Welcome to STEM Camp! Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions. You will also find some location-specific FAQs on the webpage for each location. If you don’t find the answer here for your question, we’re here to help:
Campers between the ages of 4-13 are eligible to enroll. Based on the activities and overall structure of the camp, campers must be no younger than 4 years of age and no older than 13 years of age on January 1, 2026, to be eligible to attend camp this season.
We are sorry, but there are no exceptions to the age restriction.
Of course – here is our 2027 STEM Camp Guide.
STEM Camp is committed to providing a positive and successful camp experience for all campers. However, please note that our staffing structure does not allow for one-on-one (1:1) camper support.
If your child requires additional behavioural or personal support at school and has the assistance of an Educational Assistant (EA), they will also be required to attend camp with a qualified support person. Parents or guardians are responsible for arranging this support, as STEM Camp is unable to provide it.
All campers must be independent and self-sufficient in the washroom, as camp staff are not authorized to assist with toileting or personal hygiene.
Full disclosure of any medical, behavioural, or support needs must be provided on the Camper Medical and Behavioural Form at the time of registration. Failure to disclose this information may result in the removal of the participant from camp, and no refunds or credits will be issued in such cases.
Unfortunately, we do not offer half day enrollment or part time enrollment. While it is your choice to only send your child for half a day or a few times a week, there is no price discount. The full enrollment fee will apply.
All lost and found items will be kept at camp until the end of the last week of camp, at which time they will be donated to a local charity if unclaimed. They will not be shipped back to Head Office. STEM Camp strongly recommends that you label everything and check the Lost and Found area daily to ensure that your camper returns home with their belongings.
Campers who bring valuables of any kind to camp do so at their own risk, so please leave valuables at home. STEM Camp is not responsible for any damage, loss or theft of personal items brought to camp.
Typically we have 1 counsellor for every 7 children, though some variations apply. If volunteer CIT’s (Counsellors-In-Training) apply they are most welcome as well. Each camp location has a Camp Coordinator, an Activity Coordinator and regular counsellors.
The majority of our counsellors are university and college students looking for summer employment (and a few secondary school students are hired each year, as well). We also employ teachers who want to do something in the summer, and graduates of Teacher Colleges across Ontario. A recent Vulnerable Sector Police Check is a mandatory requirement for all counsellors. There will be at least one counsellor present at each camp location with their First Aid certification at all times.
STEM Camp has locations all over Ontario. For a list of all our locations, please go to https://stemcamp.ca/ontario-camp-locations/
Please note that not all facilities rented by STEM Camp are air-conditioned. If air conditioning is important to you, we encourage you to visit the Location pages on our website to check whether your specific camp site has this amenity.
We understand that some summer days can be very hot, and we take several precautions to help reduce the impact of heat. These include installing fans where possible, ensuring frequent water breaks, limiting outdoor activity during heat advisories, and incorporating water-based activities to help campers stay cool.
The activities your child will participate in are academic and exploratory in nature and are not considered physically strenuous. Please note that refunds will not be issued due to hot weather conditions at camp.
Registration will open on November 2, 2027!
Click here to register for camp in Ontario.
Absolutely! Campers love showing their STEM Camp spirit through merch.
Camp Gear sales will be opening in Spring 2027!
At that time, you can get your gear by shopping our store. Once an item is sold out – it’s gone!
Merch will be delivered to your camper on their first week of camp.
Any camp merchandise you have purchased will be shipped to the first camp session you have purchased and will be provided to you on the first day of camp.
Absolutely! When selecting themes for each summer, we strive to ensure activities appeal to all campers. Themes are based on the interests of campers 4-13 years old. All our activities are created with both our male and female campers in mind. It is also important to note that while all activities relate to the weekly theme, more importantly, they are all STEM-based and gender-neutral. If your camper is interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, they will enjoy their week with us regardless of the theme! Read more about our themes and activities.
Yes! Each year we continue to add more and more activities and options to ensure the campers are always busy learning and having fun! Many of our activities have extensions available if a camper needs a bit more of a challenge as well.
Sometimes special guests visit various locations to augment our programming, as health and safety allows. For example, campers during prior years have had opportunities to speak virtually to astronauts from the Canadian Space Agency!
The first day of camp is an exciting and busy day. Some children will be experiencing nervousness about what to expect at camp, who they’re going to meet, and will they like it!? We get it! On the first day, we encourage you to arrive a bit early. This will allow parents and children time to acquaint themselves with the drop off/pick up location and procedures. This is a great time to meet some of the camp leaders and counsellors, ask questions you may have and request special groupings with friends/siblings/cousins, etc… For anyone who has booked Before Care, early drop off is 7:30am – 9:00am. Most facilities will have their doors locked after programming begins at 9:00am for security reasons. If you are running behind and will arrive after 9:00am to the camp, please call our Support team at (519) 475-6600 and we will notify the camp. Alternatively, if you need to pick up your child(ren) from camp prior to the end of programming at 4:00pm, we also ask that you call our Support team or notify camp leadership when you drop off your child(ren) at the start of the day.
