This summer, we’re offering day camps for six-year-olds as well as two-hour, afternoon camps. For full-day camps, families must register for either the full summer or select sessions.
We are holding a weighted lottery for full-day camps. Families have from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 26 to indicate their interest in the full summer (June 16th – Aug 29th) or one of the 2-week sessions. 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.
2025 ENROLLMENT PROCESS FOR FULL-DAY CAMPS
STEP 1: Choose which sessions* work for your family.
- Full Summer: June 16 – August 29, 2025 (11 weeks)
- Session #1: June 16 – June 27, 2025 (2 weeks)
- Session #2: June 30 – July 11, 2025 (2 weeks)
- Session #3: July 14 – July 25, 2025 (2 weeks)
- Session #4: July 28 – August 8, 2025 (2 weeks)
- Session #5: August 11 – August 22, 2025 (2 weeks)
*To increase access, children who do not enroll in the full summer session may attend one two-week session.
STEP 2: Enroll in the lottery between January 17th and January 26th.
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 17th, 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 26th. ALNC will let you know by February 7th 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 Thursday, February 20th at noon and will not be a lottery. The age ranges for these camps is 4 to 8.
Have questions?
Register for Polliwogs camps below.
POLLIWOGS CAMPS 2022
We accept Wisconsin Shares and tuition assistance is available for families in need. Our Wisconsin Shares FIS Provider ID is E276605. Please reach out to our Camps Coordinator via email or phone with any questions.
It is our goal to be inclusive and representative of our diverse community and to assist all families in enrolling, registering, and attending environmental education programs at ALNC. Families of ALL abilities, backgrounds, communities, income-levels, neighborhoods, and other societal structures are encouraged to register for Summer Camps at ALNC.
In an effort to be inclusive of our diverse community of varied backgrounds, ALNC reserves the right to hold space for families in financial need and/or who speak English as a second language.
We’re grateful for the ability to continue to offer Summer Camp programs for your children. Our camps and other programs include adaptations to help ensure the safety of everyone, including emphasis on handwashing, minimizing personal contact, minimizing time indoors and monitoring health of staff and students. As health and safety guidelines continue to evolve in regards to COVID-19, we work in conjunction with and in adherence with our local public health authorities, and, as always, in accordance with
Wisconsin’s Department of Children & Families.
Adaptations last summer included the following and these precautions may be implemented this summer as needed.
- Curbside drop-off and pick-up by age group. Curbside drop-off is 8:30-8:45am and pick-up is 3:30-3:45pm. 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. 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 a specified date, ALNC will issue you a credit (good for future programming) less a 15% administrative fee.
Cancellation Policy:*
Please notify us of any cancellations at least 7 days before the program. If you inform us:
- At least 1 month in advance, we will provide a refund (minus 15% administrative fee) or transfer you to an alternate session if available.
- At least 2 weeks in advance, we will issue you a voucher (minus 15% administrative fee) or transfer you to an alternate session if available.
- Any cancellations or non-attendance less than 2 weeks beforehand will result in a full charge of the class fee.
Cancellation policy may change due to COVID-19.
If you would like to be added to our email list and receive information on program registration as it becomes available, please click here.
