*** UPDATE ***
As of March 10th, camp is 97% full. Most remaining openings are at Lower Chester, so be sure to scroll through all three locations as you are registering. There are openings for the weeks of June 9, June 16, June 30, July 14, July 21, and August 4th. We do have a wait list for each week at each site, so please be sure to sign up for that wait list if a week of camp that you want is full. If a spot becomes available we will contact you, and you can choose to accept or decline the spot at that time. You are only charged if you accept the open week.
*** END UPDATE ***
Registration is now open and we are excited for another summer of camp, where our promise to parents is to return your child at the end of the day “tired, happy, and dirty”!
Chester Bowl Camps are based on a philosophy of nature play, positive social interaction with peers, teen mentors, and adult staff, and immersion in nature. We see campers thrive in an environment where they are given age-appropriate amounts of choice, responsibility, and risk. A typical day may include unstructured play time on the playground, group games and activities with both the full group and smaller groups, arts and crafts, hiking through Chester on the way to a local field trip, fort building, making boats from natural materials, playing in the creek, smiling, laughing, making new friends, and asking “do I really need to go home now?” at the end of the day.
Camp is Monday through Thursday, June 9 through August 14, and campers are signed up by the week. Campers can be dropped off starting at 8am and must be picked up before 5pm each day. There are no early drop-off or late pick-up options at Chester Bowl. Parents are required to adhere to the camp drop-off & pick-up times and there will be no exceptions made to the times listed above.
Campers must be between 6 years old (or have completed kindergarten) and 12 years old at the start of camp in order to attend. We have found that campers that can hike at least 2 miles are successful at camp.
Camp is offered at three unique locations in Chester Bowl Park. While each site has different amenities, the programming is very similar at each location.
Lower Chester- located at 1417 E. 5th Street, Lower Chester Park is an awesome resource for our camp. Aside from awesome hiking trails, a great swimming hole, and being a short hike away from Upper Chester, Lower Chester has a paved hockey rink perfect for skateboarding, biking, and scootering. Campers can come with their helmets and wheeled devices to take advantage of the rink.
Middle Chester- The chalet at the base of the ski hill is home to our Middle Chester location. Close the playground and central to the trails in the park, Middle Chester is an awesome place to spend summer!
Upper Chester- Located just past the chalet, Upper Chester is located at the end of the road in the park. Upper Chester has a perfectly paved space where campers can do chalk art, and play games. This location is close to the creek and has access to some of the finest fort building locations in the park.
Parent Handbook: Parents are required to read through our parent handbook before sending their kiddos to camp. This not only will inform families about camp but will ensure that campers and parents are aware of our expectations for behavior. To view the parent handbook follow this link!
REGISTRATION TIMELINE & AVAILABILITY
Click here to register for camp!
Registration opened for returning families on Tuesday, March 4 and is now open for new families! Registration is managed by Regpack and we have put together a registration guide which to assist families. Follow this link to view the guide.
Two other important things to note: as of 3/7, camp is getting very full. Most openings are at Lower Chester, so be sure to scroll through all three sites! If a week is entirely full at all three sites, you can sign up for the waitlist, and we will notify you if a spot opens up that you can choose to accept or decline.
Finally, please note that the Payment Protection Plan is optional but defaulted ON. This money does not go to Chester, and are not able to choose to not have it there, so please be sure to decline if you do not want to pay it.
COSTS, REFUNDS, & SCHOLARSHIPS
Costs: Each week of camp costs $180 per camper and there is one-time $75 family registration fee.
Payments: Parents can choose to pay in full or enroll in a payment plan which will split your total cost into thirds. The first charge will happen they day you register, the second, April 1, the third May 1. All summer camp fees are due May 1 and campers with unpaid balances will be removed from registration. Parents can pay with e-checks, credit, or debit cards.
NOTE: There have been some hiccups with debit cards and the way the bank processes these charges. A second “pending” charge has appeared with some accounts which ties that money up but then goes away after a day or two. To avoid this we recommend paying with credit card or e-check.
Refunds: Tuition is based on registration, not attendance, and camp must be paid in full by May 1, 2025. You can cancel weeks and receive a partial refund (there is a $20 fee applied for each week of camp being canceled) up until May 1, 2025. After that date, if you cancel you will not be eligible for refunds.
Scholarships: The deadline to apply for a scholarship has passed and all available funding has been awarded.
This summer we were able to award over $32,000 in scholarships! Scholarship funding was raised through Fall Fest gate donations, an annual silent auction and raffle, the November Warren Miller film screening, donations from individuals and businesses, and through a generous grant of $12,500 from Essentia Health Community Contributions.
SUMMER CADET PROGRAM
We will be offering the Summer Cadet Program, a teen volunteer opportunity, again this summer for those that have completed 7th grade up through those who are 15 years old. We also have a new Year-Round Cadet program where teens who are headed into 7th grade next fall can spend the year learning leadership skills, job readiness skills, and become leaders in their community. Find out all of the details here: https://www.chesterbowl.org/uncategorized/the-new-year-round-cadet-program/
QUESTIONS
Getting registered for camp can be challenging especially for new families. If you have questions about camp, registration, or anything else please email sam@chesterbowl.org.
