FAQ

Campers should bring a lunch, extra snack, water bottle, bathing suit and towel, complete change of clothes (in a ziploc bag with name), water shoes for creek walks, flip flops that can be worn to/from the pool, and sunscreen.

Campers should bring a packed lunch (with an extra snack for snack time) daily. At the time of registration, campers may sign up for Pizza Mondays receiving two slices of pizza, gatorade and a choice of snack for an additional cost.

Hideaway operates five days a week (closed on the 4th of July) and no part-time or half-day options are available. We will assist campers who may arrive late or miss days because of ESY participation.

The camp day runs from 9:30am to 3:10pm. Campers should arrive by 9:00am. Morning assembly/announcements begin at 9:20am. Our last period ends at 3:10pm and dismissal begins at 3:20pm for those on buses and 3:30pm for those campers providing their own transportation (via car line).

There is a before-care program that begins at 8:00am and an after-care program that ends at 4:30pm. There is no charge.

Our office and property hours are 8:00am-4:30pm., with limited hours of operation in the off-season (September-May). The camp property serves also as a private residence. Please call the office to schedule a visit during the off-season.

Our camp day is filled with many wonderful activities, including a swimming lesson, free swim, arts & crafts, drama, archery, gaga, nature study, high ropes, low ropes, miniature golf, creek walks, field activities and many more. Campers will rotate through six, 40-minute periods daily, participating in each specialty area twice a week. Families will receive a complete daily schedule via email once our season begins.

Campers are grouped by age, gender, and grade completed. Our very youngest group is made up of campers that have completed pre-K/K and are 5 years of age by May 1st. Our oldest group, the TEEN group, include campers that have completed 7th or 8th grade. Our TEEN group is co-ed and has two counselors. We allow no more than 17 campers per week/per group, with the exception of our TEEN group, which is actually two groups in one.

Our counselors, specialists and assistants are teachers and mature college students. We are very proud of our staff and invite you to check out our Staff Page to read more about our summer family. A Child Abuse Clearance and a Criminal Background Check are required for employment.

Campers who attend four weeks or more have the option of bus transportation. Campers are picked up at a CENTRAL LOCATION close to your home, work, or other address and between the hour of 8:00-9:00am. A more specific time and the exact location of your stop will be assigned before camp begins. The location of your bus stop is determined based on one address for both morning and afternoon. Your camper’s bus driver and pick up/drop time may change throughout the summer.

You may drop off your camper anytime after 8:00am with no charge. There is a car line and staff to help your camper out of the car and up to our Flagpole area in the mornings. Our before care staff will be there to greet them. If you are picking up your camper at the end of the day, please arrive after 3:30pm, as our buses begin departing at 3:20pm and are given priority. Parents or guardians will again go through a car line in the afternoon, where your camper will meet you.

It is not necessary to sign up for before and/or after-care ahead of time. Campers may arrive as early as 8:00am and be picked up as late as 4:30pm. There is no charge.

Please call the office to let us know your camper will be absent or when we can expect them to arrive. If arriving late or if you need to pick up your camper early, please call the main office (610.489.2191) once you arrive and we will come to the parking area to get them or bring them down to you.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

HDC has a rolling enrollment starting in November and up to the last week of our season. Weeks must be selected at the time of registration but may be changed to other weeks at a later date if availability exists. A $300 deposit is required to hold any and all weeks. See payment schedule below.

Families may cancel up to TWO registered weeks from their original registration without penalty, allowing for some flexibility to families who may have a slight change in summer plans.

Canceling of THREE or more weeks from the original registration will incur a fee of $100 for every week that is canceled outright, beginning with the third week. As always, there will be no penalty for the changing of weeks. Families are welcome to switch registered weeks to other weeks in the summer without penalty, assuming desired weeks are available.

Enrollment is limited. Campers are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. We cannot hold a spot for any camper without a completed application and deposit. Should your application be received after groups have reached capacity, you will be notified, and placed on a waiting list; otherwise, your deposit will be returned.

HDC is not responsible for the camper’s equipment or personal belongings, while in transit or at camp, if lost or damaged by fire, theft, or otherwise. We will make every effort to provide proper supervision so that losses will be at a minimum.

Final group and transportation arrangements will be made when all tuitions are paid in full. Hideaway reserves the right to deny bus transportation due to the pick up/drop off location of camper. Please call our office to check the availability of transportation in your area before sending in your completed application. It is agreed that the transportation service can only apply to the same bus stop throughout the season with no exceptions.

CANCELATION/REFUND POLICY/PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

• If a cancelation occurs in writing before March 1st all monies, including deposit, shall be returned.
• If a cancelation occurs after March 1st and before April 1st, all monies except the original deposit ($300) shall be returned.
• Full payment is due April 1st. 
• NO REIMBURSEMENTS/REFUNDS will be given for canceled weeks after April 1st.
• There is no allowance nor refund for any absences, late arrival or early withdrawal of campers once camp begins. This is strictly enforced.

We recommend that all campers come to camp in the morning with applied sunscreen and/or bug/tick repellent/ivy block. We will reapply sunscreen to our younger campers after their morning swim lesson is complete. Our older campers will reapply it themselves, also after their morning swim lesson. Campers must bring in their own sunscreen, with their name clearly marked. It will be kept in the office for the duration of their camp stay so that it can be reapplied as needed. All sunscreen must be in the form of a spray. Please send in enough for their entire camp stay. Siblings must each bring in their own sunscreen.

Payments can be made easily by selecting the MAKE A PAYMENT tab on our website, www.hideawaydaycamp.org. Payments can be made at any time and for any amount as long as full payment is received by April 1st. We will not automatically charge your credit card. Checks may also be mailed to: Hideaway Day Camp, 3471 Arcola Road, Collegeville, PA 19426. No refunds are issued after April 1st for any cancellations.

If your camper registers after April 1st, full payment is due once you receive your confirmation email. Weeks may be canceled is payment is not made.

Tours are given on select Saturdays beginning in January (depending on weather) by appointment. Once our season begins in June, tours are given daily, M-F. No weekend tours are given during the summer months and fall. All tours are by appointment only and begin from our parking area. Please call the office to schedule.