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WHAT TO BRING

RECOMMENDED ITEMS FOR ALL CLUB MEMBERS

RECOMMENDED ITEMS FOR ALL CLUB MEMBERS

  • Junior Club
  • Swim Club
  • Basketball Club
  • Soccer Club
  • Multi-Sport Club
  • STEAM Club
  • Holes Club
  • What NOT to Bring to Club

WHAT TO BRING FOR Pre K

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.
Please send your Club member with a full water bottle labeled with his/her name.
Grahams with 100% juice. If you prefer your Club member eat a different snack, please pack an additional
snack for snack time.

Swimming

To expedite transition time and maximize swim time, young Club members (rising 1st graders and younger)
Pack a change of clothes (including underwear) for after swimming Towel
Goggles recommended but not mandatory

Shoes

Sneakers or closed-toe shoes with a back to prevent them from falling off; no flip flops

Sunscreen

Please apply to Club member 20 minutes before arrival at Club for optimal coverage and effectiveness
Please label sunscreen and pack in a Ziploc bag with your Club members name for reapplication throughout the day

Note: Coaches are trained to assist with sunscreen application. We’ll hold onto Club members’ sunscreen throughout the week and leftover sunscreen will go home with Club members each Friday.

WHAT TO BRING FOR SWIM CLUB

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.
Please send your Club member with a full water bottle labeled with his/her name.

Swimming

Bathing Suit
Pack a change of clothes (including underwear) for after swimming Towel
Goggles recommended but not mandatory

Shoes

Sneakers or closed-toe shoes with a back to prevent them from falling off; no flip flops

Sunscreen

Please apply to Club member 20 minutes before arrival at Club for optimal coverage and effectiveness
Note: Coaches are trained to assist with sunscreen application. We’ll hold onto Club members’ sunscreen throughout the week and leftover sunscreen will go home with Club members each Friday.

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one)

WHAT TO BRING FOR BASKETBALL CLUB

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.
Please send your Club member with a full water bottle labeled with his/her name.

Swimming

Bathing Suit
Pack a change of clothes (including underwear) for after swimming Towel
Goggles recommended but not mandatory

Shoes

Sneakers

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one but we do not provide a snack for Basketball Club)

Note: There is no swimming on this program, so it’s not necessary to bring a bathing suit or towel.

WHAT TO BRING FOR SOCCER CLUB

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.
Please send your Club member with a full water bottle labeled with his/her name.

Hat (to protect face from sun)

Shin guards

Sneakers

Soccer ball (Optional)

Sunscreen

Please, note will be applied to Club member 20 minutes before arrival at Club for optimal coverage and effectiveness
Please label sunscreen and pack in a Ziploc bag with your Club members name for reapplication throughout the day
Note: Coaches are trained to assist with sunscreen application. We’ll hold onto Club members’ sunscreen throughout the week and leftover sunscreen will go home with Club members each Friday.

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one but we do not provide a snack for Soccer Club )

Cleats (optional) — if your Club member chooses to wear cleats, please bring sneakers so that they can participate fully in any indoor programming. Cleats are absolutely not allowed in the gym – no exceptions.

WHAT TO BRING FOR MULTI-SPORT CLUB

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.

Hat (to protect face from sun)

Bathing suit and towel for Swim

To expedite transition time and maximize swim time, we ask that young Club members (rising 1st graders and younger) arrive already wearing their swimsuit under their clothing
Please pack a change of clothes for after swimming

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one but we do not provide a snack for Multi-Sport Club)

WHAT TO BRING FOR STEM CLUB

Label all belongings with Club members first and last name and pack everything in one backpack.

Lunch & Water

Pack in a small lunch box/bag with an ice pack and all necessary utensils and napkins.
Please send your Club member with a full water bottle labeled with his/her name.

Bathing suit and towel for Water Play

Sunscreen

Please, note will be applied to Club member 20 minutes before arrival at Club for optimal coverage and
Please, note will be applied to Club member 20 minutes before arrival at Club for optimal coverage and
Note: Coaches are trained to assist with sunscreen application. We’ll hold onto Club members’ sunscreen throughout the week and leftover sunscreen will go home with Club members each Friday.

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one)Only acceptable golf attire is permitted.  Club members are prohibited from wearing shoes with metal spikes, short shorts, swimwear, denim of any kind, t shirts, or tank tops.  Shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Club members not appropriately attired will not be permitted to participate.

