Printer-friendly version here Please call us if you would like more information at (510) 540-6025. The Directors are happy to talk with parents. Registration Questions Q: I have already attended a camp in the past. Do I need to fill out a new form?  A: Not unless you have any changes you would like to make.  We keep forms on file for at least 3 years at the office. Q: I’d like to register for Summer Camp with a credit card, but I do not have or want a PAYPAL account.  What do I do? A: It is not necessary to have a PAYPAL account in order to pay online.  There will be an alternate area where you enter in your credit card information. Q: I paid online, but did not give you much information about my child or myself.  Did I miss something? A: Yes, if you are new to MBC - fill out this form and return it PRIOR to first day of camp. If you are new, we need you to fill out a new camper/CIT or JC form. There are a few differences, so please go to the specific pages on our website to find the contact form. Q: Will I get a confirmation when your office has received my registration form? A: Yes, we send you a confirmation e-mail or phone call ASAP, but for sure within a week of your registration. IMPORTANT: Contact our office if you do not hear from us. Q. Do the morning and afternoon extended care have to be reserved in advance, or can I add that later if I find out that I need it?  A: Signing up early guarantees a space, as we sometimes fill in advance.  That being said, if space is available, absolutely.  To register, you may call our office and sign up with a credit card, or send in a check to our office (write in note section who and what the check is for).  Once camp begins, if there is still space, we offer last minute “Drop-In” for a.m. and p.m.  Fees are higher for this service and due on day of service.  All that information will be in the parent handbook sent in May. Please note our Transfer of Extended Care Policy: Extended care days can be changed once for no fee; $10 fee for subsequent changes.  Q. I am registering with friends and want to make sure that they will be in the same group.  What do I do? A: That’s great.  We welcome friends coming together to camp.  For all sites, groups meet in the morning together and then split off into smaller groups during the day.  If you are parent of a new camper, when you fill out your form, please make a note in the special needs section, “Friends with __________________”.  If you are parent of a return camper, please write or call the office.  Our staff meets weekly and they review details like these. Q: Do you offer single day registration? A: No, with the exception off August dates- the last week and a half of camp in Tilden Park, for the 5-7 and 8-10 year old sites, as well as trained youth leaders. We started offering this option since many schools start mid-week. Q: Do you offer split session registration? A: The only session that is two weeks is our Drama session.  This is a very hard session to split, as the kids really need the two weeks to work on their performance.  It is very popular and usually fills in advance.  You can check in a week or two before camp starts and see if there might be a chance to enroll in only one of the weeks.  Q: I have an 8 year old and a 6 year old. Although you have two different sites in Berkeley and my children would be separated because of their age, is it possible that they can participate at the same site? A: Yes, this may be possible, although we have found that it usually does not work out so well, especially for the older child. S/he is ready to play with kids his/her age and is not challenged enough with the younger group. The kids usually do well on their own, as our staff is trained in helping with separation anxiety. The sites are also within minutes’ walk of one another, so it is not more trouble for the parents in terms of drop-off and pick-up. But, if you believe otherwise, please attach a note to your registration form with an explanation of why you think it would be better and we would be happy to consider it.  Also, if they stay into extended care, they will be together for the 3:45-6:00 time period. Q. I will not be able to use one week of the two week session, but I have a friend who would like to share the spot with me. Is this a possibility? A: No, it sounds like a great idea, but we cover certain guidelines with the campers the first day and the second camper would miss this important introduction. Q: My child is turning 5 in September. Can s/he attend your site for 5-7 year olds? A: We are fairly firm about the age, but check in with us if you believe your child is ready.  We usually say that they should have been in a program that runs a full day (ours is from 8:30-3:30), like a lot of action, and really enjoy the outdoors.  Q. I would like to order a T-shirt and a sweatshirt.  How do I do that? A: We will have T-shirts and sweatshirts on sale on site regularly during the summer, e.g. we sell T-shirts during tie dye days. We will send out a survey closer to summer re: interest in purchasing, so we get a sense of how many to order. Q: Does my 3 or 4 year old need to be potty trained for the Pre-K program?  A: Yes, being potty trained is required.  We will ask all parents to send their children with an extra set of clothes in their backpack, in case of accidents. Q: Will my 3 or 4 year old child be able to take a nap at the Pre-K program? A: We will have a rester period in a nice cozy area on the grass, with cloth spreads.  We realize some children may fall asleep, even though the surroundings might not be so familiar for nap time.  Please let us know how long you would want your child to nap if so, as we realize some children do not fall asleep at night if they nap too long.  There will be information in the site parent handbook. Payment Questions Q. I cannot pay in full right away, but there does not seem a way to pay less than the full amount on the website. A. Please fill out a payment plan form for this option. We are happy to help with spreading out payments. Q: I am paying with a check and will send in deposit.  