Children aged 8 at or around camp time are welcome to come. Children this young should have had sleepover experience at family or friends homes.

All instructions are given in both Armenian and English.

The camp is a nut-free facility and all meals are prepared accordingly.

We have three healthy meals, and two snacks every day. A fruit bar is available to all campers at breakfast and salad bar at lunch and dinner.

Example meal plan:
Breakfast: pancakes and bacon, yogourt, fruit, cereal, juice, milk
Lunch: hamburger and fries, salad, cut vegetables, juice, water
Snack: watermelon, oranges, peaches
Dinner: pasta and meat sauce, mixed vegetables, salad, chocolate cake
Snack: fresh baked danishes.

Any dietary restrictions that are indicated in the application form are accommodated for e.g., soy or rice milk and gluten free options are provided to campers.

Campers in the same age category e.g., 8-9 are usually put together. Boys and girls are divided for individual groups and sleeping, otherwise they are co-ed in the same age group throughout the day.

If you would like to make a request, you can make it on the application form.

All campers sleep in cabins with a counsellor sleeping within the same vicinity. All cabin layouts are different, some with buck beds, some without. Each cabin has a washroom with sink and some also have a shower.

Campers can shower in the pool house facility where there are multiple private showers (girls on one side of the building and boys on the other). Campers whose cabins have a shower can shower there.

It is usually 6 campers to one counsellor and one counsellor in training. In the past, it has often been two counsellors to each group, so our ratio for supervision is very high.

A detailed form is sent home after applications have been received. We don’t recommend sending your Sunday bests! Campers are outside for a good part of the day (weather permitting) involved in sports, games and outdoor activities. Water slippers are highly recommended as the lake front can be rocky.

We have certified lifeguards at all water activities. No camper is allowed to go into the water until the lifeguard deems it safe and appropriate. Lifeguards also go through safety drills before campers are allowed to go into the water.

Alongside the lifeguards, counsellors and counsellors in training are with their group, in addition to a senior staff member.

We have a certified practicing registered nurse on site who is available 24hrs to meet the needs of the campers from scraped knees to dispensing medication. In addition, all staff (senior, counsellors and counsellors-in-training) is trained in standard/emergency first aid.

We are busy from morning to evening with planned activities and programming. Campers do get some “free time” (to play at the playground, play games, make bracelets, draw…) all under the supervision of counsellors and CITs. Please see sample schedule.

The more information that parents give to the camp, the better we can accommodate for them (e.g., bed wetting, anxiety, learning disability, autism…). All information is kept confidential and only shared with those who need to know, in order to help the child have a positive camp experience.

Overnight camp is a time for new experiences and learning to be independent. Once campers arrive at Camp Ignite, a message is sent put on Facebook. Other updates are also put on Facebook. Please understand the staff is busy making sure your child is safe and having a good time, so posting messages on Facebook is not our first priority-your child is.

Currently our rule is no cell phones. Part of the experience of attending overnight camp is getting away from electronics and attuning to friends, nature, camp life and our wonderful Armenian culture.

Overnight camp is an exciting experience and an anxious one for some children. Prepare your child by having him or her go to sleepovers at friends’ homes, doing chores to become more independent such as making the bed, organizing their belongings. Also, you can go to the Camp Ararat website, have your child help pack for camp, review the typical day schedule, and talk to other families.