The camp buses arrive between 8:50 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. We depart from camp at about 3:55 p.m.

For parents who prefer to have a catered lunch at camp, the cost is $48 (including GST) per week per child. Every day, a freshly made hot lunch will be delivered to each camper on our lunch program. Green Acres has worked closely with Kids Kitchen to develop a menu that is Kosher style, peanut and nut free and well balanced.

A snickle snackle, our famous freezie snack, is given out at the end of each camp day. We also encourage parents to also send several healthy snacks from home.There are drinking fountains available throughout the camp and campers are encouraged to drink throughout the camp day.

Green Acres is famous for its aquatic facilities and its Red Cross and Lifesaving Society Swim instruction program. It is a 10 level program which allows campers aged 3 and older to explore the water. Campers are given the opportunity to learn and practice important skills that will enable them to enjoy safe water activities for life!

The young or timid swimmer will enjoy the advantages of a sound foundation in water skills that is both fun and safe. The accomplished camper who has already completed the Life Saving's Canadian Swim Patrol program is challenged by the Life Saving's Bronze Star and Bronze Medallion Awards program.

Cedar Creek, All-Star and MyCAMP campers do not receive any instructional swim, they do have the opportunity to take part in one recreational swim a day.

There are 2 swim periods at camp each day. Our swim facilities consist of 2 large magnificent heated swimming pools especially designed to facilitate a swim instruction program. In addition, we have our own heated junior waterslide pool for fun times by all ages regardless of their swim ability.

In our pre-school groups (Nursery, JK & SK) there are approximately 10 to 12 children in a group with a minimum of 3 camp counsellors. In our school age groups (grades 1 through 7) there are 12 to 15 children in a group with a minimum of 2 camp counsellors. However when the children participate in the various specialty activities, there are additional specialists leading and teaching those activities – e.g. 5 at farm, 4 at ponies, 3-4 at crafts etc. Therefore the overall camper to staff ratio is 1:3.

There are 8 periods in a typical camp day. Two periods are swims, one is lunch and the remaining five periods are used for specialty or counsellor initiated activities ("CIAs").

During the summer there are camp wide and unit wide extravaganzas such as the weekly spirit rallies, Carnival Day, Green Acres World Cup Soccer Tournament, our famous cornfield Mega-Maze, our big final week program "Tournament of Knights' the Dance festival and weekly Broadway style musicals.

These programs all enhance camp spirit and camaraderie.

A cabin is a small group of campers, all girls or all boys, who participate together in camp activities as a group every day with their counsellors. Children are grouped into cabins according to the grade level they have just completed.

You may request that your child be grouped with friends of the same grade and gender. We will try to accomodate youor request to the best of our abilities.

The camp day is organized in such a way that there is a balance between active and quiet activities. Children are not ‘running' all day. Green Acres specializes in ‘first time' as well as young campers. They adjust well and will love the camp. There is a quiet snack time in the morning and again in the afternoon; however, there is no formal nap time.

The camp has age appropriate activities and facilities for older children up to grade 7. There is also a large contingent of LTPs (Leadership Training Program) completing grades 8 & 9. As the children get older the programs at camp become more challenging and sophisticated (examples: high ropes, archery, tennis, Broadway musicals, recording, overnights, etc.). Each year we end up with wait lists even for older campers.

The Senior Unit is for campers who have completed grades 3 or 4.

The Grad Unit is for campers who have completed grades 5 or 6.

The Alumni Unit is for campers who have completed grade 7 and who would like to take on limited responsibilities as ‘CILT's' (campers-in-leadership training) while still participating in regular camp activities.

Door-To-Door Bus Service
This premium bus service offers door-to-door transportation using small buses equipped with seat belts. The cost is $70 per week per child. This service is available in Concord, Maple, Markham, North York, Richmond Hill, Thornhill and Toronto (north of St. Clair Ave). Door-to-door bus service is not available during our end of season camps in Weeks 9. Please review the following map that shows where we offer door to door bussing

Neigbourhood Point-to-Point Bus Service For Weeks 1 to 8
This service offers point-to-point transportation to and from a school or community centre in your neighbourhood using either a small or large school bus. This service is available in Aurora, Ajax, Maple, Markham, Pickering, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Toronto, Toronto Beaches and Whitby. For a summary of all the pickup times and locations please refer to the Neighbourhood Point-to-Point Bus Service List. If you would like to see a map of the various pickup locations and times please look at the following list of maps.

End of Season Bus Service For Weeks 9
During our End of Season Camps we offer only point-to-point transportation to and from a school or community centre in your neighbourhood using either a small or large school bus. Every bus is supervised by a Bus Captain who is also responsible for organizing fun activities on the bus. The cost is $30 per week, per child. This service is available in Thornhill, Richmond Hill, Aurora, Markham, Toronto and Pickering. For specific pickup locations and times please refer to the End of Season Camp Busing Schedule If you would like to see a map of the various pickup locations for Week 9 please look at the following list of maps.

