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Boys kayaking during Club

Boys’ and Girls’ Club

Considered the longest running summer day camp in the United States, Chautauqua Boys’ and Girls’ Club embraces both tradition and the latest trends in youth education and engagement. Field activities, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, nature, crafts, individual and team sports, music and experiences in the arts help youth develop confidence and capabilities, while building lifelong friendships.

Boys’ and Girls’ Club will operate from 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 2–4 p.m., Monday-Friday.

Lunch Bunch is an add-on service for campers registered for Group One and Boys’ and Girls’ Club Groups 2-6 to provide supervision during the 12-2 p.m. program break of our day camps. Lunch Bunch takes place at Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Group One campers will take the school bus with a counselor to Lunch Bunch. All campers need to bring a packed lunch or families can order a lunch at the Youth Activities Center.

children’s camps in nys brochure

Contact Information

Alyssa Porter
Director of Youth and Family Programs
716.357.6489
aporter@chq.org

Greg Prechtl
Boys’ and Girls’ Club Director
716.357.6295 (Summer only)
bgclubdirector@chq.org

Email me Youth and Family Activities Information


How to Enroll

1. Pay Enrollment Fee: A child is not enrolled until payment is received and all registration forms are completed or updated in CampDoc. 

Payment options: Online at tickets.chq.org, in person at the Main Gate Welcome Center Ticket Office during posted business hours or by calling the Ticket Office at 716-357-6250.

Youth programming is a popular Chautauqua tradition, and group sizes may be limited. We recommend paying the enrollment fee and completing all forms at least one week prior to your child’s arrival.

We may be able to accommodate week of registrations on a case-by-case basis. Please visit the Main Gate Welcome Center Ticket Office OR call 716-357-6250, before 3 p.m. (EDT) the Friday before your child’s attendance. 

During the summer, beginning on Monday morning at 10 a.m. EDT, you can inquire about registration in person at Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Group One, and Children’s School or by calling the respective program at their office*:

Boys’ and Girls’ Club: 716-357-6295
Children’s School: 716-357-6278
Group One: 716-640-6678

*Please note that these numbers are only monitored during the summer session when programs are in session. 

See the rates at rates.chq.org.

Children’s School, Group One and Boys’ and Girls’ Club operate Weeks One to Eight. During Week Nine, families can register for youth classes, explore the recreation offerings and participate in pop-up programs with Play CHQ.

2. Complete the Youth and Family Programs information forms

Following the enrollment purchase, a link to complete camper information forms will be sent to the provided parent/guardian email address from Chautauqua Institution via CampDoc.  

If you already have a CampDoc account associated with the provided email address, you can use your current login credentials to review and complete the required forms after completing an enrollment purchase.  

Please remember that a child is not enrolled until all camper information forms have been completed. This includes all required health and immunization information. 

Covid-19 Protocols

Program

Philosophy

History of Club

Staffing

Transportation

FAQs

Program

Program hours are:

Monday–Friday     9 a.m.–12 p.m. & 2–4 p.m.

Participants in the Boys’ and Girls’ Club program are grouped according to the grade they will be entering in the fall (e.g. Group 4 for children entering 4th grade) and gender. Families will select which group, boys or girls their camper is enrolled in during registration. The oldest group at Club is called SAC (Senior Athletic Club, a traditional name dating to the earliest days of the program) and serves those youth entering the 9th and 10th grades. Staffing ratios are aligned to New York State regulations for Licensed Children’s Camps.

Programming consists of a rotation of various activities which is different every day. Activities may include arts & crafts, sailing, nature, swimming, juggling, playground time, field games, music, and many more options.

Some activities (e.g. sailing, swimming) are guided by age and/or skill levels. Older groups (8 and SAC) may choose “electives” in the afternoon. Boys’ and Girls’ Club offers a diverse, recreational, largely outdoor day camp program combining active play, the arts, waterfront sports and special enrichment events. The program stresses the safety and well-being of children and recognizes the value of building friendships.

Chautauqua Institution will communicate with registrants regarding COVID-19 protocols for Youth and Family Programs prior to the Summer Assembly. The protocols will be developed according to industry best practices, the most recent data and applicable regulations, and subject to change throughout the summer if and when those factors change.

Philosophy

The purpose of the Boys’ and Girls’ Club is to provide an opportunity for young people ages 7-15 to actively participate in a safe and supportive recreational day camp on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution. The programs and facilities allow for a diverse set of activities that take full advantage of CHQ’s natural and cultural resources. The Boys’ and Girls’ Club encourages personal growth for participants and professional growth for staff. The enjoyment and appreciation of lifelong skills are emphasized, and the importance of Club as a source of lasting CHQ relationships is recognized and nurtured.

