Camp Dates
June 24 - August 30

2024 Camp Rates
Camp Day: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. • $406 per week*
Pre Camp: 7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. • $40 per week
Post Camp: 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. • $50 per week

*2nd child discount - $25 off per week

No Membership Required - Simply pay a one time $35 registration fee

Additional Information

• Ages: Entering kindergarten - age 15
• Location: 185 Sawmill Road, Hamilton NJ 08620
• Online Registration: Register, make payments, complete medical information, sign waivers, submit immunization records all online.
• Communication App - The CampSpace is an app that allows parents to receive camp communication, check their child’s daily schedule, update the pick up list, electronically sign in and out their child.
• Follow us on Facebook & Instagram for ways to SAVE!

• Small Feet (entering kindergarten)
  Camp Small Feet will include lots of hands on learning and fun. Weekly themes, games, arts and crafts, are carefully planned to engage this age group.  Campers will have a safe and fun camp experience giving many opportunities to make new friends.
  
  
• Pioneers and Adventurers (ages 6 - 7)
  All of the experiences of Small Feet above PLUS... Our Pioneers and Adventurers will experience fun activities such as art, STEM, team building, and sports and recreational games, which will all provide opportunities to create new friendships
  
  
• Explorers and Travelers (ages 8 - 9)
  All of the experiences of Pioneers and Adventurers above PLUS... Campers will have experiences with new activities like Human Foosball, Traversing wall, badminton, and Kickball on the baseball fields are all a short hike away. Each of these activities help campers expand their horizons.
  
  
• Seekers and Pathfinders (ages 10 - 11)
  All of the experiences of Explorers and Travelers above PLUS... Camp Seekers and Pathfinders gives campers a fun camp experience with an emphasis on independence and learning. Campers enjoy fun filled activities such as team building activities at the traversing wall and an introduction to archery. Both designed to build confidence and encourage new ideas.
  
  
• Trailblazers (ages 12 - 13)
  All of the experiences of Seekers and Pathfinders above PLUS...This camp is designed to build camper leadership skills, explore different volunteer roles within our camp, and ways to make a difference in their camp community with group projects.
  
  
• Counselor in Training (CIT) (ages 14 - 15)
  July 8 - August 9
  Train to be a future counselor in our Counselor in Training (CIT) Program. Candidates must go through an interview process with the Camp Director. This program is designed for teens who are ready and excited to gain camp leadership experience with groups and shadow key camp staff in a variety of programs. Excited teens will gain teamwork skills as they mentor children as young as 4 years old.

Swim Lessons
Nurturing skills and building confidence in the water!  In each community, the Y is in the service of building a better us. One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to teach youth and teens to swim, so they can stay safe around water and learn the skills they need to make swimming a lifelong pursuit to stay healthy! 

Swim Basic Stage 1-3 (Acclimation, Movement, Stamina): Students learn personal water safety and achieve basic swimming competency by learning two benchmark skills: swim, float, swim—sequencing front glide, roll, back float, roll, front glide and exit—and jump, push, turn, grab.

Swim Stroke Stage 4-6 (Introduction, Development, Mechanics): Students work on refining stroke technique and learning all major competitive strokes in swimming lessons. The emphasis on water safety continues through treading water and sidestroke.

Camp Weeks 1, 3-9 will offer Camp Swim lessons at 2:45 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Students will be evaluated on Mondays and placed into either grouping.

Diverse Abilities Camp
We encourage and support the participation of individuals with diverse abilities in all programs and services. During the camp day opportunities are created for children to enhance their self-esteem, build friendships, develop greater independence and give campers a sense of their creative potential in a safe, fun and nurturing environment. Volunteers ages 13+ will be paired with campers and participate in activities throughout the day.  

One on one is NOT provided. 

Camp day schedule and activities will vary

7:30 - 9:00 a.m. - Pre Camp*
9:00 a.m. - Morning Meeting
9:15 a.m. - Sports Activity 
10:00 a.m. - Morning Swim (2 swims each day!)
10:45 a.m. - Arts and Crafts Activity
11:30 a.m. - Lunch
12:15 p.m. - STEM Activity 
1:00 p.m. - Afternoon Swim
1:45 p.m. - Specialty Program
2:30 p.m. - Group Game/Choice
3:15 p.m. - Afternoon Meeting
3:45 - 4:30 p.m. - Camp Clubs
3:45 - 4:30 p.m. - Prepare for Departures
4:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Post Camp*

*Campers enrolled in pre and post camp will participate in camp structured activities.

•  50 acres of outdoor recreation
•  Large L-Shaped pool - largest in Mercer County!
•  Small Wading Pool
•  3 pavilions each with picnic tables, water fountains and restrooms
•  Big top tents each with picnic tables and water stations
•  Climate controlled indoor gymnasium
•  Outdoor basketball courts
•  Sand volleyball courts
•  Gaga Courts
•  Quoit Pits
•  Human foosball court
•  Traversing Wall
•  Playground 
•  Soccer fields
•  Baseball fields
•  Water tag course
•  Misting and sprinkler stations
•  Foot and Disc Golf Course

Caring & Well Trained Staff
Each of our staff undergoes a series of interviews, reference checks and a complete background/criminal history check. Our leadership team are college graduates who are working professionals in the fields of education and child development with more than 40 years of camp experience. Our senior counselors are at least 18 years of age with prior experience working with children. Many of our staff have been former campers and have gone through our counselor in training program. All staff participate in over 25 hours of YMCA pre camp training, and 10 hours of New Jersey State led health and safety training, including child abuse prevention.  All staff are certified in First Aid and CPR. There is a camp nurse on-site each day.  