Programming concludes at 4:00pm and the pick-up process begins. If you have not purchased After Care, please be sure to have your camper(s) picked up by 4:00pm. After Care service is provided from 4:00pm – 5:30pm and is available for purchase through the camp registration process, or by calling our Support team to have it added to your account.
Our camp program operates from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.
We also offer early drop off starting at 7:30 a.m. and late pick up until 5:30 p.m. You can add this extended before care and/or extended after care to your cart at checkout when you register for camp, or purchase it later if you prefer. Before camp care is $40 for a 5 day camp week and $32 for a 4 day camp week. After camp care is $40 for a 5 day camp week and $32 for a 4 day camp week. Please note, only entire weeks (not individual days) can be purchased. Before camp care and after camp care however are separate purchases, so you can purchase only before or only after camp care.
Apart from the first day of camp, drop off should occur just prior to the start of programming at 9:00am. If you have purchased Before Care service, drop off is 7:30am to 9:00am.
Programming ends at 4:00pm and the pick-up process begins. If you have not purchased After Care, please be sure to have your camper(s) picked up by 4:00pm. If you have purchased the After Care service, pick up is 4:00pm to 5:30pm.
To add either of these services to your account, you may include them in your initial registration by adding them to your cart, or you may call our Support Team at (519) 475-6600 and they will add it on your behalf.
Yes! Early drop off starts at 7:30 a.m. and late pick up is offered until 5:30 p.m. You can add this extended before care and/or extended after care to your cart when you register for camp, or purchase it later if you prefer. Before camp care is $40 for a 5 day camp week and $32 for a 4 day camp week. After camp care is $40 for a 5 day camp week and $32 for a 4 day camp week. Please note, only entire weeks (not individual days) can be purchased. Before camp care and after camp care however are separate purchases, so you can purchase only before or only after camp care.
This is what a typical day at camp looks like. Many of our hands-on activities are designed to take place outdoors, making use of the green spaces surrounding our facilities. Throughout the week, staff may (if these areas are close by and accessible) also take campers to local parks, splash pads, or other nearby areas for outdoor fun and games.
If you have any questions or concerns about outdoor activities or offsite visits, please speak directly with the staff at your camp location.
It is important that all campers come prepared for a full day of great activities and fun. Please be sure your camper has the following items every day:
Please do not bring toys to STEM Camp and please leave all electronic devices (including cellphones and smart watches) at home. If you need to contact your child, please call our Support team (519-475-6600) and we will contact the camp to relay messages or plan for your child to call you if it is urgent.
Open toe/heel shoes are not permitted at STEM Camp, as many activities conducted at camp are safer with closed toe and heel shoes. Also, many of the labs at our college partnered locations DO NOT allow them on site for health and safety reasons. Some recreation breaks may include outdoor field activities, so campers should be prepared for light physical activity in comfortable footwear and clothing. Restrictive or uncomfortable clothing should be avoided. Our on-site counsellors are instructed to let you know if your child needs special clothing at least one day prior to a special dress or activity day such as costumes or pajama day.
No, campers will not need to (and we request that they do not) bring any devices to camp. We are very pleased to provide a laptop for campers at all locations for use at camp, which ensures all campers have equal access to the high quality technology programming we offer at STEM Camp, and to devices which are ready to go for all camp activities that they are needed for.
Campers spend approximately 2 hours a day completing coding and robotics activities and (if applicable) participating in Minecraft builds.
STEM Camp staff will bring the camper(s) to the normal drop off/pick up location and the parent/guardian will be required to sign out their camper(s). For your child(ren) to be released from camp, the person signing them out must:
For the safety of all participants, campers are not permitted to leave the camp location at any time without permission. If a camper leaves the premises without authorization, STEM Camp staff will immediately contact the parent or guardian to inform them of the situation.
Depending on the age and circumstance, a staff member may need to physically intervene to prevent a child from leaving camp and entering a potentially dangerous situation. Please understand that this action would only be taken as a last resort to ensure the child’s safety.
No waivers or exceptions are available to permit a child to walk home alone. Every camper — regardless of age or circumstance — must be signed out by an authorized adult (18 years or older) listed on the Approved Pick-Up List (as above).
We post this information on the location pages as soon as we have it. In the case where STEM Camp is located at a university or a college this information can take a while to be forwarded to us as they have internal procedures they must follow to make drop off and pick up as seamless as possible. An email is sent prior to the start of each STEM Camp week with this information.
As much as possible, yes. However, this depends on the camp location and the enrollment of any given week. As a not for profit organization, we do not have the means to employ extra staff to break down into smaller groups if we cannot group easily by age. We cannot guarantee the ages of the campers prior to the camp week, nor can we guarantee how they will be grouped.
