Our camps have several options for families seeking camps to best fit their schedules and care is available from 7 AM - 6 PM daily. 

• Full-day programs run from 9 AM - 4 PM with camp drop off beginning at 8:45 AM
   
• Half-day programs run from 9 AM - 12 PM or 1 - 4 PM
   
• Before Camp Time - $25/week/camper 7 - 9 AM* (you must register in advance for Spark AM Care)
  • *Activities for Spark Time will begin to wrap up around 8:45 AM in preparation for that day's opening camp ceremony.
     
• After Camp Time (FREE)* 4 - 6 PM 

* Campers who attend summer camp at the Oscar Lasko YMCA & Childcare Center through the Believe and Achieve program pay $20 per week for Before OR After Care or $35 per week for both. 

Daily activities vary from camp to camp and week to week, but the typical daily components include: 

• Opening/closing ceremonies
• Small group time for each age group and their counselors
• Large group or all camp activities (Special events)
• Lunch 
• Activity periods

The camp programs include, but are not limited to: gym and field games, sports, drama, recreational swimming, arts & crafts, cooking, music, outdoor living, science, nature, STEM, academic enrichment activities and social-emotional learning.

Drop off (which begins at 8:45 AM) and pick up may vary slightly from branch to branch, but we do rolling drop off and pick up at all our branches.  Rolling car line means the parent/guardian does not need to leave the car!  Our staff come to you. 

A sign-in/out area will be available when you arrive at the site.

Your child will only be released to the parent/guardian or another authorized adult you have indicated on Epact. This list can be updated on Epact at any time

• Please follow the drop off and pick up procedure for your camp locations.
   
• You must sign your full name and time on the attendance roster when dropping off and picking up your child(ren).
   
• Photo identification will be checked daily. 

More details can be found in our Parent Handbook. English Version   Spanish Version

Campers will need to bring in a camp bag or backpack daily:

Please label all personal items. 

• Weather appropriate attire
• Camp appropriate footwear (typically closed-toe supportive sneakers or sandals)
• Hat
• Rain Jacket
• Sunglasses
• Backpack
• Water Bottle(s)
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray
• Pool Towel
• Bathing suit and pool shoes
• Plastic bag for wet clothing
• Change of clothes (shirt, pants, underwear, socks)
• Lunch/Snacks [we are a peanut-free campus]
• Any needed hygienic supplies
• Any equipment advised by camp directors for specialty camps

Campers are not permitted to bring electronic devices, cell phones, PSPs, Nintendo DS's, sports equipment, money, weapons or toys from home and should not wear clothing with inappropriate logos. 

More information is available in our Parent Handbook. English Version   Spanish Version

All registered campers will be provided with a link to ePACT, our HIPPA-Compliant system for managing camper's medical information and emergency contacts, prior to the start of camp. Information provided to ePACT is owned by you and our counselors and staff will be provided access while your camper is in our program. Learn more about ePACT. Reminder: your User-ID and password for Epact is different from the YMCA website.

Parents can update their forms and information in ePACT at any time throughout the summer. 

Note: EPact must be completed prior to your child's first day of camp. Our full medication policy, nut-free policy and information about allergies, emergency medical care and more is available in our Parent Handbook. English Version   Spanish Version

At the Y, we are here to help each child reach their individual goals, based on their personal needs.  We know some children require alternative support and expectations to help them do their best every day.  It is so important that we work with you and your child to learn more about what they need.  If your child has an IEP, IFSP or 504 plan, please share that with the director so that we can help ensure a smooth transition for your child and they can thrive in summer camp! 
 

Supervisors and site directors have degrees in education or related fields and have the required number of years of experience working with children according to DHS qualifications. Our college-aged counselors have experience with children and many are taking classes in child care, physical education art, or related fields.

Staff are required to wear a name tag or staff shirt and project a professional image. Conditions of employment include, but are not limited to, the following:

• First Aid/CPR
• Background Checks/Screening Process
• Training in Safety and emergency procedures
• Program-specific certifications
• 2 written references
• Proof of education, college course, and/or experience.

All staff are required to have 40+ hours prior to the start of camp. In addition, they receive on the job training, and are required to attend staff meetings on a regular basis. Topics include, but are not limited to: Child care knowledge, group work skills, behavior management, emergency procedures, and program content.  

Our camp staff are equipped with “rainy day” schedules to ensure your camper is having just as much fun inside on a rainy day, as they do outside if it is sunny. 

Our highest priority is always protecting the health and safety of your children, our staff and our members. Due to COVID-19, procedures and protocols are based on the latest directives and recommendations provided by the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the State of Pennsylvania. 

Our talented team continually works to ensure the safest experience possible, while ensuring children still have every opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Please review our protocols. 

In the event that your child has a positive case in their stable group at the YMCA and the YMCA must close and quarantine a group or the program. As the YMCA is unable to provide care for your child until the end of the quarantine period, full credit will be provided for the duration of the quarantine.
 

We do not offer overnight camps at the YMCA of Greater Brandywine, however; our YMCA neighbors at The South Mountain YMCA Camps do! Please learn more about our friends over at Camp Conrad Weiser for overnight options.

A camp deposit of $35 per week/per child, is due at the time of registration. The remaining balance will be processed through auto drafts two Sundays prior to the camp start date. For example - the auto draft will be on 6/4/2023 for the camp week of 6/18/2023.

Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable and are subtracted from your weekly rate. Please note camp registration takes place online. 

A YMCA membership is not required to register for camp, however, depending on the number of weeks your child is attending, it may be worth the membership to take advantage of member pricing.

Those must maintain a YMCA membership prior to registration and through the end of a camp session receive the member rate. If the membership is not maintained during this period, the rate will be adjusted to the non-member rate. No changes to the rates will be made if a YMCA membership has been started AFTER the camp registration has been processed. 

Need to change or update your registration? Please complete our registration change form.

Refunds, less the $35 non-refundable deposit, will be granted if requested in writing, prior to June 1, 2024.  After June 1, 2024 refunds will be issued in the form of an account credit towards any YMCA program. This credit will not include the non-refundable $35 deposit per week.  No credit will be granted for a cancellation requested less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the registered camp session. 

Please contact our  Summer Camp Admin 610-643-9622, ext. 2190 if you need to cancel you camp registration. 

No Show - If you are registered for a camp session and do not attend for any reason and/or do not notify us that you will not be attending at least two weeks prior to the start of the session, refunds will not be issued.

Credits for Illness or Quarantine
In the event that your child is sick or injured and will miss more than 3 days of camp, a YMCA account credit- less the $35 non-refundable deposit will be issued. No refunds will be available. Medical note is required. 

All camps are offered Monday-Friday. If you are not able to attend any portion of the camp week no pro-rated fees, credits or refunds will be provided.

Questions or enrollment changes should be directed to our  Summer Camp Admin 610-643-9622, ext. 2190 .

Currently registered families who need to adjust, change or cancel their registration should complete our Registration Change Form.

Please complete the form for each registered camper in your family.

• No changes are available within two weeks of the start of the camp week.
• Registration for each camp week must be submitted online, by 10pm on the Wednesday prior to the start of the camp week.  
• The YMCA asks for a camp change form to be submitted to the YMCA for withdrawals or changes to camp no later than two weeks in advance of the camp start date.  
• If a child is dismissed from camp for any reason, there will be no refund for the remainder of the camp week. 

• Refunds, less the $35 non-refundable deposit, will be granted if requested in writing, prior to June 1, 2024.  After June 1, 2024 refunds will be issued in the form of an account credit towards any YMCA program. This credit will not include the non-refundable $35 deposit per week.  No credit will be granted for a cancellation requested less than 2 weeks prior to the start of the registered camp session. 
  
  Questions about enrollment changes should be directed to our   Summer Camp Admin 610-643-9622, ext. 2190 

Yes. Families with two or more children signing up for the same week(s) of camp will receive a 10% discount off of the lowest weekly fee*. 

If you register online, please complete the sibling discount form and a discount will be applied to your account.

Sibling Discount Form

* Some restrictions apply.

Please note: Sibling discounts cannot be combined with financial assistance and/or staff discounts.

At the YMCA, we do not turn anyone away due to an inability to pay. The Y is a non-profit charitable organization that strengthens the foundations of our community. Thanks to donations to the Y's Annual Campaign, we can offer financial assistance to those unable to pay the standard fees.* 

Anyone is invited to apply for an income-based YMCA membership or financial assistance. Those receiving income-based memberships are also eligible to receive discounted rates for programming, including camp!

Learn More about Financial Assistance

If your family is receiving ELRC funding for Brandywine, Octorara or Oscar Lasko YMCA Camp:

• Please contact campadmin@ymcagbw.org to complete a registration packet for each child
  • Do not register online as you would be charged private pay rates if you receive ELRC/CCW
• $10 CCW weekly additional fee per child applies in addition to your weekly copay for camp
• $25 AM spark time care from 7:00 - 9:00 AM fee applies in addition to your copay and CCW weekly additional fees per child.
  • Financial assistance is available only for the AM spark time weekly fee for ELRC families. Therefore, please email grios@ymcagbw.org or cjeffers@ymcagbw.org for more information. 
•  Must receive eligibility prior to the start of camp along with completed Epact therefore please allow time for processing
• Review Parent Handbook (Spanish) regarding billing guidelines and other pertinent information regarding camp prior to submitting camp registration packets
• Please contact your caseworker regarding summer care intentions

*Not all camps qualify for assistance. Licensed school-aged camp sites are located at Oscar Lasko, Brandywine, and Octorara YMCAs (grades K-5). If you have an active YMCA IBM Membership, Financial Assistance is available for all camps.   

Log into your YMCA account and select the “View Family Member’s Schedule” hyperlink on the right-hand side. Select the name of the child and the Camp/Childcare schedule details to view a weekly layout.

If you are on a mobile device, you'll need to expand the Family section in order to see "View Family Member's Schedule".

Those responsible for payments can log into their YMCA account and select the “Pay on Account” hyperlink. Select the appropriate receipt number and scroll to the bottom of the page to view the payment plan.

If you are set up for automatic payments, the account provided at the time of registration will be charged on the Sunday, two weeks prior to that start of camp. Please contact campadmin@ymcagbw.org if this needs to be changed. 

Yes! Those responsible for payments can log into their YMCA account and select the “Pay on Account” hyperlink. 

Online registration deadline is 10:00 PM on Wednesday the week before that camp start date.*

If you have any questions or concerns on registration or billing contact the Camp Admin Team at campadmin@ymcagbw.org.  

*Because of this update to registration, there will be no late fee charges for summer camp registration.