Cub Creek Science Camp has been in operation since 1993. We have been in our current location at Bear River Ranch since 2002.

Cub Creek Science Camp started because of a lifelong dream of Lori’s to create a fun, educational environment where curious kids can explore and learn about things that interest them, under the guidance of motivating staff. Because animals and science have always been Lori’s great interests, she chose to make them the underlying theme of Cub Creek Science Camp. All activities are fueled by an appreciation for curiosity.

Camp is operated and facilitated by a team of Directors year-round. Lori and Scott Martin are the Founders and Owners of Cub Creek Science Camp. Our program directors, Natalie, Nathan, and Claireesa; oversee every part of camp from staffing, training, adventure, and science programs. Our animal team is managed by Makayla who oversees the care and support of each of our animals and animal programs. For full biographies of our camp’s full-time employees click HERE!

Camp is located on Bear River Ranch in Rolla, Missouri. Camp’s address is 16795 State Route E, Rolla, Missouri 65401. You can get to camp in a couple ways from anywhere nearby using I-44 and/or Highway 63. For specific directions, click HERE or give us a call!

Our summer staff are typically college students or recent college graduates, ages 18 to 24, with a love of animals, science, children, and the outdoors. Many of them are studying to become veterinarians, educators, zoologists, etc. Many of our staff are also former Cub Creek campers who want to give back the same experience they had at camp.

At capacity, 276 campers will be at a single session (week) of camp. That includes our teen-leadership campers called ASITs.

Registration is simple! To begin a registration, click here. That link will take you to the “Registration Page” on our website which outlines our camper database, Campwise. And has some “registration specific” information for you. If you are wanting to see camp’s prices, dates, and most recent availability, you go to camp’s Dates and Rates page. That page is easily accessible at the very top blue bar of our website.

As soon as possible! Sessions begin to fill and your options narrow starting in January! We have also seen sessions begin to close then, too! Once your deposit for your chosen week or weeks has been paid, your spot for camp is reserved! If you are considering camp, and you need time to think, we understand. But in the late Winter into Spring session availability will change greatly. If you’d like to Register now, click HERE.

Tuition costs include housing, meals for each day of camp and access to all our activities. When you register for Cub Creek, tuition covers our amazing camp experience, but it also accounts for our modern cabins with air-conditioning, multiple in-cabin bathrooms, up to 4 staff per cabin, and spacious bunks rooms.

No! All that is needed to get a Registration locked in place is a $100 deposit. Payment for Registrations are due April 1. You can make payments leading up to camp in whatever method works best for you. You can set up automatic payments through Campwise, you can call in periodically to make payments, you can send in checks, or you can choose to make one final payment on April 1st.

In order to hold a space in camp, a deposit of $100 is required. All deposits are non-refundable. All deposits are non-transferrable to another camper or to another summer. Deposits may be moved to a different session in the same summer. To read more about our refund policy and deposits, click here.

No. In order to hold a space for anyone a deposit is required. In Campwise, you will notice that a camper is “enrolled” before the deposit is paid. If your camper is “enrolled” status, their space is not being reserved/held.

We have a Camp Store that campers can visit during free-time for snacks, toys, games, toiletries and more. The average camp store deposit for campers is $50. For campers staying more than one consecutive week at camp, there is a “Stayover weekend fee”. This is $150. We have a full time photography team who takes pictures of our campers all week long! If you are interested in buying those photos, a camp photo flash drive is $25(Digital) or $35(Physical). For campers who are flying into/out of the St. Louis airport for a camp session, there are shuttle fees starting at $85 (incoming) and $100 (outgoing). Read more about transport here. For information on how to add any of these click here. 

Sessions can be switched at any time for any reason as long as space/availability allows. Depending on the time at which the switch needs to be made:
* With 16 days notice from the start of the session: Deposits and all tuition will be moved to a new session.
* With less than 16 days notice: A $50 charge is applied and deposits are non-transferable to the new session.
* After April 1st: Tuition must be paid in full in order to move campers between sessions.
To switch camper weeks, you can call, email, or use our chat feature to let us know where we can move your camper’s registration. You are not able to move a camper’s week on your own in Campwise. Please give us you and your camper’s full name

