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Frequently Asked Questions
Girl Scout camp is a place where we can try new things, gain confidence, soak up sunshine, be adventurers and make new friends. Below are answers to some camp frequently asked questions that will help you have all the information you need to have the best summer yet!
Register for summer camp using Campwise our program registration platform.
Have a question that isn’t covered below? Email us at info@gskh.org.
Camp Varieties 
Sleepaway Camp
Is your camper ready to eat, sleep and live the camp life for multiple days? Sleepaway camps are two-night or four-night experiences. Campers spend their days swimming, playing and learning and their evenings bonding with their bunkmates. Campers will participate in activities that will help them build life and outdoor skills such as arts & crafts, boating, target sports, cooking over the campfire and much more. Depending on the camp location and theme, campers will stay overnight in dome tents, platform tents, yurts or cabins.
You & Me Camp
If your troop or family would like to camp together, this type of camp is a great option! If attending as a troop, volunteers must register and attend to meet adult-to-child camping ratios for their troop. If attending as a family, at least one caregiver must register and attend as chaperone. Our “You and Me” sessions are great for introducing outdoor experiences to young Girl Scouts!
Day Camp
For novice campers who prefer a day-only experience, Starwoods Girl Scout Center day camps are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., with check-in and pick-up allowed 30 minutes prior or after. Day campers will participate in a variety of activities depending on their age, including swimming, archery, climbing, team building and boating. Day campers who are entering 2nd grade or older can extend the fun by adding a Wednesday night slumber party to their camp session for an additional $35.
Medication, Homesickness & Accessibility
Medications
If your Girl Scout requires medication to be taken while at camp, please update the details in Campwise and send the medications in their original containers with the complete pharmacy label.
Homesickness
While we have a ton of fun at camp, sometimes our campers will miss their family, especially at the end of the day. Our staff is trained to help navigate these big feelings and they will often be able to settle them down and refocus on camp activities. However, if they are still upset, they can call their adult from our camp office. We will work with both the camper and their adults to make sure everyone’s emotional needs are met.
Note: During our resident camps, we encourage our adults to write their campers letters sealed with the day(s) they would like it handed to them. These letters will be turned into our camp staff during check-in.
Accessibility: Physical, Mental and Emotional
Girl Scouts is inclusive of all campers and their wide range of abilities. Notify us before camp what your camper’s specific needs are and we will work with you to make sure they have a fun, successful camp experience. If your camper has medical, physical or emotional needs that require a dedicated adult to stay with them throughout camp, please plan to have someone familiar with their condition(s) attend with them. Due to our staffing structure, we do not have enough staff to dedicate to one-on-one attention or monitoring.
Insect Encounters
Bees, ticks and mosquitoes; oh my! At camp, we get to experience the joys and challenges of nature. We will regularly be putting on bug spray and sun block, so please make sure to send your camper with full bottles.
Sometimes bug encounters can be more serious. If your child has an allergy to bees or wasps, please include their EpiPen in a ziplock bag with her name clearly printed on it and give it to camp staff during check-in.
Ticks are a fact of life in Kansas. While we spray before camp season begins, it’s a constant battle to keep their numbers down and occasionally campers will get a tick bite while having outdoor adventures. When this occurs, staff will remove and tape the tick to a “tick card.” This card will be given to the adult at check-out to keep. If your child develops symptoms over the following few days, it is recommended that you take them and the tick card to the doctor to be tested and treated.
Food
Day campers will need to bring a sack lunch. Camp will provide two snacks each day.
All meals are provided for Sleepaway campers. Eat dinner before arrival on the first day but we’ll provide an evening snack that first night. After spending the whole day adventuring, our campers burn a considerable amount of energy, so we plan for three meals a day and two snacks to make sure they have full tummies! If a camper doesn’t like what we are serving, we have sandwich options.
Camp is a time to try new things! During our camps, our staff work hard to include foods that a wide variety of campers will like and have the opportunity to eat their fill.
Dietary restrictions and food allergies are incredibly important to communicate on your camper’s health form. We will provide substitutes for all meals and snacks to meet their needs. If they have an extreme allergy to peanuts or other food allergies, please call the office so that none of our meals include a food that could put them in danger.
No Electronics
As we strive for campers to connect with their peers in real and authentic ways, we are an electronics free camp program. Do not send phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices. If discovered, a staff member will collect the device and store it in a secure location until the session is over. Camp is a time to focus on the present, make new friends, and engage in face-to-face interactions. Unfortunately, easy access to technology can be a distraction. While it seems counterintuitive, constant contact with family while at camp can sometimes lead to increased homesickness.
If campers need to call parents for any reason, this can be arranged with a staff member using the camp phone.
*note: we do make medically-necessary exemptions to this rule (such as glucose monitor connected to a phone for monitoring) please include this information in the Campwise health form.
Bathrooms & Showers
Every camp has easy access to bathrooms. Our cabins have indoor bathrooms and outdoor sleeping areas will have either composting toilets or porta potties. We will regularly have “bio breaks” to refill water bottles and use the restrooms.
