2024 CAMP REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

A Family Membership is required to register for our Discovery Camps.

  • At the Maria Mitchell Association we understand that students learn best through hands-on exploration. The Summer Discovery Camp Programs are dedicated to developing knowledge and interest in the outdoor world, connecting youth to Nantucket’s local environment, and inspiring action to protect our natural world.

    Campers have the opportunity to participate in activities such as beach exploration, snorkeling, seining, kayaking, discovery hikes, wetland studies, survival skill instruction, live animal programs, orienteering, nature related games, art projects, insect collecting, and more!

    MMA conforms to the rules and regulations for Massachusetts and we are licensed by the local board of health.


    Parents have the right to request staff certifications and how we perform background checks as well as our policies and procedures on health care, discipline, and grievances.


    Summer Camp Registration

    Camp Registration is OPEN!

    ***PLEASE REMEMBER*** 



    Camper Health Records:
     

    Once enrolled in Summer Camp, your registered email will receive an invitation from our electronic health records portal - Camp Doc. To complete this profile, you will need to provide the following information:

     

    • Phone number for your child’s doctor 
    • Health insurance details 
    • Emergency contacts and phone numbers 
    • Names and contact info for people on your child’s pick up list 
    • Medication details if applicable
    • Physical and immunization records
       

    Medical and medication forms are REQUIRED. Camper's profiles must be completed at least 2 weeks before your camper's registered session. Please Note: No child will be allowed to participate in our programs without our administration receiving ALL of the completed registration and medical information.  MMA reserves the right to cancel – without refund – any camper’s spot if the information is not received two weeks before the session’s start date. 

     

    Camp Session Details:


    • Session Details will be shared the Wednesday before your camper's session begins, you will also receive a detailed email that includes drop off and pick up details, an agenda for the week with locations, activities and what to bring. Since our instructors plan their lessons the week prior to the session it is not possible to send this information sooner.


    Questions? Contact our Administrative Office at 508.228.9198 or jgurley@mariamitchell.org


    COVID-19 Policies

    We are continually monitoring the Covid-19 regulations and best practices for health and safety provided by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and Town of Nantucket, the Maria Mitchell Association (MMA), and will be modifying accordingly for Summer Discovery Camp 2024. 

    Scholarships and Discounts

    Thanks to the generous support of multiple foundations, the Maria Mitchell Association is able to provide scholarships and discounts, including those specific to Nantucket Island Families. For more information, please visit our scholarships and discounts page.

    SCHOLARSHIPS AND DISCOUNTS

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Discovery Camp details including pick-up and drop off locations, what to bring to camp, medication requirements, etc will be provided in the informational email sent the Wednesday before your registered camp session. 

    • What is our cancellation policy?

      All cancellations must be submitted in writing. Cancellations made before May 1st will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made after May 1st are non-refundable.  

    • Is it possible to transfer a child into a different camp?

      Transferring your Discovery Camp or NLP session to other dates will be permitted for a fee of $75 per session if there is space at the time of transfer.

    • My child is not quite the right age for the camp they want to attend. Do you make exceptions to age groups?

      This is the question we get more than any other throughout the camp season. Because of that and the fact that a lot of our camps fill up and have wait lists, we are pretty strict on this rule. We would have a lot of upset parents if their children couldn’t get in because spaces were filled with children that weren’t age appropriate.


      However, we do make exceptions but only in these situations:

      1. There is still space in a particular session the week before it is scheduled to start

      2. We do an age analysis of those enrolled to see if it makes sense.  For instance, if we had a group that was mostly 6/6.5 year olds, we would not allow a 4 year old to attend.  If that session was filled with 5 year olds, we would.

      3. It is ALWAYS with the understanding that if you register a child that is too young and they can’t keep up with the group, don’t follow instructions, don’t understand the activities, or need an increased amount of attention and help to do things, your child would not be able to continuing coming and you would NOT be eligible for a refund.

    • Will my child need to pass a swim test to participate in the program?

