Recreation & Activities

Summer Day Camp swim tests are mandatory. To pass, Campers are required to swim the width of the pool without stopping, laboring or touching the bottom and to tread water for 30 seconds. (we have a spreadsheet to keep track). The test is initiated the first pool day but Campers are allowed to take the test every day until they pass (even in August). Campers who don’t attend until later in the summer are still required to participate in swim testing. Campers are not permitted to go into water over their head (which means the diving boards) until they pass the swim test.

No. Staff will make every effort to accommodate parents with shared custody, however Day Camp swipe cards are just like credit cards and therefore, the swipe card of the parent bringing the Camper(s) to Camp is debited. Staff is not authorized to manually enter a Camper’s arrival or departure for the purpose of charging another swipe card. A photo of your child’s swipe card bar code may be shared via a clear photocopy, picture or image on a smartphone.

Duration of Camp – June 3rd though August 9th – Closed July 4th
Hours of Operation (all camps): 7:15 am-6:00 pm
Thompson Park North Shelter House – 4250 Mountview Road, 43220
Reed Road Park Shelter House – 3055 Reed Road, 43221 (behind Fire Station #72)
Tremont Elementary School Cafeteria – 2900 Tremont Road, 43221(entrance off south parking lot)
Tremont SDC moves to Thompson Park on July 29th for the remainder of the summer to accommodate required cleaning and maintenance at Tremont Elementary.

You may drop-off and pick-up your child at SDC at any time during the course of the day. You may even drop-off and pick-up your child at the pool and/or a field trip location, however the adult bringing or calling for a child at an off-site location MUST make personal/direct contact with a leader (preferably the Camp Director /Asst. Director) to let them know that your child has arrived or is departing from SDC. On days of required field trips, Campers who do not wish to attend the field trip must be picked-up prior to the scheduled departure time.

Ages for Camp are 6-12 years old. A child may attend Camp upon their 6th birthday and may not start Camp until they are actually 6 years old. The maximum age of a camper is 13. Campers cannot turn 13 before the first day of Camp, however if the camper’s 13th birthday is during the course of Camp, he/she may attend the entire summer.

Residents are those families who reside and/or work within boundaries of Upper Arlington. The Upper Arlington City boundary encompasses most, but not all Upper Arlington School District. If you are in doubt, please call our office at 614-583-5300 or consult the Franklin County Auditor’s website (//franklincountyauditor.com) to check your Tax District under Parcel Search.

Registration begins (online only) at //parks.uaoh.net. The registration fee is $100 per resident child and $120 per non-resident child. This fee is non- refundable, non-transferrable and cannot be credited to your household. Please register at your earliest convenience, as all three SDC locations have quickly filled to capacity for six straight years. Upon registering for SDC, you will enter your credit card information to pay for the registration fee and the mandatory initial ten days of Summer Day Camp for a total of $420/Resident or $440/Non-Resident. All fees paid in the registration process are non- refundable, non-transferrable, cannot be credited to your household and cannot be transferred to siblings or other Campers. The daily fee is $32 per Camper.

The registration fee includes entry into the UA Pools only when a camper is with the SDC program, supervision, camp supplies and SDC t-shirt.

We realize that schedules and plans change rapidly and have designed a unique pay-as-you-use fee schedule. The UAPR Summer Day Camp pay-as-you-use allows you to pay for only the days your child actually attends Camp (after the initial ten days). For example, you may use your first ten days in June and July and then purchase another five days for anticipated use in August. If you only use three of those August days, we will refund two days back to your credit card. You must request a refund via email ([email protected]). There are no partial SDC days. If your child checks-in at Camp, you are charged for a full day. Cost per day is $32 per child.

The Recreation Division offers a plethora of year-round programming, of which most are conducted on a self-sustaining basis. Summer Day Camp offers the most flexible (pay-as-you- use) and affordable summer camp in the central Ohio area. The ten day minimum was instituted to help alleviate use of Camp as “Plan B”. For example: Plan B parent registers their child for SDC and pays for two weeks of Camp ($320). If Plan B child goes the minimum 10 days and pays $320 in Camp fee, this child takes the place of a Plan A parent who needs summer care and their Plan A child would have attended eight of the ten weeks for a total of $1,260. Our refund policy of unused days beyond the initial purchase of ten is also unmatched by any similar programming. Other summer camp programs typically require an upfront “all in” enrollment, higher mandatory minimum use and payment or use a ‘block’ payment system which requires payment for an entire month at a time or registration for the first half or second half of the summer, without any type of refund or credit.

