Registration Open January 2026
We’re so excited to spend another summer season having fun and learning in the outdoors with our campers. Registration opens Jan. 22, 2026, at 7:30 am. We can’t wait to share another season of outdoor adventures with you.
Registration for Summer Camp will not open until the dates/times listed above, but our School Year programs are currently open for registration.
This includes:
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February Vacation Camp Week (2/16-2/20)
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March Teacher Day Vacation Camp (3/20)
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April Teacher Day Vacation Camp (4/17)
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April Vacation Camp Week (4/20-4/24)
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Farm and Forest Preschool (please contact kmills@ketchaoutdoors.org if you’re interested in learning more about this program; open spots are for currently enrolled and early-enrolled families only)
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After School Care 2025-2026 School Year (please contact aftercare@ketchaoutdoors.org if you’re interested in learning more about this program; open spots are for currently enrolled families only)
Open Registration Date
Thursday, January 22nd – 7:30 am: Open registration for all. No special link is required.
This year, we are simplifying our registration process to increase equitable access to our programs for all families. Please mark the following date and time on your calendar!
Filling out all your forms, including the medical form and immunization uploads, is not required for the initial registration process. Instead, you will have time to complete all your forms after you register for camp. Your selections will be saved for 20 minutes while you register your child, similar to how Ticketmaster works. You will need to register each child in your family individually.
Other Registration Information
If your child will need Camp Ketcha to dispense medication, please also complete the Authorization to Dispense Medications.
At Ketcha Outdoors, we do require that all children be vaccinated following the Maine DOE vaccination schedule. Up-to-date records of these immunizations are required before starting care at Ketcha Outdoors. Required immunizations can be found here: Immunization Requirements for Schools.2_2023 (1)
If there is no availability in your desired week(s) of camp, please utilize the waitlist function on our registration portal. We will add campers off the waitlist on a first-come, first-served basis as spots become available due to cancellations or increased staffing.
Summer Payment Information
- It is the goal of Camp Ketcha, as a non-profit organization, to offer high-quality programs at a reasonable cost. The following policies help us to properly allocate staff and resources and ensure that our prices remain as low as possible.
- DEPOSIT: A $50 deposit per week and a yearly registration fee of $25 must accompany your registration. This deposit is applied to the total camp tuition. Deposits and registration fees are not refundable under any circumstances.
- BALANCE OF PAYMENT: The balance of all camp fees is due by auto-payments according to the following schedule.
- PAYMENT SCHEDULE:
- Payment will be due in installments chosen by you at the time of registration (up to 5). Installments will be charged on the 1st of the month by Autopayment, either with a credit/debit card or ACH. You may also choose to pay in full or log in anytime to make an unscheduled payment to your account.
- If we do not receive full payment for camp sessions on time, your child’s spot may be given away, and they will not be allowed to attend Camp Ketcha until a payment is received. A $25 late fee per camper will be charged if your automatic payments are declined and if they are not corrected within two business days.
Summer Camp Cancellation Policy
Any deviations from our refund and cancellation policy will be up to the discretion of our Leadership Team.
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If you cancel in writing by April 14th: |
Will receive a refund minus the $25 annual registration fee and a $50 cancellation fee per camper/per week ($75 total). |
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If you cancel in writing between April 15th and May 14th: |
Will receive a refund minus the $25 annual registration fee, your deposit of $50 per camper/per week, and an additional $50 cancellation fee per camper/per week ($125 total) |
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If you cancel in writing after May 15th: |
No refund or credits will be given. This includes “no-shows” who do not communicate cancelling prior to the start of their camp week, and for campers who are asked to leave for behavioral reasons. |
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Medical Emergency Cancellation for severe medical issues: |
A doctor’s note must be sent to us within one week of your notifying us in writing to request the cancellation. The Ketcha Outdoors admin team will review your request, and if approved, you will receive a refund of what you have paid minus the $25 annual registration fee, your nonrefundable deposit of $50 per week, and a $50 late cancellation fee. |
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Cancellation due to school schedules being pushed back (due to snowdays, school closures, etc): |
No refund will be given in the event that the school schedule changes between registration and the start of camp. Please keep yourself informed on your district/school’s current plan for snow days and their anticipated last day of school. |
Summer Camp Transfer Policy
Please email registration@ketchaoutdoors.org for all-day camp transfers from one session to another. Transfer requests are not guaranteed and are not always possible. Requests must be made 21 days before the start of the session you wish to change. One transfer request per camper is allowed before May 1st with no charge. A $10 fee will be applied to all transfers made between May 1st and May 14th. No transfers will be permitted after May 14th.
Behavioral Dismissal Policy
Camper fees are non-refundable if a camper is removed for disciplinary reasons. Physical violence or bullying toward another camper or staff member will result in immediate dismissal from the camp program, and you will not be refunded for the current week. Additional weeks will be refunded minus a $50 non-refundable deposit and a $40 late cancellation fee per week.
Conduct While Attending Camp
Our programs follow a 5-finger contract that is to stay safe (pinky), respect others and the environment (ring), be kind (middle), lead by example (pointer), and have fun (thumb). These are gone over daily as a way to set expectations for program participants who can high-five each other to “seal the deal”. These rules are a positive support approach to help campers with skill-building for self-control and self-advocacy. We strive to create a supportive, nurturing, and joyful environment where everyone shares a sense of belonging and acceptance. Our goals are to support confidence and self-awareness and to build social skills.
Ketcha Outdoors views discipline as the positive use of guidance and language that will teach children the appropriate responses to sometimes challenging situations. We believe that discipline is not punishment, but using these experiences to teach, guide, and redirect children to raise responsible, resilient, and confident children who will grow up to care for themselves and others.
We strive to create an open, trusting relationship with parents that welcomes communication between parents and staff regarding their child’s experiences at Ketcha Outdoors. If a child’s behavior is interfering negatively with the functioning of the program or the safety of others, we will notify the parent or guardian to set up a meeting with the director and the appropriate head counselor. Staff will work cooperatively with the family to develop and implement strategies to provide extra support by creating a behavior plan.
If it is decided that Ketcha Outdoors cannot reasonably accommodate the child’s support needs, the family may be asked to withdraw the child from the program. Camp Ketcha’s philosophy is to help each child develop respect for oneself, others, and the environment, and our goal is to help all children who attend Camp Ketcha to be successful in our program. Camp Ketcha program supervisors reserve the right to suspend and/or dismiss the child from the program without reimbursement for violent or inappropriate behavior that causes risk to the camper, others, or the environment. Please discuss and reinforce the above behavioral expectations with your child.