Please read the camp’s full refund policy here. Cancellations of a Camper’s Registration may be done at any time, but refunds for a cancelled session depend on the following:
On or before April 1st: If registration is canceled prior to April 1st, total payment will be returned, minus the non-refundable deposit. If payment was made by credit card, a 3% credit card processing fee will apply to the refunded amount.
After April 1st, before May 1st: If cancellation occurs on or before May 1st, half the total payment will be returned, minus the non-refundable deposit. If payment was made by credit card, a 3% credit card processing fee will apply to the refunded amount.
After May 1st: No refund is offered if cancellation occurs after May 1st.
Credit for 30 days notice: If you have paid in full, and cancel your child’s registration at least 30 days prior to your child’s camp session, we will provide a credit toward next summers tuition equal to 50% of the paid tuition (less the deposit).
Credit for 16 days notice: If you have paid in full, and cancel your child’s registration at least 16 days prior to your child’s camp session, we will provide a credit toward next summers tuition equal to $25% of the paid tuition (less the deposit).

To cancel your camper’s registration, you will need to email the office at office@cubcreeksciencecamp.com. Please include your campers first and last name in your email. Please be aware of camp’s cancellation policy.

To switch camper weeks, you can call, email, or use our chat feature to let us know where we can move your camper’s registration. You are not able to move a camper’s week on your own in Campwise. When you email or chat, please give your full name and your camper’s full name along with the week they are currently in and the week you are hoping to move to. If you leave us a voicemail, let us know the same information and we will send you an email confirmation letting you know when it is done.

Some campers attend camp with a friend OR maybe your child made a friend in a previous summer and wants to be in a cabin with them again! In this case, you can make a “Cabin Request” within Campwise. In order for us to help match campers, please input a child’s FULL name (first and last) and try not to only use nicknames. We try our best to match all cabin requests for campers. To read more about cabin requests and how we assign cabins, click here. Cabin Requests are not required! And we ENCOURAGE campers to come to camp regardless if they have someone who would attend with them. We have many first time campers who do not come with friends in their first year.
For more information on how to upload Cabin Mate Requests click here.

Kind of… We ask that all families submit their camper’s course preferences via Campwise by May 1st. Preferences usually open up in Campwise around February. You do not need to pick their classes prior to arriving. Once campers arrive to camp they’ll be able to confirm or change their course assignments, and be able to sign up daily for their classes.
If you would like to help prepare your camper for camp, you can go through our various activities on our website and start helping them decide which activities they are interested in. They can then bring a list of those activities to camp! Their counselors will help them in building their camp schedule.
*Please note that while we try to offer all of our classes and courses each week, we occasionally cannot offer certain activities based on campers and staff*

If you experience any issues with logging into Campwise, please call us! 573-458-2125 Please do not make a second or different account for your camper if you know you already have a log in. We are not able to see your password, but we can reset your existing account to allow you access again. We are able to help with other issues you may run into including uploading documents, viewing multiple campers, etc. If you are having those issues, give us a call!

Every camper is required to have paperwork on file for them prior to attending camp. This includes:
Medical History. This outlines a camper’s medical past and present including mental and emotional history.
Medication Form signed by a Physician. * For campers taking ANY medications, supplements, or vitamins on a schedule while at camp, they need our medical form signed by their doctor prior to their arrival at camp. For medications that are as needed (inhalers, epipens, OTC or prescribed) we do not need a physician signature. This is ONLY for campers who are needing a scheduled and regular/daily administration of a medication, supplement, or vitamins by our Nurse/Health team.
Authorization and Consent. This form outlines expectations and mutual agreements between you and camp.
Immunization History. You will upload a record of your child’s vaccination records. In the case that they are not vaccinated, you will upload a letter saying that you have chosen to not vaccinate and saying that you understand/assume possible risks.
Proof of Insurance. You will upload a copy of the insurance card, front and back.
Transportation Plans. All families will tell us how they are planning to get their camper to and from camp.
All of this paperwork is now handled online through our Camp Database , Campwise.
Click here for more information on how to upload and fill out these forms.

The drop off time for Cub Creek campers is always on the Sunday of the session between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. On check-in, there is a set of locations that all families visit to make sure your child is prepared for their week at camp. This includes visiting the Nurse for campers with medications or allergies & The Camp Store to make sure your camper has money on their spending account. Campers may not fully tour camp, but they will be able to show you camp on the last day! For the full information to prepare for check-in, please read the Parent Handbook. For our teen leadership program’s check-in information, please check the ASIT page.