Every Camp utilizes electronic check-in/out. Parents must accompany their child into Camp each day and swipe the key fob that has been assigned to each camper. If your child had a pool membership or has attended Camp in the past, they have an assigned key fob. Theses scan fobs can be used year to year, pool to Summer Day Camp. There is a question in the online registration process that asks if a new key fob is needed. Please check yes accordingly. New key fob cards are distributed at Parent Orientations or given to you on the first day your child attends SDC. Camp staff scans your fob each day, upon arrival and departure from Camp. If you arrive or depart at an off-site location, staff enters your arrival or departure manually upon return to Camp. The first ten days of Camp are electronically pre-loaded to your Camper’s card upon registration, whether the card is newly issued or used from a previous year. Staff typically lets you know how many days remain on your scan card, however it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure that there are days on your scan fob BEFORE arrival at Camp. If you arrive at SDC and you do not have available days, you will be asked to call the office (8am-5pm) to purchase days or to add days to your card via your smartphone while you are still at Camp. Your child is not be permitted to remain at Camp if there are no days on your scan card or while you obtain days via phone or internet. You must stay with your child until you have purchased additional Camp days.

Children should bring a packed lunch and water bottle/drink that does not require refrigeration each day. Prior to arriving at Camp, parents should apply a liberal layer of sun screen. Campers should bring sun screen, bathing suit, towel, swim bag and addition drinks and/or snacks for the pool. Sun screen is re-applied prior to leaving for the pool and at rest periods. Campers may bring goggles, ear plugs, additional money for pool and/or field trip snacks, however all personal items and money are the responsibility of the Camper. The UAPR policy is that staff cannot ‘hold’ or be responsible for money or personal valuables brought to Summer Day Camp. The general rule of thumb for personal items brought to Day Camp is that if it is too valuable to lose or get broken, it’s better left at home.

1. 7:15-10 am – Free play/activities
2. 10 –11 am – Organized activity and Camper attendance check– All-inclusive organized activity lead by a different leader each day and the activity typically changes each day.
3. 11-11:45 am – Lunch (Campers bring a packed lunch that does not require refrigeration & drink) 11:45 am-12:30 – Clean-up, attendance check and change for the pool
4. Campers of the same gender all change at the same time inside the shelter house to facilitate time constraints.
5. 12-3 pm – Pool time (subject to change)
6. 3:15-4 pm – Free play
7. 4-5 pm – Organized activity and Camper attendance check
8. 5-6 pm – Free play/clean-up

Transportation is contracted with the UA Schools using UA busses and drivers. Transportation is occasionally provided by UAPR staff in the City’s 15 passenger van for trips between Camps or the pool.

Campers attend the pool every day, with the exception of field trip Wednesdays.

• Thompson SDC – bussed to Reed Road Water Park
• Reed Road SDC –walk to Reed Road Water Park
• Tremont SDC – walk to Tremont Pool

Campers are not grouped together by our staff. We have found that children with ‘like’ interests tend to play and socialize together. This allows your child to make new friends throughout the summer. Staff monitors ‘who socializes with who’ and at times will redirect Campers if they feel it is in their best interest.

Fields trip are typically every Wednesday, with the exception of the first week of Camp. There is not a field trip the first week. Each field trip has a permission form which must be completed. There is an additional cost for each field trip that is payable in cash (only) prior to departure for the trip. We, in turn, pay at the trip venue in cash. This allows us to secure a reservation, adjust attendance projections with our vendor and sometimes secure a reduced rate for our Campers. Fields trip forms for all trips are available at Camp on the first day. You may pay for all field trips at the beginning of Camp, however, please have each trip marked in an individual envelope with the exact cash amount enclosed.

You are only required to pay for a field trip if your child is attending Camp on the actual field trip day. Typical field trips are to Magic Mountain, Skate Zone 71, Dublin Chiller, The Orchard, etc. The field trips schedule should be finalized by April 1st.