Summer Camp Brochure

Registration for 2023 is now open!

Check out the 2023 Brochure Here!

Available now in Spanish too!

Additional information will be posted here.

THE MISSION of 4-H Camp Bristol Hills is to provide youth with a unique, fun outdoor experience under the guidance of positive role models, emphasizing positive social interaction, environmental awareness and skill building. Here is where you'll find all the details on our Day and Resident Camps at 4-H Camp Bristol Hills!    While we await official guidance from the NYS Department of Health, we are moving forward with planning a safe, fun, and exciting Summer Camp experience for our campers, families, and staff this summer. For all the latest updates, visit our Coronavirus and 4-H Camp page.

The Cornell Cooperative Extension system enables people to improve their lives and communities through partnerships that put experience and research knowledge to work. Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities. Please contact the 4-H Camp Bristol Hills office at (585)394-3977 ext 435 if your child has any special needs.

Looking to WORK at 4-H Camp?  Check out our job postings here.

Diversity. Inclusion.

They’re more than just words for us.

To be engaged, you must feel included and valued. We strive to build and nurture a culture where inclusiveness is not a reflex and not an initiative, but rather there is a deep sense of pride, passion, and belonging that comes from doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.

We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative camp environment which delivers better results.

We are proud to be a 4-H Safe Space. Our first priority is to create a safe, inclusive space for learning, sharing, and collaboration, welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives. Diversity leads to, but is not limited to: race, color, religion, political beliefs, national or ethnic origin, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, transgender status, sexual orientation, age, marital or family status, educational level, learning style, socio-economic status, physical appearance, body size, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities. If you have questions about whether camp is the right fit for your child, please contact the 4-H Camp Office at (585)394-3977 ext 435.

Resident Camp 

(Campers going into 3rd grade or higher) Resident Camp provides youth with a six-day, five-night overnight camp experience.

Campers get to choose their morning classes from a wide variety of options, and participate in those activities each morning. In the afternoons, campers participate in a variety of recreational activities that keep them engaged. In addition to their free swim time each day, other popular afternoon recreation choices include our water slide, hikes, sports, crafts and much more! Our staff provide special evening programs that involve campers in a variety of events like Bombardier, Crazy Fashion Shows, Dark Realm, and more. Our program is designed to give campers a beneficial summer experience that emphasizes fun!

Resident campers choose from a wide variety of classes when registering! When you register for camp, you will pick six classes, and we will create a custom schedule for your camper! Some classes require multiple class periods daily, as indicated in the class descriptions. There are four class periods daily, so picking six will allow us some flexibility when building your schedule. Don’t forget, Master Camps are available if you’d prefer to dive deep in one topic area, rather than taking four different classes.

Resident Campers continue the fun overnight, staying in our rustic cabins (just like grandma and grandpa used to do!). The cabin experience is what truly sets Resident Camp apart from our day camps! Cabins feature wooden bunk beds (perfect for flashlight wars, and silly bedtime stories), and electric lights.  Bedtime is an important part of the camp tradition, because overnight campers get to fully immerse in the Camp experience. This is what allows campers to develop a sense of independence that only comes from being away from parents for a few days. Many of our campers develop friendships with their cabin mates that last a lifetime!

Our cabin groups range from 6-16 campers and are grouped by ages. 

Please note that during the week of August 6-11, Resident Camp will ONLY be available for campers in 3rd-6th grades.  Campers in 6th grade or higher are invited to register for Adventure Camp that week.

Cost:  $500 per week
Early Bird Discount:  Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Day Camp 1

(Campers 5-6 years old by September 1)

Children have amazing curiosity. This exciting program offers younger children an opportunity to get a taste of the 4-H Camp Bristol Hills experience. Campers are able to improve and develop new skills through nature exploration, games, songs, crafts, and swimming. Of course, they will have lots of opportunities to make friends too!

Counselors provide an environment that encourages children to attempt new things. We know that self-esteem and self-confidence are gained through individual growth rather than competition. With different activities every week, campers can choose to come one week or come all five weeks! Day Camp 1 Campers visit the Camp Store daily after lunch.

