SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS IN ARIZONA

We strongly suggest making a checklist for your child by printing or saving this page and double-checking to make sure they have packed everything they need before you leave home for camp.

If there’s anything not on the list that they need, please don’t hesitate to pack it, but please be aware that expensive, breakable, or easily lost items should not be included.

Items like pocket knives are prohibited. If your child needs medication or requires an EpiPen, please see the section on allergies below.

We are trying to ensure a great and safe experience for all campers, so please follow this list closely to make sure that everyone has what they need:

• Shoes: Flip flops, tennis shoes, and water shoes.
• Clothing:Pajamas, underwear, socks, sweatshirt, T-shirts, shorts, and swimsuit.
• Bedding: Sheets, pillow (and/or sleeping bag), blanket, large beach towel, bath towel, and washcloth.
• Hygene:: Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, shampoo, conditioner, liquid soap, sunscreen, comb, brush, and lotion.
• Other Items: Self-addressed stamped envelopes, paper and pencil, water bottle, flashlight, and light backpack or tote bag.
• Camp Store: If you want to give your child money to go to the camp store, we recommend a prepaid card with their name written on it in permanent ink. The camp store does take cash, credit, and debit.

There’s something really special about getting a letter in the mail, and we encourage you to give that gift to your child, especially if this is one of the first times they’ve ever spent considerable time away from home or away from you.

We get regular mail service at Camp. And children love getting mail! We will encourage them to write to you, but if they don’t frequently, it only means they are having fun and too busy thinking about writing home. You can write letters to them or you can drop off pre-written letters to your campers on opening day. Just make sure to write their cabin number on the envelope and the date you would like your child to receive it.

Address the letters to your child like this:

Camper First & Last Name
5101 S Senator Hwy
Prescott, AZ 86303

Kids love getting care packages. We recommend that you drop them off with us when you arrive rather than send them through the mail. We are there only a week, and we have seen packages arrive after a child has already left for home.

If you forgot or want to mail something then address it as:

Camper First & Last Name
5101 S Senator Hwy
Prescott, AZ 86303

At this time, we do not provide transportation to and from camp. Parents are expected to drop off and pick up their children, unless you are coming with a friend and sharing this responsibility with the friend’s parents.

Please use the camp address on your phone to follow Google maps.

The Camp Address:
Camp Wamatochick
5101 S Senator Hwy,
Prescott, AZ 86303.

If you have any problems finding it, please call:
(480) 217-0652 or
(480) 220-7733

While a child is never required to do an activity, each cabin participates in all the activities together, so everyone is encouraged to participate.

Our philosophy is to keep kids active, and whether that activity is intense or easy, the benefits of full engagement are so overwhelmingly positive that it doesn’t make sense for anyone to sit out. Summer camp is such a great opportunity to have experiences that aren’t just out of the norm; they’re super fun! The idea is to help form new friendships, strengthen existing ones, make memories, and build character through shared experiences.

Some kids are ready to engage the moment they arrive; for others, it’s a huge stretch, but they can do it. Rest assured that our staff is very experienced with all personality types and knows how to direct (and redirect) appropriately so that no one gets left behind.

Let’s face it, it’s not just your child that’s nervous about sleepaway camp. It’s just as hard on the parents sometimes, especially if you’ve never been away from your babies for this long. Let us reassure you that we know what you’re going through. We’re pros, and we have a lot of experience doing this.

We have a certified Nurse on-site and a doctor on call in case of any emergencies. Safety comes first and we have very stringent safety guidelines and training to prevent injury. Our record speaks for itself.

In 30 years and tens of thousands of children going through our camps we have NEVER had a major incident.

During your registration, there is a place to list your child’s allergies and a form to list all medications your child needs to take. This will be given to the camp nurses and administered when needed.

Please put all inhalers, epi-pens, and medication in a clear sealed bag with your child’s name on it. This will be kept at the nurse’s station unless your child needs to carry it with them. Give these medical bags directly to the nurse on drop-off. Do not pack in luggage.

For more information or to contact us about special requests at mealtimes, please reach out to us.

Cell phone reception does not work except in a few designated areas. Our counselors take turns taking the children to the lodge to call their parents and check-in during the week. You can, however, contact the onsite Director at (480) 217-0652 and when he is in an area with reception, he will return your call.

One of the things we are working on is your child creating independence, but if they want to call you, we will arrange it.