History of Club

The Boys’ and Girls’ Club is considered the oldest day camp in the United States. With most buildings dating from the 1890s and the turn of the century, the Boys’ and Girls’ Club grows out of a Chautauqua tradition of excellence in sports and physical education.

Seaver Gymnasium (1890) was originally built to house a gymnastics school and was one of the first gyms to install a basketball court when that sport was invented over 100 years ago. Club’s newer structures include the Beeson Youth Center (1968), which replaced the venerable Athletic Club Building (1905), and the Sharpe Field grandstand, built in 1993 following a fire on July 5, 1991, which destroyed the previous structure. Extensive renovations to all Club buildings were completed in 2001 as part of the “CHQ 2000” long range plan.

Staffing

The Boys’ and Girls’ Club is directed by Greg Prechtl. Mr. Prechtl is recently retired as athletic director at the State University of New York at Fredonia. An experienced camp administrator, he has served as director of the Chautauqua Boys’ and Girls’ Club for nearly 40 years.

The staff at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club includes adults (the majority are teachers), college and high school students. Each camper group is staffed with a head counselor and one or two assistant counselors. Boys’ and Girls’ Club enjoys a high rate of returning staff each year.

A youth leadership program provides skill-building and practical experiences for 16-year-olds preparing to become counselors.

Waterfront counselors hold current “CPR for the Professional Rescuer” credentials as well as American Red Cross Lifeguard certification or equivalent.

Many of the specialty areas are directed by experienced adults (music, arts, nature and crafts).

Sailing experiences are provided by the trained staff of Chautauqua’s Sailing Center.

Transportation

Young people enrolled in the Boys’ and Girls’ Club may make whatever arrangements are most appropriate for their age and family dynamic. They may walk, ride a bicycle with a parent, sibling, babysitter or on their own, or utilize the public bus/tram system that travels the Chautauqua grounds 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily.

If you are driving your child to Club (from outside the grounds), you must enter via the Bryant Gate. Special arrangements have been made to open the Bryant Gate for Club and Group One participants only and following a schedule tied to Club’s hours of operation. The gate will be open daily 8:45–9:15 a.m., 11:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m., 1:45–2:15 p.m., and 3:45–4:15 p.m.

Drive straight down Bryant to the foot of the hill adjacent to the tennis courts. Youth may be dropped off at that location, and vehicles can exit by returning directly to the Bryant Gate.

If families need to accompany their child (e.g. on the first day of attendance), they may park their car temporarily at the turn-around area at the foot of Bryant. Vehicle traffic and parking are not permitted in any other areas at Boys’ and Girls’ Club.

FAQs

Will my child go swimming each day at Club?

With a waterfront campus, Boys’ and Girls’ Club places an emphasis on water safety and water-based activities. Sailing, canoeing, kayaking, swimming and water games are all part of the weekly schedule. Swimming instruction is a daily activity for all but the oldest groups, and is important for maintaining a safe waterfront, building lifetime skills, and supporting the other water-based programs. Please note, water shoes are highly recommended for all waterfront activities.

Land-based activities will be provided for campers who do not wish to participate in waterfront activities.

How are the children sorted into groups?

Youth registered for Boys’ and Girls’ Club will be divided into groups based on gender and the grade and they will enter in the fall.

What happens at Club if it rains?

Each group has a rain schedule in addition to their regular daily schedule. A variety of indoor activities are provided according to this schedule.

What regulations or guidelines impact the operation of Boys’ and Girls’ Club?

The Boys’ and Girls’ Club operates under a day camp permit granted by the New York State Department of Health. Counselor-to-camper ratios, waterfront staff certifications, safety and emergency plans, water quality, and available medical staff support are all requirements of the permit-granting procedure.

May I register my child for single days or half days?

Registration at Club may only be completed for full week sessions. Prorating, partial refunds, or other discounts for less than one week attendance will not be processed.

Will my child need extra money for Boys’ and Girls’ Club?

Children may need a small amount of additional money for specific crafts projects. Off-grounds field trips for the older groups (Darien Lake, Allegheny River Canoe Trip, etc.) are optional and usually require an additional fee.

Do any of the staff babysit during the season? 

A list of babysitters from the grounds and surrounding community is compiled by the Education Department. This list may or may not include Club staff. Please email aporter@chq.org to request a copy of the babysitting list. 

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