Camp Tockwogh is committed to following the highest safety standards for all campers and staff. We are actively following the CDC’s camp guidelines as well as the Maryland state and County Health Department guidelines.
The primary email address and phone number listed on your CampWise account is what camp will use to contact you. Please do not list your camper’s contact information, as we would use this in the event of an emergency at camp.
Constant Contact emails are our main method of communication about Summer 2024! The email used to create your CampWise account has already been subscribed to receive updates and announcements. We ask that you please check that these emails are making it to your inbox (not junk mail!) and be careful not to unsubscribe as you may miss important updates!
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We are not currently planning to offer changeover weekends between traditional camp sessions (other than for LIT or CIT programs). We will announce if this changes.
Yes, you can receive a full refund less a $75 processing fee on or before March 1st. Cancellations after March 1st and before May 1st will be charged the $300 deposit. No refunds will be given after May 1st.
Our staff are trained with evidence-based tactics that help campers overcome the anxiety of being away from home. Homesickness can be a natural part of overnight camping and usually, by the third day of camp, we have worked with the camper successfully, and they are having a great time. Here are a few tips if you are worried about your child being homesick: Seven Tips to Prevent Homesickness
A good staff begins with good training. Before the summer starts our leadership staff goes through a full two weeks of training. All our counselors have graduated high school and range in age from 18- 27 years old. Many are education majors and enjoy using their summer months to work with youth. Typically, each cabin has two counselors or one counselor and a CIT. There will never be fewer than 1 counselor for 9 campers in a cabin, and overall, there are 150 staff on camp, working with 400+ campers. We pride ourselves on having multiple staff to supervise your child because we firmly believe that good supervision provides the safest environment for kids to develop at camp.
Waterfront activities are about fun, but it is not possible to enjoy the programs without first making them safe. To reduce the risks, we believe in educating campers, training staff, and enforcing rules. When campers arrive at Tockwogh, they will participate in a swim evaluation. If a camper receives a red band, they are offered swim instruction. All campers at the waterfront are required to wear a properly-sized lifejacket regardless of swimming ability, and the Waterfront Director reviews the critical safety rules with each cabin on the first day. All staff who operate our boats have completed the Maryland Safe Boater Safety course and have participated in more than 20 hours of training on safe driving and operation. Most importantly, more than two-thirds of our waterfront counselors are Special Facilities Ellis Lifeguards. Rules are then enforced from the top-down, with little tolerance for any unsafe behavior.
All traditional session campers have five activity periods daily for the week.
Campers have the option to choose two “must-have” activities prior to arriving at camp. Information for this can be completed in the online portal and will close one week before their session begins.
Campers will choose the rest of their schedule on their first night at camp at activity sign ups. They do have the option to switch out of activities after two days if they would like.
In addition to their five activity periods, campers also have a cabin/age group activity each morning and evening as well as a free choice period after dinner. Group activities are scheduled for the week and campers choose their free choice activity at lunch daily!
We do honor cabin requests. There are some limits. A cabin mate request must be mutual, with the parents of both children agreeing, and campers are limited to one request. We limit each camper to one mutual request because of group interactions in the cabin. It would be very strange and challenging for a new camper to come into a cabin where four best friends have all been placed. Part of the magic of camp is meeting new people and challenging yourself socially, so unless you think it is vitally important to your camper’s experience to be in a cabin with one other specific friend, we suggest you do not make a request.
Every day that camp is in session we have an RN onsite. They work closely with a summer wellness team who have an interest in health care and who have been trained to assist. Safety is incredibly important to us and that certainly includes the medical condition of our campers. We also work closely with a Nurse Practitioner who annually reviews our standing orders and provides additional medical care to our campers when needed.
The closest hospital for emergency room visits is in Chestertown which is 25 minutes away. Our local EMS has a typical response time under 15 minutes to camp. We may also take campers off-site in camp vehicles to determine the extent of an injury to the emergency room, urgent care, or doctor’s office. We will contact parents in the event of any medical condition that requires further evaluation or care.
We allow campers to bring snacks with them to camp, we ask for moderation. Too many snacks and sweets tend to generate trash and attract critters. All snacks should be kept in an airtight container. Additionally, we want to keep all our campers safe so please consider all allergies, dietary needs, etc. when packing. No nut products will be allowed at camp.
We advise campers to bring reusable water bottles to refill throughout the day instead of single-use disposable water bottles.
Campers will have opportunities to purchase snacks and beverages from our store. No cash is required for these purchases, so please do not send your child to camp with money. The store accounts are set up online by the parent/guardian before the camper arrives.
It is our experience that there is no exact formula for dealing with bullying and personality conflicts within cabins. Because each person is different and each situation is different, we train our staff to recognize problems early on and effectively engage campers in being a part of the solution.
Bullies are not tolerated at Tockwogh. We expect that our staff are proactive in managing these situations. Any camper who is bullying another child will be sent home if the behavior continues after the behavior is addressed.
Our staff are trained as mediators, and if necessary our Village Chiefs will assist counselors in working with campers who don’t seem to be getting along. Our goal is to find common ground between the two campers and teach them to interact with others respectfully despite potential personal disagreements.
You can communicate with your child a few ways while they are at camp. Mainly, you can send letters and care packages. Be sure to put their full name, village, and cabin. We do not recommend using Amazon for care packages, since September 2022 we have had significant issues with Amazon packages NOT arriving to our address. Unfortunately, Amazon will show that the package has arrived, even though it has not. We recommend using Target or Walmart for direct shipping to your camper. Any inquiries regarding Amazon packages arriving at camp will need to be directed directly to Amazon. If your camper is staying for a shorter session, you can drop mail off at check-in to be delivered over the session. Snacks are allowed in care packages, but please no peanut products!
Parents/Guardians can also utilize Bunk1 to send their camper bunknotes while at camp. Please note that there is a delay in the delivery of this, so they will not receive the email instantaneously. Additionally, you can choose to attach reply sheet to the bunknotes so that your camper can write you a reply.
If you’d like to check on your camper, you can request a check-in with our parent liaisons by emailing [email protected]. We do not allow campers to call home unless in the event of an emergency
Med pass happens four times a day – Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime. Medications will be given by the camp nurses and wellness center staff. Every medication must have a Medication Authorization Form completed by your child’s physician. No medications (including over-the-counter meds) are allowed to be kept in camper cabins.
You are able to load a credit onto your camper’s account prior to their session. This is done on the CampWise system or by calling our office at 410-348-6000.
Campers get to visit the camp store once a week. They will be able to buy what they wish (except for a limit of 2 snacks) until their credit limit is reached. Anything not used will be refunded at the end of the session.
Tockwogh is a place to be unplugged from modern technology and focus on the camp atmosphere. As a result, we do not allow campers to bring their cell phones with them to camp. While we do allow other portable electronics at camp like iPods, they are not recommended as they can be expensive and not always conducive to camp life. Please note, Camp Tockwogh is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
We believe that part of the camp experience is rooted in independence. Except for family emergencies or extreme circumstances, we do not allow campers to call home. Over the years, we have learned that in the case of homesickness, it is best not to put the camper in direct contact with a parent or guardian. Speaking to someone from home tends to increase anxiety rather than decreases it. As a parent, you may always request to speak with your child’s counselor, who will call you as soon as they are able to that same day. Additionally, we have staff available to answer the phone in our main office until midnight every night camp is in session.
Tockwogh is located on the Northeastern portion of the Chesapeake Bay. We are approximately 1.5-2 hours away from Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Baltimore. We are just under an hour from Wilmington and Dover, Delaware, and about 45 minutes from the Bear-Glasgow area.
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