We’re so excited to have your camper at MIT! With so many fun activities to look forward to, many guardians have questions. Below is additional information to help prepare you and your camper for their fun-filled week(s) at MIT. If you are looking for swim lesson FAQ’s please follow the link attached. See you all soon!
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Get Ready for Camp!
Before Coming to Camp
Please review the following information with your camper before the first day of camp:
- Campers should learn their counselor’s name and group name immediately upon arriving at camp on the first day.
- A counselor will be with your child until he/she is picked up by you or an adult authorized by you.
- Campers must stay with their counselor and group at all times.
- Lunch time is a quiet, rest time.
- Lunch time is to be spent with your group in your designated area. To leave your assigned area for any reason, you will need your counselor’s permission.
- Visits to the Student Center may only take place before or after camp with parental supervision.
- Camp begins and is dismissed at the Johnson Athletics Center.
- If your child reports to camp late or needs to be dismissed early, he/she must be checked in/out when dropped off/picked up at the day camp office.
- Please call the Day Camp Summer Office at (617) 258-7528 between 9:00 am – 5:30 pm if your child will be absent from camp, or if you need to get a message to your child.
- If you know in advance that your child will be absent during certain days of camp, please contact the All Sports Summer Day Camp Office by email at daycamp@mit.edu or call 617-258-7528 between 9:00 am – 5:30 pm.
What to Bring
- Packed lunch, snack, and drink
- Refillable water bottle
- Swimsuit and towel
- Sneakers*
- Sunscreen*
*All campers must wear sneakers.
*Campers must bring their own sunscreen and apply it themselves. Our staff is not allowed to help children apply their sunscreen.
What Not to Bring
- Valuables: We strongly encourage that all valuables including cell phone, money and electronics remain at home. We are not responsible for lost or broken valuables.
- Sandals, Crocs, flip-flops, etc.
- Heelies/Heelys or roller blades
What should I expect on the first day?
Please come meet your camp counselors on the first day of camp!
Please inform him/her of your pick-up plans for the afternoon. If you are not picking up your child yourself, the counselor will ask you to sign a form listing the names of each person allowed to take your child from camp. Those individuals will need to bring identification with them each day they come to camp. Over time, the counselor may become familiar with the regular pick-up person. However, due to absences or special events, we cannot guarantee that the same counselor will always be responsible for your child at the end of the day.
In addition, please inform your child’s counselor of any allergies, medications, or other special concerns that will be valuable for the counselor to know.
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Activities & Policies
Camp Activities
Campers are encouraged to participate in all activities. Swimming activities take place in our professionally managed aquatics center and are supervised by American Red Cross Certified Lifeguards. Swimming lessons will be taught by Certified American Red Cross Swim Instructors. Qualified swimmers must swim 100 yards followed by 10 minutes of treading water. Test administered first Monday of each session. Other activities include the following:
- Basketball
- Dance
- Diving
- Badminton
- Wiffleball
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Gaga Ball
- Kickball
- American Red Cross Swim Lessons
- Jr. Life Guarding**
- Capture the Flag
- Water Polo
- Dodgeball (with foam balls)
- Tsegball
- Counselor’s Activity Choice
** Watch Our Jr. Lifeguarding Video
Due to changes and additions from the Massachusetts Recreational Camp Code, we will be unable to host sailing as an activity beginning in summer 2024. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we explore options for our future camp years. If you are looking for a sailing specific summer camp you can still find that on MIT’s campus at – https://www.charlesriversailingacademy.com/.
Camp Policies
The early arrival and late stay program are a service for parents to help meet the needs of the work schedules. It is not a highly structured program like the Day Camp. Kids do not have to participate in activities at early arrival and/or late stay. Kids may just want to talk to kids and staff, read, play board games, etc. We have basketball hoops, badminton, 4square, etc. set up to play IF THE KIDS CHOOSE TO. Our staff will monitor all activities.