The pickup/check-out is between 9:00 am and 11:00 am on Saturday for all campers, including ASITs. On check-out day, your camper is allowed to give you a full tour of camp-please plan on spending at least 30 minutes to an hour touring camp. Check-out is also the day when you can do Early Bird Registration for the next summer with a special deal, you can shop at our camp store, there will be animals available for permanent adoption, and you can purchase camp photos. Full information for check-out can be found here. **Please do not bring pets to check-out. They will not be permitted into camp.

A suggested packing list is located in the Parent Resources section of the website. The only items we require all campers and staff to have are closed-toe shoes and a water bottle. Cub Creek will provide all necessary activity equipment and there are no additional fees for activity supplies. Campers are encouraged to bring items that make them feel at home and comfortable, but camp is a technology-free-zone, so cell phones, tablets, computers, and other electronics are not allowed. Our camp store is also well-equipped and has any items of clothing and toiletries campers may need. And in the case your camper needs anything, you are welcome to send them a package or talk to a member of the management team to help work that out.

We offer transportation for all campers flying into camp via St. Louis International Airport. Transportation service between camp and the airport is available starting at $85 for the trip to camp and $100 for the return trip to the airport for departure home. We ask that all campers flying into St Louis to camp make sure they read, understand, and plan for travel according to camp’s Transportation Guidelines. To read this, click HERE. For regular campers, flights should be scheduled to arrive between 10 am and 1 pm on the first day of camp, and depart between 1 pm and 4 pm on the last day of camp. We must have exact flight information by May 1st; a late fee will be assessed for flight information received after May 1st.

Camp has been known to help campers gain independence and learn some soft skills in communication, cooperation, and kindness. All kids can benefit from this! It’s hard to say that one indicator is universal for all future campers, but we would suggest just asking your child if he or she is ready! Opening up the conversation at first can be all the answer you need. We don’t at all want any camper to be “forced” into camp or a situation that they are not ready for. However, we find that while going to sleep-away camp for the first time may be scary, the benefits that our campers walk away with greatly overshadow their initial trepidations. The real question is… “How do I know when I am ready to send my child to sleep-away camp?”. Sometimes, a parent’s own fear keeps a camper from growing here at camp. Try sleepovers, overnight stays at the grandparents or friends, or weekend trips away from home! These may be helpful indicators for how to determine you and your camper’s readiness. If you’d like to talk more about your camper’s readiness, give us a call!

Our staff are trained to help ALL campers fit in. The first day of camp is spent learning each other’s names, familiarizing everyone with the camp set-up and the week’s activities, and breaking the “awkward” ice. Our staff are kind and silly – That alone can help anyone feel less self-conscious and more comfortable! The buddy system is used when moving between activities so no camper is left alone. This is primarily for safety, but it is great in getting campers paired up with low-pressure. We have seen even the most shy camper become the one leading all the songs to all of camp on the last day! We try to build and maintain an environment of inclusivity each session to help campers feel a sense of belonging. In short, camp is for all kids. There is a place here for quiet kids, too.

At Cub Creek, our primary teen-leadership program is called the ASIT , Animal Specialist in Training Program. Our ASITs are campers who have responsibilities around camp including assisting in the animal area during each morning’s animal rounds. They are also role models at camp and are expected to be upholding camp rules, who are kind to others and are willing to meet someone new, and are enthusiastic about camp. ASITs are prepared to be silly and/or step out of their comfort zone in order to help enrich another’s camp experience. ASITs have opportunities to express and develop leadership and communication skills throughout the day by working alongside counselors for a cabin, assisting in camp’s activities, and occasionally helping during Evening Activity. ASITs are *invited* to the program by our camp directors.

The ASIT Program is for high schoolers who are current/past Cub Creek campers. All ASITs should be in high school, having finished at least 9th grade, while in the program (no exceptions!). We also require that all ASITs have attended Cub Creek in the past for at least one year. Anyone who fits that basic criteria is eligible for the program. Each year, our camp staff contribute highly to letting us know who we should invite to camp as an ASIT in the coming summer. They submit their “Recommendations” for campers in their cabin and campers who take classes like ASIT for a Day and the LIT course. That information is gathered by our Program Director over ASITs, who then compiles an invitation list. To read ALL the criteria that we consider when selecting future ASITs, please go to our ASIT Information page.

If your child is ready for a sleep-away camp and loves animals, exploring nature, adventurous activities, and/or learning about science, then Cub Creek Science Camp will be an excellent fit! We have so many activity options here at camp that every camper can find something they love! The best way to know is to talk to us about camp! Give us a call or schedule a camp tour! To read more about this you can view our First Time Families page.

