Summer Art Camp and Teen Art Camp Handbook

SUMMER ART CAMP HANDBOOK

Summer Art Camp Schedule & Procedures

Schedule & Structure
The Dairy Barn Summer Art Camp program consists of 6 weeks of art programming run non-consecutively throughout the summer. Each week includes a morning theme (activities from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and an afternoon theme (activities from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM). The sessions are separated by an hour break for lunch and recess. In 2022 we are again only offering full days of camp in order to keep groups small. We accept 36 campers per week and form three camp groups, designated by age. 

Monday – Friday 
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM………AM Arrival / Check-in
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM………Morning Welcome
9:15 AM – 10:05 AM…….AM Activity Session 1 
10:05 AM – 10:15 AM……AM Snack Break
10:15 AM – 11:55 AM……AM Activity Sessions 2 & 3 
11:55 AM – 1:15 PM…….Lunch and Recess
1:15 PM – 2:55 PM………PM Activity Session 4 & 5
2:55 PM – 3:05 PM………PM Snack Break
3:05 PM – 3:55 PM………PM Activity Session 6
4:00 PM…………………..Camper Pick-up
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM………Aftercare 

Arrival/Check-In 
The Education Director or Summer Art Camp Coordinator will be in charge of checking in campers. All parents/guardians must sign-in campers, each day at the check-in table. Campers may not check-in before 8:30 AM. Campers will receive a name tag that they will have throughout the week. As campers arrive, they will be paired with the other members of their group. This will be supervised activity time to play games, work on their own artwork, and get to know each other and the Summer Art Camp Assistants who accompany and supervise each group.

Morning Welcome 
After campers have arrived and before activity sessions begin, is an important time to greet campers and create and discuss our Camp Agreements. These are the guidelines designed to build camp unity and constructive expectations around behavior and consequences. The activity of creating Camp Agreements is based upon the Princeton University Outdoor Action Program Guide to the Full Value Contract. More information follows in the Camp Policies & Agreements section.

Lunch and Recess
Summer Art Camp is PEANUT AND TREE-NUT FREE.* Every camper should bring their own packed lunch and will eat outside on the patio or if inclement weather (rain or heat advisory) prevents outdoor lunch, indoor space will be arranged for socially-distanced dining. Please pack lunches that do not require refrigeration or heat as campers will not have access to a refrigerator or microwave. *Sunflower seed butter can be an excellent allergen free alternative to peanuts and tree-nut spreads.

Snack
Snacks and snack time will be provided twice a day and will follow the peanut and tree-nut free requirement of camp. If your child has other allergies or is very particular, please pack extra food for snack in their lunch bags. 

Pick-Up 
All parents/guardians must sign out their camper at the end of each day. No child may leave the building or wait downstairs unattended. A parent/guardian may send a note in the morning, giving permission for a child to be picked up by another parent or adult. (No phone calls please. Unless there is an extreme emergency, please plan these changes ahead.)
Pick-up time is promptly at 4:00 PM. It is understandable that a parent may occasionally run late for pick-up, but if it happens more than once or twice a $5 late fee for each occurrence will be assessed. After 3 instances of being charged $5.00 the fee will increase to $10 per late pick-up.  Fees will be assessed and invoiced to parents/guardians at the discretion of the Education Director.

Aftercare
Aftercare is provided for an additional fee from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM and should be pre-registered with camp. Pick-up time for Aftercare is promptly at 5:00 pm. The same late fee structure above will also apply for pick-up after 5:00 PM for Aftercare campers.

Absence/Illness 
Please contact/message the Education Director each day before 8:30 AM if your child will not be coming to camp, for any reason. If a child reports he/she/they do not feel well or shows signs of any symptoms that may be related to COVID-19 or other contagious illness, the child should be kept home from camp. If symptoms present themselves while the child is at The Dairy Barn, they will be removed from the classroom and the Education Director will contact the parent/guardian or designated emergency contact. These symptoms include, fever or chills, cough, nasal congestion or runny nose, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, tiredness, headache, muscle or body aches, poor appetite. The Dairy Barn will not be able to give refunds or credit for other programs for missed days due to illness or any other reason.

Medicine 
Prescription medication must be clearly labeled in its original container and accompanied by a statement signed and dated by the doctor explaining the dosages. Over the counter medication may be dispensed with signed permission and dosages from the parent/guardian. Children are not allowed to be in possession of any prescription or non-prescription medication while at camp (with the exception of an inhaler or epi-pen which will still require a note from the doctor stating the reason and directions for use.) Medication dispensing and use will be supervised by the Education Director.

What to Bring & Not Bring to Camp

Hand Sanitizer
We will have hand sanitizer on-site for everyone to share at key locations. We also recommend that you send your child with hand sanitizer for their own use throughout the day. 

Water Bottle 
Hydration is important! Each camper must have a water bottle filled every day to bring with them to camp with their name clearly marked on the bottle. 

