Discovery Zone & Afternoon Discovery Zone (Ages 6-12)

AM Drop Off (Discovery Zone Full Day)

• To ease traffic congestion and expedite the drop off process, Discovery Zone offers morning valet drop off between 8:25 am and 8:50 am in the lower-level parking area near the gazebo.
• Please drive around the lower-level circle and pull up to the sidewalk where a staff member will approach your car.
• Should you arrive after 8:50, please park in a designated parking space (not the roundabout) and escort your child into the building to sign in.
• A parent or guardian must sign the camper in.

Noon Drop off (Afternoon Discovery Zone)

• The Discovery Zone afternoon program drop off is between 12:00 – 12:20P at the entrance to the auditorium on the 1st floor.
• Parents should park in a designated parking spot (not the roundabout) and accompany their camper into the building for sign in.
• A parent/guardian must sign the camper in.
• If your child will be eating lunch at camp, please arrive at noon as campers will be wrapping up lunch and preparing for afternoon activities like swimming, outdoor games etc. at 12:30P.
•  If your child is transitioning from a morning program, an ECC staffer will make sure they transition from that program into the Discovery Zone afternoon program.

PM Pick Up (Discovery Zone Full Day & Discovery Zone Afternoon)

•  If the weather is nice, Discovery Zone pickup will be outdoors on the lower lawn between 3:45 – 4:00P.
•  Please park in the lower level parking lot (not on the roundabout) and look for ECC staffers with clipboards. 
• If the weather is poor or you arrive before we’ve transitioned outdoors, please go into the main entrance and check the whiteboard. The camp location will be indicated on the board. 
• Please see Late Pickup Policy and Fees below.

Extended Day Pick Up

• The ECC Aftercare program runs from 4:00 – 5:30 M-F. Please search ECC Aftercare on RecDesk to enroll in this affordable supervised aftercare program. This is a supervised activity time with no scheduled programming. Pickup is promptly at 5:30P.
• Please park your car in a designated parking space (not the roundabout) and enter the building for pick up.
• The program ends promptly at 5:30P and all campers must be signed out of the program by this time or our Late Pickup Policy applies.
• Please see Late Pickup Policy and Fees below.

Discovery Zone ends at 4:00P and ECC Extended Day ends at 5:30P and children must be signed out of there respective programs by these times or Late Pickup Fees will be incurred. We do understand that things come up, so we have a 5-minute courtesy window for sign out. If you are running late, please call the main office at 860-561-8160 so staff can make personal arrangements and we can help your child manage their expectations.

Late Pickup Fees

Families signing out late are subject to removal from the program without refund. Late fee payments must be made at the time of pick up. There will be no exceptions or warnings about late fees. If you are late for ANY reason, there will be a charge. This No Exception policy makes it easier for us to apply the late policy consistently and fairly. If this becomes a frequent problem, we reserve the right to dismiss a family from the program.

• Water bottle - Water fountains are not available but water bottles will be refilled by staff as needed.
• Pool Days – Campers will be going to Beachland Park on Tuesday and Fridays. On these days, pickup will take place at Beachland Park. Campers enrolled in aftercare will walk back to the ECC for pickup.
• Towels/Swimwear - Even on days we don’t go to the pool, please you’re your child with a towel and swimwear since we’ll be playing water games outside to stay cool. An extra change of clothes (including socks and shoes) is always great to have.
• Dress for the weather - We will be spending time outside every day (weather permitting). Summer weather can be unpredictable, so please dress your child in clothing & shoes appropriate for outdoor play including a raincoat if necessary. Campers should wear (or bring) close-toe shoes or closed-back sandals every day.
• Snack - Please send your child to camp with a nut-free snack every day. We are unable to warm up food or provide refrigeration.
• Sunscreen - Please apply sunscreen before your camper arrives and include a labeled bottle of sunscreen in their backpack was we’ll be outside daily if the weather permits. 
• Please clearly label EVERYTHING and inform us of missing items promptly. We are not responsible for missing items but will try hard to reunite you with them.
• Please don’t send electronic devices or cell phones to camp. We can’t guarantee their safety and they are a significant distraction from camp activities. If electronics or phones are causing disruptions at camp, they will be kept in the ECC office where they can be retrieved by the parent. We are not responsible for lost or damaged electronics even if they are in our care in the office.      

If your child needs to take medication during camp hours, please contact the office at 860-561-8160 to set up special arrangements. Medication must be checked in with camp staff at drop off and all appropriate forms must be completed prior to the start of camp. Please email ecc@westhartfordct.gov or call the main office at 860-561-8160 for additional information.

We realize that some campers won’t be quite ready for the “big” pool, being either too young or not yet having the necessary swimming ability. Not to worry, there is water fun to had even for non-swimmers.  To ensure the safety of all campers, the following procedures will be followed:

• On the first day of camp, the lifeguards will test the swimming ability of each child.
• To gain full use of the big pool, a child must be able to comfortably swim one length of the pool. Children who cannot swim one length of the pool will be allowed to swim in the 3ft deep section only, under strict supervision of the park and pool staff.
• Children will wear a color-coded bracelet that identifies them as attending Discovery Zone as well as their swimming ability.