Every camper is different and how long they should attend is entirely up to you. You should base that decision on your family’s summer schedule and your camper’s readiness for sleep-away camp. However, if the formation of strong friendships is a goal, we recommend at least two weeks. Campers are able to build stronger bonds over the course of two weeks. They are given more time to connect with cabin mates and counselors and feel more comfortable in their surroundings. Two weeks may also be the amount of time that some campers need to feel most comfortable at camp. Program wise, campers are able to participate in more classes and have the chance to retake old courses and try new ones!

We don’t recommend visiting a camper during their week. Many times this can be disruptive to their progression, growth and schedule. However, we will never tell a parent that they can’t see their child! Parents who have children staying for multiple weeks are welcome to visit camp on the Saturday or Sunday between a week. During a camper week, no visitors may go beyond the camp’s office. Parents who are visiting campers should arrive at the office starting at 9 am. They may choose to stay and visit with the camper(s) in the office, or take them to lunch or an activity. We ask that campers be returned to camp prior to evening activity at 7:30 pm.
Please set up visits and off-camp trips in advance with our office manager by calling 573-458-2125 or emailing office@cubcreeksciencecamp.com. If you are taking your camper off property and it’s not the end of their session, they must be signed in and out at the office.

On Saturday, when the campers who are not staying for the weekend prepare to leave, the multi-week campers (we call them “stay-overs’), have a special day planned. Firstly, we plan an activity in the morning during camp’s check-out time that keeps them engaged and busy. Once check out is over, they come to the dining hall to have lunch and continue on with the day. Each stay-over weekend is different! All weekends, campers staying-over will do laundry. You can read about the weekends at camp here.

We have a full-time nurse on staff during the summer. She oversees medication distribution at camp along with her assistant. There are four times when campers are given their prescription medication(s): all three meals and before bedtime. According to your camper’s needs and what is suggested by your physician, while at camp, your child should take medications at one or more of those designated times. Medications are kept in the health lodge under the watch of the Nurse. She brings only the proper medications to the dining hall to be passed out at meals, and the night medications are passed out in the health lodge. Parents are responsible for coming to camp with medications sorted according to the schedule they have outlined on the Medication Form (Campwise). We require a physician’s signature to pass any medication, vitamin, or supplement to your child on a scheduled basis. More information about Medications including how to package them can be found HERE.

We are happy to provide reminders, prompts and assistance to ensure that campers are able to stay happy, healthy and safe at camp. Staff are trained to assist campers in a fun and positive way, to ensure that they wash their hair, brush their teeth, wear clean clothes, keep their belongings organized, make it to their activities and even assist them in making friends. However, we do require that campers be able to take basic care of themselves. They should be able to perform hygiene and basic care on their own without direct help from a counselor or staff member. We are not able to provide one-on-one assistance to campers and our staff are not trained to be able to bathe, clothe, etc. a camper. We will be happy to talk to you prior to camp about any concerns you have, or about things we need to be aware of in order to ensure a wonderful camp experience for your child. Be sure to give us as much information as possible on your child’s camp paperwork and reach out to us by phone with any questions.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions by parents. Safety at camp is our highest concern and priority. We follow the American Camp Association’s (ACA) guidelines for health and safety requirements. We have a record and procedure in place for ALL emergencies, any natural disaster, and any unexpected problem. Furthermore, we require all that in order to work at camp, each staff member must be interviewed, screened, and background checked; they also receive two weeks of training before they work with the campers. We stress the importance of the buddy system to staff members and they know to keep up with and account for their campers at ALL times. While camp is in session NO ONE other than camp staff is allowed past the Camp Office. All camp visitors are asked to wait for their campers or friends in the main office. Parents are always welcome to call the office with any questions or concerns. Overall, when thinking about “safety”, you should know that our reputation and name is important to US! We want to maintain a healthy and safe camp environment and provide the best service for our camp families because that’s what we want to be appreciated and known for. Read more about camp safety here.

We have a Camp Nurse who lives on-site adjacent to the Health Lodge all 10-weeks of camp. Our camp nurse is responsible for overseeing the administration of medication as well providing first aid when needed. While prevention is the best policy, we are prepared to handle medical issues and injuries that may arise at camp. If we have a need that cannot be met at camp, we are only 15 minutes away from a local walk-in clinic, that is able to provide medical diagnosis and treatment. We are also just ten minutes away from our local hospital.

