Frequently Asked Questions

Drop off starts as early as 8am and campers must be picked up by 5:30pm.

Yes! Camp Si-La-Meo runs weekly sessions from June to August. Sign up for one week, two, or for the whole summer.

You can find a Camp Packing List here. Campers should be prepared with adequate clothing, rain gear every day, and a positive attitude! Candy, gum, food, matches, lighters, weapons, fireworks,  cell phones and other electronic devices are not allowed at camp.

Yes, campers are organized into small groups based on age. However, some activities include children from multiple age groups. These are pre-planned as leadership building activities and generally provide an opportunity for older campers to mentor or assist younger campers with adult supervision.

Yes, if they are similar age. We like campers to make new friends while they are at camp, so we limit the number of friends you can request to two. Siblings can be at camp at the same time and will see each other, but we group campers by age and find that they have the best experiences when they are with campers their own age.

If your child would like to be assigned to a group or cabin with a friend or relation of the same age and gender, you must list this information on the health form when registering.

We are generally able to accommodate most children, but reserve the right to make determinations on a case-by-case basis. Please give us a call to discuss your child’s needs.

Scholarships are available. Call us or click here for more information.

Campers are not allowed any electronic devices anywhere in camp. We strongly recommend that you do not communicate with your child during camp. In the event of an emergency, you can call the camp phone (always listed at drop-off and in the camp handbook) to speak with a Camp Leadership Team member.

Any visitor to camp must check in with the leadership staff upon arrival. For the safety of our campers and staff, Camp Si-La-Meo is a closed program, and all visits during sessions must be scheduled and approved by the program manager. Camp visits will be very limited for summer 2021 due to increased health and safety protocols.

No, children must meet the minimum age requirements as indicated on the Field Trips Schedule.

No because tracking each camper’s attendance is an important safety tool. Do not substitute one camper’s activities for another.

Camp Fire will send parent emails one week prior to session attendance. In addition to our regular camp packing list, we will communicate any trip-specific apparel requirements.

We strongly encourage punctual attendance, but in the event of unexpected delays, call Camp Si-La-Meo leadership before re-routing. If it is possible to accommodate your child’s late attendance, further instructions will be given at that time.

No, for safety reasons we require all campers to return on the camp bus.

Camp Si-La-Meo field trips are always fully staffed by our team of trained professionals, so we do not need parent volunteers.

Camp staff are carefully screened to ensure that they 1) love and respect the needs of children and know how to have fun 2) have first aid, CPR, and other appropriate certifications and 3) are prepared for the unique demands of a camp setting. Our staff typically return to work at Camp Si-La-Meo for several years. They are often college students who are studying education, psychology, sociology, recreation or other youth development related fields.

Camp staff are required to have their first aid and CPR certificates, a completed background check, two interviews and three excellent references completed before working. Camp Fire Alaska hosts five days of training before the beginning of the summer where staff are oriented in the Camp Fire program philosophy, safety and emergency procedures, group and behavior management, roles and responsibilities, child development, and COVID safety procedures.

Camp Si-La-Meo is located on the campus of Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage. The location is an outdoor environment with trails for hiking, grassy areas for cabin group activities, a field for sports, and a lake for boating activities. We are outside all day every day, regardless of weather, but we do have several tents for use when needed.

Since 1963, Camp Si-La-Meo has been accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). As a leading authority in child development, the ACA works to preserve, promote, and improve the camp experience. The association certifies that accredited camps have: safe camp communities; caring, competent adult role models; healthy, developmentally-appropriate experiences; service to the community and the natural world; opportunities for leadership and personal growth; experiential education and learning opportunities; and overall excellence.

In the event of an emergency, Camp Fire staff will follow our emergency procedures and will keep your child safe until you can pick them up. Camp Fire will attempt to contact parents by phone and/or text message if the situation warrants it, but parents should also check Facebook, our website, and email accounts for communication about the situation and instructions on where and when to pick their child up. If you do not hear from Camp Fire, the event has not disrupted our ability to provide a fun and safe learning environment, and you can plan to pick your child up as usual.

Camp Fire staff will notify the registering adult if their child becomes ill. An adult must pick up the child within one hour. Staff will call the Emergency Contact(s) if they cannot reach the registering adult. Please keep your child home if they have any of the following symptoms:

• Severe pain or discomfort particularly in joints, ears, or abdomen
• Vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Severe cough or sore throat
• Oral or axillary temperature of 101.4 degrees F or more
• Yellow skin or eyes
• Red eyes with discharge
• Infected, untreated skin patches or lesions
• Difficult or rapid breathing
• Severe itching of body or scalp
• Skin rashes lasting more than one day
• Swollen joints
• Visibly enlarged lymph nodes
• Stiff neck
• Blood or pus from ear, skin, urine or stool
• Unusual behavior for the child characterized by no playing, confusion, inconsolable crying
• Loss of appetite characterized by refusing all solids