Camp Anderson

Experience the magic of Camp Anderson

Camp Anderson is a day camp that takes place at Lake Sixteen in rural Skagit County and is open to youth entering first through seventh grade.

Campers spend a week on the shores of Lake Sixteen filled with swimming, canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, woods games, and other fun activities. One day each week will be a field trip day to a location in Skagit County.

The Skagit Valley Family YMCA builds strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. Our Y Camps are designed to help develop the four Y values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility in all of the youth who attend.

Explorers Registration (entering grades 1-3)
Trailblazers Registration (entering grades 4-6)
Challengers Registration (entering grade 7)

2024 Camp Schedule

Attending a week at Camp Anderson is beneficial in several ways: it teaches kids social skills, helps develop their confidence, and gives them a space to build positive relationships with their peers. Campers walk away from camp more independent, resilient, and with a greater sense of identity. Simply put, a week at Camp Anderson can have a long-lasting impact on a child’s life.

Registration FAQs

Trailblazers/Explorers (entering grades 1-6)

  • $330 – Members
  • $380 – Community Members

Challengers (entering 7th grade)

  • $380 – Members
  • $430 – Community Members

*Prorated prices for Week 2 due to 4th of July holiday

There is a $50 nonrefundable fee charged at registration to secure your spot at camp and all dues must be paid in full two weeks prior to the start of camp.

Please note that to receive member rates for programs, your membership must be obtained before the program start date and remain current throughout the entire program session.  

If your membership expires during the program session and you do not renew, the YMCA will bill your payment method on file the amount difference between the member and the non-member rate. If this payment is not made, you may be dropped from the program. 

There is a four week maximum for members and community members. After registration is closed, Y staff will review weekly rosters and if you’ve signed up for more than 4 weeks, you will be contacted and asked which weeks you would like to be removed from.

February 29: Priority Registration opens for current Y members
March 4: Registration opens to all

To register for Camp Anderson, follow these steps:

  1. Click on the button above that aligns with the grade level of your child(ren).
  2. Select each week of Camp you wish to register for.
  3. Press “Registered Selected.”
  4. Follow the prompts to login to your Y account.
  5. Select the child you are registering for Camp and complete all required Program Questions.
  6. Complete all required waivers.
  7. Next, the system will prompt you to review your selections and complete payment.
  8. Confirm your selections and complete your payment. Or, to complete additional registrations, add your selection to your cart.

A $50 nonrefundable deposit is due at the time of registration for each week of Camp Anderson.

Your final payment is due two weeks prior to the start of your camper’s scheduled session. If payment is not received by the due date, your reservation and deposit for that session will be forfeited. For your convenience, our system will prompt you to schedule future payments automatically at the time of registration.

We understand that life happens, and you may need to withdraw your child from camp. Please contact the Welcome Center for help cancelling your reservation.

Below is our policy for refunds should you need to remove your participant from programming: 

  • If you decide to withdraw/cancel while registration for the program is still open, you will receive a 100% refund to your original payment method. 
  • If you decide to withdraw/cancel during the timeframe between when registration closes and 48 hours before the program starts, you will receive a 100% credit refund to your YMCA account that you can put towards future membership fees, program dues, etc. 
  • If you decide to withdraw/cancel within 48 hours of the program starting, you will receive a 50% credit refund to your YMCA account that you can put towards future membership fees, program dues, etc. 
  • If you decide to withdraw/cancel after the program has started, you will not receive any refund. 

Please note that to receive member rates for programs, your membership must be obtained before the program start date and remain current throughout the entire program session.  

If your membership expires during the program session and you do not renew, the YMCA will bill your payment method on file the amount difference between the member and the non-member rate. If this payment is not made, you may be dropped from the program. 

A refund (minus the deposit) may be considered for a full week absence caused by illness or injury with written verification from a physician.

Further questions? Read our full Program Refunds policy on the Membership Handbook page. 

Our Y For All program provides financial assistance for families in need. To learn more and apply, please visit our Y for All page.

No. If your family currently receives state subsidies for child care fees at one of the Y’s Early Learning Centers or School-Age programs, they can be applied towards our Y Kids Summer Day Camp. Learn more about that camp here.

Yes, your child can attend both Camp Anderson and Y Kids Summer Day Camp, but we ask that you don’t sign up for both camps for the same week and then later drop one of them.

The $50 deposit is nonrefundable and nontransferable. 

