KIDS: Summer Camps

• We are reducing group size to 10 children and 2-3 mentors
• Volunteers and Counselors in Training will not be used for summer camps 
• Our camps will meet the same place each day and we will not use vans during camp hours
• Camps will meet at various spots throughout Santa Barbara, Goleta and Carpinteria
• Camp Sessions will mostly be two weeks
• Within one session of camp, we may have 2-4 field days of a drop off at a different location (beach, creek, etc)
• All of our safety and hygiene protocol will remain, when a drop off location changes
  

• We will not be using vans to travel to the places we explore. Instead we will be exploring the neighborhoods and having a few different drop off locations per sessions, called field days.
• On field days, our drop off locations will change (for instance a beach day or a creek day) and you will receive the schedule before the start of camp.
• Camps will stay at a maximum of 10 kids and 2-3 staff.
• To increase stable groups, WYP camps will mostly run for 2 week periods.
• We will have no overnight/away camps this summer 
  

• While your child is in camp we are asking you to keep a close eye on their health and not bring them to camp if they are not feeling well. 
• Each morning, we will be doing a health screening which includes taking your child’s temperature. If it reads 100 degrees or above, you will be asked to take your child home.
• Each child will receive a WYP mask (think camp t-shirts) and will be asked to wear them at pick up and drop off as well as during a time when there is close contact for safety (for example, a first aid situation). The rest of the day we will be mask free as we enjoy open spaces in the outdoors. 
• We will find a rhythm for washing and sanitizing our hands throughout the day. 
  

During registration you will be prompted to review and sign updated waivers that include language related to the risks associated with possible COVID-19 exposure.

You can review them here.

Not at all times. While we will create games, circle times and wanders that naturally encourage more distancing than past WYP summer camps, we will not be enforcing this as a way for kids to be throughout the camp. And while we will not hold hands, pass the talking piece or share food, we will be splashing in the ocean nearby, walking up a trail and playing games that allow for moments closer than 6 feet.

This is a potential risk, though due to being outdoors, having minimal hard surfaces and stable groups for weeks, WYP and the Santa Barbara County Health Department have determined the risk to be low. We completely understand if this does not meet the needs of your family.

Please familiarize yourself with our COVID SUMMER CAMP PROTOCOLS and be sure you are comfortable with how we are running camp this summer. Your child must have the capacity to adhere to verbal instructions and be able to control their own physical impulses.

We may continue to offer Nature Link sessions. If you are interested in your child(ren) being a part of a virtual camp, please email gro.pyw@knilerutan and let us know.  

It is very likely that the demand for WYP summer camps will outnumber the spots we are able to offer. Therefore, after careful consideration, we’ve determined that we need to prioritize families who have already participated with WYP. 

We are asking everybody to join our waitlists for summer programs (even if you already did so in February). Locations, dates, and staffing have completely changed, so please take a look at the schedule and then join (or re-join) waitlists.

Bridge to Nature families can find out more about how to register for summer camps by calling or texting us at 805-570-3364 #summer or #verano.

To improve access, each child will be granted 1, 2-week summer camp in this round of placements. It may be possible to pick up additional spots later in the summer, depending on demand.

Registration for waitlists began June 1st. We will be working diligently to confirm placements in camps for our returning, priority WYP families. We will notify families via email as soon as they have been placed.