WHAT TO BRING FOR HOLES CLUB

REQUIRED DRESS AT THE GOLF COURSE:
Only acceptable golf attire is permitted. Club members are prohibited from wearing shoes with metal spikes,short shorts, swimwear, denim of any kind, t shirts, or tank tops.  Shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Club members not appropriately attired will not be permitted to participate.
Hats/visors must be worn with brim forward
Shirts must be tucked in at all times
Girls’ fitted shirts do not have to be tucked in, but should be an appropriate length

PROHIBITED DRESS AT THE GOLF COURSE

Tank tops, T-shirts
Denim
Short shorts, skorts or skirts that are too short
Short shorts, skorts or skirts that are too short
Cut-off shorts
Gym shorts or pants
Proper attire is required at all times at the host facility.

Snacks (optional — we will make time for a quick snack for Club members who would like to have one)Only acceptable golf attire is permitted.  Club members are prohibited from wearing shoes with metal spikes, short shorts, swimwear, denim of any kind, t shirts, or tank tops.  Shirts must be tucked in at all times.  Club members not appropriately attired will not be permitted to participate.

WHAT NOT TO BRING TO CLUB

Electronic devices including gaming devices and iPads
Pokémon cards or other trading cards
Cell phones

Please Note: If your Club member does bring any of these items lists in the “What not to Bring to Club” list, The Kid Explorer Clubs are not responsible for any lost item(s).

PLEASE BE SURE TO LABEL ALL EQUIPMENT WITH CLUB MEMBERS NAME.

Recommendations for specific programs are below the general recommendations.

WHAT TO BRING TO CLUB

KID EXPLORER CLUB STATE HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Make sure that your child is healthy and ready to learn by the start of the school year! Check in with your school and medical provider to find out what immunizations and health exams are required for school. Kid Explorer Club requires proof of required immunizations, physical exams and vision exams are due December 15, 2016. The required dental exam is due May 15, 2018.

Medical Compliance Resources:

CPS Health Requirements [ English ,Spanish ,Polish ]
State of Illinois Child Health Examination Form [ English ,Spanish ]
State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form
State of Illinois Vision Examination Form
Early Childhood Requirements [ English ,Spanish ]
School Form – State of Illinois Certificate of Health Examination – This is the form commonly used by many schools, Clubs or day-care providmembers to document your child’s health history.  Please remember to photocopy the completed form before  turning it in or just upload photocopy or scan  to Kid Explorer Club After school , Extended Day or  After school Club.  Email to enroll@kidexplorerClub.com Please allow yourself at least 10 days to receive from your medical provider.  All health forms are due October 15, 2018. Thank you.
Athletics – State of Illinois Pre-participation Examination Form Athletics – State of Illinois Pre-participation Examination Form completed.  This is the preferred health form for participation in the Kid Explorer Club athletic and After school Club program.  Please remember to give us at least seven days notice  to accompany your child’s file.  This is a needed form before they are allowed to participate in any athletic activity.

Please Note: All medical forms will be emailed to you upon completion of registration.

CLUB MEMBERS & FORMS

General Liability Waiver
Allergy & Medical Information (including nut allergies)
Media Policy
Add or Remove Additional Authorized Persons  To Pick-Up Your Club member(s)

THE KID EXPLORER CLUB POLICIES

At Kid Explorer Club, we commit to providing every camper the best and safest possible club experience. From our programming to our policies, everything we do is steeped in our philosophical pillars of building holistically healthy kids through engagement with understanding, caring & professional counselors, as well as the Kid Explorer Club X 9 laying the foundation for future success.

Sibling Discount

Buddy Policy

“Walk-Up” Registration Information

Credit & Refund Policies

Completing Appropriate Camper Health Forms, Identity Forms &

Paperwork

Illness & Lice Policy

Discipline

Potty Training Policy

Sunscreen Policy

Policy on Electronics, Toys, Trading Cards & Pins

SIBLING DISCOUNT ALL SCHOOL YEAR LONG*

Sibling discounts are available all school year long to give you 5% off of the second club member registered.

*Discount Rules & Regulations

Weeks are accumulated on a per-participant (not per-family) basis
The discount is applied to weeks purchased in a single transaction, and may not be combined with other discount offers
You must enroll online and register for all weeks in the same transaction
Discounts are only applicable for the cost of Kid Explorer Club programs, and may not be applied to extended care or other purchase options

BUDDY POLICY

Buddy requests can be made during the registration process until September 30th. We always do our very best to accommodate buddy requests as we know how important this can be to our calub members. The number of buddies that we guarantee varies both club age and the program for which you’re enrolling — please see our full Buddy Policy & Philosophy for details.