Parents Trust Us
When you drop your child off at camp, we know that you are trusting us to provide high-quality care. With a low, camper-to-staff ratio, each child receives the attention they need to grow in a safe, supportive environment. Our on-site, full-time nurse provides additional support.  The Hamilton Area YMCA has been proudly serving the Community for more than 70 years and over two decades at our Sawmill Branch. 

We encourage and support the participation of individuals with diverse abilities in all programs and services. During the camp day opportunities are created for children to enhance their self-esteem, build friendship skills, develop greater independence and give them a sense of their creative potential in a safe, fun and nurturing environment. 

EXPANDING YOUR CHILD’S HORIZONS

Special Events & Experiences
Special visitors will be at Sawmill weekly and are sure to be the highlight of the week!  Think Philadelphia Insectarium, 
Magicians, the famous Yoyo Champion, and more!  All of these and more will come to our camp so each camper can 
experience the fun without leaving Sawmill!

Swim Lessons
Swim lessons provide important life skills that could save a life and will benefit youth and teens for a lifetime.  Weekly swim 
lessons are offered to campers ages 4 - 21 at various afternoon time slots beginning at 2:30 p.m.  Swim lesson fee is $80 per week.  Our swim instructors are nationally certified. Their training includes CPR, AED, First Aid, and Oxygen Administration. 

Opportunities For Growth
We are proud to have partnerships with organizations such as the Girl Scouts, First Tee Golf, Zumba!, Penn Medicine, and more.  These organizations will provide activities that will strengthen our campers’ social, emotional, and behavioral 
competence throughout the summer in addition to all of the fun programming we have planned!  

The YMCA Four Core Values
We strive to embody the core values of the YMCA  - caring, honesty, respect, responsibility - which are the cornerstone of what we teach our campers. These values are used to highlight expectations, encourage positive behaviors and cement the meaning of the camp experience into the minds of campers. 

Earning Y Bucks 
When we see campers upholding our four core values and demonstrating things like sharing, displaying acts of kindness 
and including others, they will earn Y Bucks!  Y Bucks can be used in our camp store for fun prizes.  

Weekly Awards
•  Camper of the Week
•  Core Value Star of the Week
•  Counselor of the Week
•  Lifeguard of the Week

Camper Accomplishments  
We find that campers often accomplish things they never expected – like passing the deep end swim test, making their way through the climbing wall, meeting new friends and we will recognize that throughout the week to show everyone that Anything is Possible 

Caring & Well Trained Staff
Each of our staff undergoes a series of interviews, reference checks and a complete background/criminal history check. Our leadership team are college graduates who are working professionals in the fields of education and child development with more than 40 years of camp experience. Our senior counselors are at least 18 years of age with prior experience working with children. Many of our staff have been former campers and have gone through our counselor in training program. All staff participate in over 35 hours of YMCA pre camp training.  Topics include age appropriate activities, behavior management, risk management, health and safety, child abuse prevention and more. All staff are certified in First Aid and CPR.  There is a camp nurse on-site each day. 

Parents Trust Us
When you drop your child off at camp, we know that you are trusting us to provide high-quality care. With a low, camper-to-staff ratio, each child receives the attention they need to grow in a safe, supportive environment. The Hamilton Area YMCA has been proudly serving the Community for more than 70 years and over two decades at our Sawmill Branch. 

Everyone belongs at the Y.  
We believe in serving the needs of all members of our community including those who may be unable to pay the full cost of membership or programs. Financial assistance applications are encouraged and are due by May 1. The process is confidential.  E-mail: rturner@hamiltonymca.org for more information. We are an approved summer camp for State Subsidies such as Child Care Connection.

Theme Weeks

WEEK 1  •  Battle of the Decades 
We’ll bring back styles from our favorite decades.

WEEK 2  •  Holidays Around the World
We’re celebrating some of our favorite holidays. 
WEEK 3  •  Wet, Wild & Wacky 
Experience a wet, wild, & wacky week of thrilling activities. 

WEEK 4  •  Color Wars
Campers will be split into teams & compete in challenges, contests and games. 

WEEK 5  •  Y’s Got Talent
Campers will showcase their talents throughout this week!

WEEK 6  •  Olympic Week
Campers join in some competitive fun as they compete for the gold.

WEEK 7  •  Camp-i-con
Learn what it takes to become a camp superhero.

WEEK 8  •  Disney Week
Wish upon a star, travel under the seas, or take a magic carpet ride.

WEEK 9  •  Nickelodeon Days
Our favorite television shows come from Nickelodeon

WEEK 10  •  Camp Rewind
We’ll revisit our favorite themes from the summer. 

View our handy graphic on what campers should bring to camp and what should stay at home.