1. Print Out Schedule: It can be helpful to first print out our Schedule at Glance to decide your first-choice camps (return to top of page for link)
2. We recommend using Chrome or Firefox browsers
3. Begin Registration: The Join Waitlists link, when live, will take you into our registration system.  If you are a returning user, log in. New users should create an account.
4. If you are adding new participants, click on the “Contact and Household” tab at the top of the page. Make sure to enter the correct number of children and their current grade level
5. Current participants already enrolled in our online system will not need to follow this step but we do suggest updating and reviewing any relevant household information to make sure it is up to date.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
6. Continue to the “Register Programs” page                                                                                                                                                                      
7. From the drop-down on the top of the page, select “summer”                                                                                                               
8. Select programs to waitlist then scroll down to the bottom of the page and continue to the “Review and Pay” page                   
9. List varying levels of preference for each kid in each camp that they are waitlisted for
   • The more camps that you waitlist for, the better chance we have of finding placement.
10. In “Payment Notes” leave a note about your payment preferences (we will not charge you until you are awarded a summer camp) and where to request a scholarship deeper than the one our system has calculated for you.
11. In “Other Preferences” leave any notes about who you would like to participate with and the amount of weeks you are hoping to join for this summer (we will do our best to accommodate for friends and siblings)                                                                                                                                                            
12. Under payment options, select “join waitlist.” You MUST select “join waitlist” and check out to be placed on a summer waitlist. 
13. After checking out, our system will take you to the “Payment Receipt” page                                            
14. Check your email and make sure you have received a confirmation email.                                                                             

Each program begins with a thanksgiving circle where we have an opportunity to give gratitude and check in with each other. We move onto something active that gives kids an opportunity for body awareness, animal understanding, and/or tactile exploration with skulls, tracks and other mysteries of nature. Once we are all warmed up we pile in our 8 or 15-passenger vans for an adventure in the local area. Places we go include local beaches, creeks, the Santa Ynez River, Lizard’s Mouth and the Pines (East Camino Cielo). Learn more about Places We Go).

Each day there are elements of inspiration, skill focus, wandering, exploring, celebration, and storytelling. An example of a day in camps is:

9 am – Thanksgiving Circle

9:30 – Blindfolded drum stalk

10 am – Head for Rattlesnake Canyon in a 15 passenger van

10:30 – Creek wander discovering tracks, plants, birds

Noon – Lunch, story

1:00 pm- Hike down the trail stopping at any swimming holes

3 (or 4) pm – Back to park for closing circle and story sharing 

Please pack lightly — kids carry their own packs. We ask that each day your camper shows up with:

1. Backpack (preferably with padded shoulders and not too big)

2. Bathing suit (for girls consider a two piece or swim shorts and rash guard–they are easier for using wilderness bathrooms)

3. Healthy lunch (low sugar) and plenty of snacks. Kids get hungry on our programs!

4. Water (minimum of 32 oz. reusable water bottle). We’ll refill during the day.

5. Sunscreen. Please apply before arriving. We’ll re-apply during the day.

6. Clothes that can get dirty. Please have children arrive dressed in layers because SB’s summers start cold and foggy and burn off to be hot later in the day.

7. Shoes that can get wet–water shoes or water sandals work great!

8. Small towel (no bigger than the length of the child’s body), sarongs work great.

9. Hat (optional, but if your child will wear it, they are a wonderful way to keep out the sun).

Lastly, we encourage parents to LABEL everything and toys & electronics need to stay at home.

The rest is provided by our staff and all that surrounds us!

 More than you would think, is the typical answer. We play hard outside and children get hungry. At least for the first day, pack more than you would for a typical school day and then talk to your child after camp to determine whether they need more or less. We’ve also noticed that children tend to need more food as the week progresses, so keep in touch with staff and your children to see how food supplies are doing.

Yes.  We believe that children have inherent competence. Children using knives will have to  learn our unwavering rules around knife safety, which begins with the difference between a tool and weapon and that a knife, like words, can be used as both. We then go into how to create the space for using a knife and how to properly care for a knife. Lastly we show our participants how to safely carve. WYP counselors provide knives to participants, when carving projects are planned. We prefer locking blade and fixed blade knives for children as it creates more success in carving. Finally, if you are going to be sending a knife with your child, please let your counselor know, so that we are sure to be supervising how/when it is being used.

Usually, no. Part of the camp experience is forming a tight group that understands one another and works together (our core value of unity). Our days build on each other and end in celebration. We believe it is important to be able to attend all days of the camp, therefore we do not allow campers to attend only part of a camp. We also do not allow two children to split a two week camp, for many of the same reasons. Some exceptions can be made, however, so speak with our Registrar for further conversation regarding your specific need.