Showering off the sweat and grime of a full day of camp adventures always feels great! During our camps that have more than one overnight, showering will happen either first thing in the morning or before bed. We have indoor and outdoor showering depending on the camp property and your specific sleeping arrangements.
Weather & Emergencies
Our camp staff are trained to keep our campers safe during emergencies. All staff have walkie-talkies and each building has weather radios. There are also shelters at each site in case of a weather emergency. If any emergency should arise, we will notify families and confirm their child’s safety.
Girl Scouts always focus on fun and safety. However, sometimes a medical emergency can arise. Our staff is first aid and CPR certified and will work together to provide your child the care they need either on-site, or in the case of something more serious, work with first responders. The camper’s primary caregiver will be immediately notified of any emergency medical situation that may occur.
Activities at Camp
Our council is proud to host a wide variety of activities for campers to enjoy. At Starwoods Girl Scout Center, Sunflower Studios is the home to many creative outlets for our campers as well as science experiments, a woodshop, astronomy, eco and nature lessons and so much more.
Water Safety & Water Sports Progression
All aquatic activities are supervised by certified lifeguards and life jackets must be worn at all times for swimming and watercraft activities, regardless of swimming ability. Campers will have the opportunity, based on age and camp property, to experience paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards and sailboats.
*At the discretion of the Waterfront Coordinator and Camp Director, our teen campers may be given the opportunity to complete a swim test, allowing them to swim without a life jacket at designated times.
Adventure Progression
From team-building games to the traverse wall, the 45-foot climbing tower to ziplining, our adventure progression adheres to the principle of “Challenge by Choice.” There is a role for every member of the team — from cheering on friends to being a part of the climbing belay team — your camper will find the perfect challenge. Ground Crew and Adventure Crew members complete specialized training for each element of our adventure progression.
Target Sports Progression
Archery is a time-honored camp tradition, but did you know our target sports progression also includes sling shots, BB guns and rifles, and hatchets? This progression again adheres to the principle of “Challenge by Choice,” offering campers the chance to try something new based on age and readiness.
On the Go!
So many of our activities can pack up and go! We are excited to bring variations of these activities to Camp Double E, state parks and regional locations across the heartland.
Camp Store
Camp Store
The Camp Store (previously known as Trading Post) is a small Girl Scout retail shop that contains items for sale, ranging in price from $0.50 to $25, including camp gear, t-shirts, and snacks. Things to know about the Camp Store:
- Campers will have one opportunity to visit the Camp Store during their session.
- Parents/Guardians can pre-authorize Camp Store funds in Campwise, using personal payment or Program Credits/Payment Vouchers. The option to add funds is available through the FIRST DAY of the camp session.
- Parents/Guardians may make a cash contribution to Camp Store funds at check in on the first day of the camp session.
- Parents/Guardians may monitor Camp Store balance and items purchased via Campwise.
- Campers like to be generous! At our discretion, we do allow campers to purchase a small value item for a friend.
- If the camper doesn’t use all of their funds and IS attending another session at Starwoods, the funds will be forwarded to that session.
- If the camper doesn’t use all of their funds and IS NOT attending another session at Starwoods, the unused funds will be refunded as Program Credits/Payment Vouchers at the end of the summer camp season and can be used to register for future Girl Scout programs or be re-authorized for future Camp Store opportunities.
- As Camp Store funds are not refunded to cash or other personal payment, please only send the amount you expect your camper to actually spend at the Camp Store. We recommend $5-25 per session and a maximum of $50.
Snack Shack
The Snack Shack contains items for sale, ranging in price from $0.50 to $2, including snow cones, popcorn, ice cream, candy bars, chips, and drinks. Things to know about the Snack Shack:
- The Snack Shack utilizes available Camp Store funds for payment.
- The Snack Shack is open during afternoon free time, which takes place on each full day of the camp session (for example, at a four-night overnight from Sunday through Thursday, the Snack Shack is open on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, but is not open on Sunday or Thursday since those are partial days).
Transportation
Day camp at Starwoods Girl Scout Center runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with check-in at camp as early at 8:30 a.m. and pick-up as late at 5:30 p.m. Campers may ride the bus from the Wichita office to Starwoods Girl Scout Center each day; this is a great option for east side families or caregivers who need an earlier drop off time. Check-in at the office begins at 7:45 a.m. The bus leaves for camp at 8:15 a.m. and arrives back at the office at 5:15 p.m. Campers must be picked up by 5:30 p.m.
Travel Assistance: New!
This option is now available through the Campership program! You can request funds for fuel in order to transport your daughter to the camp of their choice. We never want finances to interfere with an amazing Girl Scout experience!
Camperships
We never want finances to get in the way of having an amazing Girl Scout summer! Our council Camperships are available and provide awards to participate in council events, including summer programming. Apply today.
Refunds
You may cancel your reservation for an event or summer camp and receive a full refund, minus any deposit, if the request is received more than 14 days prior to the start of the session. Upon review of requests, limited refunds may be given within 14 days of the program.
See our full refund policy or find it attached to your Campwise confirmation email for specific refund scenarios. No refund is given if the camper is a no-show or leaves a session early. Additionally, t-shirt or other optional purchases will not be refunded and travel or specialty camps may have an earlier refund date/timeline.