If your child requires medication during the camp day, please note that camp staff are not trained or authorized to administer medication of any kind, with limited exceptions. Staff may assist a camper only in the event of a life-threatening medical emergency, such as:
All other medications must be self-administered by the camper or administered by a parent or guardian who returns to the camp for that purpose.
Please note that there are no medically trained personnel (such as doctors or nurses) on site at camp.
Yes! At least one staff member at every site has their First Aid and CPR certification.
Due to an increase in food related allergies and sensitivities in society, we request parents to take special care when preparing their child’s lunch and snacks.
STEM Camp is a nut-aware camp. We ask all families to be considerate of campers who may have peanut and/or nut allergies by providing only peanut-free and nut-free items in your child’s lunches and snacks. Your support helps us reduce the risk of exposure and create a safer environment for everyone.
Please note that STEM Camp staff do not monitor compliance with this request and do not search campers’ backpacks or lunches. Additionally, our camp locations may share facilities with other groups or individuals not affiliated with STEM Camp, and we cannot control what food they bring.
For these reasons, STEM Camp should be considered nut-aware rather than nut-free, except in certain locations where specific restrictions apply. Any designated nut-free locations will be clearly identified on the individual camp location pages at STEMCamp.ca.
If your child is exhibiting cold or flu-like symptoms or those of any communicable disease, (ex. Chicken Pox, Pink Eye, Hand Foot & Mouth, Lice, COVID-19, etc.) please do not send your child to camp. Follow public health guidelines and/or direction from a medical professional regarding the appropriate time for your child to return to camp. Absences from camp due to illness are not refundable per the Cancellation and Refund Policy. Please read below for further details.
This refund policy applies only to new purchases made for the 2027 camp season. It does not apply to camp sessions, services, or merchandise purchased in previous seasons, including any for which credits were previously issued.
Participants who have purchased camp sessions, services, or merchandise products on or before May 31, 2027, may request a full refund (minus a non-refundable 2.4% processing fee) for any reason, provided the request is made in writing to Head Office on or before May 31, 2027. To request a refund, please contact our Support Team via email at [email protected].
Camp session purchases made on or after June 1, 2027, are considered FINAL SALE. No cash refunds will be granted, or credits issued, for ANY reason. Please be aware of this when purchasing camp sessions on or after June 1, 2027. If you do not agree to this condition, DO NOT proceed in purchasing camp sessions.
Participants may switch to a different camp location or week by providing at least 5 business days notice to Head Office. Switching camp locations or weeks is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. To request a location or week switch, please contact our Support Team by email at [email protected] or call (519) 475-6600.
Camp Merchandise and Before and After Care services are refundable at any time, including during the camp season, provided they are cancelled at least one full business day before the start of the camp session for which they were purchased. To cancel Camp Merchandise or Before/After Care services, please contact our Support Team by email at [email protected] or by phone at (519) 475-6600.
If STEM Camp must cancel a camp location, session, day, service, or merchandise product (either before or after June 1, 2027), a full refund will be issued to the participant. Reasons for cancellation may include, but are not limited to, funding availability, low enrolment, insufficient staffing, or supply chain issues. While STEM Camp makes every effort to finalize these decisions by June 1, 2027, this may not always be possible.
In the unlikely event that STEM Camp is forced to close due to a government order (e.g., pandemic-related restrictions), participants will receive a credit for the full value of their purchase, which may be applied to the 2028 camp season.
STEM Camp reserves the right not to issue refunds or credits after a camp session has started, under any circumstances, including but not limited to:
Participants may switch to a different camp location or week by providing at least 5 business days notice to Head Office. Switching camp locations or weeks is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. To request a location or week switch, please contact our Support Team by email at [email protected] or call (519) 475-6600.
No. We suggest that parents evaluate their situation closely prior to enrolling their child and that should a situation occur where the child indicates they are not “having fun” or “didn’t learn anything”, strongly encourage them to try their best the next day. Children often focus on one thing during the day they did not like but in actuality they had 10 other positive things happen. Another suggestion would be to discuss the situation with the Camp Coordinator on site as there is often more to the story.
You can select your city to view more information on pricing and site details.
STEM Camp accepts payment by VISA or Mastercard, or by e-transfer. If you would prefer to pay by e-transfer, please contact [email protected] or by calling (519) 475-6600 and we will be happy to assist you with processing your payment. Please note, campers will not be fully enrolled in our system until payment is received. We cannot guarantee that positions will remain available if paying by e-transfer as processing time varies. Paying by credit card at registration check out guarantees those camp sessions are reserved for your camper(s).
As a not for profit, STEM Camp does not have a formal subsidy program as our fees are already at cost. However, we do accept funding from any organization that wishes to assist.
We suggest parents contact their local service clubs and agencies to enquire about existing summer camp subsidy programs. A call to your local MPP and MP offices could also provide some ideas as to funding.
There is a 2.4% Credit Card Surcharge added to all transactions to cover the fee that payment processors charge. This is a non-refundable fee.
