Discovery Camp

Immanuel offers a summer camp program for children from prekindergarten through those entering 8th grade this fall. All children are welcome and do not have to be current Immanuel students to attend. The program runs from the beginning of June until mid-August every summer. While Discovery Camp is one “big camp family,” a 4-5-year-old program is offered for children entering prekindergarten (minimum 4 years of age) and/or kindergarten in the fall and a school-aged program is offered for 1st-8th grade children. Half day options are only available for the 4-5-year-old program. Camp activities are designed to meet the needs of all age groups and ability levels.

Children are provided with supervised playtime, indoor and outdoor recreation, field trips, science/craft/cooking projects, and stimulating educational experiences. Activities are planned around weekly themes and include swimming at the Palatine Family Aquatic Center. Weekly field trips are included in the camp program. Children attending Discovery Camp will also participate in Immanuel’s Vacation Bible School.

Enroll early, as registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-enrolled basis. We strive to accept as many camp registrations as possible. A completed Registration Form, Liability Form, and Tuition Express Form must be submitted at the time of registration via the Google Form. A maximum number of students will be included in the 4-5-year-old and school-aged programs to ensure appropriate camper-to-counselor ratios. To register your child, please click the appropriate Google Form link (e.g., 4–5 Year Camp Registration or School-Age Camp Registration). No registration forms will be accepted via hardcopy or email this year. 

Discovery Camp is in session from 9:00am – 4:00pm, Monday through Friday. Before Care is offered from 7:00-9:00am and After Care is offered from 4:00-6:00pm at a rate of $10 per hour per child. Before and After Care will be billed on a weekly basis through Tuition Express. Campers may be registered for any number of days during the week across any of the weekly schedule (i.e., campers do not have to be registered for the same number of days each week). No changes to a camper’s schedule can be made after registration is submitted. Refunds for missed days are not given. There are no make-up days for missed days, regardless of reason. Camp fees include a light breakfast, snack, crafts and activities, and a camp t-shirt. Campers must bring their own lunches daily and purchase a Palatine Pool pass or punch card. Please refer to the Discovery Camp FAQ document under the registration section for additional information. 

Enthusiastic, energetic, and empathetic counselors provide high quality supervision and care at Discovery Camp. Counselors are selected based on his/her skill set, maturity, creativity, and sensitivity to the needs of all camp participants. Counselors receive extensive training in safety procedures, behavior management, social-emotional learning, and facilitation of camp activities prior to the start of camp and throughout the summer. Many Discovery Camp staff members are Alumni from Immanuel Lutheran School and have training in educational fields and experience working with children.