Camp Policies & Information

Summer Camp
To provide equitable access to camp for all families, Summer Camps are filled using a lottery process.

Fall and Spring Break Camps
Registration is done on a first-come-first-served basis. The deadline to register is one week before the start date of camp, but many camps fill shortly after registration opens. Registration must be completed online.

Dodge Nature Center is committed to serving families from all economic backgrounds. Families are encouraged to inquire about assistance in order to make camp affordable. Scholarships are available to those who qualify.

Summer Camp
By submitting a Lottery Form, children are automatically placed on the waitlist if they’re not drawn in the lottery. If space becomes available for your child, you’ll be notified via email and given a timeframe to complete registration before the next camper on the waitlist is offered the open spot. Registration instructions will be shared in the notification email.

Fall and Spring Break Camps
If camps fill, use the waitlist feature found on the camp’s registration page in SmartRec. You can also email [email protected] to be added to the waitlist.

Requests for cancellations made at least 3 weeks prior to the camp start date are eligible for an 80% refund. Cancellations made less than 3 weeks before the camp start date are not refundable. No substitutions or transfers will be permitted.

Campers will spend most of their time outside. Please have children dress for the weather in clothing that can get dirty. Campers should bring:

• Lunch
• Two snacks
• Full water bottle
• Backpack or bag to hold their gear
• Sturdy, closed-toed shoes/boots
• Weather-appropriate gear, such as a sweatshirt, rain jacket, coat, hat, and mittens
• Sunscreen and bug spray
• Face mask, if desired

Please apply sunscreen and/or bug spray to your camper before camp check-in. For liability reasons, staff cannot apply either to campers. Campers can reapply bug spray or sunscreen as needed.

Campers will be checked in and out at the location listed for the camp.

• Drop-off begins promptly at 8:15 am and ends at 8:30. Adults dropping off campers should park in the parking lot, follow the signs to find their camp check-in, and share the name of the adult who will pick up their child at 3:00 pm that day.
• Pickup begins promptly at 3:00 pm and ends at 3:15*. Adults picking up campers should park in the parking lot, follow the signs to find their camp checkout, and sign out their child with the naturalist. Campers must have written permission (including dates) to sign themselves out—no camper may walk or bike home without prior written permission.

*After camp checkout ends, there is a $25 charge for every 15 minutes an adult is late picking up a child.

Campers will be guided by trained naturalists and volunteers. All camps will maintain a 1 to 12 ratio of staff to campers. Campers requiring supervision beyond the nature center’s campers-to-staff ratio may need to provide a personal aide at their own expense.

If children are having a hard time controlling themselves, staff will intervene in an educational, rather than punitive, manner. We will help children see the connection between their behavior and its consequences. Methods of discipline will include clear rules, redirection, encouragement, planning ahead to prevent problems, and the use of logical and natural consequences.

In the event that a child’s ongoing disruptive behavior escalates to physical or verbal violence, Dodge Nature Center has the right to remove the child from camp without a refund. We strive to keep Dodge a safe and friendly environment for all our campers, staff, visitors, and animals.

Camps will not be cancelled due to inclement weather. Activities will be adjusted for the safety of the campers. Always dress campers to be comfortable in forecasted weather conditions.

Dodge Nature Center is committed to providing high-quality environmental education while ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved. Camps are held mostly outdoors, with CDC and MN Department of Health procedures in place.

Campers are welcome to wear a mask based on personal comfort level, but masks are not required. If your child is ill or showing symptoms, do not send them to camp.