      Unless specifically listed in the program description, we do not allow children to swim in our camps.  Five and six year old children are allowed to go up a little past their ankles and seven to twelve year old children can go up to their knees. For camps that list swimming, snorkeling, or kayaking programs, your camper will be asked to complete a swim test per MA regulations. If they pass, they will be able to participate in the activity wearing a less restrictive flotation belt.  If they do not pass, they will be required to wear a life vest. We will provide flotation devices for all students that require one, but campers are permitted to bring their own if they have one available.  It must be Coast Guard approved and in proper condition.

    • Where should I drop my child off for their program sessions?

      Pick up and drop off for the Discovery Camp is at the Nantucket Ice Rink on 10 Backus Lane.


      Naturalist Leadership Program meets at the Vestal Street Courtyard, 2 Vestal Street.  Please check the weekly agenda and maps you receive by email the Wednesday before your session for exact details. 

    • What should my child bring to morning/full-day class?

      Clothes/Shoes – Exploring can be dirty and wet work so please provide your child with clothes and shoes that can get wet and dirty. Wearing a bathing suit under their clothes or wearing a Sun shirt (UPF 50+) is excellent for both water play and outdoor activities and is recommended. For the safety of your child, please send them with a pair of close-toed shoes that they can walk/run/hike. We suggest sending sandals or water shoes with ankle straps for exploring the water and beach. FLIP FLOPS ARE NOT ALLOWED


      Lunch/Snack – For morning and full day programs please provide your child with a lunch in addition to snacks. Refrigeration is not available. Due to allergy concerns, children are not allowed to share food.


      Water – Children should come to class each day with LOTS of water to drink – this is especially important on very warm, sunny days. We, unfortunately, do not have access to water during the day so please make sure that your child has an adequate water supply. Please send extra water for full day programs. We recommend you send your child with at least two bottles of water.


      Sunscreen & Sun Shirts – We at MMA are working hard with our staff and participants to be Sun Safe as well as environmentally friendly. We recommend children registered for both half day and full day programs to wear sun shirts that are 50+ UPF. Since the shirts retain their effectiveness in water and after activity, there is no need to “re-apply”. Keep in mind that the shirt only protects the skin that it covers; long sleeve shirts are also recommended for children with extra sensitive skin. Pediatricians recommend that children also protect themselves by wearing wide brim hats and sunglasses when outdoors. Please label your children’s’ clothing and accessories.


      If you choose to use sunscreen your children should arrive already lathered up with sunscreen that is at least 50 UPF. If your child is extra sensitive to the sun please send them with extra. For full day participants, teachers will give “sunscreen” breaks to allow children to reapply. Children are not allowed to share sunscreen due to allergy concerns.


      Insect Repellent – Many of the sites we visit will have biting insects such as mosquitoes. For the comfort of your child you may want to send your child with bug repellent. Please do not send aerosol sprays.


      Ticks – We do our best to avoid exposure to ticks, however children may be exposed to ticks while traveling through class sites (especially woods and fields). Teachers will try to check children daily, but they should be checked again thoroughly for ticks each day after class. (Remember also that teachers are unable to check for ticks in areas of the body covered by clothing.) Please refer to the Center for Disease Control’s website for more information on tick-borne illness prevention and safety tips: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/index.htm

    • What precautions does the MMA take against deer ticks?

      We ask that parents dress their children appropriately or pack extra clothing in their backpack (light colored long pants tucked into socks, long sleeves, and a hat). We always do tick checks before getting on the bus and highly recommended that parents do a thorough tick check each evening as well, as teachers are unable to check areas covered by clothing.

    • Are there any items my child may not bring to the program?

      Yes. We ask that children leave all toys, electronic devices, etc. at home as they tend to be a distraction from the activities planned by our staff.

    • Where do classes go on inclement weather days?

      This depends on the severity of the weather. If it is a light rain or mist, we still head out into the field. On days with heavy rainfall and/or thunder storms, we will utilize indoor teaching spaces (these locations may change from year to year depending on availability). On overcast days with a forecast of rain, please send your child to camp with a rain coat or poncho. 


      We reserve the right to cancel programs due to severe weather.

    • How do I sign my child up for the Discovery Program?

      All registrations for Discovery Camp and Naturalist Leadership Programs can be done online. If you do not have a computer, come to the Administrative Office at 4 Vestal Street to register there. You can check online for availability or to be placed on the wait list.

