Nature Camp Guidelines and FAQ
This section provides more information for camp families.
If you can't find the information you're looking for here, you can always reach out to us at arboretum@humber.ca
Tech Guidelines
- Campers are not permitted to be on phones or other personal electronic devices during camp (videogames, music players, earphones, headphones, etc.)
- If the camper has electronics, they will be expected to put electronic devices away during camp to avoid distraction and enjoy nature at the Arboretum.
- If you want to contact the camper, you can call the camp phone at 647-354-2551.
- If a camper wants to bring a camera to take photos of nature that is great, we love nature photography! We ask that campers only take pictures of nature, no people in any photos.
- We also understand that in some cases campers need devices as a regulation tool:
- Please inform camp staff upon arrival if your child is going to use such a device and that this device is not meant as a distraction to be used during activities.
- If your child needs a break and wants to use the device (for example, listening to music), they need to inform staff and have a few moments away from the group for that.
- Feel free to contact us or tell us at sign-in if you have any questions.
- Humber Arboretum is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or stolen electronic devices.
These guidelines are designed to enhance the camp experience by encouraging campers to participate fully in activities and interact with their fellow campers. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us create a fun and engaging environment for all.
Day-to-Day Schedule
You may be wondering; what will my child be doing at camp? A great question!
Below is a sample schedule of what a typical day might look like at camp. Please remember that our schedules are adaptable to changing circumstances and may change from time to time based on the needs of camp, staff, and campers.
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 8:30 to 9:00 | Campers arrive. Activity stations are available on the field to join as campers arrive. |
| 9:00 to 9:30 | Land Acknowledgement/Song Circle |
| 9:30 to 9:45 | Morning Snack |
| 10:00 to 11:45 | Morning Activities – Nature walks, camp-wide games, educational guests, etc. |
| 11:45 to 12:25 | Lunch (outdoors) |
| 12:25 to 1:00 | Afternoon prep – refill water bottles, reapply sunscreen and insect repellent, visit the washroom |
| 1:00 to 2:30 | Afternoon activities – based upon the campers interests: pond dipping, beaver dam building, shelter building, fire building, veggie garden visit, planting, invasive species control, litter cleanups, field games, storytime, etc. |
| 2:30 to 3:00 | Afternoon snack/gather belonging to get ready for home |
| 3:00 to 3:45 | Sharing Circle – where campers get to tell the stories of day and we add to our life list of all the living things we have seen that day (parents/guardians/siblings/leashed pets are welcome to join) |
| 3:45 to 4:15 | Pickup time! See you tomorrow! |
Mondays and Fridays are a bit different.
On Monday we have a longer song circle to start our day, where we also explain some of our safety rules and how things work at camp.
Friday afternoons are for swimming and we have a pizza lunch.
Swimming Info
Location: Humber Community Pool on the Humber Polytechnic campus (opposite parking lot 13 and next to A building) .
The Humber Community Pool is a City of Toronto run pool with trained and certified lifeguards.
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) are available for all campers who would like to wear one. Campers who are 5 years old are required to wear a PFD. You, as a parent/guardian, can also require your child to wear a PFD. If that is the case, we will make sure that your child wears the PFD during the swimming activity.
You may also choose for your child to not go swimming. If that is the case, there will be plenty of activities for any campers who will not be swimming.
Ratios
In the pool, we maintain an overall staff to camper ratio of 2:1 for 5-year-old campers, 4:1 for 6- to 9-year-old campers, and 10:1 for campers who are 10 years or older. This is in addition to City of Toronto lifeguards.
Swimwear
At Humber Arboretum Nature Camp, we have updated our swimwear guidelines to ensure a safer and more inclusive space for our leaders and campers.
- All campers must wear swimwear that covers their bodies from shoulders to hips, including chest, stomach, back, and fully cover their private areas. So,
- Bring a swim shirt or clean T-shirt in addition to your swim bottoms
- Swimwear should not be able to untie, unclip, unzip or unhook
We require this style of swimwear as it encourages a healthy and inclusive space for all campers and leaders.
Cancellations
All withdrawals/cancellations requested at least two weeks prior to the start of the camp session will be refunded the full camp fees, minus a $25 administration fee.
Any cancellation requested less than two weeks prior to the start of the camp session will be refunded at 50%.
There will be no refunds once the camp session has begun.
Please note: All programs will only run if a minimum number of registrations is reached. In the event that a program does not reach its minimum registrations, participants will be offered the option to switch to a different week, and if that is not possible, will receive a full refund with no administrative charges.
Late to Camp
Dropoff time for camp in the morning is 8:30 to 9:00am at the Arboretum turn circle.
If you arrive with your camper after 9:00 a.m., please take the following steps:
- Park in lot #1 (Press the black ‘Info’ button at the yellow gates and give your name and say you are dropping off to the Humber Arboretum Nature Camp).
- Call the camp phone at 647-354-2551
- Let the staff know that you are late and have parked in Lot 1, we will let you know where to go to drop off your camper (Song Circle, at the Centre for Urban Ecology, etc.)
- Walk your camper over from Lot 1 and a staff member will meet you at our location
What to Bring
What to Bring - Campers
We are looking forward to having your camper(s) join us this summer. We want everyone to be as safe and comfortable as possible while at camp. For this to happen, here are the things you should pack with your camper for each day of camp:
- Sun care items (such as a wide brim hat and sunscreen). Remember, campers will be outside all day!