Car Pool or Own Transportation
This option is for those parents who prefer to car pool or drive their children themselves to and from camp. This is a free-to-choose option that saves parents all the costs associated with busing. Campers are dropped of in the morning and then escorted to their units by one of our staff.

Bus routes are carefully planned and checked prior to camp to ensure that all campers have as short a bus trip as possible. Camp bus monitors travel with the children on every bus to supervise safety, assist campers on and off the bus and to organize exciting bus programs, sing songs, cheers and special bus games. They promote a friendly and fun atmosphere on the trips to and from camp.

We try our best to ensure that the first camper picked up in the morning is also the firs camper dropped off in the afternoon; however, is some less camp populated areas this may not be possible. Our convenient location in the Kennedy Road and Elgin Mills Rd area of Markham is easily accessible. This keeps travel time down to a minimum. Whenever it makes good road sense, Green Acres buses use Highway 407. This substantially reduces travel time for those campers who live in the areas accessible by the new highway.

Peanut and tree nut products can cause allergic reactions in some campers. Green Acres is a peanut and nut safe camp; however, we can not control all the food that campers bring to the camp each day. As a result we are not a peanut and nut free camp. We simply cannot have absolute control over the contents of lunches and snacks that campers and staff bring to camp each day. We do ask that campers and staff not bring any peanut of nut products to the camp and we do print this in our literature.

We have, however, adopted the policy of not serving peanut or tree nut products on camp overnights, evening programs and out-of-camp trips.

At no time do we force children to participate in any activity. We do, however, encourage children and if this presents a problem we will consult with the parent for advice.

On the 1st day of camp a great deal of emphasis is placed on smoothly integrating the children into group life. This is accomplished through carefully selected games. Friendship is the foundation in the world of camping; the values of relating to each other are carefully directed through trained leadership. In addition, campers are always playing, swimming and eating together so that by the end of the 1st day of camp your child will already have made many friends.

At Green Acres we encourage parents, campers and staff to be "Sun Smart". Sun hats are a must every day! A large emphasis is paced on keeping cool and hydrated throught the day particularly during a hear alert.

In addition, Green Acres has made the use of effective sunscreen a routine part of the camp day. Parents apply sunscreen prior to departure for camp each morning and counsellors will assist and supervise campers to reapply their sunscreen lotions at regular intervals during the day.

Green Acres also has many sun shelters, indoor facilities and ample shaded areas.

Counsellors are always with the children. Our younger campers are escorted to and from the bus, accompanied to the washrooms, helped to change for swim and supervised at lunch. The counsellors also assist the children at the various specialty areas and are with their campers throughout the day.

Our air conditioned Health Centre is staffed by a full time registered nurse and a nurse's assistant. The nursing staff are readily available for campers with any routine complaints. Campers with an upset tummy, over-exhaustion etc., will be admitted to rest or recuperate. We will immediately contact the parent if we are concerned about a camper's health. For routine complaints, however, the parent will receive a written ‘Visitation Report' from the camp nurse at the end of the camp day.

One of the many advantages of Green Acres is the many camping options your child has to choose from. Aside from the Traditional camp, we have three other camp programs available to your child. All-Star Sports Camp for the sports enthusiasts, Cedar Creek Riding Camp and MyCAMP which allows campers to choose their own activities. Even better, you can maximize your child's camp experience by enrolling them in several of our programs over the course of the summer. We are quire certain that there is enough choice to satisfy almost every camper

In the All-Star Sports Camper Information Form, campers choose ONE major sport and TWO minor sports to participate in during a typical camp day. Golf and Ice Hockey are considered a double minor, and the campers will receive intensive training during the entire afternoon at camp in this activity.

The overall camper to staff ratio is 4:1. Campers are grouped based on their age and their ability at their sports, but are also grouped in cabin groups with other campers their same age for lunch, swimming and morning and afternoon activities.

All campers should come dressed appropriately for the activities they will be participating in. The equipment needed is dependent on the sports campers have chosen as their major or minor:

Baseball – baseball glove

In-Line Hockey – in-line skates, protective gear (wrist guards and helmet are mandatory; elbow pads and knee pads are optional)

Skatepark Adventures - skateboard or in-line skates, CSA approved helmet, knee and elbow pads

Ice Hockey – skates, all protective gear (helmet with face cage, neck guard, mouth guard, gloves, elbow pads, shoulder pads, knee pads, athletic cup)

Hockey and lacrosse sticks, tennis racquets, and golf equipment will be provided, but campers are encouraged to bring their own equipment. Secure storage will be available on site for all campers.

Cedar Creeking riding campers require boots with a large heel and CSA helmet.

Saddle Champs riding campers require boots with a large heel. Campers will be provided with a CSA helmet and hairnet if they do not have their own helmet.