Frequently Asked Questions

What ages can attend the no-school-holiday-kid-camp?

Our camps are open to all children ages 4-12. Children must be able to use the bathroom independently and follow safety policies in order to attend camp.

Does my child need to bring snacks and lunch?

Yes, please send your child with a nut free lunch and snack each day as well as a full water bottle they can open themselves. For the health and safety of all students, ask families to please refrain from packing nuts of any kind.

Do you offer extended care?

Yes, we offer extended morning and afternoon care for $10 per hour. Early-care 8:00 am-9:00am, and after-care 3:00-5:00pm. Please pre-register 24 hours ahead for extended care.

What should my child bring to camp?

• Water Bottle: Please pack your child a full water bottle, with a secure lid, and label it with their name

• Lunch & Snacks: Please pack a daily lunch and several healthy snacks. Please do NOT pack nuts and chewing gum. Thank you.

• Stuffed Animal/Stuffed Doll: A single stuffy/ doll is welcome! Otherwise, please do not bring personal toys from home unless okayed with staff first. Thank you.

What should my child wear?

Attire: Comfortable clothes, easy to move and play in. If wearing a dress or a skirt, please also wear leggings/ shorts.. For footwear, we recommend socks, ballet or jazz shoes for dancing, and also a pair of comfortable shoes for walking. We often go outside as nature is a big inspiration for us, so please prepare for Portland weather. On hot days, apply sunscreen before they arrive, pack sun-glasses, sun-hats or other sun-protective clothing, and perhaps water-friendly shoes if your child enjoys getting their feet wet in Johnson creek. On colder, rainy or snowing days, please pack a raincoat, rain hat, sweater, scarf, hat, ear muffs and shoes for walking through puddles/ snow.

What is your cell phone policy?

Our staff works hard to create an engaging, fun, screen-free experience for our campers, many of whom have spent the last year staring at electronic devices. Cell phones are also a major source of disruption. For this reason, we do not allow personal cell phone use at our camps. If you need to send a device with your child, it will be held in our front office until its use is required.

What is the camp behavior policy?

All students, visitors, and staff are expected to behave appropriately and with kindness while attending Dance With Joy camps. In the event that a child is being overly disruptive, time out from the activity may be used. If disruptive or unsafe behavior continues, a parent will be called to address the issue. If the behavior continues, the child may be asked not to return to camp. Refunds will not be granted in these situations.

What is the camp check-in procedure?

Please check in at the front desk in the morning between 9:00am-9:10am. If another parent, grandparent, or a non-family member will be picking your child up, please send this information by writing via email for safety records to refer to. Thank you.

COVID-19 Safety Protocols

We follow CDC & OHA guidelines for safety.

Do you offer financial aid?

We have a limited number of partial-scholarships available. If you are interested in being considered for financial aid, please email info@dancewithjoystudios.com and your child’s name will be put on a list for consideration.

What's your cancellation policy?

We rely on committed camp registrations in order to hire staff and create stable camper cohorts.

If you would like to switch your camp dates, that may be possible. Program Change Requests must be received in writing (via email) at least 1 day prior to your original program's start date. All changes are subject to availability.

• Changes to a program incur a $35 Administrative Change Fee

• Registrations and fees are non-transferable to other children.

What is Dance with Joy Studios EIN for Tax Purpose?

Please send an email requesting our EIN to support@dancewithjoystudioos.com

Daily Camp Schedule

Each day in camp is somewhat different depending on the camp theme, but below you can see a bit of what to expect each day. SEL = Social Emotional Learning.

1. Student Check-in (Art & friendship time, i.e. coloring, cross-stitching, while visiting with friends)

2. Morning Community Circle ~Welcome, SEL, Intention setting for the fun day ahead! :)

3. Activity: Music, Dance, Theater, Games, Art, Nature Park Walk, Free Play

4. Snack Break in Community Circle

5. Activity: Music, Dance, Theater, Games, Art, Nature Park Walk, Free Play

6. SEL Mindfulness Activity

7. Lunch Break in Community Circle

8. Activity: Music, Dance, Theater, Games, Art, Nature Park Walk, Free Play

9. Afternoon Closing Circle ~ Gratitude & Appreciations! :)

10. Clean-up (Students & teachers work as a team to clean-up our classroom)

11. Student Pick-up (free play and visiting until parents arrive)

12. Teacher Meeting (Reflections about our day & planing time)

Health & Safety

We are following the OHA Statewide Guidance for School Aged Camps. If any staff or camper, or anyone in their household, have recently had an illness with fever or a new cough, they must stay home and not attend camp. They should stay home for at least 5 days after illness starts and until 72 hours after fever is gone, without use of fever reducing medicine, and COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, and diarrhea) are improving. Staff or campers who have a cough that is not a new onset cough (e.g. asthma, allergies, etc.), do not need to be excluded from camp.