ECC 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.

Mid-Day Drop off (Discovery Zone Afternoon)

The Discovery Zone afternoon program drop off is between 12:00 – 12:30P at the entrance to the auditorium on the 1^st 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 near noon as at 12:30 the campers will be wrapping up lunch and preparing for afternoon activities like swimming, outdoor games etc. If your child is enrolled in a morning program, an ECC staffer will make sure they transition from that program into the Discovery Zone afternoon program.

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

If the weather is nice, Discovery Zone pickup will be outdoors on the lawn between 3:45 – 4:00P. Please park your car in a designated parking spot 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 white board. The camp location will be indicated on the board.  

Aftercare

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. 

ECC Discovery Zone Full Day and Afternoon camps end promptly at 4:00PM. All campers must be signed out by this time unless enrolled in ECC Aftercare (4:00 – 5:30P). 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

$10 charge – pickup between 4:05PM – 4:15PM
$20 charge – pickup between 4:15PM – 4:25PM

Families signing out after 4:25PM are subject to removal from the program without refund. Late fees payment must be made at the time of pick up.

There will be no exceptions or warnings. 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.
• Outdoor/Water Play - Please bring a beach towel, swimsuit, and change of clothes (including socks and shoes) every day.
• Pool Days –Campers will be going to Beachland Park on Tuesday and Fridays but there could be water play (Slip & Slide, sprinklers etc.) on ANY day. Please send you child with a swimsuit, towel, hat/sunglasses/goggles and labeled sunscreen.

• Pool Safety - We realize that some campers aren’t 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 insure 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 3-foot 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.

• 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.
• Lunch & 2 Snacks - Please send your child to camp with a lunch and 2 snacks in an insulated lunch box (with an ice pack if needed). We are unable to warm up food or provide refrigeration. Cheese pizza is available for lunch every Friday but you are welcome to send a packed lunch that day if you child doesn’t like pizza.
• WE ARE A NUT FREE ENVIRONMENT! Please do not send any nut products in with your camper’s lunch or snack.
• Sunscreen -Since your child will be outdoors, you may wish to apply sunscreen before they come to camp.  If you wish to have the sunscreen reapplied at noon, you should show your child how to put it on and send it with them to camp.  At lunch, a counselor will remind campers to put on their sunscreen.
• 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 (860-561-8160) to confirm that the necessary paperwork is completed prior to the start of camp. 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 for additional information.

*Weather permitting, Tuesday and Friday afternoons (1-3:30) at Beachland Park pool.