For Outside Time 
All campers go outside for lunch/recess daily and for participation in their classes. If a camper is not well enough to be outside, then they are not well enough to be at camp. We will be utilizing our beautiful Ora Anderson Nature Trail as much as possible in the summer. This means a few extra safety precautions, see below.
– Sunscreen & Sun Hat: These are very important items to have because all campers go outside daily for lunch, games and sometimes for classes. Please send sunscreen marked with your child’s name to keep in their weekly camp bag.
– Poison Ivy/Outdoor allergies: Outdoor activities are planned in locations free of obvious hazards. However, please make sure to list any significant reactions your camper experiences in regards to any plants, insects, etc. in the allergies section of registration.
– Sunscreen: We mean it! Pack sunscreen and apply to your camper in the morning. Long sleeve SPF rated apparel can be used as a substitute, if necessary
– Bug Spray: Because of a potential allergy situation, please apply any bug spray at home as it can cause allergic reactions in other kids if applied nearby. 
– Rainy Days: If it is only misty drizzle, campers may still go outside for lunch, recess or class. Packing a raincoat or hooded jacket, just in case, is a good idea. 

What to Wear at Camp 
Campers should be attired in clothing that matches the weather and for comfort, shorts and t-shirt for warm days and a light jacket if cool. Campers should wear sturdy, close-toed shoes, as we do play physical games. No flip-flops are allowed at any time! Some of our art-making materials may stain clothing permanently and The Dairy Barn is not responsible for damage to clothing or shoes. Campers may not want to wear their newest or most favorite clothing to camp.

Paint Shirt 
Campers should pack an old, big, t-shirt or button-down shirt with their name clearly marked on the tag. Their paint shirt will be utilized for any particularly messy art activities.  

Book Bag and Art Bag 
Please send a bag (duffle bag, book bag, or something similar) each week with your child to store sunscreen, water bottle, hat, and extra clothing if necessary. Also, we ask each child to bring in a paper grocery bag at the beginning of each week with their names clearly marked to keep their daily art projects. They will be used all week to store artworks in, until being taken home.

Littlest Campers 
Accidents happen. If you think it’s possible your camper might have an accident at camp, please pack extra clothes and undergarments and a gallon sized zip lock bag to put soiled clothes in. If your camper has trouble dressing themselves to get into dry clothes, let the Education Director know, so together we can make a plan for what to do in case of an accident that you and your camper are comfortable with. 

Personal Items 
The Dairy Barn does NOT allow the following items to be brought to camp…
– Digital devices. Campers may not bring cell phones or other personal media devices to Summer Art Camp.
– Card games such as Pokémon or Magic. 
– Make-up. If a camper chooses to wear makeup in the morning and their parent approves, that is fine, but no camper may bring and/or apply makeup during camp time. 
– Toy weapons of any kind. 
– Pocket knives
Campers may bring a book to camp for reading time only during lunch, recess or aftercare. Campers may bring one stuffed companion animal, if necessary. The Dairy Barn and Employees are not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged items. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Education Director: kelly@dairybarn.org. If campers do bring books or a stuffed animal, please talk with your child about the rules for toys: 1). They can only play with them during free times, not during activity sessions. 2). During activities they will be asked to put them away for safekeeping. 3). Items can get damaged or lost. 

Camp Policies & Agreements

Calling Home 
A camper may be sent home due to illness or severe behavioral disturbance. If a camper requests to call home/parents/guardian due to feeling ill or emotional upset, we will call home. Calling home doesn’t necessarily mean that the camper will go home, as that will be decided by the parent/guardian and/or Education Director, but we will call and check in. 

Camp Behavior Policy 
Camp Instructors and Dairy Barn Staff are committed to creating and maintaining a safe and respectful environment that fosters fun and creativity through art-making for all campers. The Education Director provides oversight and training to Instructors and Camp Assistants concerning behavior policies at Summer Art Camp. At the forefront of camp policy is good structure, consistency, teamwork and mutual respect. Disrespectful behavior, violent behavior, or actions disruptive to others enacted by campers, teachers, or assistants will result in intervention. If a peaceful, lasting solution cannot be achieved through intervention, there may be grounds for excusal from camp. If a camper is dismissed from camp, a refund will not be issued. 

Camp Agreements 
Camp structure, guidelines and consequences are based upon the principles of a Full Value Contract. At camp we believe in Valuing of Self, Valuing of Each Other, Valuing of the Learning Community and Valuing of the Learning Experience. At the start of camp on Monday, Camp Agreements will be decided on collaboratively and campers will review them periodically through the week. Campers are encouraged to participate actively in the teamwork of camp agreements and help create the list. Here are some examples… 

∙ We agree to be creative and have fun!
∙ We agree to be peacemakers.
∙ We agree to use our eyes and ears before using our body, or our voice.
∙ We agree to be good listeners.
∙ We agree it’s always okay to make a mess, it’s never okay to leave one. 
∙ We agree that it’s always okay to ask for help.
∙ We agree that teamwork makes the dream work!
∙ We agree that safety comes first.