Program & Activities
Our Day Camp Program
We believe it’s important for kids to play, to learn to win and lose, to get outside and run around a little. To this end Camp Alvernia offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities.
Campers at our summer day camp range in age from 3-14, and we tailor our program to suit this wide range of ages, skill levels, and interests.
Campers are grouped by grade completed prior to the summer. Special care is given every year to solicit feedback from campers and staff, with an eye towards constantly improving our program.
Our staff adhere to a strict rule-of-three policy (never being alone with a child). We maintain camper privacy in changing and bathroom use, only assisting campers who cannot change or use the bathroom without assistance. While respecting privacy, our staff remain within earshot to monitor behavior and stay ready to assist. Each activity cabin on the property has private bathrooms, and our main building has large bathrooms with individual stalls for changing and bathroom needs. We hire extra staff to ensure we can maintain staff-camper ratios during transition times, staff breaks, dismissal, etc.
We invest time and care in hiring staff who are dependable, caring, and trustworthy, while conducting extensive background checks, and maintain appropriate supervision to ensure our staff are performing to the best of their abilities.
Activities include the following:
- Arts & Crafts
- Baseball
- Basketball
- GaGa
- Tennis
- Boating
- Swimming
- Soccer
- Theater
- Music
- Volleyball
- Track
- Playground
- Nature Studies
- Storytime
- Yoga
Featured Programs
Send your 3 & 4 year olds to camp!
Our nursery 3 and 4 year old age group is called the Ducklings. This is a great way to introduce your younger child to camp with a simplified camp day that includes wading pool, camp activities, snack, and more – the camp activity will change every day!
If you’ve got a precocious little one who just can’t wait to come to Alvernia like their older siblings, the Duckling program is for you. You can register your little one for the Duckling program by logging into your account and clicking “Camper Application”.
Note: Must be 3 years old by the first day of the camp season.
Waterfront
The waterfront is one of the highlights of the Camp Alvernia experience. Our property is right on Centerport Harbor which allows us to offer boating for every age. The program is tailored to each camper’s abilities at each stage of development. Each child must wear a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) in order to participate in the waterfront program. PFDs are also worn by all counselors and waterfront staff. We restrict the areas of the harbor available for boaters, and maintain a number of moorings to keep the water open. Boaters in the harbor are supervised by certified waterfront lifeguards. Trained Camp Alvernia waterfront staff patrol the water in chase boats to offer assistance to campers, maintaining constant radio contact with the lifeguard.
Age Groups
Ducklings, Sandpipers, and Plovers
3 years old through completing 2nd grade
We have small hand-operated boats for our youngest campers to use, and they are confined to a very small cove in Centerport Harbor. We provide this area with its own certified waterfront lifeguard. Sandpipers and Plovers are sometimes taken out in canoes or rowboats as a special treat. They are introduced to the basics of boating safety, ie: to always remain seated in the boats, to always listen to the lifeguard, to return to shore when they hear the 3-whistle “All Boats In” signal, to stay within their boundaries, etc.
Ospreys
Completing 3rd and 4th grade
Ospreys learn basic canoe and kayaking skills, and are able to take these boats out by themselves into Centerport Harbor. Ospreys also have scheduled periods devoted to small boat sailing. For the Ospreys, each boat is operated by a Boating instructor, who introduces them to the fundamentals of sailing. When they become Herons, they will have the opportunity to sail on their own.
Herons and Eagles
Completing 5th-9th grade, must be 14 and under as indicated above
Herons and Eagles are taught the fundamentals of sailing, and are given opportunities to practice sailing on our Zumas and Picos. They also have the opportunity to sail on larger boats such as our 14.6-foot American Daysailors, Hobie Wave, and Hobie Getaway. Your Heron or Eagle camper is also welcome to sign up for our sailing certification program. This is an elective program which allows your camper to receive a Camp Alvernia sailing certification.