WALK-UP” REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Parents are encouraged to register in advance, but we understand that for unforeseen reasons, parents Parents are encouraged to register in advance, but we understand that for unforeseen reasons, parents through Sunday evening. If you’d like to enroll on Monday morning, you can do so by calling our office at (773) 672-7773

REFUND & CREDIT POLICIES

If you wish to cancel your camp registration and apply for a credit to another week of camp, you can contact our office at (773) 672-7773 or info@kidexplorercamps.com . The following policies and timeline apply.
If you notify us before September 1, you can apply for a 100% credit on your account for a future enrollment, or a 75% refund.
If you notify us between  September 1 and September 31, you may receive a 100% credit on your account for a future registration, or 50% refund.
After October 1, you may receive a 75% credit on your account.
Once a program begins, we cannot make any adjustments or offer any credits.

COMPLETING APPROPRIATE CLUB MEMBER HEALTH FORMS, IDENTITY FORMS & PAPERWORK

All club members must complete the necessary camp forms in order to participate in Kid Explorer Club After school Program. These forms are required by both the County and the State — depending upon the location your child will attend camp. Please upload these forms through the Parent Dashboard prior to September 1.

REPORTING ILLNESSES & ABSENCES DUE TO ILLNESS

Kid Explorer Camps should be notified by phone (773) 672-7773 or email ( info@kidexlorercamps.com if a child is ill, especially if the illness is communicable. Internally, we keep track of the instances of communicable diseases at clubs and when appropriate will notify the parents of all children that may have been exposed, while respecting the confidentiality of club members and families involved.

Communicable Diseases

Club members who have communicable diseases will be sent home and may not return to the club until the illness has been treated successfully and the club member is symptom free.

Lice

Club members who have signs of head lice (itching, head irritation, etc.) will be removed from their group and escorted to the camp office by the Safety Specialist. If we believe there is a possibility of head lice, we will ask the family to pick their club member up from club. In order to return to club a club member must have had all active lice removed from his or her hair & and no longer show any signs of infestation, itching or irritation.

DISCIPLINE POLICY

Kid Explorer Clubs staff uses the positive techniques of guidance, including logical or natural consequences applied in problem situations, redirection of children to more acceptable behavior, anticipation of and elimination of potential problems and encouragement of appropriate behavior rather than comparison, competition or criticism. Consistent and clear rules are established. Staff members encourage children to solve problems rather than imposing solutions and help children to recognize and respect one another’s feelings. Coaches encourage pro-social behavior such as cooperation, helping, taking turns and constructive verbal communication to solve problems. The goal is to help children internalize rules and become self-directed in their behavior.
Kid Explorer Club reserves the right to dismiss a child for consistent behavior that makes it difficult or impossible for the staff to meet his/her needs and/or the needs of other children in the group. This will occur without a refund (or portion thereof) or credit towards a future program. This will occur only after parent/staff discussion has occurred.

POTTY TRAINING POLICY

All club members attending Kid Explorer Club members are expected to be fully potty-trained by their first day of club. We ask that families provide an extra set of clothes with club members , if a club member has a history of bathroom accidents. If an accident occurs during club hours, the Staff and Safety Specialist will notify the club members primary parent/guardian.

KID EXPLORER CLUB’S SUNSCREEN POLICY & PROCEDURE

Sunscreen
Parents/guardians should provide sunscreen for use during the club day. Sunscreen sent to club should be placed in a sealed plastic bag and labeled with the child’s first and last name. Pursuant to careful research and the recommendations of the American Academy of Dermatology, all Kid Explorer Clubs are stocked with Oxybenzone-free Rocky Mountain Sunscreen SPF 50+ spray with broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection for use by any club member that does not supply their own.

Families are responsible for applying the first layer of sunscreen prior to morning drop-off and provide it for use during the club day. Upon receipt, counselor/ coaches will label all sunscreen and place it in a tote bag that will be in their possession throughout the day. Any remaining sunscreen will be sent home Friday, the last day of club. During the club day, Kid Explorer Club staff will take all reasonable and appropriate steps to help each child reapply sunscreen to exposed skin– including the face, the tops of ears, and bare shoulders, arms, legs, & feet– prior to Club members ’ participation in outdoor programs. Counselors/ coaches will not apply sunscreen when skin is broken or an adverse reaction has been observed. When staff notices these reactions, they will report them to the Staff and Safety Coordinator who will contact the camper’s family. If, for any reason, counselors cannot apply sunscreen on a camper, s/he may not be able to participate in outdoor activities for his/her own protection. If parents/guardians have more than one camper attending camp, we ask each club member to have their own supply of sunscreen so that it is readily accessible throughout the club day.