Early Arrival
Early Arrival starts at 8:00 o’clock. Drop off children inside the Johnson Ice Rink (see map). Go to the main Zesiger front desk (building W35) for directions to Johnson Ice Rink.
Late Stay
Late stay starts at 4:00pm and ends at 5:30pm. Pick up children in the Johnson Ice Rink (see map). In an attempt to ensure the safety of all campers, we must require identification from the individual picking-up your child from Late Stay. This policy works well when your child’s counselor has become familiar with the parent dropping off the child, but is not sufficient for Late Stay. Because different counselors care for your child during Late Stay, they may not know each child’s parents. For this reason, we will request identification from mothers and fathers as well.
Regular Drop-Off (9am) and Pick-Up (4:00pm)
This season, campers may be dropped off at Johnson Athletic Center, (see map). Campers will organize by groups with their counselors in or near Johnson. Group lists with camper’s names will be posted on the glass windows at camp drop-off.
Campers will be dismissed from the morning drop-off location. Campers not picked up by 4:00 pm will become part of “Late Stay” located in the air-conditioned Johnson Athletic Center and will be charged the weekly late stay price.
Child’s Exclusion Due to Illness
Children will be excluded from the camp for the following reasons:
- Illness that prevents the child from participating comfortably in program activities.
- Fever (100°axillary(armpit), 101°orally 102°aural(ear) accompanied by other symptoms such as lethargy, constant crying, difficulty breathing, diarrhea and vomiting.
- Diarrhea-stools with blood or mucous, and/or uncontrolled, unformed stools that cannot be contained in a diaper/underwear or toilet.Or Vomiting-green or bloody, and/or two or more times during the previous 24 hours.
Emergency Contact Information and Procedures:
- MIT emergency telephone numbers:
Fire: x100
Police: x100
Rescue/Ambulance: x100 or 253-1212
Poison Prevention Center: 253-5360 (Environmental Medical Service) - Hospital utilized for emergencies:
Name: Children’s Hospital
Address: 300 Longwood Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Telephone: 617/355-6000 (Main #)
617/355-6611 (Emergency #) - Emergency procedures:
- In case of emergency, dial 100 from any campus phone, request the assistance of MIT Police/Ambulance and describe the illness or injury. A staff member waits with the camper until the MIT Police arrive.
- Another staff member notifies the Program Director who will notify parents by telephone of any emergency requiring more than minor first aid. If the parents cannot be reached, the Director will notify the alternate contact person indicated on the student’s application.
- The camp maintains a medical log, a record of all camper and staff health complaints and treatments.
MIT COVID Policies
MIT Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation follow all MIT Covid guidelines related to rentals, events, visitors, etc. This includes Day Camp participants.
This camp must comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and be licensed by the local board of health.
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Pick-Up, Drop-Off, and Parking
Where do I drop off/pick up my child?
WALKING AND BIKING – If you are walking or biking to camp, you are able to come directly to the Johnson Ice Rink (120 Vassar Street) to drop your child off at camp. We will have bike racks available infront of the building.
DRIVING AND AN EMPLOYEE AT MIT – If you work at MIT you will be able to park anywhere on campus this summer. We strongly encourage you to park where is most convenient to you and walk your child into camp at 120 Vassar Street
DRIVING BUT NOT AN EMPLOYEE AT MIT – If you are driving and you don’t work at MIT you must park in Westgate Lot (280 Vassar Street) and walk your child to the Johnson Ice Rink (120 Vassar Street.) This is about a 10 minute walk one way, a 20 minute walk in total. If you classify as handicapped and have a handicap sticker/license plate, please contact us directly for an alternative solution.
What do I do if I arrive late for drop-off?
Campers must be signed in by their guardian. Once signed in, camp staff will bring campers to their groups.
What do I do if I need to pick up my camper early?
Please notify your child’s counselor at morning drop-off and email daycamp@mit.edu with your child’s name, group assignment and time you will be picking them up.
What if I am early to drop my child off at camp?
