Summer Camps

Community centers offer themed, week-long camps for youth ages 6-12. Campers experience many activities including, but not limited to, arts, crafts, sports, games, science experiments and nature exploration. Register for one session or for the entire summer.

A confirmation email will be sent immediately after registering online. Prior to registration, there is an option to add desired camps to a wish list.

Registration

Outdoor Recreation Camps:
Online: TBA | Columbus residents: TBA | General public: TBA
In-person: TBA | TBA | Wyandot Lodge (3228 Indian Village Road)

Community Center and Specialty Camps:
Online: TBA  | Columbus residents: TBA | General public: TBA
In-person: TBA  | TBA | TBA

Therapeutic Recreation Camps:
Online: TBA  | Columbus residents: TBA | General public: TBA
In-person: TBA | TBA | Franklin Park Adventure Center (1755 E. Broad St.)

Summer Camp Dates

TBA

Thank you for a great 2024 summer! Details about 2025 camps, including dates and locations, will be posted in the coming months. Check back for more information.

Registration Coming Soon

Community Center Camps

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Sports Camps

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Arts Camps

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Specialty Camps

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Therapeutic Recreation Camps

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Outdoor Recreation Camps

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Community Center Playgrounds

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Residency Policy

A resident is anyone who physically resides within the municipal boundaries of the City of Columbus. Anyone who resides outside of City limits must pay non-resident fees. Mark your child as a resident or non-resident when adding them to your account, or you will be automatically charged the non-resident fee if left blank.

To update camper information, click on “Manage Family Member” at the bottom of screen, click on ”Edit” next to the camper’s name, then click on “Address Information” to update the geographic area.

Look up your address at FranklinCountyAuditor.com. If Columbus is your tax district, you qualify for resident rates.

Cancellations

To receive a refund, a request must be submitted online at ColumbusRecParks.com/Camps. You can start this process by clicking on the “Refund Policy” button. The department will not honor any refund requests submitted after May 15 unless there are extenuating or unforeseeable circumstances that arise. Refunds take six to eight weeks to process and a $15 processing fee will be assessed for each refund request.

Summer Camp Forms and Documents

Columbus Recreation and Parks is proud to announce the adoption of ePACT Network, a health and safety software to better support all our members and make it easier to submit critical data securely! ePACT is a secure digital solution that allows you to quickly share the health and emergency information we need, and also provides us with powerful communication tools to ensure we have a way to message you in the event of an illness, injury, or larger scale emergency.

Why are we using ePACT?

Download Available: ePACT vs Paper Forms

  • To save you time – With ePACT, you only need to complete your child’s information once, and then verify that it is still correct for additional programs or subsequent years (which can be done in just two minutes)! And if you need to update something quickly, just log in and update it and we’ll be notified immediately.
  • To eliminate high-touch processes- Collecting data electronically and checking members in /out using contactless methods that ePACT offers means a significant reduction in close human contact and shared items like pens and paper sheets.
  • For better security & privacy- ePACT’s high encryption levels and commitment to security means your data on ePACT is safer than on paper- where it can be misplaced or accessible to people who shouldn’t have access to it. ePACT allows us to limit and track access.

How it works?

Content available: Watch video

  • You’ll receive an email invite to share information with Columbus Recreation & Parks the week of May 15.
  • Click ‘Complete Request’ to create a free account, or log-in if you already have an existing ePACT account.
  • Enter the required information, like medical conditions, and share it with Columbus Recreation & Parks so that program staff have access.

ePACT makes it far easier for you to share emergency information with us, while also ensuring we have access to records anytime, anywhere with the mobile app – even without an internet connection.

Rest assured that you always own your account and the information in it. Have questions or feedback? Please email CRPD_camps@columbus.gov or visit www.epactnetwork.com.

Late Pick-Up Fees

Campers must be picked up by the end of the specified pick up time. All campers picked up after this time will be assessed a late pick up fee that must be paid prior to the camper returning to any camp. Fees are assessed per camper.

Up to 15 minutes late: $10

15 minutes late or more: $10 dollars, plus an additional $1 per minute.

Fees are assessed per camper

Inclusion Support Services

Columbus Recreation and Parks encourages the participation of a diverse population and accommodates people with varying abilities and learning styles. Inclusion support staff develop accommodation plans to support campers with, but not limited to, developmental and learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory challenges, autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome and emotional challenges.

Reasonable accommodations are provided to enable an individual’s successful participation in camps. Reasonable accommodations are individualized techniques and resources used to enhance program participation without fundamentally altering the program. Accommodations also help staff create an environment where all campers can have a safe, successful and enjoyable recreation experience. One-on-one staffing is not provided; however, campers may bring their own support person, who must pass a criminal background check.

All campers are required to meet the minimum participation guidelines and desired behavior expectations of the camp. If an accommodation is required to accomplish this, an accommodation request must be submitted by completing the following steps:

  • Register for desired camp.
  • Contact Preston Shepard by email at JPShepard@columbus.gov and request an Inclusion, Accommodation and Special Needs Request Form.
  • Complete the form and return it via email to JPShepard@columbus.gov.
  • Once accepted, an inclusion support staff will contact you to discuss accommodation options.

Please complete this request form immediately after registration is complete.

