Check out our complete Parent Guide to Summer Camp 2024! It contains all our camp information, rules, FAQ, waivers, & more!

FAQ Tip: To find the question you are looking for, press the ctrl and f keys at the same time to open a search bar. For Mac computers, press the command and f keys. Type in 1-2 keywords you are looking for and hit enter. For example, if you are wondering what we do at camp when it rains, trying looking up the words "rain" or "weather".

1. Are you a licensed child care facility?

No, we are not a licensed child care facility. As a municipality, our program has met requirements and been approved to be exempt from licensure under Texas Administrative Code 745.115(3) based on various criteria. One such criterion is our City Council holds an annual public hearing to adopt an ordinance for our Standards of Care. You can read more about what standards we hold our program to on our Standards of Care page. 

2. What is your refund policy?
To request a refund please email the Camp Coordinator at Joshua.Bloomfield@cor.gov. Do not call in refund requests, as messages can get lost.

A refund request MUST be submitted via email at least 7 days before the first day of the camp session. Refunds will not be granted after the camp session has ended nor will they be granted due to the following reasons: weather conditions, summer heat, sunburn, a camper's behavior, absence from camp, or camp assignments. Parents are responsible for making sure children are registered in the correct camp program or session. If an error is found after registration, please call and have it corrected before the camp season. 

Please allow 4-6 weeks for a refund by mail, if payment was made by check or cash. For credit card payments, please allow 1-2 weeks for the refund to appear on your card. 

3. When does registration open? What is the best way to register?
Registration opens the 1st Monday in April. Summer 2024 registration opens Monday, April 1st at 8am. 

The quickest way to enroll is online at cor.net/parksonline! We recommend creating an account and adding your children to your account before registration opens, so that on registration day you can enroll as quickly as possible. If you have issues logging in, call us at 972-744-7855 before registration opens, as spots go very quickly.

3. How quickly does camp fill up?
Very quickly! In 2023, our Playground and Kinder Camps filled up within an hour. Elementary Camp was full by the end of the first day. Teen camp had spots open through the end of April. The quickest way to enroll is online. We recommend creating an account and adding your children to your account before registration opens, so that on registration day you can enroll as quickly as possible. 

4. The camp I wanted was full, so I joined the waitlist. Now what?
If another camper is unenrolled and a spot opens up, we will call the first person on our waitlist to offer the spot. They have 24 hours to respond before we move on to the next person on the list. We will continue this until we fill the spot. Make sure your phone number on file is accurate and your voicemail box is set up!

Joining the waitlist does not guarantee a spot in camp. Sometimes we are able to get through our entire waitlist and enroll everyone. Other times, we have a waitlist that never moves with 20+ people in line. It is hard to tell how far we will get through the waitlist, so sign up early! 

5. Is there camp on 4th of July? If not, is the price prorated?
For Summer 2024, there is no camp on Thursday, July 4 & Friday, July 5th in observance of Independence Day. The price for camp is reduced. Due to the short week, Teen Camp and Elementary Camp have 1 less field trip for the week. Please refer to your camp's webpage for more information. Links: Elementary Camp and Teen Camp 

6. When will the full list of field trips be posted? 
We are working hard to schedule our many, many field trips for this summer! This booking process often lasts until late May, and the full list will likely not be available before registration opens. We will be updating our website as each trip is confirmed, so check back often for updates. Examples of trips we've taken in the past include Ninja Nation, Kid Mania, Rowlett Wetzone, Bahama Beach, movie theaters, ice skating, aquariums, zoos, and more!

You can see which trips each camp is taking by visiting the camp's webpage. Links below:

Kinder Camp
Playground Camp
Elementary Camp
Teen Camp 

7. I am filing my taxes and need the City of Richardson's tax ID number. Can you share it?

Yes, the Tax ID number for the City of Richardson is 75-6000648. If you need a receipt, you can log onto your online account at cor.net/parksonline and click on the "Transaction and Payment History" button, or you can also email the Camp Coordinator to request receipts. Please note that because we are not a licensed childcare facility, you may not be able to claim this program on your taxes. For more information, please see FAQ question #1. 

8. My child has special needs and/or disabilities, is this camp a good fit?
We have children with special needs attend our camp every year that are very successful. However, summer camp may not be the best fit for every child based on many factors regardless of special needs or disabilities, such as personality, interests, behavior, etc. Our staff works with parents on a case by case basis to determine if your child's needs can be met with reasonable accommodations. 

Parents know their children best, so here are a few details to help decide if this is the right camp:
- Any campers requiring assistance with matters not directly related to camp activities and/or needing additional care (i.e. toileting, feeding, etc.) must bring an aide while attending camp. We are unable to provide constant one-on-one care as this pulls us out of our staff ratio and makes it unsafe for the rest of the children.
- We maintain a 1:10 staff to camper ratio and can have up to 60 children in a camp. With this many children in one area, camp is often quite noisy which can overstimulate some. 
- Many of our Camp Counselors are in high school, as our minimum age is 16 years old. Each camp has a Camp Director that is over 18 years old. 
- All children must be fully potty-trained. 
- Field trips are at locations all over DFW and may include bus rides up to 1.5 hour long. Many field trips involve being outdoors for a length of time or walking tours (ex. zoos, campus tours, museums).

* If you are planning to register a child with special needs, we ask that you inform the Camp Coordinator of your registration PRIOR to camp starting to provide any tips/strategies that we can implement and any triggers to avoid. We welcome all children to come experience camp and will work our hardest to make it as successful as we possibly can for your child!

