Registered for summer camps and need aftercare?

Sign-up for AFTERCARE here.

This summer, we’re offering day camps for ages 4 to 10 – as well as Adventurers Camps, which include one night overnight, for ages 11 to 13. We continue to offer full-day sessions for all ages, as well as two-hour, afternoon camps for ages 4 to 8. For full-day camps, families must register for either the full summer or select sessions as outlined below.

In 2024, with a push for fiscal responsibility, we are changing the way we allocate tuition assistance for Summer Camps by providing tuition at the full price, an access rate (which is subsidized 20%), and an assistance rate (where families can apply for up to 75% off their tuition). Overall, we are planning to give out more tuition assistance this year than we did in 2023 and these changes will simplify our internal processes in determining who gets tuition assistance and how much they receive, as well as clarify how money is allocated across our organization.

We are continuing to hold a weighted lottery for full-day camps. Families have from January 19th to January 28th to indicate their interest in the full summer (June 10th – Aug 23rd), one of the 3-week sessions, and/or the last week of camp. The weighted lottery randomly selects registrants with additional entries given to students who have been historically underserved and underrepresented. Families not selected in the lottery will automatically be waitlisted. Once notified of selection, families will have the option to register for camps.

 

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2024 ENROLLMENT PROCESS FOR FULL-DAY CAMPS

STEP 1: Choose which sessions* work for your family.
Full Summer: June 10 – August 23, 2024 (11 weeks)
Session #1: June 10 – June 28, 2024 (3 weeks)
Session #2: July 8 – July 26, 2024 (3 weeks)
Session #3: July 29 – August 16, 2024 (3 weeks)
Session #4: August 19 – August 23, 2024 (1 week)
Adventurers Weeks Offered: June 10-14, June 24-28 and July 15-19

*To increase access, children who do not enroll in the full summer session may attend one three-week session AND/OR the final week of summer camp.

Each session will include the following age ranges:
Sprouts (4 years old)
Tadpoles (5 years old or entering kindergarten)
Polliwogs (6 years old or entering 1st grade)
Wanderers (7-8 years old or entering 2nd-3rd grade)
Explorers (9-10 years old or entering 4th-5th grade)
Adventurers (11-13 years old or entering 6th-8th grade)

Aftercare is available every day from 3:30-5:30pm. You’ll be able to add Aftercare to your child’s camp experience at a later date.

STEP 2: Enroll in the lottery between January 19th and January 28th.
Enter your child’s information and indicate which session(s) work for your family. This does not guarantee your child a spot, but rather puts their name into our lottery system. The registration process will ask you to rank your preferences for camp sessions (e.g. first preference is for the full summer, second preference is for session #1, etc.). Please note that this process is NOT first-come, first-serve, so there’s no need to refresh your browser at midnight! Families have 10 days, starting January 19th, to register their interest, after which names will be placed into a lottery and pulled to fill camp spots.

STEP 3: Wait for placement notification.
Registration closes on January 28th. ALNC will let you know by February 9th if your child’s name has been drawn for a camp session or has been placed on the waitlist. You’ll receive an email with either a registration offering or notification of waitlist placement. You may choose to accept or decline the spot for your child. If selected for a camp spot, a non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot in this session; please let us know if this amount is prohibitive for you and we can discuss an alternative amount.

STEP 4: Confirm your acceptance and complete registration.
Once you accept your placement and make your deposit payment, you will receive additional details and paperwork to complete your registration. You may make your final payment at once or by setting up a payment plan with us. Tuition assistance is available.

ENROLLMENT PROCESS FOR TWO-HOUR, HALF-DAY CAMPS

If you’re seeking a more flexible summer camp experience, we do have two-hour, half-day camp sessions from 1-3 pm M-F that you can register for 1 week at a time. This registration will begin on Tuesday, February 20th at noon and will not be a lottery. The age ranges for these camps is 4 to 8.

Have questions?

