Fruit Camp

FRUIT CAMP 2024
For over 40 years, the Huntington Woods Fruit Camp program has provided children with a wonderful summer experience! 
Due to the high demand for Fruit Camp spots, a lottery is held to determine the session rosters.  Please see directions below to register for the Lottery.  Below is a brief description of each camp.  Please note that camps are based on your child’s CURRENT age or school grade (not the grade they will be entering in the Fall). There are no exceptions for age/grade requirements.  Camps are designed to meet the needs of a specific age group for an optimal and rewarding experience. 
If you have any questions about Fruit Camp, please contact Jenny Morgan, Director:  jmorgan@hwmi.org or 248.541.3030.

STRAWBERRY/BANANA CAMPS (current Pre-K, TK)
Camps are play-based and provide many creative and fun activities, including art, music, water play, large and small motor activities and more. Children must be completely toilet-trained (Pull-Ups are not allowed).  Tropical Storm is not offered with these camps. 

NOTE TO TRANSITIONAL K:  Current Transitional Kindergarten students are ONLY eligible for Camp Banana.

Strawberry/Banana Session Dates
Session A:  June 17 - June 28 (no camp June 19)
Session B:  July 1 - July 12 (no camp July 4 - campers are welcome to join Fruit Camp in the parade)
Session C:  July 15 - July 26

CAMP STRAWBERRY - 1/2 day
2-week sessions, 9:00 am-12:00 noon (no lunch)
Age: 3½ (by 6/17/2024) – 4½ years.  Limit 20 campers per session.
Cost: $248/session
Before Camp Care (BCC), After Camp Care (ACC) are NOT available for Camp Strawberry.

CAMP BANANA - full day
2-week sessions, 9:00 am-3:00 pm
Current Transitional Kindergarten/Pre-K or entering Kindergarten in Fall 2024.  Limit 20 campers per session.
Cost: $496/session
Included are field trips and pool time.
Before and After Camp Care are available for Camp Banana.
 

CAMP WATERMELON, KIWI, HONEYDEW AND PINEAPPLE (Current Kindergarten – 5th Grade)
Fruit Camp staff plan age appropriate, fun-filled activities including games, arts and crafts, sports, field trips, free swim and more.  No electronics, no movies - just good old summer FUN in the SUN!

Watermelon/Honeydew/Pineapple Session Dates
2-week sessions, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Session A:  June 17 - June 28 (no camp June 19)
Session B:  July 1 - July 12 (no camp July 4 - campers are welcome to join Fruit Camp in the parade)
Session C:  July 15 - July 26
Session D:  July 29 - August 9

Kiwi Session Date
One 8-week session
June 17 - August 9 (no camp June 19 or July 4 - campers are welcome to join Fruit Camp in the parade)
9:00 am - 3:00 pm

CAMP WATERMELON 
Current Kindergarten* - 1st grade
Limit 30 campers per session
Cost: $524/session
*if your child does not attend Burton, proof of current Kindergarten enrollment is required.

CAMP HONEYDEW
Current 2nd - 3rd grade
Limit 30 campers per session
Cost: $524/session

NEW THIS SUMMER!  CAMP KIWI NEW AGE GROUP
Camp Kiwi will only be offered to CURRENT 2nd/3rd grade students.  There is NO full summer program for current Kindergarten-1st graders.  Kiwi will change and rotate grades yearly, based on need.

CAMP KIWI 
Current 2nd – 3rd grade
Limit 30 campers.  Camp Kiwi is especially designed for working parents or those looking for a full summer camp experience.
Cost: $1,760 (8 weeks)

CAMP PINEAPPLE
Current 4th - 5th grade
Limit 25 campers per session
Cost: $540/session
Costs are for Huntington Woods residents. An additional 10% is added for Royal Oak Section and other non-residents.


FRUIT CAMP LOTTERY
Due to the popularity of Fruit Camp, a Lottery is used to determine camp rosters.  Once Lottery registration is done, the Lottery is generated and applicants are randomly placed in sessions, according to their preferences.

Applicants requesting to be placed in a second session are drawn in additional Lottery rounds. Applicants will be placed on a waitlist if their requested session has filled.

To participate in the Lottery you must be a Huntington Woods resident or grandfathered Royal Oak Section resident.  Grandfathered RO Section families should contact the Rec Center directly (hwrec@hwmi.org) to register.

Non-grandfathered Royal Oak Section and other non-residents can register for camp at a later date (please see details in 2024 Camp Deadlines & Important Dates section).