Does it apply to the balance? A: Yes. Your camp balance, due on June 1st, will be the grand total minus your deposit. You may also pay for camp in full when you register. Q: Do you accept credit cards? A: Yes. Q: Can I set up a payment plan for Summer Camp fees? A: Yes. Click here for a form. Q: Do you have a sibling discount or a multiple week discount? A: Please check back regularly for details on specials we are currently offering! Q: Do you offer financial aid for your summer program? If so, how can I apply? A: Yes, click on the appropriate age group for a form: Ages 3-4 or Ages 5-15.  We offer varying degrees of aid, so please check out the form, as maybe camp will be possible for you.  We also offer a work exchange program, where we give away at least 5 weeks of camp for free in exchange for help you provide.  In order to participate, you must have free time to do the jobs.  Please download this form if you are interested in Work Exchange - it will guide you through the steps. Cancellation Policy Q: What is your cancellation policy? A: If you cancel by June 1st, you will receive an 80% refund. If you cancel 14 days in advance of your child’s registered enrollment date AND we can find a replacement for your child’s registration, you will receive an 80% refund. NO OTHER REFUNDS. See transfer of session’s policy as alternate. For 3 day or longer absences due to illness, please submit a written request with a doctor’s note to transfer to another MBC program within a month after camp ends. Q: Can I transfer my child who is currently enrolled to another session or site? A: Upon availability, deposits and payments may be transferred to another summer session up until one-week before the start of a program. A $10 processing fee will apply. General Program Questions Q: What is the daily schedule of Summer Camp? A: The daily schedules are posted: Tilden Park Papayas (ages 3-4): here Tilden Park Banana Mangos(ages 5-7): here Tilden Park Coconuts (ages 8-10): here The schedule will also be included in the parent packet sent to all families in May. Please call us if you would like more information. (510) 540-6025 The Directors are happy to talk with parents. Q: What is the group size? A: In Tilden Park, for the Papaya Group (ages 3-4), between 21-28 campers; for the Banana Mango Group (ages 5-7), between 30-40 campers, with the group splitting into smaller groups during the day, usually by age; for the Coconut Group (ages 8-10), about 20 campers. Q: What is the counselor: child ratio? A: 1:7 for the Papaya Group (ages 3-4); 1:8 for the Banana Mango Group (ages 5-7); 1:11 for Coconut Group (ages 8-10); Youth leaders, about 1 for every 7-11 campers, help support the counseling team. Q: Will you split up the group into different age groups? A: For most of the summer there are 2 sites at Tilden Park, one for 5-7 year olds and the other for 8-10 year olds all in the Nature Area of Tilden Park.  They are about a 3 minute walk from each other.  The groups combine for extended care from 3:30-6:00p.m.  For the last part of the summer, in August, there will also be another site at Tilden Park, for 3-4 year olds, also within walking distance.  Q: What if my child is an older 7 and all his friends are 8? A: We realize that some kids are in grades with older children, so it usually works out fine to register your child for the older kid's group. Go ahead and do so, and write us an e-mail or note on the registration form. You can also contact us before hand if you have any questions. Q: What if my child does not want to do an activity? A: The wonderful thing about our camp is that there are usually 2-3 options to choose from, so that kids can find what they like. On the occasions when there is an activity that all the kids participate in and your child really does not want to or cannot join, reading, drawing, or playing with legos are examples of options. Q: I am thinking of registering my child for a month of camp with the same theme? Will she be doing the exact same things? Is this wise? A: That is wonderful that you want to come for a month. We have found that kids who stay longer really enjoy it, as they know the routine and staff, yet still have new challenges and experiences. We have some of the same theme weeks with the same projects, but they are spread out over the course of the summer, so within a one month period, there would not be a repetition of the same project.  Some favorites, like swimming, carnivals, water balloon tosses, treasure hunts and field games are repeated, but who wouldn’t want to do those twice! For the Drama and Performing Arts sessions, if there is more than one in a summer, we perform a different play each time. Q: How well does your program serve an active boy? A: We pride ourselves on serving the needs of all types of children. Our programming, occurring entirely outdoors, provides a rich environment for an active child. The daily schedule includes time for group field games and traditional sports like soccer, kickball, and softball. We hire staff, both male and female, to organize and direct these games in a fun and loving manner. We also hike and go swimming once a week. Many boys enjoy our camp immensely. Some have said that they prefer it to traditional sports camps, as they have time for other activities.  Q: What are your rainy day plans? A: We have 2 indoor sites where we can meet in the event of ongoing rain. Q: At Tilden Park, do you spend anytime indoors? We occasionally visit the Environmental Education Center. Q: Do you provide snacks? If so, what do they consist of? We serve snack for the extended care campers (those who stay after 3:30pm). We serve fruit and crackers, 90% of which is organic. For example, we love to serve melons during the summer, bought from Full Belly Farm. We ask parents to send an extra snack in case their child gets hungry during the day, since they are more active than at school. We also have occasional morning tea and cooking projects (e.g. during Japan Day, we make sushi, during Mexico Day, we make guacamole and serve with chips. Again, our commitment is to serve organically grown in our cooking projects as well.) Q: I have a 6 year old and a 10 year old. We will be registering in Berkeley. I will be unable to pick up one camper on time. How do you deal with this? A: The sites are a two minute drive apart on most days.  