Summer Camp Registration FAQs

Historically, we initially fill at least 90% of our total camp spots, and close to 100% of camps for students 3rd grade and younger, during the lottery. For that reason your best chance of getting into camps is to ensure your membership is up to date and participate in the lottery.

With that said, families’ plans often change so campers have to drop out, which is why we have waitlists. There are no guarantees from the waitlist but we always work to fill empty spots through the waitlist. Waitlists can fill up, and members who participate in the lottery will also be higher up on waitlists then those who wait until open registration which is another reason we highly recommend participating in the lottery. 

Toward the end of spring as we approach the start of summer, because most families’ plans are set, we stop using waitlists and will post any last minute openings to be filled first-come, first serve. So if you have a flexible schedule, we recommend periodically checking for openings.

Because our lottery is randomized, it does not matter when you submit your registration form so long as it is before the deadline on January 25. We expect a high volume of web traffic as soon as registration opens, so the website can sometimes slow down or crash. You will receive an email confirmation upon submission of all forms, so if you do not get one, you may need to resubmit.

While you do not need to immediately register at the start of the lottery, we also do not recommend waiting until the last minute before the deadline to submit your form in case you run into any technical issues. If you are having technical issues submitting your registration, our first recommendation is to try again on a different browser. Safari on mobile specifically has been known to cause issues. Using another device is also a good option.

One way to minimize possible issues is to fill out your Family Profile ahead of time. You can fill this out even before the registration period opens—including today! That way you only need to worry about filling out the Registration Form before the deadline

Here are some tips to help your kids get into camp in 2026 (Hint: flexibility is key!): 

• Morning camps tend to be more popular than afternoon camps – if you have the ability to enroll your children in afternoon camps, their chances of getting in are improved. 

• The more camps your child is available for, the more likely they will get into one (or multiple). For example, if you want your child to be enrolled in 2 camps throughout the summer, they are more likely to get into 2 camps if you select 8 options that may work for them rather than only 3. 

• If you have multiple children and they do not need to be in camps at the same time, this can be helpful. 

Please note that there are certain camp types that are more popular than others – these include our 3 year-old playgroups, Nature School Camps (4 and 5-year-olds), and our Raptor Trainer 101 camp. (Due to high demand, we have added a second week of Raptor Trainer 101 Camp!) Though we make every effort to accommodate as many children as we can, these camps tend to fill up the quickest and have the longest waitlists. 

While we have made some small changes this year, the registration process is the same as past years. Jovial is a software system we first implemented in 2025 to manage our camps. It is designed to make the registration process smoother and more efficient on our end, and therefore easier and faster for you! For example, instead of filling out a different Camper Profile for each child as you did in the past, you only need to fill out a single Family Profile with all of your kids and their caregivers. 

Besides the Family Profile, the rest of the process will be the same. You will still fill out a single registration form for your family, be notified of any camps your kids are enrolled in or waitlisted for, and be able to pay for all your camps online. Jovial will also allow you to download receipts and other payment documentation for tax purposes.  

If you find any issues with Jovial, please email jkavula@schlitzaudubon.org. It is still a new system for us and want to make sure it works for everyone.  

All of our camps are half-day offerings, lasting between 2.5-3 hours. 2nd grade and older campers are allowed to enroll in both a morning and afternoon camp in the same week, but campers are required to be picked up in between camps, as we do not offer supervision during that time. Due to the active nature of our camps, we do not allow children entering 1st grade or younger to enroll in back-to-back camps. Additionally, campers are not allowed to take the same camp twice, even if it is offered in different weeks. 

We do not offer before & after care for campers so ask that campers be dropped off no more than 15 minutes before the camp starts and be picked up promptly at the end of their camp.