Camp Guide

Camp is held at Mater Dei School:
📍 9600 Seven Locks Rd, Bethesda, MD 20817

Camp Hours
Camp Day: 9:00am – 3:00pm
Drop-Off: 8:30am – 9:00am
Pick-Up*: 2:30pm – 3:00pm

*Important note: If your camper is enrolled in a late pick-up session, pick-up is from 2:50pm – 3:20pm.

Stay in your car and follow the signs—we’ve got a friendly and efficient carpool system ready for you. Be sure to:

• • Print and display your Pick-up Placard on your dashboard
  • Add all authorized pick-up people in your Parent Dashboard

Running late or need to pick up early? No problem! Just:
Email us at customercare@headfirstcamps.com
When you arrive, stay in your car and call 📞 202-621-1921 ext. 9600.

We are a 100% nut-free camp—no peanuts or tree nuts, please!

• Pack lunch in a labeled lunchbox (with utensils and a cold pack)
• One snack is provided daily (Goldfish crackers), but feel free to send your own if preferred—especially for dietary needs or allergies
• No fridge or microwave on-site, so please plan accordingly
• If you’re bringing sun butter, please label it as such

At our Mater Dei site we offer daily instructional swim led by the amazing coaches from FINS Swimming! Our campers wim on-site at the Mater Dei School outdoor pool.

• Campers in Jr. Day Camp, Day Camp, and Multi-Sport I (Rising K-1st) participate in daily instructional swim lessons. Campers in Innovators, Inc. and Multi-Sport II+ (Rising 2nd-5th) participate in daily recreational free swim.
• The pool is fully supervised with certified lifeguards, swim leaders, and counselors—plus a 3:1 swimmer-to-staff ratio for lessons!

For campers participating in instructional swim, we’ll even send home swim progress reports so you can cheer on your camper’s aquatic achievements at the end of each week.

Label everything—seriously, it really helps!

• Labeled items will be returned as efficiently as possible.
• Unlabeled items are posted on the Campanion app every Thursday to be claimed. Reach out to us if you recognize a lost item!

Allergies

We’re nut-free and vigilant about food safety:

• No food sharing allowed
• Tables are wiped and hands are washed after eating
• Red allergy wristbands will be provided at check-in for campers with allergies to ensure all staff are vigilant on monitoring allergy support

If your camper has other allergies or medical needs, let us know via your forms. Our team will reach out with any questions prior to your camp week as needed.

Medication

If your camper is bringing medication to camp:

• Label everything with their full name
• Upload the Medication Authorization Form (signed by a doctor) to your Parent Dashboard
• Fill out the Medication & Allergy Action Plan online
• Bring medication in a labeled gallon Ziploc bag on Monday

A few notes on medication at Headfirst:

• EpiPens and inhalers stay with counselors at all times in fanny packs. Other medications are stored safely by our Safety Coordinator and supervised during administration.
• While Headfirst staff supervise medication use, they do not administer it—except in emergencies involving EpiPens or inhalers brought from home.
• All medication is returned at week’s end. If your camper is with us for multiple weeks, please bring it back each Monday.
• If your camper needs additional medical support, reach out—we’re happy to discuss your camper’s individual needs.

We use the Campanion app for everything from forms to photos to updates.

Don’t have Campanion yet? Download it here to view photos, fill out forms, and stay in the loop. Just log in with the same info you used to register.

Morning & Afternoon Options

Need extra flexibility? We offer weekly Extended Day options both before and after the camp day.

• Morning drop-off starts as early as 7:30 a.m.
• Afternoon pick-up is available any time before 6:00 p.m.

Campers enjoy games, crafts, snack and sports—plenty to keep them engaged and happy until you’re ready to pick them up!

Tuition (Per Week)

• AM Extended Day: $100/week
• PM Extended Day: $200/week

How to Enroll

Extended Day is available by the week only. Add it to your camper’s application through your Parent Dashboard, or give us a call!

Sample Extended Day Schedule

Wednesdays are for fun themes and team spirit! Thursdays are Camp T-Shirt Day. Your camper will receive their camp t-shirt prior to the Thursday on their first week of camp.

Participation is optional, but always encouraged!

Want your camper placed with a friend? We do our best to make it happen! Submit your Buddy Request via the “Buddy Requests” form in your Parent Portal by June 1st.

We thoughtfully create balanced camp groups to support social growth and connection. Here’s what we can guarantee:

• Day Camp & Jr. Day Camp: 2 buddy requests guaranteed
• Innovators, Inc. & Multi-Sport: 1 buddy request guaranteed

Whether your child is coming with friends or flying solo, our counselors work hard to help every camper feel welcomed and part of the group.