Summer 2025 Registration LIVE!

Summer 2025 registration is live and we’re excited to share several updates and additions to our summer programming based on feedback from families, staff, and our youth!

The Highlights

11 weeks of Day Camps in 2025:

Many families have expressed the need for an additional day camp session to ensure care is available through the end of summer before students return to school. In 2025, we’ve added an additional session to ensure there is no disruption in care for our day campers!

Introducing the Junior Apprentice (JA) program for 9^th & 10^th graders:

Following feedback from our families and Youth Advisory Board, YSC and LCs are no more! Instead, we’re launching (or relaunching) the Junior Apprentice program from the days of old. The Junior Apprentice program prepares Camp Fire teens to be leaders at camp and in life. Participants begin learning essential counselor skills and assist in preparing/implementing day camp program for younger campers. Because Junior Apprentices (JAs) spend much of their time providing service to camp and others, the cost is heavily reduced. JAs can sign up for one or multiple weeks, weeks do not need to be consecutive. JAs can attend as day participants at all K-5 sites(!) OR can attend as an overnighter at Camp Hantesa. Whereas the LC program was limited to just two sessions, the JA overnight option is now available for all 9 weeks of overnight camp!

Checkout the new Outpost Trips for grades 8-12:

We’ve added several new Outpost Trips including a level 2 canoe trip where teens will help in a river clean-up effort and our new Explore Iowa road trip to visit NE Iowa’s natural wonders!

Overnight Camp now checks out on Friday evenings:

In an effort to give our staff (professional and seasonal) more time to decompress between sessions, create a better work-life balance, and avoid burnout all overnight sessions (aside from WoHa week) will now checkout at 5:00pm on Friday evenings. The adjusted schedule now includes a parent program at 5:00pm on Friday followed by dinner at 6:00pm which families are invited to join at no cost. This will allow families the opportunity to experience camp with their child, get to know the counselors, and see just how magical the overnight camp experience is!

Evening programming during the week will still include cabin night, cookout, closing campfire, and a combined all camp game/party night! Campers will also still have the opportunity to swim daily and choose four craft options per week. Lake day will now be an optional outing for older campers participating in canoeing/kayaking craft rather than an all-camp event.

WoHa Week will still run as a traditional Sunday-Saturday session and retain the same program schedule.

Can’t make it to Friday checkout or have a camper attending two sessions in a row? No problem! During registration, families will now see the option to add on a Friday-Saturday overnight (checkout out at the historical 10:00am Saturday time) or Friday-Sunday for campers attending sessions back-to-back. For 2025, the standard overnight camp cost has been reduced to $650 with the Friday-Saturday overnight fee of $30 meaning the overall price remains the same from 2024 for campers staying through Saturday and a slight discount for campers checking out at the new Friday evening time.

 

Registration & Billing Detailed Fixes:

• First – nearly all programs are being offered at the same price as 2024! A few exceptions include Mini Overnight Camps and Outpost Camps.
• Des Moines Day Camps are now only $215/week – A $60/week DECREASE from 2024, making them more affordable and accessible for families across the metro!
• Our Des Moines Day Camps achieved HHS licensure last year so they are now eligible to accept Child Care Assistance (CCA) funds from eligible families!
• Early Bird and Sibling Discounts have been updated to standard dollar amounts rather than percentages to help clarify and streamline discounts.
  • Early Bird Discounts:
    • $50 off Overnight Camps & one-week Outpost sessions
    • $30 off Mini Week and overnight Junior Apprentice sessions
    • $100 off two-week Outpost sessions
    • $25 off Hantesa and Canwita Day camp sessions
  • Sibling Discounts (applying to the second and all subsequent campers):
    • $30 off Overnight Camps & one-week Outpost sessions
    • $20 off Mini Week and overnight Junior Apprentice sessions
    • $60 off two-week Outpost sessions
    • $15 off Hantesa and Canwita Day camp sessions
  • Add-Ons, Mandatory Fees (like Adventureland and transportation options), Tier A registrations, and Des Moines Day Camps are not eligible for additional discounts.
• Most programs now include four tiers – Tier A will now be used as our CCA/Campership rate, allowing families utilizing assistance funds to register at any time, without the need for pre-approval. A small deposit is required at the time of registration and eligibility verification is needed but can now also be uploaded within the Camp Brain system.
• Families can now self-select from several additional installment plans when registering including weekly, monthly, and quarterly payment plans.
• Auto-Pay is now possible! Installment plans can be set to auto-pay your eCheck/ACH or credit card. You may also still log in at any time to make additional payments.
• Medical and other camper forms have been streamlined to be slightly more concise and remove repeated content across forms.

 

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers! If you need assistance registering or have questions about summer 2025 program you can contact us at:

Camp Fire Heart of Iowa, 515-274-1501, campfire@campfireiowa.org

Camp Hantesa, 515-432-1417, hantesa@campfireiowa.org