Kids Camp Frequently Asked Questions Q. What?s the main idea behind Kids Camp?
A. To give kids (6-13) a fun and safe experience on the water in self-propelled boats. As Tom Sawyer said about boating, "to have a good time and try to be nice to each other."
Q. Is it a drawback that our child has no prior experience or big muscles for paddling?
A. No. Kids are put in pods of 6, by size and temperament, and the activities are tailored for each pod. All campers will kayak, sail and paddle board daily. Our younger campers will be introduced to rowing with our super coaching sessions on the docks but will spend extra time in the sail boats and paddle boards. Our 11-13yr old campers will be rowing 3x a week (assuming water conditions cooperate) Q. This sounds strenuous. Will our child become exhausted?
A. No. Our staff is well trained at adjusting the activity level as the situation dictates. Plenty of water breaks and sunscreen breaks throughout the day.
Q. Does Kids Camp really prepare kids for future rowing, sailing, or kayaking experiences?
A. Yes, because the kids are having fun they learn skills and principles very quickly.
Q My child is not a strong swimmer. Does this matter?
A. No. Kids and counselors wear comfortable, tailored life jackets at all times on the water.
Q. Is Lake Union a good place for this kind of week long program?
A. Indeed. It has a 7mph speed limit, lots of parks, many interesting sights, and Harbor Patrol support.
Q. Do we have to sign up now? We are waiting on other summer program selection dates.
A. Kids Camp begins to fill quickly after mid-April. You can sign up now and switch weeks later.
Q. How should the kids dress and prepare for the program?
A. Participants tend to dress in layers for the weather of that day, but no special gear is needed. Sunscreen, sandals, a towel, bottle water and a change of dry clothes work great.
Q. Can children come before or after the scheduled program hours?
A. Yes. We offer before care from 8am to 9am and after care from 3pm to as late as 615pm. Cost is $8/hr paid daily in cash. Q. How can we know that Moss Bay will take good care of our child?
A. Since 1986, we have kept an absolutely unblemished safety record.
Q. Do kids have to sign up for the whole day?
A. No. We offer a half day PM session. Q. Will any of the equipment from Kids Camp be available for purchase at a discount?
A. Yes, at the end of the summer we sell off most of our fleet (roughly 40% off)
Q. Are refunds given?
A. Any cancellation before June 1st will be refunded 80% by end of Sept, 2012. Any cancellation after the 1st of June will be a 80% reusable credit. Moss Bay will hold onto 20% of the funds for holding space in the camp. Campers needing to cancel for medical reasons (and who have a doctor's note) or because of a family emergency (such as a death in family) will also be refunded in full in Sept, 2012. All cancellations must be called or emailed in by a parent of the registered camper(s). * Cancellations for the last 3 camp weeks in AUG after June 1st, 2012 will only receive a 50% reusable credit!
Q. What happens after our child is registered for the camp?
A. You will receive a follow up packet a few days after we receive your registration. It will consist of a welcome to moss bay letter full of helpful reminders, a health survey and a receipt with our tax id # for your records.
Our Philosophy about KidsCamp
At Moss Bay we believe in the concept of "inside-out" learning. By this we mean that young campers in our program will discover for themselves how much they love to row, kayak, or sail. Through our supportive yet low key approach to skill development on the water, kids seek out those activities for which they want to develop more skill. For example, some of the more timid kids end up in high performance racing shells by the end of the camp week its nearly unbelievable. However, other participants may initially want to row, paddle, or sail for a limited time each day, and prefer other activities such as fishing off the dock, or steering a shell for others. By not over pushing the kids to perform, we find that they become more interested in water sports. Similarly, by having limited structure for the program we do not produce the kind of "stricture" that eliminates fun. Regardless, the kids will have safe fun, in a low pressure setting.
Over the years we have been amazed at the number of outstanding collegiate rowers who got their start in our program. Athletes like Bobby Cummins (former World Champion), Brenda Gelsleichter (Canadian Junior National Champion), Steve Todd (former National Champion), Jennifer Steele (twice Junior National Sculling Champion), and Nicola Harper (2x All-PAC 10 Collegiate rower) developed their passion for water sports through Moss Bay. But their initial experiences at Moss Bay were centered on fun, play, and safety, not competition, rigor and sweat.
We trust that you will support the "inside-out" approach to learning at Moss Bay. Our staff fully understands the concept, because they grew up in our program, and will reflect it in the way they train the children to row and kayak. Thank you in advance for supporting this approach to skill development. Even if your children don?t go on and become world class rowers or paddlers, they will develop a life-long skill that they can enjoy in waterways throughout the world.
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