First-Time Campers

We accept campers from ages 4 to 12, up to having finished Grade 7. First-time campers must be age 4 by the time they arrive. Kids who have completed Grade 8 and 9 can join our Leadership Development Program (LIT/CIT), a pathway to becoming a staff member.

Absolutely! We tailor our programs to the ages and developmental levels of each camper. We help all campers feel a sense of belonging, whether it’s their first summer with us or their 10th!

The first day at camp is all about helping campers feel comfortable, connected, and excited for the summer ahead! Campers will meet their staff and new friends, tour camp, learn routines, participate in fun icebreaker activities, and join our full-camp gathering at Flagpole – the heart of our camp community. Campers will also have one swim (instead of 2), focused on getting comfortable in the water and easing into the camp routine in a fun and supportive way.

Parents have the opportunity to visit during the two open houses in June and two family nights during the summer. See our summer Calendar page for more details.

Programs & Structure

We offer two programs, both located at our site in Markham: Traditional Program & Sports Academy.

We offer two main programs, the Traditional Program and the Sports Academy. Campers with special needs, enrolled in our Inclusion Program, are supported within these programs alongside their peers, not in separate streams.

  • Traditional Program: Includes a wide variety of activities across arts, adventure, and sports, with two instructional swims per day and free swim on Friday afternoons.

  • Sports Academy: An all-sport experience covering traditional sports like basketball and tennis through to adventure activities like climbing wall, archery, and canoeing. Also includes two instructional swims daily.

Campers arrive at camp by bus or by car, start the morning with cabin and unit activities, rotate through scheduled 30 minute programs including two instructional swims in one of our four heated pools, have lunch together, continue with afternoon activities, and head home on the bus. See our A Typical Day page for an hour-by-hour breakdown.

Campers are grouped by age and the grade they have completed. Campers in pre-K/JK (our Munchie campers) and those enrolled in Sports Academy are in mixed-gender cabins.

If the weather is not conducive to outdoor activities, we have covered facilities and indoor programming. Rainy days are just another day at Robin Hood – sometimes the most memorable ones. We have LOTS of indoor space to continue the fun with lots of programming!

Better than 1 to 4 overall. Our youngest Munchkins (Pre-SK) have 3 staff to 12 campers. Most older units have 2 staff to 12–14 campers. Our Senior Staff (supervisory) Team adds additional layers of supervision throughout the day.

Every camper will receive a Camp Robin Hood backpack on the first day of their camp session to use for the summer! We supply towels at camp for the two daily swim sessions.

We recommend packing:

  • Sunscreen

  • Hat

  • Warmer clothes

  • Rain coat

  • Two bathing suits for two swim sessions

  • Extra set of clothes and underwear

  • “On the go” snacks, like granola bars or apple sauce packs

  • Labelled water bottle [FIRST NAME, LAST NAME]

  • Optional: sandals/crocs and swim goggles

Inclusion Approach

Our Inclusion Approach involves offering additional support to help campers with special needs be safe and successful in our camp setting. They are included in regular camp programming with their support team.

Working as a team with the family to see if our unique outdoor spirited camp program, with modifications and accommodations, could meet their child’s needs

The intake process begins with a consultation, assessment, and then confirmation with our Camp Director, Sari Grossinger. We will review your child’s needs, discuss what support looks like day-to-day, and build a plan together. A good summer starts with a good intake. Call our office to begin the Inclusion intake process: 416-736-4443.

Our Inclusion Program is led by our Camp Director, Sari Grossinger, a registered Occupational Therapist, who has deep experience supporting children with diverse needs in a camp setting. Sari works directly with families during intake and is present throughout the summer.

Approximately 15% of our camper and staff population have identified special needs.

We work with families whose children have a wide range of identified needs — including but not limited to learning disabilities, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, anxiety, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation challenges, or developmental or mobility needs.

Transportation

Families have the option to opt in to our door-to-door bus transportation (within our designated boundary), neighbourhood bus pick-up points, or to drive their campers to and from our camp location in Markham. Buses depart camp at 4:00 pm. Earliest pickup is 7:45 am.

Our boundary runs roughly from Bathurst & St. Clair in the south, Newmarket in the north, Durham to the east, and Major Mackenzie & Dufferin to the west. Our website has an interactive map where you can enter your address to find the nearest door-to-door or neighbourhood pickup point.

Families can put their address into our interactive Google map and to find their door-to-door pick up, and the nearest neighbourhood pick up points are located in relation to their address.

Families can choose between door-to-door bus transportation, neighbourhood bus pick up and drop off, or they can drive their campers to and from camp in Markham.

 

Bus options come at an additional cost but include access to our mobile app, LARRY to track bus location and receive real-time notifications.

 

The earliest pickup is 7:45 am. Camp buses leave our site at 4:00 pm.

There are additional fees for the bus.

  • Door-to-door: $265 + HST per child, per 2-week session

  • Neighbourhood pickup: $180 + HST per child, per 2-week session

Sibling discounts apply to transportation fees.

You can notify us in writing, by emailing office@camprobinhood.ca, before noon on the day. If your child is leaving early, you must park at Gate B and sign them out at the Camp Office.

Registration & Fees

The fee covers all camp programming, two instructional swims per day, one daily treat, a cheese pizza lunch on Fridays, as well as a Camp Robin Hood t-shirt, and a backpack on the first day of each session. Bus transportation is an additional cost. Apply Now.

Yes. We offer a 5% sibling discount on both camp fees and transportation for a second child, 10% off for a third child, and 15% off for a fourth child. Sibling discounts apply to transportation fees as well. Apply Now.

Families can put their address into our interactive Google map and to find their door-to-door pick up, and the nearest neighbourhood pick up points are located in relation to their address.

Click the Apply Now button to reach our online registration portal. Fill out the application with your session selection and family details, and our registration director, Patti, will follow up with confirmation. A $500 deposit per child is required to secure your spot.

Yes, certain age groups and sessions have limited capacity. Check our availability grid for up-to-date status. Inclusion Program spots fill especially quickly; the earlier you apply, the better. Apply Now.

Health & Safety

Camper safety is our top priority. We have Registered Nurses on site every day, a large senior leadership team that begins training months before summer, and many staff certified in First Aid and Lifeguarding. Camp also has a dedicated Health & Safety Committee and well-established procedures in place to support a safe, fun, and well-supervised environment for all campers.

In addition to the Health Form, families with campers with allergies are required to complete a supplementary Dietary Needs & Allergy Form so we can better understand and support each camper’s specific needs. Our team carefully reviews this information prior to the summer, and your camper’s Division Head may reach out for additional details to help ensure a safe and successful camp experience – especially when it comes to food-related activities and events at camp.

 

We are a nut-aware camp with extra EpiPens available on site. All campers with life-threatening allergies must keep their EpiPen with them throughout the day and provide a completed Anaphylactic Poster specific to their child. We also maintain a no food-sharing policy and post ingredient lists throughout camp.

We have a Camp Code of Conduct shared with all campers, families, and staff. Counsellors actively monitor cabin dynamics and address anything outside our expectations immediately. We catch issues early and will contact you if it involves your child. We work as a team with families – everyone deserves to feel safe and to belong at Robin Hood.