LOTTERY REGISTRATION
Registration for the Lottery begins online on Monday, December 11 at 8:30am and closes on Monday, January 8, 2024 at 11:59pm.

If you prefer to not register online, please contact hwrec@hwmi.org or go to the Rec Center front desk for a Lottery Application Form.  Lottery Application Forms are due no later than 5:00pm on Monday, January 8th.

Please note the new Lottery Registration process for 2024.  Be sure to read the Fruit Camp FAQs below before beginning your registration.

To register for the Lottery, go to Register Now!>Camps>Fruit Camp & Specialty Camps>Fruit Camp

  • Choose the camp based on your child’s age or grade:
    Strawberry:    ages 3½ (by 6/17/2024) - 4½ years
    Banana:           current Transitional Kindergarten or entering Kindergarten in Fall 2024. 
    Watermelon:  current Kindergarten and 1st Grade
    Honeydew:     current 2nd and 3rd Grade
    Kiwi:                 current 2nd and 3rd Grade
    Pineapple:       current 4th and 5th Grade

 

You will be prompted to answer questions:

  • Provide your child’s current grade
  • Select the number of sessions you want your child to attend (1 or 2)
  • Indicate your session priority
    Session A =   6/17 - 6/28
    Session B =  7/1 – 7/12
    Session C =  7/15 – 7/26
    Session D = 7/29 – 8/9  (K-5th grade camps only)
  • For Kiwi only, indicate session priority for Honeydew should your child not get into Kiwi
  • Choose your child’s t-shirt size
  • Pay the $50 Lottery deposit per session ($200 for Kiwi)

FRUIT CAMP REGISTRATION FAQs

LOTTERY - NEW FOR 2024
For the 2024 Lottery you only register for 1 camp and have only 1 deposit, per session, per child.  The answers to your registration questions will provide the information necessary for your session preferences.

SESSION CHOICE
Children can attend a maximum of 2 sessions, per camp.
Take time when prioritizing sessions.  Is your child attending another camp?  Will you be on vacation?  If so, select the “no – no other dates work for us” choice for that session.  If all sessions are good, select the “no preference - any session is fine” choice for each session.  You will be waitlisted only for requested sessions.   And, if you get into your first choice and only want 1 session, you will be removed from the other waitlists. 

KIWI or HONEYDEW
Both camps are for current 2nd/3rd Graders.  Kiwi is an 8-week camp.  Honeydew is offered in 2-week sessions.  The camps have different staff members but sometimes do activities together.  When you register for Camp Kiwi, please answer the Honeydew session question when prompted. If your child is placed on a waitlist for Kiwi, they will automatically be entered into the Honeydew Lottery, based on the preferences you entered.

LOTTERY DEPOSIT
A $50 deposit per session ($200 for Kiwi) must be paid upon registration for the Lottery. 

LOTTERY RESULTS
Notification of camp placement will be received via email, by mid-February.  NOTHING on your account is finalized until you receive a welcome email with your session details.  Activity visible on your account prior to receiving the notification email is not finalized.    

MISSED THE LOTTERY
If you missed the Lottery deadline, registration for any available spots is held in March.  Please see Fruit Camp Deadlines & Important Dates below.

BALANCE PAYMENTS
Balance payments are due no later than Thursday, April 11 @ 11:59pm.  Balances can be paid in full any time prior to the due date.  To pay a partial balance before the due date please contact hwrec@hwmi.org.

REQUIRED FORMS
You will receive email notification of required camp forms, which need to be completed electronically.  All camp forms must be completed and submitted no later than Thursday, April 11, 2024 @ 11:59pm.  If all forms are not submitted by April 11th, a $25 late form fee will be applied to your account.

SESSION CHANGE FEE

  • A $10 fee will be charged for any Fruit Camp session changes requested by April 11, 2024.
  • A $25 fee will be charged for all Fruit Camp session changes requested after April 12, 2024.
  • For Fruit Camp drops, please refer to the next section.

CANCELLATION/DEPOSIT/PAYMENT REFUNDS
DROPPING A SESSION/CAMP

  • Review the Fruit Camp Deadlines & Important Dates list for cancel/refund information.
  • To drop a camp/session, complete and submit a Fruit Camp Drop Form to hwrec@hwmi.org or the Rec Center front desk. 
    • Also find the Drop Form under About Us>Forms or request it via email hwrec@hwmi.org.
  • After the request is reviewed, your household account may be credited for the camp deposit/payment minus the drop fee, based on the date submitted (please see Fruit Camp Deadlines & Important Dates list below).
  • Household credits can be applied to other Rec Center activity fees or refunded via check. 