9. How is COR Summer Camp structured?
We have 4 different summer camps: Kinder (ages 5-6, max 22 kids), Playground (ages 7-11, max 60 kids), Elementary (ages 7-11, max 60 kids), and Teen (ages 12-15, max 35 kids). Kinder, Elementary, and Teen Camps are all hosted at an RISD facility, often Terrace Elementary School. Playground Camp is hosted at Heights Recreation Center. 

Each camp has a Camp Director on-site who is over 18 with at least 3 years of experience working with youth. This director plans and implements daily activities and directly supervises the camp counselors assigned to their camp. Each camp has 2-7 Camp Counselors depending on the size of the camp. Our Camp Counselors are typically high school-aged or college-aged and are excited to gain work experience. The Camp Coordinator oversees all 4 camp programs as well as the off-season camps such as Recess, Fall Break, Winter Break, and Spring Break. 

Our activities are loosely based on our theme for the year and include arts & crafts, gym games, daily playground visits, swimming, and weekly field trips. This is a traditional summer camp that often incorporates themes such as nature, respect, sportsmanship, teamwork, responsibility, and stepping out of your comfort zone. While we are not a STEM camp and do not focus on academics, Huffhines and Heights Recreation Centers both proudly offer specialty camps such as these, including coding camps, cooking camps, superhero camps, and more! Please refer to our Recreation Guide for more info, or call the Recreation Centers at 972-744-7850 for Heights, 972-744-7881 for Huffhines.

10. My child is 4 years old, may they still enroll in Kinder Camp?
Unfortunately, no. The child must already be 5 years old at the start of camp.

11. My child turns 7 over the summer... My child is 6 but their sibling is older and I don't want to split them up... Can I enroll them in Elementary or Playground camp even though the age minimum for those camps is 7?
All children ages 5-6 will be placed in Kinder Camp. If a child has already tried our Kinder Camp and has not been successful, or if they turn 7 over the summer, then we may allow them to register for Playground Camp on a case by case basis. No exceptions will be made for Elementary Camp. 

12. My child is turning 12 over the summer, can they enroll in Teen Camp? What about my mature 11 year old?
If they turn 12 over the summer, yes. Please call or visit the Heights Recreation Center to enroll at 972-744-7850. If they do not turn 12 until after the summer, they will be placed in a 7-11 camp. 

13. What is the difference between Elementary Camp and Playground Camp?
Elementary Camp is primarily an indoor camp, whereas Playground Camp plays outside in Heights Park during the morning and goes inside the Heights Recreation Center in the afternoon. Elementary Camp travels on two field trips per week, while Playground Camp goes on one. The biggest contributing factors to the price difference comes from the facility cost of renting out an RISD facility, cost of RISD bus drivers, and the extra field trip associated with Elementary Camp.

14. What should my child wear?
Shorts and a T-shirt are a good option. We ask that closed-toe sneakers/tennis shoes be worn at all times, except when swimming. A one piece swimsuit is highly recommended and two-piece suits are discouraged. Sagging pants, revealing clothing, and clothing items with inappropriate themes are not allowed. 

15. What items should my child bring to camp?

• Sack lunch
• Afternoon snack
• Insulated water bottle
• Swimsuit and towel
• Closed-toe sneakers - NO OPEN-TOED SHOES except when swimming
• Sunscreen
• Change of clothes
• Life Jacket or floatation device (for those who don't swim well)

Please label all items with the camper's name! Lost and found items will be donated or disposed of at the end of each camp season. 

16. Do I need to send extra money for field trips?
Admission fees are covered by the camp. If your child wants snacks, drinks, souvenirs or anything additional, they will need to bring their own money.

17. My child takes medication—will your staff dispense the medication?
Medication will only be administered with written parental consent. This includes over-the-counter medication. All medications must be left with staff in the original container, labeled with the child’s name, date, directions and physician’s name.

18. Can non-residents enroll their children in camp?
Yes! You do not have to live in Richardson to enroll, and there is no price difference.

19. Can a spot be reserved for my child without payment?
No. Enrollment requires full payment upfront. We will not hold spots.

20.  Are scholarships available? Is there a discount for families with multiple children?
To inquire about scholarships for any program, please contact our main office at AskRichardsonParks@cor.gov or 972-744-4300. Unfortunately, there are no discounts for multiple children. It is the same rate for every child.

21. Why does Playground Camp get an extra week of camp while the others do not? Playground Camp is located at Heights Recreation Center while the other 3 camps are located at an RISD elementary school. Therefore, the camps at the elementary school are subject to the RISD calendar, and RISD needs to use their schools that first week of August to allow teachers enough time to begin preparing for the school year. 

22. What pools do you visit? Can my child bring their floaties?
We utilize City of Richardson pools. While the pools do not allow inflatable floaties, life jackets and puddle jumpers are allowed and are highly recommended for children who are not strong swimmers. Please ensure they are labeled with your child's name. 

After enrolling your child, parents will be emailed a calendar of our pool and field trip visits closer to the start of the first camp session. Please ensure you provide a current email address during registration. 

23. What do you do if there is inclement weather?
Our staff monitors the weather to see if rain or any severe weather is in the forecast. In bad weather, all campers will be taken indoors where we will continue camp activities. At the pool, the lifeguards will have everyone evacuate the water at the first sign of lightning or thunder. 

24. What are the qualifications of your staff members?
All staff members must be at least 16 years of age, CPR and first aid certified, pass a background and drug screen, and must complete a 4 day in-service training. All directors must be an adult and have a minimum of three years experience working with children. For a full list of qualifications and training, please visit the “Camp Staff” page.

25. What transportation do you use and who drives?
We have a contract with RISD to use their school buses and their drivers who are licensed and trained to operate the buses. They drive us to all our fields trips and swimming pool visits.