FAQ
Sending your child to overnight camp is a big step for you and them.
New Parents
We have a doctor and three nurses who live at camp and are available 24/7 and can treat everything from scraped knees to emergencies in our fully-stocked Med Lodge.
We put on our raincoats and keep on playing outside! If there's lightning close by we pivot to fun indoor activities until it's safe to play outside again. And after a good storm we always encourage a puddle jumping party!
Canoe tripping is a core part of our program, and every camper goes on an overnight trip each summer, accompanied by their counsellors and led by experienced and qualified professional trip guides. The youngest 2 week campers are out for one night with no portaging, and the older they get the longer and more challenging (and exciting) trips become. Older campers can opt into extended (up to 14 days) or whitewater trips.
Find out more HERE
If they want one then absolutely yes! Everyone who auditions gets a part (campers can decide if they want something big or small, acting, singing, dancing, or behind the scenes).
Many parents sign their first time campers up for 2 weeks with the option to extend to the full session if they are having a good time. After a week, if you've given permission, we ask two week campers if they want to extend to the full session and let you know their answer to make sure everyone's on the same page.
In the younger groups, more than half the children may be new. Among older campers far fewer are new to camp – because most of our campers come summer after summer - but the ones who stick around have bought into our expectations of inclusion and kindness and our staff are experts in integration and support.
In addition to whatever mail campers send, parents of new-to-Arowhon campers, will get a call from their child’s Section Head in the first 3 days of camp to report on how your child is adjusting to camp. You’ll get another call later in the session with a summative update. As well, if you want more info, you can call or email the camp office and we'll get back to you within 24 hours with detailed info on your child.
The counsellors wait till everyone is settled to leave the cabin and then Night Duty starts - one counsellor for each section of campers (about four cabins) doing rounds of the cabins until 1 a.m., when counsellors must sign back in for the night so that there’s always a staff on duty in case a camper wakes up and needs them.
SO yummy! There are lots of different choices every meal, and something for everyone, from a giant salad bar and homemade soups, to burgers, pizza and wings. Learn more HERE.
No, we stopped doing visitors day many years ago as it was disruptive to kids feeling settled at camp, stressful for parents to have to drive so far for such a short visit, and crappy for the kids whose parents could not come. Now we have a 2 day "changeover" between first and second session where everyone leaves camp for 2 nights, giving campers who are at camp for 6 or 8 weeks a proper visit and time to rest and refresh before second session.
Email mara@camparowhon.com or call 416-975-9060 to talk to a director.
Preparing for camp
You’ll receive a detailed packing list after registration. It covers clothing, gear, and any optional items. You can also click here for a printable packing list. Label everything! Camp laundry happens once a week. We ask that you pack your child’s belongings in soft duffel bags, not hard-sided suitcases, as there is not enough storage space in cabins to store large suitcases (except for international campers). We accept a maximum of 2 duffel bags plus 1 small carry-on backpack per camper.
No. We are proudly screen-free. Camp is a place to connect deeply with friends, nature, and themselves without the interruption of phones, tablets, or personal music players. (Only music players without games/apps/video players/etc. will be permitted.) We understand that families would like their child to carry a cell phone for air travel. If this is the case, please advise your child to give it to the camp staff who meets them at the airport (with the charger and all other valuables) and the phone will 1) be stored in the camp safe and 2) be given back to your homebound camper at the airport (with his/her other valuables) charged. If your child forgets to give these items to the airport counsellor, they can take it to the office on arrival at camp, not to their cabin counsellor.
Please do not send any of the following items to camp with your child as they will be confiscated and donated to a local charity (and not returned):
- Appliances including hair straighteners and hair dryers, electric blankets, hot pots/plates or kettles, electric lamps and extension cords
- Walkie talkies
- Plug-in fans (battery-operated fans are allowed)
- Candles, lighters, matches, and mosquito coils
- Folding chairs with legs
- Food
- Bottled beverages
- Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs
- Tobacco/Alcohol/Illegal Drugs
- Weapons/Flammables/Explosives
No. All expenses are covered in your camp fees. There is a tuck shop where you can make purchases online for branded camp gear. Click here to check out the shop.
Communication & Updates
Campers don’t make or receive phone calls. We’ve found that it can be very disruptive for a child who is working hard to make the adjustment to camp and developing new independence skills to hear a parent’s voice. You’re welcome to send good old-fashioned mail—our campers love getting letters at camp! We set time aside for campers write letters home weekly.
You’re welcome to give us a call if you have concerns about how your child is doing at camp. While we may not be instantly available to come to the phone because we’re out with the children, you can rest assured that we’ll return your call within 24 hours and will provide you with honest, up-to-date information about your child. The camp office phone number is (705) 633-5651. The camp office is open 8:30 am until 8:00 pm daily, except when it closes for lunch (1:00–2:00 pm) and for dinner (6:00–7:30 pm).
You’ll also get a telephone report or email update from your child’s Section Head or Head Counsellor in the last week of their camp session. For new campers, we’ll call you in the first three days of camp to let you know how your child is adjusting.
We don’t host parent visiting days for two-week or four-week camps. We’ve found that this helps campers fully immerse in the experience and develop independence and avoids a sense of homesickness.
Health & Safety
Our Health Centre is staffed 24/7 by a team of medical professionals. We’re equipped to handle everything from minor bumps to more serious situations.
Our kitchen team is well-versed in allergies and special diets. We accommodate most dietary needs, including vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut allergies.
Homesickness is normal, especially early on. Our staff are trained to support campers through it with empathy and encouragement. We’ll reach out if needed.
Rest assured that your child is in safe hands. If your child has a life-threatening allergy, we REQUIRE that they come to camp with 3 EpiPens. We recommend that the child wears one EpiPen in a fanny pack, and for the counsellor and the Med Lodge to keep the other two. If your child is anaphylactic to peanuts, nuts, seeds etc., we can send them on canoe trips because these are allergens that we can control exposure to. These canoe trips will always be equipped with satellite phone, highly trained first aiders, and multiple doses of epinephrine. We cannot control exposure to wasps, soy isolates, sunflower oil, dairy and eggs, so campers who are anaphylactic to these will NOT go on the canoe trip.
Kids with braces sometimes experience broken or unattached wires at camp. We’ve been assured by orthodontists that in the time span of orthodontic treatment, a few weeks without the wires attached is no big deal, so when brace wires break at camp, we cut them for the child’s comfort, using proper orthodontic tools.