Camp FAQ

Updated 12/15/21

Girl Scout camp is a place where we can try new things, gain confidence, soak up sunshine, be adventurers, and make new friends. Below are answers to some camp frequently asked questions that will help you be informed to have the best summer yet!

Have a question that isn’t covered below? Email us at info@gskh.org or view our COVID-19 information for additional guidance.

COVID-19 and Disease Precautions

The health and safety of all campers and staff is our highest priority, and we selected our camp offerings this year to ensure the safest, high-quality experience for campers. Anyone who has a communicable illness or medical emergency are not permitted to attend camp, including any quarantine period following exposure to COVID-19.

COVID-19 precautions at all council camp sessions will be informed by the American Camp Association’s Field Guide to Camp 2021 as well as GSUSA, CDC, State of Kansas, and local health orders.

Precautionary measures as of December 15, 2021:

Increased cleaning protocols for buildings and equipment
Increased hand washing and reduced usage of shared materials
Campers participate in pods of 25 or less for all activities, meals, sleeping arrangements
Outdoor activities will be prioritized over indoor activities
Indoor sleeping areas have been arranged to maintain 6 feet between sleeping campers and will be fully sanitized between camp sessions.
A decision on masking during summer programming will be made May 1. For spring programming, masks will be required at all times while indoors (except eating/sleeping). Masks are encouraged, but not required, outdoors.
Check-in and Pick-up:
- Starwoods: Drive-thru style check-in and pick-up will be used for day camps and resident camp; follow signs to stop at check-in stations throughout the parking lot.
- All other locations: Process will vary by location, as well as the size and composition of the group; details will be provided in confirmation emails approximately two weeks before the session begins.

Camp Varieties

Resident Camp

Is your camper ready to eat, sleep, and live the camp life for multiple days? Resident camps vary from a “mini” session of 3 nights to and “expert” session of 10 nights. Campers spend their days swimming, playing, and learning and their evenings bonding with their bunkmates. Campers will participate in activities that will help them build life and outdoor skills, such as arts & crafts, boating, target sports, cooking over the campfire, and much more. Depending on the camp location and theme, campers will stay overnight in dome tents, platform tents, yurts, or cabins.

Troop & Family Camp

If your troop or family would like to camp together, this type of camp is a great option! If attending as a troop, volunteers must register and attend to meet adult-to-child camping ratios for their troop. If attending as a family, as least one caregiver must register and attend as chaperone. Our “You and Me” sessions are great for introducing outdoor experiences to young Girl Scouts!

Day Camp

For novice campers who prefer a day-only experience, Starwoods day camps are Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., with check-in and pick-up allowed 30 minutes prior or after. Day campers will participate in a variety of activities depending on their age, including swimming, archery, climbing, team building, and boating. Day campers who are entering 2nd grade or older can extend the fun by adding a Wednesday night slumber party to their camp session for an additional $30.

Take the Camp Quiz

Is a day camp a good fit for you, or are you ready for overnight camps and resident camps? Parents, are you ready to send your daughter to camp? Click here to see the printable Camp Quiz, which helps both girls and adults gauge their camp readiness!

Medication, Homesickness, and Accesibility

Medications

If your Girl Scout will require medication to be taken while at camp, please include that in a clear, ziplock bag with their name clearly printed on the outside along with the doses and times the medications need to be administered.

Homesickness

While we have a ton of fun at camp, sometimes our campers will miss their family, especially at the end of the day. Our staff is trained to help navigate these big feelings and they will often be able to settle them down and refocus on camp activities. However, if they are still upset, they can call their adult from our camp office. We will work with both camper and their adults to make sure everyone’s emotional needs are met.

*During our resident camps, we encourage our adults to write their campers letters sealed with the day(s) they would like it handed to them. These letters will be turned into our camp staff during check-in.

Accessibility: Physical, Mental, and Emotional

Girl Scouts is inclusive of all campers and their wide range of abilities. Notify us before camp what your camper’s specific needs are and we will work with you to make sure they have a fun, successful camp experience. If your camper has medical, physical, or emotional needs that requires a dedicated adult stay with them throughout camp, please plan to have someone familiar with their condition(s) attend with them. Due to our staffing structure, we do not have enough staff to dedicate to one-on-one attention or monitoring.

Insect Encounters

Bees, ticks, and mosquitoes. Oh My! At camp, we get to experience the joys and challenges of nature. We will regularly be putting on bug spray and sun block, so please make sure to send your camper with full bottles.

Sometimes bug encounters can be more serious. If your child has an allergy to bees or wasps, please include their EpiPen in a ziplock bag with her name clearly printed on it and give it to camp staff during check-in.

Ticks are a fact of life in Kansas. While we spray before camp season begins, it’s a constant battle to keep their numbers down and occasionally campers will get a tick bite while having outdoor adventures. When this occurs, staff will remove and tape the tick to a “tick card”. This card will be given to the adult at check-out to keep. If your child develops symptoms over the following few days, it is recommended that you take them and the tick card to the doctor to be tested and treated.