Camp FAQs

  • Camp t-shirt (paid for at registration, given to child(ren) on first day of camp)  
  • Non-perishable sack lunch 
  • A hearty lunch and snacks; camper(s) will be active all day and the Y doesn’t provide any food due to licensing reasons 
  • Water bottle with camper name on it 
  • Clothing appropriate for the day/weather. Campers may be crawling in the dirt, splashing in the lake, hiking, or running. Campers are encouraged to bring a jacket/sweatshirt, raincoat, and boots, as campers are outside the entire day and there are no indoor facilities on Lake Sixteen. 
  • Closed-toe shoes, tennis shoes, or hiking boots are required.
    • Sandals, Tevas/Chacos, Crocs, or open-toed shoes are allowed at the waterfront only. 
  • Swimsuit, towel, and goggles (optional) for swimming. 
  • Sunscreen/Insect Repellent 

Camp schedule varies each week, but campers can expect to participate in group activities, swimming time, lunch, field trip(s), and more.

Examples of clubs and activities that campers can participate in include:

  • Arts & Crafts
  • Archery
  • Woods Games
  • Canoeing
  • Swimming
  • Hiking
  • Sports
  • Gaga Ball
  • Singalongs
  • Games
  • Capture the Rubber Chicken
  • and more!
  • Be respectful of self, others, and the environment.  
  • Be responsible for yourself and your things.  
  • Listen to fellow campers and camp staff. 
  • Campers are only allowed to throw rocks and sticks on certain, supervised, and approved occasions.  
  • Shoes (no sandals) must be worn in all times (except while swimming). 
  • Appropriate clothing and swim wear required. 

We maintain a maximum ratio of 10 children per leader at Camp Anderson. Our counselors are responsible forplanning and implementing activities; managing their group of youth; and maintaining a safe environment for all participants. All staff have cleared a Washington State Patrol criminal record check. A certified lifeguard supervises all waterfront and/or pool activities. 

For Parents

  • Please take a moment before your camper’s first day of camp to review the Parent Packet (attached to your confirmation email)
  • Should your camper have an allergy or medication need we need to be aware of, the medical forms linked below will need to be printed off and dropped off at the Y’s Welcome Center at our Hoag Road location or emailed to [email protected] no later than June 1. If your camper doesn’t have any allergies or medications, these forms are not required.
  • Ensure that you are paid in full at least 2 weeks prior to the camp week you’re registered for.
  • Keep an eye on your email prior to your camper’s week at camp for a newsletter with additional information on the week of camp your child is attending.
  • T-shirts will be given to campers on the first day of camp.

To ensure authorized pick-ups, staff will require all parents/guardians to sign their camper in and out of the program. Please do not drop your child off in front of the building(s); the YMCA is not responsible for children until they are signed in. 

For safety reasons, camp staff will only release your child(ren) to those persons indicated on your registration form. Written notification of another authorized person is required for us to release the child into their care. If we receive no written notification and cannot reach you to verify the identification of the person, we will not allow your child to leave the program.  

Identification may be required of any person picking up a child, including the parents. Please inform all appropriate people of this procedure. For any unauthorized parent/guardian contact we need to be aware of, please provide a letter and state-issued identification (ex. Driver’s License, Passport, etc.)

Pick-up/Drop Off: Bakerview Sports Center (3301 East Fir St., Mount Vernon) 

  • All campers should be at Bakerview no later than 8:30am. The bus departs at 8:30am sharp and returns to Bakerview at 4:30pm each day.  
  • Conway School Pick-Up (not available on Wednesdays due to field trips) 
    • The bus will pick up students up in the morning between 9:00-9:30am. The bus stop here is unstaffed, so parents should wait with their child(ren), and it’s recommended that families are at the school at 9:00am in case the bus comes early. 
    • The bus will drop off students in the afternoon at 4:00pm. If no parent is present to pick up their child(ren), they will be returned to Bakerview Sports Center. (No kids will be left unattended at the school) 
  • Extended Care at Bakerview is available from 7:30am – 8:30am and from 4:30-5:30pm each day if parents need to drop their child(ren) off early or pick them up later. (Extended care is free of charge, but $15 will be charged for every 15 minutes late after 5:30pm) 
  • If your child does not arrive at one of the bus pick-up sites for Camp Anderson by the departure time, it is assumed the child will not be attending for the day. You will not be called to confirm. Please email [email protected] or call the phone number listed on the weekly newsletter if you know your child will not be attending. 
Medication Administration Form
Emergency Action Plan (Severe Allergic Reaction)

If you have additional questions about Camp Anderson, please send an email to Camp Director Brieanna Lopez at [email protected].