Drop off time begins at 8:45. Before 8:45 a.m., your camper will automatically be enrolled in our early arrival program for the week. We will charge a fee for early arrival. Early arrival campers will enjoy activities in the air-conditioned Johnson Athletic Center.
What happens if I am late picking up my camper?
Pick-up time begins at 3:45. After 4:15 p.m., your camper will automatically be enrolled in our late stay program. We will charge a fee for late pick-up. Late stay campers will enjoy activities in the air-conditioned Johnson Athletic Center.
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Camp FAQ's
Who is eligible to come to camp?
Campers: 6 – 13 years old
Counselor: 16+ years old
Do campers need to speak English?
Yes, campers must be able to communicate with their counselors in English in case of an emergency.
What is the Camp Tax ID Number?
Camp Tax ID number: 042103594. This can be included in tax deductions.
CIT Program
There will be no CIT program starting Summer 2023.
How are the groups assigned?
Groups are assigned by age. Each child will be in a group with others up to approximately 1 year difference in age. There are approximately 12-20 campers per group depending on enrollment.
We will not be accepting buddy requests as of Summer 2025. Experience has shown that most campers are able to quickly form new friendships within their group. During lunchtime and free play, campers interact with the entire camp, providing them the opportunity to reconnect with friends from other groups. Additionally, the camp is divided into two groups for swim periods, further allowing campers to socialize with peers from different groups.
What if my child does not want to participate in a particular activity?
All campers must participate in all activities. The MIT All Sports Summer Day Camp is committed to the development of the campers’ life skills through group activities and exposure to diverse athletic and social experiences.
Does the camp have a camper discipline plan?
Goals: Proactive management of camper behavior
Promoting an environment that prevents the need for discipline by keeping the campers active, being consistent and fair in our expectations, and stress the need for campers to be responsible for their own behavior.
Strike One: Time-Out
If counselor has discussed the type of behaviors they expect out of their campers and are having trouble getting a camper to meet these expectations, they may have the child sit in a time-out for approximately 5-10 minutes. This time should not be a chance for the camper to remove him or herself and get upset. This time should be used to discuss expectations we have for behavior and review what behavior was inappropriate and why. The camper will be supervised during this period of time. They will remain in the general area of their group. In addition, the camper should be made aware of the future consequences if the undesired behavior continues.
Strike Two: Sit out of activity – involvement of Coordinator
If, following a time-out and discussion, a camper continues to behave in an unacceptable manner, the camper will now be taken to the office and told they will sit out for the next entire activity. In addition, the administrative person in charge of discipline issues will become involved with the situation. When and if this step is necessary, the counselor, child, and administrative personnel will need to sit down with the child’s parents at the end of the camp day to discuss our concerns.
Strike Three: Expulsion
The safety and enjoyment of all camp members are our top priorities. If undesirable behavior of one camper continues to compromise one or both of these factors, the camper may be removed from camp.
The camp administration and staff reserve the right to bypass any one or more of the above disciplinary steps, depending on the severity of the camper’s behavior and the impact it may have on the safety and experience of the camper, other campers, and the camp staff.
How do I submit the Health Forms & Camp Waiver?
All Health Forms and waivers will be submitted online through our CampDoc registration platform. We cannot accept health forms through email. Health Forms and waiver must be received before a camp registration is considered complete.
I just registered, but haven’t received a confirmation e-mail yet.
Our confirmation e-mails are immediately sent. If you are having any trouble receiving an e-mail confirmation, e-mail daycamp@mit.edu
What's the Camp refund policy?
In order to receive any refund you MUST purchase one of the 2 protection plans. The first plan is “basic” which covers cancelations due to emergency situations. An example of this could be Covid-19 or a broken bone. The second plan is “deluxe” which covers all cancelations. An example of this could be a last minute vacation.
If you have to cancel for any reason and did not purchase the insurance plan, you are able to switch weeks depending on availability.
For the full refund policy, please consult this document.
Day Camp registration will close the Monday before camp starts. No changes will be processed after registration closes.