Registration for Summer Camp Tiffin is coming soon!
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More about Camp Tiffin
Who we are
We are outdoor environmental educators, scientists and naturalists that oversee Camp Tiffin adventure nature camp, and we spend majority of our time outside. What to know more?
Check us out here.
We hire College and University students to be camp counsellors and we will hire high school students who have volunteered with us and we know and trust them. They must complete a Criminal Reference Check with a vulnerable sector if they are over the age of 18, and all will obtain their First Aid CPR level C. All staff carry First Aid kits.
Ratio
We have a ratio that is better than average. We have 10 children to every 1 counsellor, plus we have an additional 3 senior staff who set-up and run programs, and administration.
Pick-up/Drop-off
Regular hours for camp are 9-4 Monday to Friday for $219.30/child.
Extended care
Before and after care is run out of the back of the Jose Education Centre, which is next to and includes the Free Play forest, out front of the Education Centre with balls and games, or inside with crafts and games.
If you do need extended care, you can drop-off as early as 8:00am and pick-up as late as 5:00pm. It costs an additional $40.80/child.
Camp dates:
Week 1: July 4-7
Week 2: July 10-14
Week 3: July 17-21
Week 4: July 24-28
Week 5: July 31-August 4
Week 6: August 14-18
Week 7: August 21-25
Week 8: August 28-September 1
Daily routine:
9:00-9:45-morning circle (songs and morning messages) and CLA
9:45-11:15- Tiffin Programming
11:15-11:55-Lunch and Free time (balanced day nutrition breaks to replicate what children are now used to in school)
11:55-1:10 – Councillor Lead Activities
1:10-1:50 – Lunch and Free time
1:50-3:20 - Tiffin Programming
3:20-4:00 – Councillor Lead Activities
Tiffin Program
These activities are more developed and require a Tiffin Outdoor Educator to put together, teach and over-see. Counsellors are still with their group to help facilitate, but the bulk of instruction is left to our education staff who work at our Centre teaching grades JK-12 during the school year.
Counsellor lead activities
Counsellor lead activities. These activities are generally more camp based, i.e.: crafts, hikes, camp games, ‘Get to Know You’ games, usually whatever is popular within the group.
Just small blocks of time exploring nature in a small group of just 10 campers/1 counsellor, unless 2 camper groups team up for bigger games 20 campers/2 counsellors.
Summer Programming
Every week we always play the predator/prey game, go canoeing, dip-net at the pond looking for water bugs (we do not swim,) make shelters in the forest and have Camper’s Choice. These are the staples.
Other options can include orienteering, art programming like Land Art, Paint Day or Living Landscapes, GPS, Disc Golf, scavenger hunts, bug hunts, STEM activity, roasting marshmallows, or water games (with kiddie pools, cups, sponges etc. and no guns.)
All campers are welcome to go canoeing but they are welcome to opt out too. We supply the life jackets and we bring in a life guard on canoeing day. Usually this takes place on a Wednesday.
Free-Time
Much like schools observe a balanced day, so do we. Nutrition breaks provide 20 minutes for eating, and 20 minutes for free time. Free time occurs outside around the Education Centre. Balls, badminton and other equipment is available for out-front. We have a free-play forest which is perfect for children ages 5-7 as it is a large section of forest enclosed with cedar rails. With loose parts inside, children can imagine and build whatever they wish, immersed in nature and free to explore as they cannot wander away. We find that all campers, regardless of age often ask to be in the free-play forest.
Location
We are 8 km West of Barrie...so between Barrie and Angus. If you are driving West on Hwy # 90 from Barrie you would drive South along the 8th line. Or, from South End Barrie you would drive West along Mapleview, and continue West past Hwy # 27 as Mapleview turns into the 25th side road. We are on the 8th line.
Themes
We used to do a weekly theme, but essentially we have so many activities that are Camp Tiffin favorites’, we do them every week. For instance, we usually start building shelters on a Monday because whenever kids have free time they tend to ask their counsellor if they can go and work on their shelter throughout the week. This is a great team activity that tends to build friendships through teamwork, and it is their wilderness home base.
Age
We do accept children who are age 4, but turning 5 during this calendar year. You will need our help registering your child as the online system will not allow them to be added with their Date of Birth. Let us know what weeks you want and if you want to add extended care, and we can enter it for you. Then you can sign in and pay.
What if they are 4 but not turning 5 this calendar year?
We do make these exceptions, and it especially helps us decide if our camp is a good fit, if there is an older sibling present. If your 4-year-old spends a full day in JK, or primary school, or daycare without needing a nap, are very active and they are fully toilet trained, message us. We might be able to make an exception.
Video
At the end of summer 2018, as part of Take Me Outside Day, a Conservation Authority video was released which featured Camp Tiffin.
Check it out here!
Daily space
Summer camp is only available by the week.
Groupings
Our groups are determined by who signs up for camp. Ever week is different, so sometimes our youngest group, for instance, can be 10 5-year olds. Or, it could be 10 kids aged 5-7. We just don’t know until before camp starts how the groups will end up looking, but we break everyone up by ages and put 10 campers into a group with a counsellor.
Would children ages 6 and 8 be in the same group?
It all depends on how many children we have in each age category, but generally no…unless parents specifically ask us to keep them in the same group.
Typically, we end up with a lot of 5 and 6-year-old children, so we will have a full group of 10 children who are all age 5, then a full group of 10 children who are all age 6. Then we have fewer age 7-8 so they tend to make up their own group. Then aged 9-12 make up their own group.
Ultimately, we wish everyone to have the best time within their comfort zone, so if you feel your children would be at their best in different groups, we will make that happen. If they are nervous and wish to stay together, we will make that happen too. If you want to make a friend request, so that your child will be placed with someone they know please email
outdoored@nvca.on.ca
Multiple registrants
Unfortunately we do not offer a discount for multiple children in the same family. We used to, but decided to just lower the cost of camp for all children to provide a better price for all.
Junior Leaders
This two-week camp for 13-15-year-old campers builds valuable leadership skills and provides hands-on practical experiences. It is $219.30 for one week of training with an environmental outdoor educator where they will learn how to work with children and maintain a leadership role.
Then, the junior leaders will volunteer for a second week, paired with a camp counsellor whom they will work with for the week. That way they get to know the children in their group, and develop relationships. No fee applies for the practicum style week as they are getting practical experience via volunteering.
Together, the 2 weeks earns them a Jr. Leadership certificate.
We do need to know which 2nd week they want to do, sooner rather than later, so that we can spread out our volunteers to ensure they all have something meaningful to do. As it stands, we have 7 weeks of camp they can volunteer for, after the one week of learning in the practicum week. Please send us back your first, second and third choice and we will do our best to schedule accordingly.
If things work out and they want to volunteer more than the one week, that's great…still no fee applies because they are working/volunteering.
Volunteers and Junior Leaders
If they could arrive by 9:00 am, and expect to help out until 4:00, that would be fantastic.
We are on-site at 8:30-4:30 if you are travelling elsewhere and need them here for longer, that's okay too. They could bring their lunch, snacks, water and dress for the weather…we can meet them in the Jose Education Centre.
Once you are on-site at Tiffin, follow the extended care signs to travel to the right down 'Staff Parking.' This will bring them to the back of the education centre and the only unlocked door is the one with a heart sticker for service dogs. You can pick them up here as well so that they are not waiting on their own in the parking lot away from our building.
Refund Policy
A 25% non-refundable registration fee will be applied on all cancellations made up to 2 weeks prior to the child’s first day of camp. NO refund will be given on cancellations made with less than 2 weeks’ notice.