Parents will be notified if their child needs medical attention that requires something beyond that which can be administered on-site or if their child spends more than 3 hours in our health lodge. (The nearest hospital is only 10 miles away, and we also have several walk-in clinics that we utilize IF needed, which are also only 10 minutes away.)

While at camp, if a camper is feeling homesick, we try to keep them very busy and involved with their peers. We have found that being able to keep their mind busy on an activity helps for them to distract their homesick thoughts. In the rare case that the camper is still not adjusting after a few days, our wellness coordinators (Nathan or Claireesa) will get involved personally. If it is needed, they will call you to discuss and make a plan that works for your child, you, and camp. Campers do not call home when they are homesick; In many cases getting on the phone makes them feel worse! Instead, they are encouraged to send emails and write letters. We wish to help every camper overcome their homesickness and help them have a sense of accomplishment after defeating it.

Information on our staff requirements and hiring can be found in the “Join Our Team” section of our website. As a former camper parent who is about to transition into a “staff parent” here are the things you need to know. When your camper transitions into a paid position here at camp, our communications will also transition into being solely with them. We cannot discuss hiring, payment, or any other “job related” information with you. This will be difficult- for both of us! But we want to 1. Encourage a mature and professional relationship with camp so that our staff understand this new boundary 2. Make sure that our staff understand expectations and their work information as we need it communicated from us directly to them. All hired and paid staff must be high-school graduates- no exceptions. All staff must apply online, do an interview, and pass a background check. If your child is interested in working at camp, PLEASE do not reach out on their behalf. Encourage them to send us an email, call, or chat with us on the website. Before inquiring, please make sure to read all the information posted on the website.

All applicants to Cub Creek Science Camp must complete an application. This requires reference checks, past employment, and information about them. All applications will interview with a member of our Director’s team. We try to conduct all interviews via video chat or in-person. Once hired, a clean background check must be completed on our end before a staff member begins their mandatory two-week staff training. Prior to camp, all staff are required to complete online training. Lastly, before working with us during the summer, all summer camp staff must train with us during our in-person staff training at Cub Creek. This two-week time period allows for us to get to know the members on our team personally to make sure they are the right fit for camp. They are given the opportunity to learn camper’s structure, goals, and expectations prior to working with us for the following 10 weeks of camp.

Our cabins are set up to have a max of 4 counselors. Depending on the summer, a cabin can have anywhere from 2 to 4 counselors per 16 (at max) campers. In activities, depending on the safety needs, we can have one staff monitoring up to 12 campers. 12 is our general maximum for average activities. However, activities like riflery and archery require more supervision and have two assigned staff members to them per 12 campers. In a General summer, we have anywhere from 40 to 60 counselors, who are all instructors in our activities. A full staff team is close to 100 staff members who are also additional instructors and supervisors.

Not really :/ Here’s the truth: If you had a staff from a previous summer/session – we LOVE to hear that! We pass that information on to our staff! However, we place staff in cabins who we believe are best fit for a specific age group and we place campers in cabins based on their age and possible camper requests. We do not assign campers to cabins based on the staff.

Each 1600 square foot cabin has air-conditioning, 2 private, in-cabin bathrooms and showers, 8 semi-private bunk rooms with a bunk bed in each , a large covered porch, and a central meeting room. While campers spend most of their time away from the cabins, we think it is important that campers are able to get a good night’s sleep and have a comfortable area to lounge when not outside. Each cabin is built to accommodate 16 campers and 4 counselors. Campers share bunk rooms in pairs and live in the front half of the cabin. Counselors have their own bunk space in the back half of the cabin. You can see and read more about our cabins HERE.

In Cabins, campers are arranged according to their age and biological sex. In each cabin, we try to keep campers within two grade year of each other (Ex. 3rd, 4th and 5th grades).   Campers are usually within one grade of each other to allow for cabins to be as close in age/maturity as possible. We honor cabin requests given to us as best as we can. If campers are cabin requested and in different grades and different ages, the cabin make up will match that of the younger camper. We will never place a younger camper in a cabin with majority older campers to meet a cabin request, without first consulting with the parents.
For information on how to upload cabin mate requests click here.
*Keep in mind that cabin sizes and cabin ages are dependent on the campers signed up for camp.*

The camp store is a favorite place to visit during the afternoon free period. Our camp store is extensive and covers all the bases! We sell essentials like toiletries and personal items, items for entertainment such as coloring books, journals, and playing cards, but also snacks, stuffed animals and apparel!

