaded with songs and skits relating to the session theme

1:30pm-2:30pm       Rotating Period

                                Different traditional camp activity each day, Free Activity Period for West Coast campers

2:30pm-3:00pm       End of Day Meeting and Dismissal

                               Announcements and reminders for the next day, then campers are led to their dismissal locations (bus riders, personal pick up, or after care)

 

 

HOW TO REGISTER FOR DAY CAMP

Online Registration Instructions

What should my child wear/bring to camp each day?

All campers must have a few items with them each day:

  • a lunch with a drink
  • a refillable water bottle
  • closed toe shoes
  • a bathing suit with towel
  • a backpack

Some items that should not be brought to camp include: cell phones, iPods, trading cards, camping knives, matches/lighter. 

What are the camper to counselor ratios for each unit?

Our camper to counselor ratio varies per Unit.  

  • Wanderers (Pre-K) is 5:1
  • Sloperians and Navigators (K & 1) is 8:1
  • All other Traditional Camps (Explorers, Pioneers, Rangers, Trailblazers), and Specialty Camps (i.e. Sports Camp, Rock Climbing, Art Camp, etc) can be up to 12:1. 
What qualifications does the staff at camp have?

The Camp Director, Coast Directors, and Unit Directors are all CPR, First Aid, and Epi-Pen Administration Certified.  They all have been working at YMCA Camp Sloper for a minimum of 3 years and most of them are year-round employees of our YMCA's.  

Senior Counselors, the head counselor for a group of campers, are all entering their senior year of high school or higher and go through our camp's hiring process and 30 hours of staff training prior to working at YMCA Camp Sloper. 

Junior Counselors, group assistants, are all entering their Junior year of high school and also have gone through our camp's hiring process and 30 hours of staff training prior to working at YMCA Camp Sloper.  

The hiring process includes a background check, verifying certifications, a group and one-on-one interview, reference checks and specific skills verification. 

What is before care and after care, and what will my child do while there?

Before care (6:30am-9:00am) and after care (3:00pm-5:30pm) are options for parents that need to drop-off their camper earlier than when camp begins or pick-up their camper later than when camp ends. We like to think of it as an extension of our day camp program, where they participate in various camp activities.  You can choose before care and/or after care during the registration process. 

How do I make a special request to have my child in another child's group?

We ask that all special group requests are made as far in advance as possible.  There is a space during registration where special requests can be made.  We will do our best to accommodate all special requests, however it is not a guarantee.  

My child can only attend one week of a two week session. Can I register online for that?

That is called a "Split Session".  If you choose to do a split session, it MUST be a Traditional Camp.  You will be charged half of the session fee, plus a $30 split session fee will be applied.  You can still register online by registering for the full session then contacting the camp office to make a change to the session for the week that you would like your child to attend. 

Does YMCA Camp Sloper have a First Aid station?

Yes, we do! We have a Registered Nurse onsite from 8:30am-3:30pm everyday during the day camp season that has an indoor station inside of our Main Office.

In addition to having a Registered Nurse onsite at all times, our Leadership team as well as many of our counselors are First Aid & CPR certified. 

We have the ability to store necessary medications and our RN is responsible for the administration of all medications. *If your camper has medication for allergies, dietary needs, physical needs, or any other needs, it must be documented with our RN by having your campers doctor fill out an Authorization of Medication Form, which can be found in the Camper Forms and Documents page.

 

YMCA CAMP SLOPER 'LINGO'

Amphitheater - n. the large stadium seating area with a stage where we do large camp gatherings; L.O.G.S. is held at the amphitheater every day; the amphitheater is located just past Denorfia Pavilion, down towards Sloper Pond.

Character Values - n. caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, & fun. The basis of the YMCA Mission and values we instill in our campers and staff through our day camp programs.

Check - n. what we periodically do throughout the day to ensure that all campers are accounted for.

Corcl - n. an orange saucer-shaped, one or two person boat

Crystal Mine - n. an all natural rock formation in the ground that produces quartz crystals, located just past the Library on the orange trail. We do not stock Crystal Mine, beyond popular belief.

Dupa - n. a person's backside, normally referenced in the song "Singing in the Rain"

East Coast - n. the side of camp dedicated to campers in our K-5th grade programs; the main office, superslide, playscape, and Amphitheater are a few landmarks on the East Coast

Funyak - n. a small, open-faced version of a kayak, perfect for ages 7-12

Gladiator Dodgeball - n. commonly known as 'gaga' around the world, it is played in an eight-walled octagon pit; the object of the game is to hit a dodgeball with your hands into your opponents legs, while not letting it hit yourself, last on in the pit wins

Liquid Sunshine - n. a camp phenomenon that a camper might mistake as rain or downpour

L.O.G.S. - n. Lots of Great Stuff; our daily camp-wide assembly that is filled with skits, songs, and activities based on our session themes; this is held at the Amphitheater

Mama Cass - n. our camp's official mascot, a seldom seen friendly giant turtle that lives in the middle of the pond; Mama Cass is a legendary staple at Sloper

National Popsicle Day - n. a camp tradition that takes place every Friday throughout the summer when all campers and staff get to enjoy a popsicle!

the Red Barn - n. home of our Wanderer's program, our youngest campers; the oldest building at camp that houses the Maintenance team

Shake'n'Bake - n. a popular swimming activity where campers and counselors run out of the water, roll themselves in sand and run back into the water to clean off the sand

Sloper Store - n. our camp's trading post, which has custom Sloper items, snacks, and drinks. The Slope store is open during day camp hours in the summer.

Sloperians - n. this is the name of our Kindergarten only Unit, the first traditional camp for full day campers.

Units - n. a grouping of campers in a specific grade range; Explorers (2nd-3rd) and Rangers (6th-7th) are just two examples. There are 10 different Units at camp.

West Coast - n. the side of camp dedicated to campers in 6th-10th grade; home to the Jacob Family Pavilion, High Ropes Course, Sloper Stadium, West Coast Waterfront and more.