Summer Day Camps

Each of our camps have a different theme, so what they'll do all day varies! At all YMCA Camps, campers move through activities with their counsellors, stopping for snacks and lunch. Throughout the week, they'll have the chance to earn value beads, value beads will be awarded to individuals for demonstrating friendship, caring, honesty, diversity, social inclusion, responsibility, respect, leadership and excellence.

We remind campers to dress appropriately as we will be outside rain or shine!

We are fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children in our care. To keep our participants and staff safe and healthy, the YMCA will meet or exceed all provincial health guidelines and requirements.

To help ensure all children are kept safe at the YMCA, we will ask for government-issued photo ID to be shown for all YMCA Camp pick-ups from the identified parent/guardian/pick-up person on the medical form and sign-in sheet. This is in effect for all YMCA Camps.

If you require additional information regarding your child's camps, please reach out to daycamp@ymcanab.ca.

In our Edmonton Centres, transition times are from 8:30-8:45 a.m. and 3:45-4:00 p.m., daily. During these times, staff will be moving from their pre-care or to their post-care locations.

In Red Deer and Wood Buffalo, transition times are from 8:30-8:45 a.m. and 4:15-4:30 p.m., daily.

For the safety of all children in our care, you will not be able to drop-off or pick-up your child(ren) during this timeframe.

At the YMCA, we understand that children and youth need positive peer and adult relationships in their lives. All YMCA employees are carefully selected based on their leadership potential, enthusiasm, experiences and ability to role model YMCA values to children, members and staff.

All employees have completed day camp training, which includes safety and emergency training, intermediate first aid, CPR, WHMIS, behaviour management, and physical literacy. Employees are also required to pass a Police Security Check with a Vulnerable Sector Search.

Yes, your child(ren) can be accompanied by an aide for YMCA Camps.

*NEW in 2025* Children that receive 1:1 support in a school environment are required to have 1:1 support at camp.

Although the YMCA cannot provide additional aids (staff) for children, we will work with each family to identify which supports are needed and come up with a support plan to achieve positive experiences for children and their families. Please contact daycamp@ymcanab.ca with any questions or concerns you may have.

Summer Day Camp Cancellations

Effective June 9, summer camp registration cannot be cancelled online. Please reach out to a YMCA staff member to assist with cancellation. A $25 cancellation fee will apply. Should a camp need to be cancelled due to low enrollment, every effort will be made to place your child(ren) in an alternate camp, or we can offer a refund.

YMCA Health, Fitness and Aquatics and Community Centres are nut-free facilities, and we ask that you do not send your child with any nut products. If your child does come to camp with nuts, they will be removed from the group and asked to eat under staff supervision in a safe sanitized space.

Additionally, we discourage strawberries as a snack or lunch item as many of our campers have these allergies.

Pre- and post-care is a before- and after-camp program where you can drop off your child early and pick up your child later.

During this time, we will offer supervised low movement, self-directed activities for your child to participate in while we wait for camp to start or for parents to pick up.

Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray)

Please note, in Wood Buffalo, this is a 30-minute pre- and post-care program offered from 8:00-8:30 a.m. and 4:30-5:00 p.m.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to store any personal belongings (skateboards, swimwear, helmets) overnight. Campers will be expected to bring what they need each day for camp.