    • The camp I would like to sign my child up for is already full, is there a waitlist?

      Yes! To get on our waitlist, simply go through the registration process which includes filling out the medical release/pick-up form. Make sure you hit complete on the payment page even though you are not expected to pay at this time.  You will get an automated email indicating you are on the waitlist.  If a space opens up, we will call you and if you are still interested, we would enroll you into the program and take payment at that time.  You are never automatically enrolled. 

    • Can I request that my child be placed with friend(s) or sibling(s)?

      The MMA encourages children to make new friends through our programs, but we understand the importance of being with someone they know, especially in new surroundings. To assist us in placing friends and siblings together, please indicate friends’ or sibling’s names on the appropriate line on the medical release/pick-up form you fill out during the registration process. We will make every effort to accommodate these requests but due to session size, we cannot guarantee that every request will be fulfilled.

    • What is the student to instructor ratio for your program’s sessions?

      In order to create a comfortable learning environment for our participants, we do keep camp groups small. The MMA always maintains a student to instructor ratio of no more than 5:1 or 10:1 based on the appropriate age. All camp groups have a maximum of 10 or 20 campers and minimum of two instructors to maintain the respective ratios.

    • Where does the Discovery Program take place?

      We believe that the best place to learn about the natural world is in the outdoors. To that end, our Summer Discovery Programs take place at a variety of wooded and seaside locations around the island.  Many of these properties are owned by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket Land Bank and the Town of Nantucket.  Locations include such places as Sanford Farm, Squam Swamp, Windswept Bogs, Masquetuck, Jetties Beach, Harbor Flats and Dionis Beach among others.  The MMA only brings children to beaches on the north side of the island where the water is much calmer and there is no sudden drop off just off shore.  We occasionally make exceptions for 10-12 year olds and 13-16 year olds.  When south shore beaches are visited by our campers it is only for special programs such as beach clean ups and campers are not allowed in or near the water.

    • If my child can only participate in part of a full week class will you pro-rate the registration fee accordingly?

      No. We expect that children registering for our programs will participate in the full week and therefore do not pro-rate our fees for children who will only be in a session for part of the week.

    • Do classes meet on Juneteenth or July 4?

      No. Discovery Camp and the Naturalist Leadership Program does not run on Junteenth, or July 4th. 


      Weeks are pro-rated for these 4-day weeks.

    • How do I know MMA staff are qualified to be camp instructors?

      All MMA Discovery Camp Interns have provided us with at least three positive references, they are all, at a minimum, CPR, First Aid, and AED certified, and their criminal background and sexual offenders background checks were all clear of any wrong doing. Most interns are also lifeguard certified and per our policies, we will not accept more than two interns per summer without this certification out of the fifteen we hire. Those without lifeguard certification would not be permitted to lead snorkeling or kayaking programs. Additionally, interns go through an intense, two-week training before camp starts. As part of this training they become certified swim assessors to lead our snorkeling programs and health care supervisors enabling them to help provide medication and administer EPI-pens to campers. As a parent/guardian, you have the right to call Maria Mitchell Association at (508) 228-9198 to ensure background checks have been completed and thoroughly reviewed.

    • I have a child that doesn’t do well when disciplined in certain ways. How can I ensure MMA instructors will manage my child’s behavior appropriately?

      We encourage parents/guardians to give us suggestions on managing your child’s behavior.  You can do this by speaking directly to the teachers and/or including suggestions on the medical release form you fill out when you register.  In general, if we are having difficulty managing a child’s behavior we speak to the parent/guardian at pick up time and ask for suggestions.  As a parent/guardian, you have the right to request and review MMA’s discipline policies.  Please call (508) 228-9198 or email William Evans, CAmp and Youth Engagement Director.

    • I have feedback about my experience. What is the best way to share this?

      Please call or email Jónelle Gurley, Director of Science and Programs, or call (508) 228-9198.

    The MMA received recognition by the Massachusetts House of Representatives for excellence in energy and environmental education.

    Each summer the MMA gives out over $35,000 in scholarships and family discounts.

    Summer Discovery Camp was voted best children’s activity on Nantucket three years in a row. 

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