Camp Clearwater
It’s like the camp you remember—set on scenic Clearwater Lake, where campers try new activities, explore the outdoors and make lasting friends. From canoeing and archery to crafts and games, Camp Clearwater leaves campers with full hearts long after summer ends.
Camp Clearwater Sessions
There will be nine weeks of Camp Clearwater this summer. July 3 is a holiday, and camp will be closed.
Calling all aliens, astronauts, time travelers, and wizards! Your camper will blast out of this world and into summer at the YMCA! Campers will fuel up their spaceships, time-traveling cars, and brooms this week. Campers bring their magic, stars, and amazing costumes to a week so fun, it’s out of this world!
This high-energy week brings campers together through teamwork, character building, and vibrant activities. Each day, a YMCA character trait and color are highlighted with games, crafts, and challenges. The week ends with a Color Run, a fun race where campers celebrate community and spirit with a burst of bright colors.
It’s America’s birthday—and camp is throwing the party! Campers celebrate with red, white and blue games, challenges, crafts, and celebrations as camp honors 250 years of history, community, and summer fun the YMCA way.
It’s a week full of games, laughter, and classic carnival fun. Campers step right up to creative activities, silly challenges, and festive surprises that bring the magic of the midway to life.
Camp hits rewind and campers learn what made yesterday so awesome! Campers step into different time periods, learning how people lived, played, created, and imagined the world. With themed crafts, outdoor adventures, dress-up days, and classic games, every era becomes a brand-new adventure.
Campers explore the excitement of various holidays, including the 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween, and more, through games, crafts, and festive challenges. Each day immerses kids in a new celebration, sparking imagination and cultural curiosity. The week wraps up with a special YMCA Birthday Party, where all campers come together for a joyful celebration of the Y.
Campers dance at a beach party, play wet and wild water games, do seaside inspired crafts, and splash around with new friends. Summer might be hot, but at the YMCA, it's nothing but fun in the summer sun!
Campers are the stars during this week filled with excitement and imagination. Through arts and crafts, active games, and tons of other fun activities, campers will experience what it’s like to live the Hollywood life.
Campers will step into their own superhero stories through teamwork challenges, creative missions, and character-building fun. This week celebrates courage, kindness, and the unique strengths of every hero.
Registration
All YMCA Day Camps require a $20 deposit per session. If you do not have a YMCA account, you can create one at the time of registration.
YMCA Day Camp Experience
From preparation to programming, these are the essentials that shape each camp day.
Counselors & Staff
YMCA Day Camp operates with a 10:1 camper-to-staff ratio. We hire high schoolers, college students and teachers to lead activities, drive buses and facilitate summer camp. Each staff member undergoes extensive training - from CPR and First Aid to leading assemblies. Many staff are former campers and return summer after summer.
Swimming at Day Camp
Almost all YMCA Day Camps offer free swim times or water play (for younger campers). Each camper is assessed for their swim ability on the first swim day of the session. Campers are issued swim bands that identify their swim levels. Swim bands also help lifeguards and counselors identify which areas of the pool are appropriate for each camper.
Weather Management
From outdoor games to water play, day camp is designed to keep kids moving, learning and connecting. But when the heat index rises, so does our responsibility to make smart, timely adjustments that protect campers and staff.
Huddles
Huddles are small groups of campers of similar age and grade who are grouped together at day camp. Typically, huddles move together throughout the day to difference activities. Each huddle is accompanied by two or more counselors.
Character Traits
Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Honesty, and Faith are the character traits the YMCA uses to reinforce positive behavior. Campers can earn beads by demonstrating these traits. Each camper (ages 5 and older) receives a necklace on the first day camp for their beads.
Camp Clearwater FAQs
Campers are asked to bring a change of clothes, a swimsuit, a towel, lunch, two snacks, and a refillable water bottle. Most campers pack everything in a backpack.
- Rides In will take place in the circle from 7 - 8:45 a.m.; please wait for a head counselor to check in your camper before sending them out of your car. Our busiest time of Rides In is from 8:15 - 8:45 a.m. and on Monday mornings as we welcome new campers and acclimate them to camp. Please be patient with us as we navigate these busy times!
- Rides Out is from 4 – 6 p.m. and will be run in the same area as Rides In. The person picking up must have their blue authorized pick-up slip (provided on your child’s first day of camp) and an ID as a safety precaution. Our busiest time of Rides Out is from 4:30 - 5:15 p.m. Please be patient with us as we navigate these busy times!
- Can I drop off early? For the safety of your child, we cannot allow children to be dropped off prior to Rides In/7 a.m. while our staff are setting up for camp. You may wait in the Rides In Circle for our staff to come greet you!
- Can I pick up early? Yes! We need to know about early pick ups in advance or you will need to wait 10-15 minutes for your camper to gather their things and make it to your vehicle when you arrive. Please let us know at least 24 hours in advance for early pickups!
- What happens if I’m late to pick up? All kids must be picked up by 6 p.m. If you are running late, please call our camp office number at 919-987-8845 to let us know. The first late pick up is a warning, additional late pick ups will be a $5 fee for the first 10 minutes.
When does my child swim? We swim on Tuesday and Thursdays! We swim as units of Lower Camp (Groups 1,2,3), Middle Camp (Groups 4,5,6), and Upper Camp (Groups 7,8,9). Campers are transported by Y bus to the YMCA at Meadowmont pools.
- Lower Camp Swim Bus leaves from Clearwater at 10:30 a.m., arrives at the Meadowmont YMCA at 10:50 a.m., leaves at Meadowmont at 12 p.m. and arrives back at camp by 12:20 p.m.
- Middle Camp Camp Swim Bus leaves from Clearwater at 11:30 a.m., arrives at the Meadowmont YMCA at 11:50 a.m., leaves at Meadowmont at 1 p.m. and arrives back at camp by 1:20 p.m.
- Upper Camp Swim Bus leaves from Clearwater at 12:30 p.m., arrives at the Meadowmont YMCA at 12:50 p.m., leaves at Meadowmont at 2 p.m. and arrives back at camp by 2:20 p.m.
- If you need to pick up your camper during their swim time please let us know 24 hours in advance so we can best communicate it to our team. You are welcome to pick them up from Meadowmont or have us keep them back here at Camp Clearwater for you to pick up.
- If you would like to drop off your camper during swim times at Meadowmont please let us know 24 hours in advance so we can be ready to receive the camper and know that they are in our care.
While we take part in regular water games at camp, we do not swim in Clearwater Lake (that's for the turtles, fish and canoes).
- How are children divided into groups? At Camp Clearwater, we divide into smaller “Huddles” based on age and grade. Each huddle is staffed at a 1:12 ratio, typically with 24 children in a huddle with two counselors. We also have leadership staff to support all huddles.
- How do I make a group request? If you would like your child to be placed with another similarly aged child, all group requests are required by the Thursday before your session of camp. Please email us with your child’s name, which weeks they are registered for, and their friend request.
- How do you manage heat? We know at an outdoor camp there are plenty of concerns in regards to keeping our campers safe during high heat index periods. We have our counselors make sure to keep their campers in the shade every 10 minutes when the heat index is high and require multiple water breaks during every activity. If you have an additional concern please make our staff aware so we can communicate to counselors effectively to keep an extra eye on your camper.
- How do you manage inclement weather? We have procedures for inclement weather to best keep your campers safe in the event of rain here at camp. Each unit has a designated area onsite at camp where they stay under shelter and safely do activities with their counselors until Camp Directors deem an all clear in regards to weather.
Other Day Camps
Offered by the Chapel Hill - Carrboro YMCA