Parents typically budget about $50 per camper, per week, but of course, we think that parents should provide whatever they wish for their campers! When placing money on account, please be aware that money left over in the account is not refunded. At the end of a camper’s session, all monies above $5 not including Early Bird are available for transfer to future Cub Creek sessions. This money will be automatically applied, no need to request it. Money under $5, or specified, will be donated to camp’s scholarship and animal care fund. We ask that campers not carry cash or cards at camp. It’s unfortunately too easy to lose and keeping track of what’s spent is hard with cash. Parents are encouraged, but not required, to put money on a camper’s account in the camp store.

Sorry, no. Our store is not attached to a system where parents can directly monitor spending. We do not reach out to parents to tell them how much is on their campers account during a session or if they have run out of money. Most times… you’ll know if your camper has run out in the session because they will send you an email! Camper’s cannot over-spend in their accounts, so you won’t be asked to pay a “debt”. Families may always add additional funds to their camper’s accounts during a session if they wish. Please keep in mind that we do not refund unspent money from the store. Instead, we apply all unspent money above $5 to their future camp session. If you are worried about “too much candy”, we do limit kids to no more than three sugary items per day.

There is no short answer to what is offered at meals! All of camp’s breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are different. In a typical week waffles, pancakes, hash browns, bacon, and eggs would be served for breakfast; hamburgers, cold sandwiches, pasta salad, and chicken nuggets would be served for lunch; and dinner would be anything from spaghetti to chicken wings! All of camp’s meals are served buffet style, allowing campers to choose what and how much of what is being offered for that meal. A variety of juices and milk is offered at every meal. There are always alternative options for meals including bagels, cereal, PB&J, ramen, mac and cheese, fresh fruit, and a salad bar.

Our activities are what make us stand apart from other camps! At Cub Creek Science Camp, we have a variety of animal related activities for all kinds of animal lovers. Jr. Vet, Adopt an Animal, and Amazing Animals are our three most popular animal activities. Chemistry, Physics, and Pond Study are camp’s most engaged hands-on science courses. But what is summer camp without archery and friendship bracelets?! We offer all of the favorite “traditional” camp activities such as tie-dying, outdoor living skills, archery, fishing, swimming, and crafts. Each night comes to a close with an Evening Activity, where all of camp comes together. You can dive deep into our camp activities HERE.

Our most popular courses like Jr. Vet, Adopt an Animal, and Amazing Animals, have no maximum! This means, each camper who wishes to be in those courses are guaranteed to be in them! We know that many campers come to camp to enjoy those specific activities so we have designed them to be able to handle a large number of campers and we have planned for them to be offered multiple times.

With some of our other activities, safety or space requires the course to remain capped at a certain number. We try our best to get all campers into the classes and courses they came to camp for, adding supervisors or changing the schedule is a possibility when needed. The best advice we can offer is to send your camper with a list of the activities they want to do while at camp. This way their counselors can have a visual to help them get into the activities they want. Encourage your campers to feel empowered to speak up for themselves. We are determined to help every camper have the experience they are expecting!

Our program is divided into Junior campers and Senior campers. Junior campers are those campers who are 7-11 years and (up through 5th grade); Senior campers are 12-17 years old (finished 6th grade and up). During our activity periods, campers are grouped as Seniors and Juniors.

Courses and classes are the names given to the camp activities that campers choose for their activity periods each day. Each camper will choose two courses for each week at camp and two classes for each day of camp.

Courses are activities that campers participate in all week long. If a camper signs up for the chemistry course, for example, each day at the same time she will meet with the chemistry instructors and the same group of campers who also signed up for chemistry. During this course, she will make flubber, create giant bubbles, and make a rainbow in a jar, as well as other fun experiments that will help her understand more about states of matter, compounds, mixtures, etc.

Classes are activities that change daily. If a camper did not sign up for the weeklong chemistry course, he would still be able to participate in one or more of our chemistry classes, such as a 1-hour class on flubber or giant bubbles.

In our Activity Periods section under Camp Activities, you will note symbols next to the Classes and Courses of camp. These will better help you navigate all the activities our campers can enjoy. Read more HERE

We ask that all families upload their camper’s Course preferences into Campwise by May 1st. For more information on how to do this click here.

In our Activity Periods section under Camp Activities, you will note symbols next to the Classes and Courses of camp. These will better help you navigate all the activities our campers can enjoy. Read more HERE

Campers start their day at 7:00am for either early bird or 8:00am for breakfast and end their day between 9:00-10:00pm depending on age. In between those times they participate in four activity periods, free time, siesta, and evening activity. To read more specifics of our daily schedule click here.