Cost: $355 per week
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Day Camp 2 (NEW!)

(Campers 6-7 years old by September 1)

We’re growing, just like our campers! We’re adding a new program for our 6-7 year old campers this year that is designed to create a camp experience that is closer to what the big kids do! Campers still get exciting age-appropriate activities, but now they’ll get to rotate in smaller groups to a variety of activities, like our Sprout and Resident Campers do. This rotation helps prepare campers for the future, and gives them even more activities to enjoy! They will still enjoy all of the crafts, games, hikes, snacks and swimming time, as well as new activities each week. Day Camp 2 Campers visit the Camp Store each day after lunch.

Our programs provides a safe environment for children to develop social skills, decision-making skills, and experience the great outdoors. Studies show that socialization during childhood may accomplish more for growth and development than a reading, writing and arithmetic!

Cost: $360 per week
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Day Camp 3 (formerly "Progression Camp")

(Campers going into 3rd Grade or higher)

Day Camp 3 is a great fit for older campers who want to enjoy the camp experience, but have other commitments in the evenings. These campers do everything the resident campers do, except dinner, the evening activities and sleeping in cabins. This is one of our most popular programs!

Day Camp 3 campers participate in morning classes with Resident campers as well as afternoon recreation activities and free swim, but go home at the end of each day. Campers choose from any of the classes described on page 6, when registering. In addition to classes and recreation activities, Campers get to chance out the camp store each day after lunch!

Cost: $440 per week
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!

Register Now!

Sprout Camp

(Campers going into 1st-3rd Grades.  August 6-8 Only)

For many families, their child’s camp experience may be their first time away from home. Our Sprout Camp is designed as an introduction to overnight camp for campers and their families. This unique 3-day/2-night overnight camp experience is designed specifically for younger campers. It gives them a chance to experience many of the great camp traditions without the fears of being away from home for an entire week. The short-term separation is a good opportunity for parents, too, giving them a chance to practice letting go in a safe, fun, and supervised environment.

What do Sprout Campers do? They rotate through camp classes like crafts, hiking, swimming, nature and more. They also join the rest of camp for delicious meals in the dining hall, participate in exciting evening programs, campfires, and sleep in cabins with their new friends. Ultimately, Sprout Campers get to test the water to see what a full week of camp will be like!

Cost: $255
Early Bird Discount: Save $15 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Adventure Camp

Adventure Camp is open to campers going into 6th grade or higher. 

Want to push yourself a little further? Want even more excitement? 4-H Camp Bristol Hills’ ropes course presents older campers with the ultimate challenge! Adventure Campers work in groups through a series of challenges ranging from fun and exciting field games and problem-solving initiatives to the thrills of the high ropes course.

Campers can navigate the treacherous “peanut butter pit”, or experience the rush of a trust fall, before making their way to the low ropes course. There, they might rescue the princess from the man-eating Spider or go out on a whale watching voyage! By the end of the week, they’ll be able to climb high in the trees to fly like a Squirrel, jump off the Pamper Pole, or take a trip on the Zip Line! Adventure Program campers do it all! While engaging in a “challenge by choice” philosophy, campers will develop group problem-solving, communication and human-relation skills. Campers also participate in other selected camp activities, swim in our pool, and enjoy specially designed evening programs. Here is a great chance to meet new friends while participating in exciting activities.

Interested in financial support for the CIT program? Contact the office to inquire about the Charlie “Peanut” Plyter Memorial Campership.

Cost: $505
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Master Camps

Master Camps are open to overnight Campers going into 6th grade and higher.  Space is limited, so register today!  Campers who elect to participate in Master Camps will enjoy extended blocks of programming time each morning and afternoon, devoted to their animation project. After dinner, evening programs provide a more traditional camp recreational experience!

DIY: Home Edition
July 9-14

Figuring out and solving both large and small basic home repairs and working on the projects is rewarding in many ways. We will be exploring and demonstrating hands-on activities which will require participation. Basic home repairs and maintenance is a life skill everyone can benefit from and have fun with.

