Discovery Camps

Registration opens January 2, 2025

Discovery

4th – 5th – 6th Grades

Hallmarks

Discovery Camps focus on free play in the outdoor world, encouraging teamwork, building community, living our Christian faith in the play, worship and activities of each day. Sonlight is small and we get to know each camper. The mountain setting is an ideal place for kids to play in nature, and grow more confident in who they are by being away from home.

  • June 22-28, 2025
  • July 27-August 2, 2025

Tuition: TBD

Arrival time: 4:30-5:30 Sunday

Pickup time: 8 am Saturday (coffee and continental breakfast for parents and campers) Short closing program at 8:30 am


Financial Aid: Payment Plans Available for all camps. Additional scholarships available based on financial need. Please contact us to apply. 970.264.4370

*4th Graders may choose to attend Junior or Discovery Camps, or both!
*6th Graders may choose to attend Discovery or Adventure Camps, or both

“My kid came home with a bigger sense of the world around him, his faith and community. Thank you.”

Camper Parent

July Discovery Camp

Arrival / Departure details and Packing List. Coming soon

About Discovery Camp

Campers and staff members are energetic and enthusiastic about Discovery Camp! For rising 4th, 5th, or 6th graders, Discovery camps are intentionally programmed with the pre-teen in mind. Whether the week includes old friends or new, campers are proud of their accomplishments on the climbing wall, archery range, learning a new craft or building the best fort in the woods. Time with our speaker is entertaining, and small group time and discussion will encourage kids to think about their faith journey.

Campers benefit from a low staff to camper ratio (1:5) and have the opportunity to meet new friends, laugh and play, and discover confidence away from home.

With 44+ years of camp experience in our pocket, Sonlight believes that camp is a powerful experience in whole-child and faith development, a safe place to try new things, a place to unplug from our digital world, and an opportunity to be surrounded by supportive and loving role models.

Letter From The Directors

Celebrating our 45th year, Sonlight has sought to be a community that lives out the Gospel in all that we do. Inspired by the mission, “Be with kids, and show them God”, we are grateful to be able to provide a space away for youth to simply be who God intends them to be. The Sonlight leadership team works diligently to provide creative and innovative ways to make this summer memorable, for both our new and returning campers, by thinking outside the box and learning more about current youth needs. Whether for a traditional resident camp or a Sonlight Adventures backpacking trip, we hope to make Sonlight a place of rest and joy for all who call it home. Thank you for entrusting us with the care of your camper – Sonlight continues its ACA accreditation so that our programs and facilities will be the best that they can be. We look forward to greeting you this summer with a warm “Welcome home!” and of course, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies!

Mary, Claire and Winston

Meet the Sonlight Leadership Team

Sonlight Office – 970.264.4379

Banquet Night Theme

 “Come As You Are” 2024 Banquet Night Theme

This summer, instead of asking you to dress up as something or someone else, we are simply inviting you to “come as you are”! We think our campers are pretty neat for a multitude of reasons but are consistently blown away by the varied talents, hobbies, and interests that our community engages in during the other 51 weeks of the year. While these things by no means define you, we want to celebrate the ways in which you are able to live more fully into who God has called you to be.

 

Some ideas:

  • If you’re an artist, a smock and paint palette

  • If you play/enjoy a sport, a jersey or uniform 

  • If you’re passionate about the outdoors, your best nature day fit

  • If you’re a fan of gaming/esports, fangear

  • If you’re a dancer or actor, a costume from a previous performance

  • If (fill in the blank) interests you, a thematic graphic tee 

  • If you’re involved at school, spirit gear 

  • If you love your furry friends, wear pictures of your pets

  • If Taylor Swift dominates your playlist, an Eras inspired outfit

FAQ's

Is Discovery Camp a good fit for my child?
Discovery Camp is intentionally programmed for kids who are looking for the full camp experience. Sonlight realizes the unique challenges parents face when sending their young child to summer camp. Both camper and parents can feel anxious about time away from home. We design our summer camps specifically for this age group to be fun, enriching, innovative and memorable.

How do you hire and train your staff?
We hand-pick college students through our selective hiring process. Pre-summer, our staff go through an extensive 10-day orientation and training. Our summer staff are fully trained in areas such as child development, homesickness, bullying, behavior management and safety. You entrust us with your child and we do not take that lightly. We want your child to have the best summer camp experience possible.

Still have more questions? Call us!  970.264.4379. Visit American Camp Association’s www.campparents.org for advice, how to choose the right camp, the impact of summer camp on child development and helpful information. We believe in the benefits of summer camp. We hope you will too!

Activities

Our Discovery activities are intentionally programmed for the enjoyment and enrichment of pre-teen kids. Some examples of our Discovery Camp activities:

  • Day hikes in the San Juan National Forest
  • Team building, meadow games and parachute games
  • Dodgeball
  • Axe throwing
  • Archery
  • Campfires
  • Daily worship and small group time
  • Geocaching
  • Bottle rockets
  • Bouldering wall and climbing walls
  • Sonlight’s famous “Messy Games”
  • Arts and crafts
  • Foam slip n’ slide
  • Frisbee golf
  • Themed meals (may be a Mario’s Italian Dinner, Wild West Burger Cookout or other!)
  • Fort building
  • Soccer
  • Campfire skits and songs
Cancellation Policy

Should you cancel your registration, there will be a $150 cancellation fee. If you cancel your registration within 14 days of the start of the camp and we are unable to fill your child’s space there are no refunds. There are no refunds or pro-rated pricing for early departures or late arrivals.

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american camp association

Sonlight is Accredited by the American Camp Association

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