We give you a 10 minute late leeway because of this factor, but please kindly let the on site staff know why you are late or even let them know in the morning at drop-off, so they can keep that in mind at pick-up time. FYI, on swim days, the drop-off and pick-up area is the same. Q: Do you leave your sites in the parks at any time? A: Yes. For example, we walk to different areas for picnic lunches, to play in creeks, to go on candy treasure hunts, to hike, to visit the Environmental Education Center and the Merry Go Round, etc. During these times, as always at Monkey Business Camp, there is excellent supervision. We do not travel away from the site by vehicles. A note will be left at the site if all staff and campers are away. Swim Day Questions: Q: Do all of the groups swim at Lake Anza? A: All, except the Papaya group (ages 3-4).  Lake Anza is fairly busy, so we prefer to do water play at the site.  Sometimes parents visit the Lake after pick-up time if time and circumstances permit. Q: Does my child need to know how to swim to participate in the swim days? A: No. In Tilden Park, at Lake Anza, children can wade and play in the sand (we bring sand toys), so they do not need to know how to swim.  Q: My child is not a very good swimmer. What is your swimming protocol? A: We take the safety of all of our campers very seriously, particularly in the swimming areas. To that end, we have come up with a strict protocol which we cover in our Counselor training. Children are not allowed in the water above shoulder-level. A Counselor is required to swim with the campers and we increase that number to 2 if there are over 6 campers in the water. Finally, we assign another Counselor to play on the shore or the grass with campers who do not want to swim. This is all in addition to a full aquatic lifeguard staff at Lake Anza. Drama/Performing Arts Camp Questions: Q: I'm thinking about signing my son up for the Drama/Performing Arts Camp. Do you think there will be other boys there?  A: Yes, boys have always attended our Drama sessions. A few think they will not like it when they start, but 95% of the time, their minds are changed, whether they ended up in the performance, or helping with sets or ushering. Q: My child does not like Drama and is afraid of performing, but this camp fits best into our schedule and I want my child to attend Monkey Business Camp. How to you approach the kids who do not want to perform?  A: We have found over the years that many campers are excited to perform, while others are scared or uninterested. There are 3 ways we deal with this. First, they can help only with painting sets, helping out back stage, handing out programs on the day of the show. Second, they can be in a large group act on stage. Third, after seeing things in action, they decide to do more than they thought, and our staff creates space for them in the performance. Q: We will be gone for the performance. Is this a problem?  A: It is not ideal. If you can arrange to leave afterwards, it would be highly preferable. If it is not at all possible, please write this detail on your registration form so we can notify the site staff. Fabulous Fun Camp Questions: Q: What happens in this camp exactly?  A: During this camp, we have favorite activities or theme days.  For example, during 1960s day, we tour a VW Bus and do a tie-dye project, but also may hike to a lake and play soccer. During Japan Day, we might make sushi and learn origami while also playing Capture the Flag. During Carnival Day, we would set-up carnival games for a fun event in the afternoon and in the morning might do an art project and play board games. It is a wonderful summer camp session to come to! Pirate Camp Questions: Q: Will there be sword play? A: Occasionally some pirates will want to do this after creating a cardboard replica. With strict supervision and a martial arts-type attention to respect, they engage in limited sword play. Q: Will my daughter be interested in Pirate Week? A: Without a doubt. Whether she likes playing games or doing art or both, she can find activities to suit herself. Safety Questions Q: Will my child be safe in your care? A: Safety is number one for all of us at Monkey Business Camp. If the kids are not safe, then none of us can really enjoy ourselves. We are proud to say that in 8 years of camp, our safety record is excellent. We provide a thorough training for our staff, and all of our Counselors are CPR certified. At least one staff person on site is always First Aid certified. Q: Do you have parent references? A: Yes we do. Please contact our office to access this information. There are also quotes from parents available on our website here. Q: Who will staff the Summer Camp? How do you screen your staff? A: Most sites have a Site Director and a P.M. Director who stays for the extended care program. They will be joined by 1-3 other counselors to round out the team. Our search for a qualified, fun, diverse, caring, safety-conscious team is very rigorous. It includes a phone interview, individual interview, a multiple employer reference check, and 3 days of training. Check out staff here. Q: Do you train your Counselors? A: Yes, Counselors participate in 3 days of training and have team meetings once/week during the summer. Site leaders have an additional day of training. We cover important safety information, share games, bring in guest speakers, and act out scenarios to train our staff to effectively trouble-shoot any conflict that arises. Team communication is also an important topic. The training also serves as a vehicle for knowing the philosophies and procedures that make Monkey Business Camp special.