Are You Ready for Camp?

Important Things To Know Before Coming To Camp

Arrival Day (Sunday):

Registration takes place each Sunday between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please note that staff will not be available before 4:00 p.m. (Times will be different for Tadpole Mini Camps and Day Camps).
Parents/guardians will need to sign in at the first registration table in main hall.
Campers will be given a name tag to wear for the first day to help staff and other campers become acquainted.
Camp T-shirts will be on sale for $14.
The tuck shop (canteen) will be open several times during the week, and we ask that campers bringing money for the tuck shop bring a maximum of $5, which will be held for the week. Campers who bring extra money for any reason will have this money collected by staff, and will be re-distributed at Friday departure.
Our camp nurse will collect all medications (including puffers, tylenol, and aspirin) and will be willing to discuss any medical issues campers may have.
Finally, campers will be given their cabin assignment. Staff will aid parents/guardians and campers to their cabin. Please note: cabin assignments on Sunday are very difficult to change. If you anticipate problems with your cabin assignment, please phone at least a week in advance. Camp Sheldrake reserves the right to assign cabins as it sees fit.
All parents/guardians of Camp Sheldrake campers are eligible to become Camp Sheldrake Inc. members. Membership includes voting priviledges at Camp Sheldrake's annual general meeting (AGM). Membership information is available during registration on Sunday.

Departure Day (Friday):

Departure takes place Friday afternoons at 2:00 p.m. (except for Tadpole Mini Camps & Day Camps)
Parents/guardians must sign out their child before leaving.
Any left-over tuck money or other monies left with camp staff will be available for pick-up at one of the departure tables. Camp t-shirts will also be available.
The camp nurse will again be on hand to re-distribute any medications collected on Sunday, as well as to report on any medical matters which may have arisen during the camper's stay at camp.
Please ensure all of your camper's personal belongings are collected before departure. Camp Sheldrake will not be responsible for ensuring any lost items are returned.

Visits:
For some children, homesickness can be as painful as a stomachache. Consequently, our staff will be trained to detect its early symptoms and deal with the issue. We do know that a large percentage of campers need a day or two to work themselves through the process. We also know that getting through it successfully can be a significant factor in helping children attain the degree of independence necessary to make them self-reliant individuals. For these reasons, we strongly discourage visits during the sessions. For these same reasons we ask that you not promise your child that they may go home or call if they experience homesickness.

Dealing with Inappropriate Behaviour:
Because we know that some children have difficulty "adjusting to camp situations", we follow specific procedures when serious disciplinary matters arise. In most cases, these incidents are dealt with successfully and forgotten. However, campers will be living in fairly close quarters with their peers, so an individual with an aggressively negative attitude or someone whose frustration or displeasure manifests itself in an ongoing way physically (such as bullying or an abject disregard for others' safety) or verbally (such as taunts or talking back) can have a strongly negative impact on other campers' experiences. If, in the Camp Director's opinion, any camper's continued presence at camp is not in their or the camp's best interest, the camper's stay at camp may be terminated.

Getting Ready for Camp:
Here is a suggested list of items needed for one session at camp. Read it carefully and pay particular attention to items such as sunscreen and insect repellent; these items are very important since the majority of our programs are held outside. You might also want to label the camper's personal belongings in the event that something gets left behind upon his/her departure from camp. We ask that campers not bring electronic devices such as video games, a walkman or discman, or cell phones, to camp. Finally, we remind parents/guardians that our site is a smoke-free environment.

What to Bring to Camp:

Clothing
- 6 t-shirts/tops
- 2 long sleeve shirts
- 2 sweaters/sweatshirts
- 3 pairs jeans/pants
- 6 pairs shorts
- 6 pairs underwear
- 6 pairs socks
- 2 pairs pajamas
- 2 pairs sneakers/sandals
- 1 swimsuit
- 1 rain jacket
- 1 pair watershoes
(old sneakers or sandals)
- 1 pair rubber boots

Important Equipment
- flashlight with batteries
- insect repellent
- sunscreen
- water bottle (with name)
- sleeping bag
- blanket
- pillow/pillowcase
- 2 beach towels
Hygiene Supplies
- soap & container
- 2 face cloths
- 2 hand towels
- toothpaste and toothbrush
- shampoo & conditioner
- comb and/or brush

**Staff do their best
to make sure campers
leave with all their
belongings. However,
Camp Sheldrake and its
staff will not be responsible
for any lost items.