Pick up your tool belts, we’ve got work to do! Campers will learn under the guidance of a retired high school shop teacher, and will learn some of the basics about repairing odds and ends around the house and around the camp. You never know when you might need to repair that toilet that won’t quit running, or mend the screen door that’s letting all the bugs in! Clean out an air filter on your lawn mower, re-wire a light bulb or patch a hole in the drywall! Maybe you just want to build yourself a simple tool box of your own. This Master Camp will teach you what you need to know to make it all happen!

Camp will provide the basic tools of the trade for the program. Campers should bring an inquisitive mind and be ready to get hands-on with this camp.

Cost: $555
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

ANIMATION CAMP
July 23-28

Grab your pencils and get to your light boards, it’s time to animate! We’re inviting campers to engage in one of the most enchanting and rewarding artistic mediums under the guidance and direction of a professional animator and mixed-media artist. Through Animation Camp, campers will learn about the underlying principles of animation as well as have the opportunity to create their own short animated videos through hand-drawn or stop-motion methods.

For campers who wish to bring their art to life, this focus-intensive program will give them the means to do so while also creating a firm foundation for future discoveries in an ever-growing and evolving field.

While this program will encourage campers to participate in art activities involving both hand-drawn and stop-motion animation, we’re offering a class structure that allows each individual camper to play to their strengths!

In addition to the animation classes, campers will enjoy a free-swim period, daily shower times, a visit to the camp store, enjoy three full healthy meals each day (plus snacks throughout the day) and take part in a variety of exciting evening programs with Resident Campers.

Cost: $555
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Young Women's Adventure Camp

Young Women's Adventure Camp (YWAC) is open to girls going into 6th-9th grade. 

Middle school girls are under more stress than ever before. Drama seems to fill the air everywhere they go. And in today’s high-tech world, rumors spread faster than the speed of light. The who’s-seeing-who, body shaming, and changes in social status is leaving many middle school girls with a lot of questions and not a lot of places to turn to for help.

This unique specialty camp uses traditional camp activities like swimming, crafts, ropes course, and leadership projects, to form a basis for sharing and support with other girls experiencing the same challenges, and skilled Camp counselors serving as facilitators. Many discussions are driven by campers’ questions, and the conversations can sometimes be emotionally charged. Topics range from makeup and clothing choices to “why are boys so stupid sometimes” to same-sex relationships to “why would my best friend treat me like that” and more. Counselors are trained in responding to difficult situations, and strive to connect campers with community resources that will help them when they return home. 

Financial assistance for the YWAC program is available through the Ontario County Youth Bureau.  To be eligible for financial assistance, complete a Campership Application, available here.

Cost: $520 per week
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Camp Windwalker

Camp Windwalker is open To Campers going into 7th grade or higher

Camp Windwalker is a program unlike any other at 4-H Camp Bristol Hills. The program is designed specifically for our older campers who are interested in a little more freedom and independence. Camp Windwalker is a wilderness camping experience, with campers spending a long Autumn weekend in our primitive camp site, living in tents and building their own community. The Camp Windwalker site is nestled in the forest, across the road from the main camp. They are far enough away to feel secluded, but close enough that they can come back to camp as necessary.

Up to 12 boys and girls, along with three trained and experienced Camp staff, will live, work, and play together. Campers will come together with their Counselors to determine their own daily adventures. They will prepare group meals around the campfire or camp stove, take hikes, play games, learn back country skills, and have time to reflect on the experience each night around a campfire before retiring to their tents.

While campers will ultimately determine many of their own activities, options will include a variety of outdoor skills like map and compass, GPS, fire building, natural arts and crafts, fishing, knot tying and more.

New in 2023, we will be including a Basic Wilderness First Aid certification course for all Camp Windwalker campers. Campers will complete the entire course on site. Those satisfactorily completing the course will earn their very own Basic Wilderness First Aid certificate through the Emergency Care and Safety Institute (ECSI). This is a $95 value, included with the Camp Windwalker registration.

