Summer Day Camp

How to know when you and your child are ready for camp

• Fully toilet trained
• Comfortable with your child spending most of the day outside
• When your child can follow simple instructions and can follow verbal cues for safety such as drinking water, applying sunscreen and wearing a hat, stop with the group before crossing the street
• Comfortable with your child walking around the neighbourhood, to parks, splashpad and the beach 
• Comfortable with your child swimming in a public pool and at the beach – swim is a key component of the camp experience
• Comfortable with your child going on bus trips and participating in special events which may include community organizations

Camper Behaviour

• Respect participants and staff, and care for the building, equipment and materials provided
• Follow staff direction and instructions and be open to trying new things and participating
• Use appropriate language and be kind to others (no bullying behaviour)
• Always remain with your assigned group and staff
• Hands Off – no touching other participants or their belongings
• Have fun!

If your child has behavioural concerns, please fill out the Inclusion and Support Services All About Me Package.

 Inclusion Program

The Inclusion Program section has some changes coming, please check back soon.

The Municipality of Port Hope provides accessible and inclusive opportunities and is committed to ensuring all campers have a successful camp experience. There are times when a child requires more support than our camp ratios provide and knowing this information before the start of camp is imperative to a successful camp experience. Different types of additional support can be requested for participants who benefit from it to be successful in a typical camp experience.

Requests are processed in the order they are received and based on the availability of inclusion staff. If support is not available for the week you are requesting, families may provide their own support staff to assist. Please reach out to Inclusion Services in advance to discuss external support. 

All families requesting inclusion support are required to complete an Inclusion and Support Services All About Me form a minimum of two weeks prior to camp week you are requesting to attend. The Coordinator, Recreation and Culture or Inclusion Team Lead will confirm if the request for inclusion support has been fulfilled.

Additional Support is required if:

• Extra support is required at school, or they have an individual education plan, safety plan or wellness plan with their educational institution
• A disability exists that could affect the safety of the participant or other participants
• Extra support is required at home for basic care
• The participant is associated with a support agency and/or program
• There are behaviours to be managed ie. biting, scratching, pinching etc.

Additional support that may not be able to be managed at camp are:

• Hands on other campers or staff that pose a risk of harm
• Elopement that puts the participant or staff at risk ie. running into traffic
• Safety issues off site or refusal to transition with the group off site
• G-tubes/feeding assistance
• Assistance required with toileting or changing

Please consider the participants needs, and that day camp may not be suitable for all individuals. Our goal is to make camp enjoyable and safe for everyone! Harassment, bullying, eloping and aggressive behaviours will be reported, documented and staff will discuss with the caregiver what the next steps may be.

Serious or persistent challenging behaviours may require immediate attention and may result in dismissal from camp. Parents/guardians are expected to make arrangements for their child to be picked up from camp within 30 minutes of receiving a phone call.

For additional information about our inclusion program please email Inclusion Services.

Inclusion and Support Services All About Me Form

Medications

1. Parents must indicate at registration the type of medication, dosage and optimum time to dispense
2. Only send the correct dose for each day.
3. All medications must be in its prescription bottle with the child’s name and dosage.
4. Staff are not permitted to administer medications, the child must be able to self administer with cuing from staff. Non-prescription drugs are not permitted at camp. 

Please fill out the required medication form before camp.

Medication form

Swimming Safety

Safety is always our top priority!

• All children under the age of 6 are required to wear a Personal Floatation Device at the pool and beach  – no exceptions (PFD’s are provided but you may also provide your own). Campers will be required to stay within arms reach with a ratio of 4:1.
• All Children under the age of 6 are required to stay in the tot pool at all times.
• Children 6 to 9 years of age who are unable to pass the facility swimming test will be required to say in the tot pool with a ratio of 4:1, if this ratio is not able to be maintained then a PFD must be worn with a ratio of 8:1
• Children 10 years and over who can pass the facility swimming test can swim independently in either pool or at the beach within the buoy system – normal camp ratio’s will apply of 10:1.
• Qualified lifeguards are on duty at all times during camp swim and a lifeguard comes with camp to the beach.
• Camp staff set up a buoy system at the beach to ensure safe boundaries in the the water and camp staff are in the water to monitor and ensure campers are safe at all times.
• Increased staff ratios’ are in place at the pool and beach.
• At the beach children do not have to swim if they don’t want to – they can play in the sand, and beach activities are organized and supervised.
• The whole camp does not swim at the beach at the same time – campers are broken into smaller groups and a maximum of 20 campers are in the water at one time.
• If you are more comfortable with your child wearing a lifejacket then please let our camp staff know, and they will accommodate your request – please feel free to send your child with a PFD.

Sick or Absent Campers

If your child is displaying signs of illness, please do not send them to camp for the consideration of other campers and staff. If your child is not attending camp on a day they are registered for, please call 905-885-7908 or email day camp to inform them. If campers become ill during the camp day an authorized person needs to be available to pick the child up within 30 minutes. Refunds for illness are only accepted with a doctors note.

Weather Traffic Light

• GO! Be sun smart when outside wear a hat & sunscreen.
• THINK! Be cautious when outside. Wear a hat & sunscreen, have lots of water and rest in the shade.
• STOP! Use extreme caution. Wear a hat & sunscreen, have lots of water and stay in the shade. It could be very dangerous to be the sun for a long time.

Camper Sign In and Out

Let's reduce lunch litter

The Municipality of Port Hope is encouraging campers to bring a litter-less lunch as we work towards being more environmentally friendly. Please pack your child’s lunch using reusable containers without any packaging or garbage. All litter will be sent home with the child.

Nut-Sensitive environment

Due to nut allergies, we ask that NO NUTS or other nut-added products be brought to camp. If a camper arrives to camp with a lunch containing nuts, a parent will be called to replace the lunch. If a camper has a snack with nut products it will be removed by camp staff and returned to parents labelled at the end of the day. 

Friday Pizza Lunch Option

For an additional fee per slice, pizza lunch will be offered on Fridays. Options include cheese or pepperoni only. Please drop off your payment and order form by Wednesday of each week to the camp staff at the sign in or sign out table.

When can I register my child for camp?

• Residents: Registration opens on Monday, March 30, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.
• Everyone: Registration opens on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 8:00 a.m.

You can register up until the Thursday before the camp week your camper is attending, pending availability.

Can I make a changes or cancellations after registration?

Do you offer subsidy support and assistance?

If you are faced with financial barriers and would like your child to have a great camp experience, please email to discuss assistance options. The Municipality of Port Hope, Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture is a recognized service provider for Northumberland County Children’s Services. Those in receipt of Ontario Works Child Care Benefit can choose our programs.

For more information about recreation fees assistance.

Please ensure you submit your subsidy application and required documentation 2 weeks in advance of registration to allow for approval and processing time.

What happens if my child is sick or absent?

Will I be contacted prior to camp?

Is there a multi-child discount?

Yes, the multi-child discount applies to immediate family members only. The transactions must also occur on the same receipt. The multi-child discount is as follows:

• 2nd child 5% off
• Each additional child 10% off

Multi-child discounts are not available for Tennis, NORAC, or Leadership camps.

Can you tell me about program cancellations?

In order to provide quality programs, we may not run a camp program due to insufficient registration. Camp cancellations will be made at the close of registration for each camp, and notifications will be sent to parents the Friday prior to the cancelled week. Staff will suggest other camp options available to transfer into, or a full refund or credit will be issued with no administration fee. Camp refunds must be requested before the first day of camp.

Are the campers separated by age?