Part of the experience, particularly at sleepaway camp, is to unplug from the norm and embrace the possibilities. We believe it’s a good thing for kids to experience the real world because it’s pretty awesome, and if that means less screen time, then we try our best to make that happen as part of the whole camp experience.

Your tuition includes your room, lodging, camp activities, and meals. We do have a camp store that campers may make purchases from throughout the week.

We recommend that you don’t send cash, but a prepaid gift card with your child’s name and amount on the card with permanent ink if you wish to purchase incidentals.

Some gift cards don’t work at the camp store, but if that is the case, we will keep the gift card and pay for your child’s incidentals, so they don’t miss out.

A $200 sibling discount will be applied on registration from direct family members living in the same home.

We understand things happen.

But please also understand that we have to rent the campsite, arrange cabins by age and gender, hire multiple staff members, pay for vendors, and preorder food for your camper by the end of April.

So, after May 1, no refunds will be given.

We will, however, attempt to fill your spot with someone from the waiting list.

If we can do that – we will give a full refund.

And if you are not able to attend, you can transfer it to another camper or return for a future week at another time.

Note: We do encourage all campers to be vaccinated, but it is not required.

Please refrain from events with lots of people the week prior to arriving.

Any camper with a temperature will not be allowed to enter our campgrounds.

Sleepaway Camps always sell out early!

A $500 minimum deposit is required to hold a spot. You can arrange to make payments that work for you as long as the full payment is received one week prior to attending.

Drop-off Hours:

Sunday, June 16, 3 – 5 pm,

Pick-up Hours:

Saturday, June 22, 11 am – 1 pm.

As you approach the camp you will see a large drop-off area with camper registration. You can drop off your camper there and one of their counselors will greet them and take their things to their cabin where they will hang out with another counselor and their cabin mates until dinner festivities. The first meal will be in the evening so make sure your camper is fed before arriving.

You can also park your car in the lot, and you can walk or we will ATV you and your child to their cabin. For the safety of the other campers, however, please do not drive through the campgrounds unsupervised. We will return you back to your vehicle. Do not try to bring your child to camp sick.

For Closing Day everything works in reverse. We will feed the campers in the morning and then they will return to their cabins to pack and prepare to be picked up. Pick up is on Saturday, June 25 between 11 am and 1 pm.

We appreciated having you this year and we would love it if you join us for our day camps throughout Arizona for the rest of the summer and throughout the year!

If you attempt to sign up and the camp is full you will be directed to our wait list.
It costs nothing to register and typically after May 1 we will see what cancellations we have and what may come available.

Your place will be retained by date, age, and gender. If a spot becomes available you will be notified between May 1 and May 15th.
If you have additional questions…

Please Call Us:
(480) 217-0652

Or Send us a Email:
abkchandler3@gmail.com

We thank you for coming to America’s best sleepaway camp and trust that we will take great care of your child!

Parents – Please go through this paragraph with your child and make sure they understand what this means to them and others.

Every camper deserves to have a great experience. For this reason, all campers have the right to be respected for who they are, freedom from verbal and physical abuse, medical care, healthy meals, speak up if something is wrong & a safe, secure environment.

As a camper, you agree to respect the environment, your peers, summer camp staff, and the animals. You agree to treat everyone respectfully and with kindness. You agree to stay with your counselors and not leave your group or cabin without permission. Talk with a counselor if you do not feel safe.

You also agree to not bully or put down other campers or staff, trespass, steal, vandalize, or deface property, enter the sleeping area of another camper, leave your sleeping area/cabin at night without staff supervision, pull pranks on others, and use foul or abusive language, including language of a sexually-explicit nature.

You understand that if you cannot follow the code of conduct, your counselor will talk to you and call your parents if your behavior continues. You may be asked to write an apology letter and you may be asked to go home early. Camp is supposed to be fun and we want you to have a great time. These rules are for your safety and the safety of others.

While it is certainly not required, many parents wish to tip their counselors for taking great care of their children.

If you choose to do this, please give cash in an enclosed envelope with your camper’s name and cabin number.

You can give it directly to the counselor on pick up when they bring you your child and their things.

If you wish to donate to help less fortunate children have this experience, please contact us directly and we will take payment.

Summer Camp AZ is a non-profit and we rely on donations to keep these experiences affordable.