At Cub Creek, campers are divided into two age groups to help us with activity/class sizes and assigning cabins. Juniors are campers who are 7 to 11 years old and who have finished up to 5th grade before the start of their camp session. Seniors are 12 to 17 years old and have finished at least 6th grade prior to their camp session. There are a few courses and classes that are available for only Juniors or Seniors. Read more about these activities here.

ALL of Cub Creek is Vet Camp, Animal Camp, Science Camp, and more ! Our campers have access to ALL 100+ activities in all the different subject matters and interests. By signing up for Cub Creek, you have given your child the ability to do it all!

The ASITs are our teen-leadership campers. They were individually invited to the Program by camp’s Director team based on their leadership skills and potential. They help assist in the animal area for morning rounds, assist during camp activities, and have an “adopted” cabin that they can help in every day. You can read more about ASITs here.

Campers must be in high school to be a participant in the ASIT Program. At the time of their ASIT session, each participant should have completed at least the 9th grade. In the Fall, when we are inviting first time ASITs into the program for the next year’s summer, the “eligible” campers are the ones who have entered at least 9th grade.

The ASIT Program is still a part of Cub Creek’s camper program and ASITs pay the same tuition rate as campers. The ASITs are in a position of leadership, but they still have counselors and a Program that is dedicated to their growth and learning. ASITs walk away from camp with MANY service hours that are able to be used towards school or future endeavors. We allow them chances to grow skills in working with animals and children in a supervised and guided environment of camp. ASITs camp experience is special to us! Their ASIT Leaders are dedicated to making special events for them and making sure camp is focused on their happiness, too. You can find the rates for the ASIT program in the “ASIT Program Dates & Rates” table.

That is OKAY! We think that there is value in also wanting to be a camper for a long as they want/can! Sometimes, our campers want to wait until they feel ready or they don’t necessarily feel like the ASIT program resonates with them. We welcome campers all the way until 17 so we still want them here with us at camp!

The ASITs live in one big building called The Dakotas. The building has a female and male sleeping quarters with a shared lounge space in the middle. Both sides can fit up to 18 ASITS with the total number of ASITs at full capacity being 36.

ASITs don’t partake in the activities offered for our general camper program. Instead they assist with those activities. ASITs are most commonly found in the animal area, but they also assist at Ropes Course, arts activities and any other activity that requires extra help. ASITs have additional responsibilities added to their daily schedule including Morning Rounds every morning at 7 am, time with their adopted cabin, group meetings during lunch, and weekly training . ASIT sessions also require a non-refundable deposit of $250 per week as opposed to the non-refundable $100 deposit required for the camper program. We ask for this commitment because inviting ASITs is an in-depth process and once all the invites have been sent out for the year, we do not invite more campers. ASITs also have special privileges at camp like having a once a week outing away from camp, their own lounge, breaks, and their cell phones.

Invitations begin to go out in the Fall after camp. Depending on the number of applicants/eligible campers, it can fluctuate. Typical communications will begin in mid to late September and continue through October. Campers being invited will get an invitation by email sent to the parents. We will also follow up if we have not heard back from an invited camper to make sure they have received our invitation.

At the end of the ASIT Invitations and all ASITs have been selected, we will be sending you a link to our “ASIT Training page”. Here you will find essays written and your ASIT Manual. These are the first things you can read to get prepared! As the winter and spring progresses, we will make additions to that page and start gearing up for camp.

That is alright! We are able to transfer your registration into the ASIT Program. Since the deposits for the ASIT Program is $250 per-week, you will have to pay the remaining amount left to hold your ASIT’s spot. But that is not a problem at all.

Over the years, we noticed that this is truly the most fair way to invite campers into the Program. Both in terms of the recommendations that each eligible camper receives and in the registration process. We believe the campers who went above and beyond should receive recognition for that. It goes a long way to be kind and helpful, welcoming to others, to use appropriate language at all times, and to follow camp rules (*etc). By inviting campers in rounds, we also relieve the pressure and stress in the registration process. There are limited spots, so by making smaller rounds we are able to easily manage registration and be forthcoming about available spots.

That is alright! We are able to transfer your registration into the ASIT Program. Since the deposits for the ASIT Program is $250 per-week, you will have to pay the remaining amount left to hold your ASIT’s spot. But that is not a problem at all.