POLICY ON ELECTRONICS, TOYS, TRADING CARDS & PINS

Kid Explorer Clubs strives to provide a program free from video games, cell phones, audio players, toys and other distractions. Please do not permit your child to bring any of these items to club as they will be busy throughout the club day and these items also tend to get lost or misplaced when brought to clubs.

KID EXPLORER CLUBS FAQs

Our Kid Explorer Club s are located in Chicago Park District, YMCA and Chicago Public Schools.
Kid Explorer Club goes from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm 10:00 am to 3:30 pm or with options of full day for PreK and Kindergarten through 6 grades 2:30 pm to 7:30 pm available.
The program includes all classroom materials needed. We request that all Jr Club members please clearly label all of your child’s belongings with their full name to ensure that all belongings can find their way home at the end of the day.
Yes. During the registration process, you’ll be asked to enter your Club member’s rising grade. This will select their age group and the available programs at that rising grade level. This is to ensure a developmentally-appropriate curriculum and experience for Club members of all ages.
Just click on ENROLL and you will be taken to Kid Explorer Club Club site login and registration. 4-H stands for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health. 4-H-membmembers pledge ” My head to clearer thinking; my heart to greater loyalty; my hands to larger sevice; my health to better living for my club, communication.
Yes! Kid Explorer Club members has a wide variety of Club s for every interest and our average Club members enrolls in up to 36 weeks sessions per school year. Many of our Jr Club members enroll for 16-36 weeks giving them the chance to build long-lasting friendships and develop new skills, such as swimming and the Kid Explorer Club reading enrichment is also in their daily schedule.. We offer the flexibility one-week sessions to allow families to tailor their summer Club experience to their schedule.
Please Note: Parent must be receiving TANF/RASP or working and/ or in school/training to qualify. Upon clicking on Join Now button to register you will complete information required and you must click yes for financial assistance to be sent an electronic New application (and change of provider form) via email. PLEASE NOTE: Your Child(ren) will not be able to attend until approval of the Tuition Grant through Act for Children is completed. Follow these instructions: Fill out the information that pertains to your family and sign with your e signature. Type N/A (Not Applicable) in every space that does not apply to you. You will receive a confirmation email upon completion and you will receive a copy in your email. SCAN or take a picture of verification documents needed to complete your application. Examples: School letterhead with days and hours of classes and/ or check stubs dated from the last 30 days. Remember, incomplete applications can add an additional two or more weeks for processing. It will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Important: Please email all additional information that is required as an attachment (scanned documents or pictures are acceptable). Email attachments to: enroll@kidexplorerclub.com
We do. Always check the website or call the Kid Explorer Club customer service for availability as programs do reach capacity for many weeks. We encourage parents to register for programs in advance, but we understand that for unforeseen reasons, parents sometimes need to register at the last minute. If you find yourself in this situation, you can enroll online only up until 7:30 am on Monday mornings before Club program begins for programs that have availability.
Once you register and pay for your Club program(s), you will receive a confirmation email for your own records. For those applying for financial assistance you will receive confirmation of receipt of application, but approval communications will come from Act for Children. In addition to that confirmation email, you will receive a pre-program email the week before your session(s) of program. This email will provide you with all necessary information including: what to bring to Club, directions, links to our blogs and more.
You are able to upload all your Club members’ health forms through the link to the Parent Dashboard, located on the homepage. Once there, select the “Forms” tab to either fill out or upload the required forms.
Yes. Buddy requests can be made during the registration process until classes are full. We always do our very best to accommodate buddy requests as we know how important this can be to our Club members. The number of buddies that we guarantee varies by both Club member’s age and the program for which you’re enrolling — please see our full Buddy Policy & Philosophy for details.
Yes — over the course of the summer, we’ll distribute (via email) Swim Logs for all Club members in programs with instructional swimming that have updates for the skills that your Club member worked on as well as notes on their proficiency and progress. These reports are meant to provide feedback to both Club members and parents to aid Club members along their developmental journey as swimmers. The swim log will also touch on the Kid Explorer Club X 9, and each Club member’s growth and progress with these in the context of swimming, along with the swim-specific skills that they work on at Club.
Families with children who have peanut or nut allergies can feel safe and comfortable at Kid Explorer Club programs. We are well aware of the dangers and concerns with severe allergies and take our allergy procedures and systems very seriously.