Food

Camp is a time to try new things! During our camps, our staff work hard to include foods that a wide variety of campers will like and have the opportunity to eat their fill. After spending the whole day adventuring, our campers burn a considerable amount of energy, so we plan for 3 meals a day and 2 snacks to make sure they have full tummies! If a camper doesn’t like what we are serving, we have sandwich options.

Dietary restrictions and food allergies are incredibly important to communicate on your camper’s health form. We will provide substitutes for all meals and snacks to meet their needs. If they have an extreme allergy to peanuts or other food allergies, please call the office so that none of our meals include a food that could put them in danger.

Screen Time and Sunshine

It’s hard to disconnect from technology, for youth and adults alike! Especially in this new virtual world, our days are filled with screen time. Camp is a time to focus on the present, make new friends, engage in face-to-face interactions, and soak up sunshine. Unfortunately, easy access to technology can be a distraction.

We ask that you leave technology at home, but if your child needs to bring it during resident camp, we will have all devices stay in the “cell phone spa”, a basket that will be kept in our office during the day. We will give the campers their phones every other day during dinner to enjoy and make calls or text if they wish. While it seems counterintuitive, constant contact with family while at camp can sometimes lead to more homesickness for our less experienced campers.

Bathrooms and Showers

Every camp has easy access to bathrooms. Our cabins have indoor bathrooms and outdoor sleeping areas will have either composting toilets or porta potties. We will regularly have “bio breaks” to refill water bottles and use the restrooms.

Showering off the sweat and grime of a full day of camp adventures always feels great! During our camps that have more than one overnight, showering will happen either first thing in the morning or before bed. We have indoor and outdoor showering depending on the camp property and your specific sleeping arrangements.

Weather and Emergencies

Our camp staff is trained to keep our campers safe during emergencies. All staff have walkie-talkies and each building has weather radios. There are also shelters at each site in case of a weather emergency. If any emergency should arise, we will notify families and confirm their child’s safety.

Girl Scouts always focus on fun and safety. However, sometimes a medical emergency can arise. Our staff is first aid and CPR certified and will work together to provide your child the care they need either on-site, or in the case of something more serious, work with first responders. The camper’s primary caregiver will be immediately notified of any emergency medical situation that may occur.

Activities at Camp

Our council is proud to host a wide variety of activities for campers to enjoy. At Starwoods, Sunflower Studios is the home to many creative outlets for our campers as well as science experiments, a new woodshop, astronomy, eco and nature lessons, and so much more.

Water safety & water sports progression

All aquatic activities are supervised by certified lifeguards and life jackets must be worn at all times for swimming and watercraft activities, regardless of swimming ability. Campers will have the opportunity, based on age and camp property, to experience paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, and sailboats.

Adventure progression

From team-building games to the traverse wall to the 45-foot climbing tower to ziplining, our adventure progression adheres to the principle of “Challenge by Choice”. There is a role for every member of the team – from cheering on friends to being a part of the climbing belay team – your camper will find the perfect challenge. Ground Crew and Adventure Crew members complete specialized training for each element of our adventure progression.

Target sports progression

Archery is a time-honored camp tradition, but did you know our target sports progression also includes sling shots, BB guns, and rifles? This progression again adheres to the principle of “Challenge by Choice”, offering campers the chance to try something new based on age and readiness.

On the go!

So many of our activities can pack up and go! We are excited to bring variations of these activities to Camp Four Winds, Camp Double E, state parks, and regional locations across the heartland.

Trading Post

Now available at all council-led camp sessions!

In the weeks before your session, watch for a pre-camp email for a flyer of trading post items available for purchase. Regional locations: place your order by the listed deadline for items to be delivered at camp check-in. Starwoods and Four Winds: pre-purchase Trading Post Bucks during camp registration or bring your camper's allowance to camp check-in; your camper will have time to shop in the on-site trading post during her stay at camp.

New this year for 2022, add trading post bucks to your campers registration in UltraCamp using Cookie Credits or other payment methods!

Transportation

Bussing is back! Day camp at Starwoods runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with check-in at camp as early at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up as late at 5:30 p.m. Campers may ride the bus from the Wichita office to Starwoods each day; this is a great option for east side families or caregivers who need an earlier drop off time. Check in at the office begins at 7:45 a.m. The bus leaves for camp at 8:15 a.m. and arrives back at the office at 5:15 p.m. Campers must be picked up by 5:30 p.m.

Travel Assistance: New!

This option is now available through the Campership program! You can request funds for fuel in order to transport your daughter to the camp of their choice. We never want finances to interfere with an amazing Girl Scout experience!

Camperships

We never want finances to get in the way of having an amazing Girl Scout summer! Our council Camperships are available and provide awards to participate in council events, including summer programming.

Apply online today >>

Refunds

You may cancel your reservation for an event or summer camp and receive a full refund, minus any deposit, if the request is received more than 14 days prior to the start of the session. Limited refunds will be given within 14 days of the program.

See our full refund policy or find it attached to your Ultracamp confirmation email for specific refund scenarios. No refund is given if the camper is a no-show or leaves a session early. Additionally, t-shirt or other optional purchases will not be refunded and travel may have an earlier refund date.

Learn more >>