fbpx

FAQs

WHAT IS YOUR REFUND AND CANCELLATION POLICY FOR SUMMER 2023 PROGRAMMING?

Please refer to our 2023 Polices page for information on refunds and cancellations.

If you have any further questions regarding on-site camp, please contact our Customer Experience team at (202) 625-1921 or email us at customercare@headfirstcamps.com

WHERE ARE YOUR CAMP LOCATIONS?

Our camps are located at the premier facilities of St. Albans School and National Cathedral School in Cathedral Heights, NW D.C., St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School in Palisades, NW D.C., Mater Dei School in Bethesda, MD, Flint Hill School in Oakton, VA, The Woods Academy in North Bethesda, MD, and Catholic University in Brookland, NE D.C.

WHAT ARE THE CAMP HOURS?

Camp goes from 9:00am–3:00pm, with optional Extended Day available before and after camp from 7:30am–9am and from 3pm–6pm.

WHAT DOES MY CHILD NEED TO BRING TO CAMP?

It depends on the camp program. As the summer gets closer, we will post a list of what each camper should bring to camp. Please clearly label all of your child’s belongings with their full name to ensure that all belongings can find their way home at the end of the day. You will receive a pre-camp email the week before your first session of camp with links to more detailed information about what to bring. Contact our Service Team at (202) 625-1921 or customercare@headfirstcamps.com for more information.

WILL MY CHILD SWIM AT CAMP?

Campers at the following locations will swim at camp:

  • Bethesda, MD
  • Cathedral Heights, DC*
  • Palisades, DC

*Swim is NOT included for the weeks of August 7-11 and August 14-18 at our Cathedral Heights location.

Campers in the following programs will take part in instructional swim at camp. Instructional swim has goals that are kid-specific, from jumping into the deep end to side breathing. Campers will be carefully supervised at all times, with a 3:1 child-to-staff ratio in the pool. Instructional swim will occur multiple times a week and swim progress reports will be sent home to parents.

  • Junior Day Camp
  • Day Camp
  • Multi-Sport I (Rising K – Rising 1st)

Campers in the following programs will take part in recreational swim at camp. Recreational swim is an opportunity to engage in safe, supervised free swim and pool-based games. Campers will be assessed for use of permitted areas of the pool. We are working with our school partners to maximize the number of days in the pool for your camper – our goal is daily recreational swim and we will let you know before camp if that is not the case.

  • Innovators, Inc.*
  • Multi-Sport II+III+IV (Rising 2nd – Rising 7th)

*Innovators campers will have waterplay at our Cathedral Heights, NW D.C. and Oakton, VA locations.

DO YOU SEPARATE CHILDREN BY AGE AND GRADE?

Yes. During the registration process, you’ll be asked to enter your camper’s rising grade. This will select their age group and the available programs at that rising grade level. This is to ensure a developmentally-appropriate curriculum and experience for campers of all ages.

DOES MY CHILD NEED TO BE POTTY TRAINED?

Yes, we ask that all campers attending Headfirst Summer Camps are potty trained and can use the restroom with minimal assistance.

SHOULD MY CAMPER ENROLL IN MULTIPLE WEEKS OF CAMP?

Yes! Headfirst has a wide variety of camps for every interest and our average camper enrolls in 4-5 one-week sessions per summer. Many of our Day Campers enroll for 7-8 one-week sessions giving them the chance to build long-lasting friendships and develop new skills including swimming and the Headfirst Super Six. We offer the flexibility of one-week sessions to allow families to tailor their summer camp experience to their schedule.

WILL I RECEIVE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT CAMP AFTER I REGISTER?

Once you register and pay for your camp program(s), you will receive a confirmation email for your own records. In addition to that confirmation email, you will receive a pre-camp email the week before your first session of camp. This email will provide you with all necessary information including what to bring to camp, directions, links to our blogs and more.

During the camp week, you’ll receive a number of emails from us as well, including blog updates, dress-up day reminders and more.

CAN WE REQUEST THAT MY CAMPER BE PLACED IN A GROUP WITH ANOTHER CAMPER (BUDDY REQUESTS)?