Our Process: If your child requires an EpiPen at Club, we ask you to place the EpiPen in a clear plastic bag along with a head shot photo of your child, noting the name of your child on the outside of the bag. This bag (and any necessary instructions) should be presented to the Kid Explorer Club Safety and Staff Coordinator on location, upon check-in on Monday morning. Upon registration (and in the morning of each Club day), Kid Explorer Club Safety Specialists take special note of our Club members with allergies by placing a mandatory, but inconspicuous, colored bracelet around each child’s wrist, as well as placing their EpiPen or other medication in a bag that stays on their counselor at all times throughout the Club day. We highly recommend that all EpiPens and any additional medication stay on location throughout the week. Our counselors in charge of Club members with life-threatening allergies wear a first-aid fanny pack at all times containing their Club members EpiPen. Any additional medication and necessary instructions for that medication stays with your child at all times.

Our Nut-Free Policy: During both lunch and snack breaks, to prevent contact with any nut products, we have a designated nut-free area. We require our Club members who have nut allergies, peanut or tree nut, to eat meals in our nut-free area during lunch and snack. We take special care not to make the Club members with allergies feel alienated during our eating breaks, and we encourage these Club members to invite a friend to sit with them at lunch, provided their friend’s lunch is also nut-free. At least one Kid Explorer Club staff/counselor is seated at each nut-free area for the duration of the lunch period, and these counselors take care to not bring an item to the table that could cause an allergic reaction. If you would prefer your child to sit at a non nut-free area please complete our Allergy-Free Table Waiver* prior to attending Club . To ensure that our Club members with allergies at our nut-free area have a safe lunch experience at Club , we ask that absolutely no nuts, nut related products or alternative nut products, such as soy, cashew, pistachio, walnut, almond or sun but tmembers be permitted. At the end of each eating period, we require all Club members to wash their hands with soap and warm water to ensure they thoroughly clean their hands prior to their next activity.

If you have any questions about our policies, please feel free to contact the Kid Explorer Club Customer Service Team at (773) 672-7773.

*Allergy-Free Table: Release Waiver > Submit Via Online Form: Click here for the form for all Kid Explorer Club Program sites.
In each Kid Explorer Club program, we provide a unique environment where Club members are able to benefit from individual and small group learning and instruction. Each individual program is supervised and run by a leadership team member (Program Leader) to ensure consistency and proper supervision. For our younger Club members, we aim to maintain a counselor to Club member ratio of approximately 1:6. For our older 1 through 6 grades, that ratio is 1:8. Junior Club members (Pre-K and K) are limited to 18 and 24 Club members respectively to ensure both an appropriate ratio and also facilitate Club member interaction and development.
In each Kid Explorer Club program, we provide a unique environment where Club members are able to benefit from individual and small group learning and instruction. Each individual program is supervised and run by a leadership team member (Program Leader) to ensure consistency and proper supervision. For our younger Club members, we aim to maintain a counselor to Club member ratio of approximately 1:6. For our older 1 through 6 grades, that ratio is 1:8. Junior Club members (Pre-K and K) are limited to 18 and 24 Club members respectively to ensure both an appropriate ratio and also facilitate Club member interaction and development.
Safety is our number one priority at all times, and we are extremely mindful of the weather. If we see or hear a thunderstorm approaching, outdoor Club programs are immediately brought inside as we take extreme precaution to ensure that all outdoor Club programs are safe.
We’re well aware that the summer heat can drain a Club member throughout the day and week. Water is always available for each Club program and Club members are encouraged to take water breaks approximately every 15-20 minutes. We take the heat, the humidity index, and the air quality index seriously. Daily, the Executive Director of Kid Explorer Club s communicates with the Site Directors at each Club location to discuss the heat and air index. On extremely hot days (Code Red) and for those Club members spending the majority of their time playing outdoors, participants will take mandatory and extended breaks throughout the day, an extended lunch break, plenty of water and misting fan breaks, and lower impact activities during the day. In addition, we ensure that sunscreen is re-applied on your Club member multiple times throughout the day. We typically plan to re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours. We always have sunscreen on-site if your Club member forgets or loses their sunscreen. All sunscreen applications are logged in our Sunscreen Log Book so that we can easily monitor all Club members. Please see our sunscreen for more information.

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At Kid Explorer Camps, our mission aligns perfectly with the grand vision shared by our camp families. Each mind-bending experiment, adrenaline-fueled race, and awe-inspiring challenge is meticulously crafted to unleash your child’s boundless potential, fostering their innate brilliance and cultivating an unwavering self-assurance that knows no limits. Together, we ignite the spark of their true self-expression and propel them towards a future where they fearlessly conquer the extraordinary.

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