- Insect repellant is optional, but highly recommended
- Reusable water bottle
- Do not bring Gatorade style squeeze bottles
- Weather appropriate clothing:
- Full change of clothes (Socks, pants/shorts, shirt, sweater, underwear)
- Rain boots
- Raincoat
- Swim suit/towel (bring every day just in case, we may have some water activities from time to time)
- Sturdy, closed-toe footwear
- All campers will be wearing a clean t-shirt or swim shirt in the pool
- Considering the nature of Nature Camp, please remember to only send clothing that can get muddy and dirty without worry
- Masks remain optional and any camper that wants to wear a mask is welcome to do so
- Bring lunch and lots of snacks (for morning and afternoon), you should send more food than a usual school day as camp is a high energy activity that needs lots of fuel
- We are a nut-sensitive environment; do not send any peanuts or tree-nuts or products that may contain nuts
- We will also send out an allergy alert for each week. We ask that food not contain any severe allergens for any campers. For example, if a camper that is attending week 3 has a severe allergy to mangos, we ask that no campers bring mangos that week.
*Reminder: Fridays are swimming and pizza lunch!!!*
What to Bring - Parents/Guardians
Campers must be signed in and out of camp each day.
You will be required to show photo ID every time a camper is picked up.
Please contact arboretum@humber.ca to make changes to your authorized pickup list.
Allergies/Food
From time to time, we have campers attending camp with severe and life-threatening allergies. For this reason, no campers are able to bring food (for lunch or snacks) that contain peanuts or tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts).
If foods with tree nuts or peanuts are brought to camp, they will be confiscated and returned at pickup. Please note: this includes products labeled with “May contain tree nuts or peanuts.”
We also have campers with additional severe food allergens, we will send out a list every week before camp begins. We require that none of these foods be brought in lunches or snacks, in addition to no tree nut or peanut products.
We understand that this may be difficult if your child likes a certain lunch or snack. We ask that you put yourself in the shoes of a parent/guardian that has a child with a life-threatening allergy, if that food is not around at all, the chances of accidentally touching or consuming it goes down. Our goal at Humber Arboretum Nature Camp is to make camp as safe as possible for all campers.
Group Requests
If your child would like to be in a group with another camper, we will do our best to accommodate those requests. All groups are at the discretion of the Camp Coordinator.
Once we have granted an accommodation request for campers to be in the same group, we will not be switching further during that session.
Inclement Weather
What happens if it rains at camp?
We are outside in all types of weather. We ask that all campers are ready for rain and cold weather (yes, cold can happen in the summer!).
Please take the time to review the daily weather forecast each morning and prepare your camper for the day (e.g., rain boots, rain jacket, warm sweater, extra socks, full change of clothing, etc.). Camp staff also review the daily weather report and make decisions to ensure our campers are safe. Humber Arboretum Nature Camp has adequate indoor space for campers to take shelter during severe weather. If it is safe, we will remain outside.
In the event of thunderstorms, high winds, or any other dangerous weather, we will adapt programs to ensure campers are safe. This might include quickly moving from the Centre for Urban Ecology into Humber Polytechnic for further activities.
In the event of an extreme heat alert or air quality warnings, alterations to programs will be made to ensure campers are safe. Activities will be moved into shaded areas, inside, and more water-based activities will be played. Campers will be reminded to drink water frequently throughout the day.
Once rain/thunderstorms have passed, campers will be given ample time to dry out and change into spare clothing. If campers have run out of dry clothes, we have spare clothes that any camper is welcome to borrow. Be sure to ask them about their adventures in the rain when they get home!
T-Shirts
We have T-shirts for sale! You can buy a Humber Arboretum Nature Camp or Jr. Naturalist Camp shirt. You have 3 options:
- You can purchase a shirt at the time of registration (be sure to indicate the size on your registration form).
- You can log back into your CampBrain account and purchase a shirt after you have registered (in this case, please send an email to arboretum@humber.ca to indicate the size you want).
- Come to the front desk at the Centre for Urban Ecology (building with the red door) and speak to our administrator. We accept cheque, debit or credit cards, if paying in person.
Available sizes (all youth sizes):
- Extra Small
- Small
- Medium
- Large
- Extra Large
If you get home and the shirt does not fit, you can bring it back and we can find a different size that will work for your child (the shirt must be in unworn condition). We do recommend trying on the shirt before leaving camp. When in doubt, pick a size that is a little big and then grow into it!
Rest Nest
We understand that children can become dysregulated or upset. If this happens at camp, we have (like many school classrooms) a place for campers to go who need a break. We call it our Rest Nest.
We have many items that campers can use to help them self-regulate their emotions in order to rejoin activities. Staff are also trained to co-regulate to assist campers in learning how to self-regulate.
We have puzzles, fidget toys, sensory blocks, a sensory tent, a heavy ball, noise cancelling ear-muffs, and more that can help a child get back to baseline. We ask that as parents or guardians, you remind your child that they can always ask to go to the rest nest when they need a break or they feel like something is not right.
Our Healthcare Assistant will always do a check to make sure there is nothing physical going on at the same time (sometimes they just need to go to the washroom or eat something).
If you have any questions about our Rest Nest or how it works, please feel free to contact us at arboretum@humber.ca.