Absolutely! Buddy requests can be made during the registration process until June 1. We always do our very best to accommodate buddy requests as we know how important this can be to our campers. The number of buddies that we guarantee varies by both camper age and the program for which you’re enrolling.

WHAT IS THE COUNSELOR TO CAMPER RATIO AT HEADFIRST SUMMER CAMPS?

In each Headfirst Summer Camp program we provide a unique environment where campers are able to benefit from individual and small group learning and instruction. Each individual program is supervised and run by a leadership team member to ensure consistency and proper supervision. For our younger campers, we aim to maintain an in-group ratio of approximately 6:1. For rising Kindergartners and 1st graders, that ratio is 8:1, and for older campers it is 10:1.

In addition to the group counselors, each location has a Leadership Team as well as additional team members dedicated to each program.

While campers are at the pool for instructional swim, the additional pool staff, lifeguards, and Aquatics Lead contribute to a ratio of approximately 3:1.

HOW DO YOU HANDLE INCLEMENT WEATHER?

Safety is our number one priority at all times, and we are extremely mindful of the weather. If we see or hear a thunderstorm approaching, outdoor camp programs are immediately brought inside as we take extreme precaution to ensure that all outdoor camp programs are safe.

WHAT PRECAUTIONS DO YOU TAKE TO HANDLE THE SUMMER HEAT?

We’re well aware that the summer heat can drain a camper throughout the day. Water is always available for each camp program and campers are encouraged to take water breaks approximately every 15-20 minutes. We take the heat, the humidity index, and the air quality index seriously. On extremely hot days and for those campers spending the majority of their time playing outdoors, participants will take mandatory and extended breaks throughout the day, an extended lunch break, plenty of water, misting fan breaks and lower impact activities during the day.

In addition, we ensure that sunscreen is re-applied on your camper multiple times throughout the day. We always have sunscreen on-site if your camper forgets or loses their sunscreen. All sunscreen applications are logged in Sunscreen Logs so that we can easily monitor all campers. Please see our sunscreen policy for more information.

CAN HEADFIRST ACCOMMODATE CHILDREN WITH PEANUT OR LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES?

Families with children who have life-threatening allergies can feel safe and comfortable at Headfirst Camps. We are well aware of the dangers and concerns with severe allergies and take our allergy procedures and policIes very seriously.

Our Process:

If your child requires an EpiPen at camp, we ask you to place the EpiPen in a clear plastic bag along with a head shot photo of your child, noting the name of your child on the outside of the bag. This bag (and any necessary instructions) should be presented to the Headfirst Safety and Staff Coordinator on location, upon check-in on Monday morning. Upon registration (and in the morning of each camp day), the Leadership Team takes special note of our campers with allergies by placing a red bracelet around each child’s wrist, as well as placing their EpiPen or other medication in a bag that stays on their counselor at all times throughout the camp day. We highly recommend that all EpiPens and any additional medication stay on location throughout the week. Our counselors in charge of campers with life-threatening allergies wear a first-aid fanny pack at all times containing their campers EpiPen. Any additional medication and necessary instructions for that medication stays with your child at all times.

Our Nut-Free & Allergen Alert Policy:

During lunch breaks, to prevent contact with any food allergens, we have a designated nut-free area and are prepared (“Allergen Alert”) to make accommodations for other food allergies on a case by case basis. If your camper has a life-threatening food allergy, he/she is automatically flagged to eat meals in our nut-free area during lunch. We take special care not to make the campers with food allergies feel alienated during lunch. At least one Headfirst counselor is seated at the nut-free area for the duration of the lunch period. If you would prefer your child to sit in a non nut-free area, please complete our Nut-Free & Allergen Alert Table Waiver during the registration process. To ensure that our campers with allergies at our Nut-Free & Allergen Alert area have a safe lunch experience at camp, we ask that absolutely no peanuts or tree nuts are permitted while in the nut-free area regardless of your child’s particular allergy. At the end of each eating period, we require all campers to wash their hands with soap to ensure they are thoroughly clean prior to their next activity. If you have any questions about our policies, please feel free to contact the Headfirst Customer Service Team at (202) 625-1921 or customercare@headfirstcamps.com.