At it’s core, Camp Windwalker is all about giving campers a chance to create their own community, their own group norms and expectations, and to develop a sense of identity both individually and as a group. Camp Windwalker is a chance for teens to disconnect from the digital world and build real connections with other people. This digital detox allows for authentic experiences that are powerful and inspirational. Camp provides a supportive environment where teens can make decisions for themselves and learn from their experiences.

Camp will provide most of the basic essentials for this rustic, all-outdoor program, including tents (segregated by gender) and rustic bathroom facilities on site. Campers at Windwalker will be required to bring additional equipment of their own to ensure a successful camp experience. Campers should plan to bring, and be able to carry, all of their own personal items including sleeping bags, rain gear, flashlight, boots, toiletries, etc, in a backpack. Camp has a small number of backpacks available for loan for those campers who do not bring a pack. A full packing list will be included in the Camp Handbook for registered Windwalker Campers. 

Cost: $505 per session  (August 27-31 only)
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Leader in Training

(Now open to campers 14-15 years old by July 1)

Are you looking for a way to have a positive impact in your community? Are you looking to do bigger and better things in the world? Do you want to work on your leadership skills? The Leader in Training (LIT) program could be just the thing for you!

Some people believe that good leaders are born but at Bristol Hills we know leadership skills are learned and honed through experience and reflection. The Leader in Training (LIT) program is built around this philosophy. Campers in this program form a close bond with their peers throughout the week as they explore essential life skills that will help them develop as a leader. Campers in this program will participate in many of the traditional camp activities while exploring the underlying question of what makes a good leader and how to be a contributing member in a group, all while exploring their own strengths and growth opportunities. LIT workshops will include focused sessions on service to others, presenting to a group, teamwork, problem solving, planning, self reflection, and professional development.

The LIT program is a great program for any young adult who has joined the workforce or is thinking about joining the workforce soon. It can also be a precursor for the Counselor in Training (CIT) Program, offered to campers who are 15-16 years of age. It can be a great foot in the door for future employment at 4-H Camp Bristol Hills. 

Cost: $505 per week
Early Bird Discount: Save $25 when you register by April 15!
Register Now!

Counselor in Training

(Now open to campers 15-16 years old by July 1)

Do you enjoy kids? Do you think you may want to work with kids or young adults in the future? If you have ever looked up to one of our staff members and thought about being a camp counselor too; you can get a head start like many of our camp counselors did, as a Counselor in Training (CIT)!

This two-week program covers all aspects of a counselor’s job, and is supported with workshops with the Camp Director, and other leadership staff at Camp. These include focused sessions on counseling techniques, communication, and leadership, as well as providing opportunities for CITs to develop strong bonds with their peers and younger campers as they prepare for employment in the workforce and perhaps even as a counselor at 4-H Camp Bristol Hills!

The first week provides CITs daily workshops and hands on opportunities with campers to use the information covered in the workshops. The second week is even more hands on as CITs spend more time working directly with campers with the support of camp staff!

The CIT program is an intense, immersive program. CIT’s will work directly with campers, shadowing counselors during classes and other activities, and in cabins. Guided experiences with Camp leadership staff are scheduled throughout the day. The CIT program is designed to be FUN! There is a lot of important information packed into the two weeks, including a session with the camp director about the important workforce skills they’ve been developing throughout their CIT program and how to apply for a job. But CITs will also enjoy teambuilding activities with their peers and scheduled breaks to foster a positive camp experience. 

Campers successfully completing the CIT program in 2023 will be invited to apply for Staff positions in 2024!  Interested in financial support for the CIT program?  Contact the office to inquire about the Charlie “Peanut” Plyter Memorial Campership.

Cost: $575 per 2-week session
Register Now!

4-H Camp Bristol Hills is an ACA-Accredited® Camp! This is verification from the American Camp Association® that our camp complies with industry-established standards. These standards are recognized by courts and government regulators as the standards of the camp industry. The ACA-accreditation symbolizes excellence and our ongoing commitment to the children we serve. For more information about ACA accreditation, visit: www.acacamps.org/accreditation.

Last updated February 14, 2023