***Jr Backpackers, Backpackers, Trailblazers, Pathfinders Monday Field Day/In-The-Field Challenges Kicks off the week with themed games and activities in Fort Greene Park Tuesday Field Trip or Workshop Wednesday Water Day Trip to a splashground Thursday Field Trip or Workshop Friday Field Trip or Workshop

Sign in/out attendance procedures. Sign-in/Sign-out is done by the adult dropping off or picking up using the mybrightwheel app. Each authorized adult will receive a unique 4-digit pin (which can be changed through the Edit Profile section of the app). Adults will sign in or out by scanning the QR code on the door and entering their pin. During drop off, adults will be prompted to answer two quick COVID-19 screening questions. Drop-off 8:00-9:00 am The earliest explorers can be dropped off is 8am. We request that all explorers are at our location by 9am. Pick-up Procedures Pickup is anytime from 4-6 pm at the same location as drop-off. As stated above, all parents and authorized adults should come knowing their 4-digit PIN and with the mybrightwheel app installed on their smartphone.

Hat (recommended for sunny days) Sunscreen **Please apply before coming to camp. Water bottle Extra set of clothes, if necessary **recommended for younger explorers

Crocs and flip-flops are NOT allowed in camp! We’re very active and explorers can easily slip or trip on them. Shoes must have ankle straps. Personal toys are discouraged. Electronics such as video game devices are not allowed. Personal cell phones must be kept in explorers backpacks. Please do not send your explorer with money. We cover all trip expenses and do not visit souvenir shops. explorers will not need money for any reason unless explicitly noted in the itinerary details of the weekly email.

We keep a 1:6 adult to explorer ratio on trips with children ages 6 and up, and a 1:5 adult to explorer ratio on trips with children ages 4 and 5. Our homebase ratio is 1:10. We assign our explorers into smaller groups based on this ratio. This increases our group’s safety by providing the ability for super quick head counts on our excursions and also allows the children to bond with their counselor in a smaller, more intimate setting. Our explorers are broken into four age groups to ensure that each explorer enjoys experiences appropriate to his or her age. We also recognize the benefit of co-mingling between ages and occasionally do group activities with mixed age groups. • Jr. Backpackers is for Pre-K 4s entering Kindergarten 2020-21. The program focuses on play-based learning and introduces explorers to a variety of new skills and mediums while maintaining an age-appropriate structure. • Backpackers is for entering 1st-2nd graders 2020-21 school year. Backpackers focuses on introducing explorers to various interests and skills in a structured environment while still encouraging freedom of exploration. • Trailblazers is for entering 3rd-5th graders 2020-21school year. Trailblazers focuses on allowing explorers to further develop their personal interests and to pursue their passions by growing their confidence and independence. We try our best to divide our smaller camp groups with the following priorities in order: 1. A child’s established connection with an adult counselor 2. A child’s age 3. Parent’s request for a specific group 4. Our identification of new and existing camp friendships While we do organize explorers into smaller groups, our explorers enjoy ongoing flexibility to engage and interact with all of the explorers in their larger group, despite their small group designation. Many of our workshops and organized activities are designed for the group as a whole as well as time on the bus, during lunch, and playground. You can think of our groups as the desk groups in a typical elementary classroom setting. We’re all in class together with the benefit of added attention for each smaller group. **Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, age groups will remain separate for the duration of their time at camp, with no co-minging.

Camp groups (with the exception of Clubhouse Explorers) are organized by the entering grade for the 2020-21 school year Clubhouse Explorers preschool ages 2-4 Jr Backpackers rising kindergarten Backpackers rising 1st-2nd grade Trailblazers rising 3rd-5th grade

All explorers must wear our signature camp shirt and carry our purple backpack everyday. One kit is included for the summer season which includes two camp shirts and a backpack. Additional t-shirts are available for purchase. ***A water bottle is required

Yes. You are welcome to pack your explorer a lunch. Note that we are a nut free facility and do not allow nuts of any kind.

We will send out a weekly menu to all camp families. We encourage children to try our foods and always encourage healthy habits. If your child is a picky eater, we suggest nut-free healthy snacks to supplement, if necessary.

On water days explorers should come well-sunscreened with water resistant sunscreen on all exposed areas and dressed in a bathing suit with dry camp clothes on top. Girls should wear a bathing suit under their dry shorts/skirts and a camp shirt. Boys should wear swim trunks and a swim shirt under their camp shirt. Please provide a towel and dry underwear/clothing for your explorer to change into. Label all items with explorers first and last names.

We try our best to accommodate group and friend requests. Please make any requests 1-2 weeks in advance. Note that same day friend requests may not always be possible.

If your child will be unable to attend a day of camp, please e-mail info@explorerkids.us or call 855-687-6923 x 0 as soon as you are aware of the absence.

We understand things happen and offer a 5-minute grace period. Please let us know if you are running late by reaching out to your child's counselor via the Brightwheel App. After the grace period the late fees as outlined in the Summer Camp Parent Guide will be applied to your account.

Due to the nature and structure of our programs, we do not offer any make up days. We are flexible with rescheduling, however, so please call 855-687-6923 if you would like to reschedule a week of camp.

Depending on the nature of the weather, on field trip days that are outdoors camp will find an alternative trip location. On water days or field days we may stay indoors at our camp location if deemed necessary. We follow heat advisory recommendations from the Dept of Health. For typical rain days that do not include severe weather we will try our best to continue our trip as planned. Parents will be notified via email or text message of any itinerary changes or delays. Our Inclement Weather location for both park locations will be Brooklyn Independent Middle School, located at 38 Lafayette Street in Fort Greene. Families will receive notification the night before a camp day if we will be moving to the indoor location the following day.