DROPPING FROM A WAITLIST

  • Email hwrec@hwmi.org to be removed from a session waitlist.
  • After the request is received, your household account will be credited in full for the camp deposit, if the deposit has not been applied to another session of Fruit Camp your child is attending.

FRUIT CAMP DEADLINES & OTHER IMPORTANT DATES
REGISTRATION
Monday, January 8, 11:59pm: Registration must be completed on recreation.hwmi.org to be included in the Fruit Camp Lottery (HW residents and RO Section Grandfathered households only). Families not registering online must submit their Lottery Application Form and deposit payment to the Gillham Recreation Center front desk by 5:00pm on 1/8/2024.

Thursday, March 21, at 6:00pm: HW/RO Section Grandfathered households Post-Lottery registration, for open spots (if available) and adding to waitlists, online or at the Rec Center. First come, first served.

Monday, March 25 at 6:00pm: RO Section and Non-Resident registration for open spots (if available) and adding to waitlists, online or at the Rec Center. First come, first served.

PAYMENTS
Thursday, April 11, 11:59pm: All balances and forms due. Full payment and completed forms must be submitted by 11:59pm. After 11:59pm:
              - a 10% late fee will be applied to all unpaid balances
              - a $25 late fee will be charged for any forms not submitted

Monday, April 29, 11:59pm: If full payment is not received by April 29, your camp spot will be forfeited. No monies paid up to this date will be refunded.

DROPS/REFUNDS
Sunday, March 17, 11:59pm: Last day to drop camp sessions with a full refund (less $10 drop fee per camper, per session).  A Fruit Camp Drop Form must be submitted, via email to hwrec@hwmi.org or to the Rec Center front desk, to request a camp cancellation.

March 18 – April 11:  Camps may be dropped, but deposit is forfeited.  Balance payments will be refunded if a replacement camper is secured from our waitlist. 

April 12 – July 22: Camps may be dropped, but deposit is forfeited, and there is no balance refund unless a replacement camper is secured from our waitlist.  If a replacement camper is found, a $25 fee per camper, per session will be deducted from the balance refund.

PARENT MEETINGS
Wednesday, June 5, 6:15 pm: Strawberry/Banana Parent Meeting
Wednesday, June 5, 7:00 pm: Kiwi, Watermelon, Honeydew, Pineapple Parent Meeting

BEFORE (BCC) & AFTER CAMP CARE (ACC)

REGISTRATION BEGINS FRIDAY, MARCH 1 @ 8:30am

Before Camp Care (7:30 - 9:00 am) and After Camp Care (3:00 - 6:00 pm) are available June 17 - August 9 for Banana, Watermelon, Honeydew, Kiwi and Pineapple at an additional cost:
BCC = $9.40 per day
ACC = $15.00 per day
Watch for information in your Fruit Camp confirmation email.

IMPORTANT: We have been selling out BCC and ACC spots quickly in the last few years. Do not wait to register as spots might not be available.

If you have any questions about Fruit Camp, please contact: Jenny Morgan, Director: jmorgan@hwmi.org or 248.541.3030.
 If you have any questions about registration, please contact Jan Alpert:  jalpert@hwmi.org or 248.541.3030, or visit the Rec Center front desk.

​​​END OF SUMMER CAMP OPPORTUNITIES
Extend your child’s camp experience the week following the end of Fruit Camp, August 12-16:

ADVENTURE SQUAD
Current Grades:  6 – 8
Monday - Friday, 9:00am – 3:00pm, but potential later end time depending on the activity.

This camp is filled with thrills and chills with fun field trips daily, including a trip to Cedar Point! Meet at the Gillham Recreation Center daily.  Please note that there is no Before or After Camp Care for this program.  Field trip details will be emailed to families in the coming months. HW residents only.
Cost:  $420

FRUIT SALAD
Current Grades:  K – 5 (Transitional Kindergartners are not eligible)
Monday - Friday, 9:00am – 3:00pm

Fruit Salad provides campers with a field trip every morning and open swim at the pool most afternoons! The camp is held at the Gillham Recreation Center.  Please note that there is no Before or After Camp Care for this program. Field trip details will be emailed to families in the coming months. HW residents only.
Cost: $400