FAQs

General

Sports Center Day Camp is for children ages 6–12 and 5-year-olds who have already completed K5.

Campers are grouped by birth gender and age, with 5–7-year-olds, 8–9-year-olds, and 10–12-year-olds participating in activities together. (Boys and girls participate in activities separately.) Generally, there is a leader for every 14 campers.

Registrations for the next camp week need to be received by 8 a.m. on Friday to allow adequate processing time. Payments must be made online or by phone before check-in.

If an opening becomes available for your child, we’ll contact you to make sure your child still wants to attend camp. Then, we’ll charge your card and process the registration.

Doors open at 7:30 a.m. each morning. Camp starts promptly at 8 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. with Extended Care (additional cost and sign-up) running from 3 to 5:30 p.m. Because there is no supervision before 7:30 a.m., please do not drop off your camper before that time.

If your camper will be late to camp, you don’t need to notify us. However, to have lunch at camp, campers must be at the Sports Center by 12:15 p.m. An adult should bring campers arriving late to the Sports Center entrance to check in.

If your camper needs to leave early and be ready for pickup when you arrive, let us know by calling us at 850-969-1689 a few hours in advance. You may meet your camper near the Sports Center Hub (inside the Sports Center).

Yes, there is a lost and found bin in the backpack lock-up room. After each week, all remaining items are packaged by week, placed in a storage room, and held for two weeks after the last week of camp. Leaders can help campers look for items left during the previous week. Parents may also look through the lost and found for missing items by asking a director.

Yes, for your camper’s security, anyone picking up your camper (including parents and legal guardians) must present a photo ID.

What to Bring

We provide both a lunch and a snack each day of camp. Campers enjoy balanced meals prepared by experienced cooks. The dining menu is on a two-week rotation, providing various meal options for campers who attend consecutive weeks. Each week’s menu is updated online on Sunday afternoons.

Campers may also bring a sack lunch if they have special dietary needs or do not prefer what is on that day’s menu. Because of potential allergy issues, campers should not bring food to share with other campers (including birthday cakes, cookies, cupcakes, candy, etc.).

Because of facility renovation on the campus of Pensacola Christian College, meals will be served at the Pensacola Christian Academy dining room. Each day, campers will ride a bus from the Sports Center to PCA for lunch.

No. We provide both a lunch and a snack.

Sports Center Day Camp T-shirts may be purchased online for $12.50. Shirts will be delivered to campers during camp, and campers who wear them on Fridays get free candy—as much as they can consecutively catch!

Check out the complete list of what to bring and what to leave home. Also, once your registration has been processed, you will receive a confirmation email that includes this list.

No. To prevent items from being broken, lost, or becoming a hazard to other campers, toys should not be brought to camp. This includes stuffed animals, Legos, trading cards, etc. Sports Center Day Camp has all the equipment needed to have a fun-filled day.

We ask that no electronic devices be brought to camp, including cell phones. If you need to reach your camper, call the camp office, and we will pass on a message to your camper. If there is an emergency and you need to speak to your camper, a camp director will help your camper call you.

Activities & Facilities

We have ice skating, swimming, miniature golf, air hockey, ping pong, foosball, and many more exciting games in the gym for the campers to participate in. Campers that are 8 years or older get to go bowling as well. Teams are grouped according to age and birth gender.

Yes, there are certified lifeguards at the pool, and CPR-trained water park staff monitoring campers in the water park.

All 5–7-year-olds stay in the shallow end of the pool (3'-4'). After completing a swim test, 8–9-year-olds may swim in the 4'-5' section of the pool and 10–12-year-olds may swim in the deep end or use the diving board. Campers may bring goggles and arm floaties for use in the shallow end of the pool.

Pool toys (fun floaties, snorkels, fins, etc.) may not be brought to camp. Goggles and arm floaties are welcome.

Ice skating is often a fun, new experience for campers. Until they become comfortable on the ice, we recommend campers hold on to the railing that goes around the ice rink. Those who are not interested in participating may watch while their group skates.

Safety is always our top priority! If there’s lightning in the area, campers will participate in indoor organized activities until the weather clears and outdoor activities can resume. If there’s only a light rain and no lightning in the area, outdoor activities can continue as normal.

Yes. Before camp starts you can call the camp office, and we will set up an appointment to take you on a tour. After camp has begun for the summer, you can come into the Sports Center and ask about the availability of a tour, or you can call the camp office and set up a tour time. The last tour time available each day is 2:30 p.m.

Camp facilities are reserved exclusively for campers during camp weeks. However, if you would like to spend a little more time with your camper, you are welcome to personally drop off and pick up your camper at the Sports Center entrance rather than using our curbside drop-off and pickup option.

Medical

Campers use the Pensacola Christian College campus facilities, including the Sports Center, Swim Center, Field House, and dining hall. Campers participate in activities such as swimming, water slides, miniature golf, table tennis, ice skating, and organized sports activities. Most of the day is full of fast-paced, group-based activities. Children may also bowl and view the planetarium shows. All medications are stored and administered by the camp nurse.

Sports Center Day Camp is not a nut/peanut-free, gluten-free, or dye-free camp. Campers must know what foods they need to avoid. Campers may bring a sack lunch and a snack if they have special dietary needs or do not prefer what is on that day's menu. Check out our camp menu to see the food typically served at camp.

A camp nurse and medical security personnel are available throughout the camp week.

The camp nurse has a small refrigerator specifically for storing medication that needs to remain cold.

Yes, you’ll be contacted if there’s any type of medical situation involving your child.

If a camper’s medication is left at camp, it will be held for one week and then disposed of if not claimed.

To check if your camper’s medication was left at camp, please call 850-969-1689.