• Check out our Summer Camp Lottery FAQs
• Contact Lauren Mordini, Camps Manager, with any questions.
• Email: camps@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org
• Phone: 608-216-9374

• Adventurers II (14-16 year olds) Looking for an exciting, affordable, and educational experience this summer? Check out the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s Adventure Summer Camps! These camps will give your teen hands-on opportunities to experience and enjoy the best of the outdoors with week-long canoeing or backpacking trips in the U.P.!
• Pope Farm Explorers (7-10 year olds) Join us on the west side for a full day nature camp! Westside Pope Farm Explorers camps meet at Blackhawk Ski Club, and will spend their days exploring Blackhawk and Pope Farm Conservancy.

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Changes to our policies and procedures last summer include:

• Curbside drop-off and pick-up by age group. Parents are to stay in their vehicles at all times unless there are tears and the camper needs help with the transition. If you need to leave your vehicle to escort your camper to their group, a mask is required for all adults that enter the group, so please have one available if needed. ALNC will conduct a Verbal Health Screening and temperature reading upon arrival. Our staff will conduct curbside check-in and check-out during these times only. If you must drop-off or pick-up outside these windows, please contact (608) 221-0404 x0.
• Groups will not co-mingle and assigned ALNC staff will only work with their individual group to reduce as many transitions/contacts as possible.
• Outdoor handwashing stations will be available throughout the ALNC grounds. Campers will wash hands upon arrival, in between activities, before and after snacks and meals, and before departing. Staff will carry hand sanitizer to use as appropriate if a handwashing station isn’t nearby. 
• Please expect and prepare your camper to be outside at all times as long as weather permits. We expect to use inside spaces only in the event of inclement weather (thunder, lightning, heat in excess of 90 degrees) and for bathroom breaks, filling water, etc.
• ALNC staff will provide spray-on sunscreen (minimum spf 30) and bug spray (both deet-free and 10% deet). We will not apply from individual bottles brought from home this year to reduce contact. 4-6 year olds are not allowed to bring their own sunscreen (SS) and bug spray (BS) as they cannot keep with their belongings. We will not have our staff carry campers’ SS or BS, but will apply the spray-on option provided. Ages 7+ can bring their own SS and BS as long as they can apply themselves and keep with their belongings. ALNC staff will also have spray-on options available. Parents are encouraged to help their children apply SS and BS before arriving to camp each morning. Staff will reapply at lunch and as needed.

Campers should bring:

• Backpack.
• Lunch.
• Refillable Water bottle. Drinking fountains will not be used for sanitary reasons, but places to fill water bottles will be available.
• Mask with a baggie to keep in (extra masks are recommended). ALNC is requiring masks be worn inside the building as well as recommending them anytime physical distancing cannot be maintained outside. Please prepare your camper for this as well as let them know that staff will also be wearing masks at drop-off and at other times inside and out.
• Comfortable shoes that can get wet.
• Full change of clothes, including layers for all weather and a raincoat as needed.
• Baggie containing: markers and/or crayons and a pencil and/or pen. If you do not have a supply or access to these at home, ALNC can provide an individual baggie for your camper.
• Please discuss physical distancing with your camper before they arrive. ALNC staff will share guidelines at the beginning of camp, but it will be helpful if children are already aware and mindful.
• Please label each item clearly with camper’s name.

Campers should avoid bringing:

• Any small trinkets, toys, etc.
• Anything else easily lost or meant to be shared (pokemon cards, legos, etc).
• Hand sanitizer, SS and BS, if they are under age 7. ALNC staff will have these available and carry them for campers to use. Younger campers cannot have access to hand sanitizer, SS and BS in their bags due to licensing restrictions.

COVID-19 Cancellation Policy:

If ALNC cancels a program due to COVID-19:

• you will be contacted by an ALNC staff to ask your refund preference
• you may request a full refund, a credit towards future programs, or donate your program fees
• if you do not respond with a preference by August 10, ALNC will issue you a credit (good for future programming) less a 15% administrative fee

If you cannot attend or need to cancel a program registration:

• you may request a full refund up to 3 days prior to your scheduled program
• no refunds will be given if less than 3 days notice is given, as ALNC plans staffing based on registration numbers
• if participants do not call or do not show, no refunds will be given

If you would like to be added to our email list and receive information on program registration as it becomes available, please click here.

Interested in receiving tuition assistance? Click here for our online application.