The DC Department of Parks and Recreation will be opening summer camps for children aged 3-13 years at 38 locations across all eight wards. Camps will be open from 9-5pm, with pre- and after-care available. Campers participate in traditional camp activities with social distancing, hand hygiene and face covering guidelines in place. Registration begins on Monday, March 22nd at 12pm.

From their press release:

(Washington, DC) – On Monday, March 22, 2021 at 12:00 p.m., the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will open registration for the 2021 Summer Camp season, offering over 90 in-person camp opportunities for children aged 3-13 at 38 locations across all eight wards.

“Although we are not completely back to normal, we are excited to provide District families even more safe summer options to ease parent’s stress and enhance learning and social skills of children over the summer,” said DPR Director Delano Hunter.

DPR will provide its core camp offerings, including Discovery Camp, Little Explorers, Aqua Day Camp, Sports Camps, and Therapeutic Recreation Camp. Each camp accommodates a small cohort of 10 children and two trained summer camp counselors. The DC Free Summer Meals program is offered at most locations, which includes breakfast and lunch for children.

The camps are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Camps operate in two-week sessions. There is Before and Aftercare available for a nominal fee. Campers participate in traditional camp activities with social distancing, hand hygiene and face covering guidelines in place. Watch the DPR “We Do Summer Safely” Video.

2021 Summer Camp Dates

Session 1: June 28 - July 9 (Holiday Observed July 5th, No Camp)
Session 2: July 12 – July 23
Session 3: July 26 – August 6
Session 4: August 9 – August 20

2021 Summer Camp Registration Dates

Registration begins on Monday, March 22, 2021. Each day, registration will open at 12:00 p.m. Please be advised this schedule is for DC residents only. Registration for non-D.C. residents will open on Monday, May 3, 2021.

Monday, March 22: Sports and Aquatic Camps
Monday, March 22: Therapeutic Recreation Camps (assessment required)
Tuesday, March 23: Little Explorers Camp
Wednesday, March 24: Discovery Camp and Jelleff Summer Camp
Monday, March 29: Before and After Care
Monday, March 29: Camp-at-Home

Applicants should CREATE A NEW ACCOUNT before registration begins on March 22nd. DPR also offers Reduced Rates for 2021 Summer Camps for those eligible, available now.

DPR follows all applicable guidance from DC Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Specifically, this will include group size, cleaning protocols, and all necessary steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Additional safety guidelines include:

DPR locations will be closed to the public during summer camp.
Participants will be required to wear a face mask at all times while inside the facility. They will be allowed to remove their mask during certain outdoor activities. Staff will wear face masks at all times.
There is no shared camp equipment or toys including crayons, paint, etc.
Drop-off and Pick-up will be completed curbside at all locations. Parents will not be allowed to enter the building. Drop-off will include a wellness check for the child consisting of quick questions and a check for visual signs of illness.
DPR will not offer off-site field trips. Instead, camps will engage in outdoor fitness, in-camp enhancements and nature activities multiple times per week. DPR will not be offering pool trips at this time.

For more information about summer camp 2021 season please visit https://dpr.dc.gov/service/summer-camps or contact the DPR Summer Camp office at (202) 671-0372 or DPR.Camps@dc.gov

For more information on the District’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19), visit coronavirus.dc.gov.