Registration

Outdoor Recreation Summer Camps:
Online: Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 | Columbus residents: 12 p.m. | General public: 7 p.m.
In-person: Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024 | 7-7:45 p.m. | Wyandot Lodge (3228 Indian Village Road)

Community Center and Specialty Camps:
Online: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | Columbus residents: 12 p.m. | General public: 7 p.m.
In-person: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | 7-7:45 p.m. | Your local community center

Therapeutic Recreation Camps:
Online: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | Columbus residents: 12 p.m. | General public: 7 p.m.
In-person: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | 3-7 p.m. | Franklin Park Adventure Center (1755 E. Broad St.)

Note: Registration fills up quickly, so registering online is the preferred option for getting registered for camp.

Community Recreation, Therapeutic Recreation, Arts, Sports and Most Other Camps*

Online: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | Columbus residents: 12 p.m. | General public: 7 p.m.
In-person: Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024 | 7-7:45 p.m. | Your local community center

*Registration dates and times for some camps will vary. Specific details can be found on Activenet.

Registration Fees

  • Resident: $100
  • Non-resident: $120

*Standard fees for community center camps and several others. Fees for many camps, including Specialty, Outdoor Recreation and more, will vary. 

Camp Hours

8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Breakfast, lunch and snack provided, except where otherwise noted. 

Registration

Registration can be completed online or in-person at your local community center. To register online, visit ColumbusRecParks.com/Camps.

An ACTIVENet account is required for registration. If you are a new user, you will need to create an ACTIVENet account and make sure to include both parent and camper information. Instructions on how to do this can be found on the ACIVENet website.

Online and in-person registration for most camps opens on Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 12 p.m. for Columbus residents, and 7 p.m. for the general public. Registration for Outdoor Recreation camps opens on Thursday, Feb. 22, at 12 p.m. for Columbus residents, and 7 p.m. for the general public.

Next Steps

Additional information including a parent letter and a weekly calendar will be emailed prior to the start of camp to the email address associated with your ACTIVENet account. To make sure camper information is up to date, click on “Manage Family Member” at the bottom of screen, click on “Edit” next to the camper’s name, then click on “Contact Information” to confirm or update your email address.

Registration Checklist

  • Campers must meet age requirements by the start of the camp season.
  • We accept credit cards (VISA, MasterCard or Discover), cash, money orders and cashier checks. Cashier checks and money orders are to be made out to City of Columbus.
  • Do not mail payment/payment information.
  • All camp fees must be paid in full prior to the first day of camp.
  • There will be a $25 fee on all returned checks.

Payment Information

Payment is required for registration and can be made in full, or you can choose to have automatic payments charged to the credit card on file. Automatic payments are charged starting the first Friday in April, and are drafted weekly until the last Friday in May or until balance is paid in full. All camp fees must be paid in full prior to the first day of camp.

If you wish to pay by credit card, a card on file is required at the time of registration. You also have the option to pay in person at your local community center prior to the withdrawal dates. Contact the community center for more information.

Late Pick-Up Fees

Campers must be picked up by the end of the specified pick up time. All campers picked up after this time will be assessed a late pick up fee that must be paid prior to the camper returning to any camp. Fees are assessed per camper.

Up to 15 minutes late: $10

15 minutes late or more: $10 dollars, plus an additional $1 per minute.

Waiting List

To ensure the best experience for campers, all camps enroll a maximum number of participants.

  • If a camp is full, there is an option to be added to the waiting list.
  • If successfully enrolled in another program, a camper will not be charged additional fees to be placed on the waiting list for the full camp during the same transaction.
  • If a camper is added to the full camp waiting list only, no additional charges will be added.
  • Campers on the waiting list will be notified by email if an opening becomes available. Notifications will begin May 15. Please update the email for the head of household on the account.

Please Remember

  • Campers must meet age requirements by the start of the camp season.
  • We accept credit cards (VISA, MasterCard or Discover), cash, money orders and cashier checks. Cashier checks and money orders are to be made out to City of Columbus.
  • Do not mail payment/payment information.
  • All camp fees must be paid in full prior to the first day of camp.
  • There will be a $25 fee on all returned checks.
Refund Policy

To receive a refund, a request must be made using this online form. The department will not honor any refund requests submitted after May 15 unless there are extenuating or unforeseeable circumstances that arise. Refunds take six to eight weeks to process. A $15 processing fee will be assessed for each refund request.

 

FInancial Aid

Columbus Recreation and Parks is committed to offering an equitable camp experience.  Financial aid is available to those who meet the income guidelines.  Depending upon income, parents may qualify to receive a 25%, 50% or 100% discount. Acceptable proof of income will be required.

Acceptable Proof of Income

  • A copy of the first two pages of the 2023 Federal 1040 tax form filed with the IRS.*
  • All campers must come from a household where taxes have been filed for the tax year ending December 31, 2023.*

If you do not file taxes, please submit one or more of the below

  • Benefits/Award Letter for Public Assistance, Nutrition Assistance, Medical Assistance, Social Security, Unemployment, Disability and/or Child Support.*

*Must include parent or caretaker documents

Waiting List

To ensure the best experience for campers, all camps enroll a maximum number of participants.

  • If a camp is full, there is an option to be added to the waiting list.
  • If successfully enrolled in another program, a camper will not be charged additional fees to be placed on the waiting list for the full camp during the same transaction.
  • If a camper is added to the full camp waiting list only, no additional charges will be added.
  • Campers on the waiting list will be notified by email if an opening becomes available. Notifications will begin May 15. Please update the email for the head of household on the account.
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