Campers are invited to the program starting the year they enter high school. If you/your camper did not attend camp the summer before you were eligible and therefore did not get the most recent recommendations from our camp staff, you can still write a Letter of Interest and send it in to camp! Again, we suggest that anyone- a camper last summer or not write a letter to show their interest and increase the chances of being invited. If you have never attended Cub Creek, you are not eligible to be invited to Cub Creek’s ASIT Program.

Deposits for ASITs are different than our general camper program at $250 per week. We require a higher deposit because the ASIt program is selective and we want to ensure more commitment to the position. When we invite ASITs, we do so based on the number of positions available- we don’t want to invite a significantly higher number of campers than there are spaces. Therefore, when a space is left vacant in the ASIT Program, it is harder for us to fill and it can’t be filled by just “anyone”.

Camp Staff begin their time with us at Staff Training. The dates for Staff Training are posted on the “Application Page” of our website. Staff should be able to attend all of in-person staff training; This is an important time for meeting your fellow camp staff and learning about your responsibilities and the expectations of camp. Staff should also be prepared to stay for all ten weeks of camper’s camp through the weekend. Our camp staff contracts begin with staff training and end the Sunday after camp is over for campers. Summer 2025 will run May 18th – August 10.

You can drive, take a bus, train, fly, whatever! We can pick up anyone from the bus station in Rolla, Missouri and we schedule pick ups from the St Louis International airport.

We’re sorry to say that due to the nature of our program and facility, we cannot have staff’s pets here at camp.

Counselor certainly get to tell us their preferences when interviewing, but we will be assigning counselors to cabins based on where we think they will best fit.

Yes! Each staff member has a day off during the camp week and each day we take a scheduled 2-hour break.

We are happy to work with our camp staff to aid them in meeting an internship requirement if possible. We ask that all staff understand both the requirements and expectations of being a camp counselor/staff and their full requirements of their internship. If both requirements can be met, then we can make it work! Read more about Internships here and read camp counselor requirements here.

All requests for days off must be made prior to camp. Weddings, family vacations, school required visits must be approved prior to the summer. Any vacation or additional time-off that is requested during the camp season can not be guaranteed. In all cases, pay will be adjusted time not worked.

No! All our camp staff live on property, so you will not be required to travel by car. You are welcome to bring a car to camp for your days off, but having a car is not something you *need*. We provide staff with transportation on days off, and many staff will also offer rides to town.

Counselors are our primary care-takers for campers. As a team, the counselors in a cabin focus on the health and happiness of the 16 campers of their cabin. They are there to guide campers in having a wonderful camp experience and role model maturity, fairness, and kindness. They live in-cabin with campers and are there to get them up and ready for the day and get them settled down at night. During the day, they spend time leading camp’s activities as instructors or assisting in those activities. That is a general overview of the job, to read more , check out the “Thinking About A Summer Job” page.

You can read about camp meals here. You should expect to eat meals in the dining hall 3 times a day. If you have restrictions in your diet, we ask that you prepare to discuss that in your interview with us. If you are hired, for foods we cannot accomodate, you will be asked to provide your own supplementary items.

Yes! Each staff member has a day off during the camp week and each day we take a scheduled 2-hour break.

You can read about a typical day at camp here. This is the schedule for campers Monday through Friday all summer. Counselors help get their campers to places on time, leading activities during the periods, and with their campers at meal times and evening activities.

Pay is individually negotiated with each applicant and written in the camp contracts. Base pay starts at $4000 with a $100 camp store credit for a full-summer contract. It’s important to be honest in your interview about your salary needs so that we can work with you to achieve your goal. We also offer a referral bonus for referring campers and staff to camp.

Short answer : no. But it is *highly* preferred. We have available positions for partial summer positions, and they depend on your experience with our camp or summer camp in general. Applications allow you to select how long you are looking to work with/for us and it will be discussed in your interview. If you will have graduated high-school the same summer that you are working for us, you will be applying as a Junior Counselor. These positions are ones that allow you to work partial summers and have alternative training options to fit your busy summer.

We require no previous summer camp experience for our summer camp counselors! We love if you have worked at a camp before or attended camp as a child, but we believe that camp can enter anyone’s life at any time. If you are looking for leadership position or partial summer, we will give preference to those who have previous experience.

All camp counselors must have graduated high school (or have a GED). Recent graduates who have not gone to college yet are eligible to apply to the Junior Counselor Program. Read about Junior Counselor here.