Every day is packed with an array of activities to meet the individual needs of all of our campers. And because it's summer, Rainbow also has "down time" after lunch where the campers can choose their own activity to do which can be anything from cloud gazing, a pick-up game of basketball, a sing song, and more.
Our daily schedule operates on a 2 day cycle with Fridays being our special event day. Every Friday we invite a special guest to camp or do a new activity to entertain our campers — in 2007 the following guets came to camp - Robert Munsch, Erick Traplin, Rockwood Reptiles, the Guelph Lake Nature Centre, Mad Science, the Bubble Lady, a Magician, Mystic Drumz, a surprise visit from the Guelph Firefighters, and Spyke from the Guelph Storm Hockey Club! Whew - what a lineup!
On the first day of every camp session your child will receive a:
To read more about any of the topics listed below, please click on the link.
Did you know that Rainbow has a different theme each week? Our themes lead each week and as many activities as possible are arranged around that theme. So even if your child attends more than one week of camp, the repetitiveness of activities is minimal since the themes change the flavour of activities from week to week.
Camp 1 - June 30 - July 4 "O Canada" with the Mountsberg Conservation Birds of Prey
Camp 2 - July 7 - 11 Wet N' Wild with friends from the Guelph Lake Nature Centre
Camp 3 - July 14 - 18 When I Grow Up I Want to be...with a visit from firefighters and the police
Camp 4 - July 21 - 25 Carnival! with guest Drumanticks
Camp 5 - July 28 - Aug 1 Survivor! with Reptile Rob
Camp 6 - Aug 5 - 8 Lights, Camera, Action! with guest Jamie Burton, storyteller extraordinaire!
Camp 7 - Aug 11 - 15 Summer Olympics with Arkello the magician!
Camp 8 - Aug 18 - 22 Pop Stars & Rock Stars with Erick Traplin!
8:00 — 8:45 Extended Camp Care A.M.
8:45 — 9:00 Camper drop-off
9:00 — 9:20 Opening Circle
9:20 — 9:30 Cubbies
9:30 — 10:00 Activity 1
10:00 — 10:30 Activity 2
10:30 — 10:45 Break/snack
10:45 — 11:15 Activity 3
11:15 — 11:45 Activity 4
11:45 — 12:30 LUNCH
12:30 — 1:30 Counsellor Time
1:30 — 3:30 free play in the pool & 'Rainbow Swim Fit' (gather up group, get gear, walk to pool, change, swim, change, walk back to camp)
3:30 — 3:45 Snack
3:45 — 4:00 Closing Circle
4:00 — 4:10 Camper pick-up
4:10 — 5:00 Extended Camp Care P.M.
Campers must bring their own water (& container - labelled), snacks and lunches to camp everyday. We do offer pizza and hot dog days as an option on Thursday and Fridays - forms are sent home with campers each Monday to sign up for these special lunch days! Please note: Rainbow is 'nut aware' and we strongly urge families not to send peanut or nut products with their children to camp. Please help us protect our campers with life-threatening allergies!
Ideas include whole grain crackers, muffins and bread, fresh or dried fruit, unsweetened cereal, unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices, baked tortilla chips and salsa, angel food cake, nut-free granola bars, low-salt pretzels, arrowroot, melba toast, digestive or other plain cookies, gingersnaps, fig bars, chopped veggies and dip (i.e. hummus), and hard cheese. Check out the following websites for more ideas: Eat Right - Be Active, A Guide for Parents and Caregivers www.ontario.ca/eatright, Nutrition for Kids www.nutritionforkids.com, Active Healthy Kids Canada www.activehealthykids.ca, and Canada's Food Guide www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide
Rest assured that Rainbow takes every precaution with your children at the swimming pool. All campers who want to swim in the deep end must pass a deep water swimming test administered by qualified aquatic staff of the University of Guelph facility. All other campers must wear a lifejacket and will be supervised by camp staff and volunteers based on new ratios recommended by the Lifesaving Society and the Ministry of Health. 'Rainbow Swim Fit' is also part of our swimming program everyday, offering 20 minutes of water exercise during our scheduled swim time.
3:45 — 4:30 p.m. in the Rainbow Room
Every Friday of the last day of a camp session we host an Open House for families and friends. Rainbow showcases our campers' talents and projects with live performances and a memorable pictorial presentation. Families can meet our staff and visit our ever-growing lost and found! Photos of your children and camp bags may be purchased.
Rainbow understands that many families have work schedules that require them to drop off and pick up their children beyond normal camp hours. We have accommodated these families by offering extended camper care in the morning and afternoons but also stress our Late Pick-up Policy that is strictly enforced. Please review our Enrolment & Participation Policies for details.
Attendance is mandatory each morning and should a child not arrive at camp as scheduled, the family will be contacted. Families will be asked to sign in and sign out their child each day from camp — this is our way of ensuring the safe arrival and departure of all of our campers.
Rainbow offers a 1:5 staff to camper ratio for the Junior group (ages 4 - 5), a 1:8 staff to camper ratio for the Intermediate group (ages 6 - 7), a 1:10 staff to camper ratio for the Sophomore group (ages 8 - 9), and a maximum 1:15 staff to camper ratio for the Senior group (ages 10 - 12), Teens (ages 12+) and LIT's (ages 13-14) every camp session. We understand how important it is for families to feel their children are in a safe environment and Rainbow endeavors to take every reasonable precaution to ensure that all of our campers are safe.
Rainbow selects only the best candidates for our staff each summer. We have a rigorous recruitment procedure and choose only those candidates who can bring our Mission Statement to their job each and every day. All Staff must have current first aid certification (Standard First Aid and CPR 'C'), a Criminal Reference Check, and training in the HIGH FIVEŽ Principles of Healthy Child Development. And add to that a love for children and a mature and responsible attitude to deliver our programs. Rainbow welcomes the 2007 Staff pictured below.
By the end of the summer, Rainbow collects quite
a pile of unclaimed items. To avoid disappointment
at losing something, please label everything sent
to camp with your child. You can always check our
Lost & Found at any time during camp. Unclaimed
items are kept for one week following the last
day of camp and then donated to a local charity.
Or check out
.....for all your labelling needs! We have partnered
with Mabel's Labels, a company with all types of bales that are colourful, indestructable and fun! With a special 'camp
pack' available and also a larger combo pack, your camper can label absolutely everything! Go to Mabel's Labels and
select Rainbow Day Camp in the dropdown list. A percentage of sales from the labels helps Rainbow bring you fun all
summer long!
Our daily swim will include a 20 minute water workout specifically designed for children and youth
Check out Mabels' Labels...for all your labelling needs and support Rainbow! See Lost & Found for further information.
