Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The KidSpirit Program

We work hard to live up to our reputation of having engaging, fun-loving, and supportive staff through a competitive hiring process. KidSpirit staff is comprised of high school and college students, who are all CPR and First Aid, Child Health and Safety, and Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect certified. Staff complete 20+ hours of intensive training to be ready to embody all of the KidSpirit expectations and philosophies on the first day of camp. Staff are coached and mentored by educational program assistants. This team includes local educators and year-round staff. Throughout the year, lesson and activity plans are continuously developed to provide a high-quality experience. 

Developmentally appropriate sports, art, education, and/or cooking skills are taught within our programs. But the fun doesn't end there! As a part of our KidSpirit mission, we guide our campers along to teach them the social and emotional skills they'll need to form lifelong friendships, all while taking part in sports, arts, and science instruction. Visit our KidSpirit mission page for more information on our curriculums and skills!

KidSpirit is a non-competitive program that emphasizes skill development and mastery. All activities promote fun while being safe and engaging. Through a positive Youth Development approach, KidSpirit fosters confidence, resilience, and teamwork, creating an environment that supports physical and social growth.

Positive Youth Development

PYD (Positive Youth Development) is a researched based approach to interacting and teaching youth. Not only can this be applied to youth, but to college students too. KidSpirit is a PYD program for both the youth we serve and our staff.

Positive Youth Development can be summarized into what is known as the 5 C’s which lead to a 6 C:

  1. Competence - The ability to act effectively in a variety of settings.

  2. Confidence - A sense of self-worth and belief that one can succeed.

  3. Connection - Developing positive bonds and a feeling of belonging.

  4. Caring/Compassion - Having sympathy and empathy for others.

  5. Character - Taking responsibility, finding independence, and learning one’s values.

  6. Contribution - Active participation within one’s community and groups they are a part of.

Registration & Classes

Visit our registration page or contact us for registration and payment questions. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so don't dilly-dally!

Note: If you made the registration over the phone with us, you will also need to complete the consent form before the camp starts. You can record your consent online by logging into your account using the link in the confirmation email or you can also download the consent form from our website at https://kidspirit.oregonstate.edu/consent and email the completed form to us at [email protected].

You can pay with a debit or credit card on our online registration site or over the phone immediately after registering, or you may pay by exact cash, by check or by card in-person in our office, Langton Hall room 125. We cannot accept American Express and are sorry for any inconvenience

Payments for swim lessons and gymnastics programs are due at registration.
Summer Day Camp Payments: The first session must be paid in full at registration.

  • Additional sessions require a $50 deposit per session. (Summer Day Camp only)
  • Full payment for all sessions is due three weeks before the start date.

KidSpirit offers need-based scholarships, thanks to the Geoff Tomlinson KidSpirit Scholarship Endowment Fund. Our base scholarship amount is 25%. Read more about our scholarships on our scholarship web page. You may apply for a scholarship in the payment section of your registration.

You may also set up a payment plan with KidSpirit, and make scheduled partial payments over a longer period of time to delay the upfront cost. To discuss negotiating a payment plan, please call, email us or visit our office.

If camp is inaccessible to you for any reason, please speak with us. We strive to make camp accessible for all our community members and families.

For privacy reasons, we cannot share information about other participants' registrations. You may certainly speak with the other child's guardian to coordinate your registrations. If you would like to register for a specific group you may select it in Ideal-Logic. If you want to change groups, you may call or email our office, or visit us in person.

 

  • Yes, you can switch classes. However, if the switch occurs within three weeks before the class begins, there is a $25 administrative fee for swim lessons and gymnastics classes to cover the administrative costs associated with the chnage. There is no charge for leveling up!
  • If you need to cancel a Summer Camp session within three weeks before it starts, there is $50 administrative fee. This fee covers the costs associated with processing the cancellation and the potential loss of the spot that could that could have been filled by another camper.

Call our office or email us to change your registration, or with any questions.

Cancellations and Refunds

  • Yes, you can switch classes. However, if the switch occurs within three weeks before the class begins, there is a $25 administrative fee for swim lessons and gymnastics classes to cover the administrative costs associated with the chnage. There is no charge for leveling up!
  • If you need to cancel a Summer Camp session within three weeks before it starts, there is $50 administrative fee. This fee covers the costs associated with processing the cancellation and the potential loss of the spot that could that could have been filled by another camper.

Call our office or email us to change your registration, or with any questions.

KidSpirit reserves the right to cancel or combine classes if the minimum number of required participants per class is not met. Should a cancelation occur, you will be contacted about our alternative class options. You will not be charged a fee to participate in an alternative option. If we cancel completely, we will provide a full refund.

 

KidSpirit programs require a minimum number of participants to run.

  • Summer Day Camp: A minimum of 14 campers is required per session. If a session does not meet the minimum enrollment, it will be canceled, and full refunds will be issued.
  • Swim & Gymnastics Programs: Minimum enrollment varies by age and skill level, following industry youth safety recommendation. Families will be notified if a session does not meet the required minimum, and appropriate adjustments or refunds will be provided.

KidSpirit prioritizes safety, quality instruction, and engaging experiences in all programs.

 

 

We may also cancel class due to weather in severe conditions. If this occurs we will let you know, and have information in a recorded message at our phone number, 541-737-KIDS (5437). KidSpirit will communicate via email about any make-up sessions.

We provide NO refunds after classes have begun. We do, however, make exceptions in the case of medical or family emergencies with a doctor’s note and/or other documentation. 

If you need to cancel your registration, call our office, email us or visit us in person. For swim lessons or gymnastics, we charge a $25 administrative fee for cancellations made three weeks or less prior to the class start date.

For Summer Day Camp, we charge a $50 adminstrative fee for cancellations made three weeks or less prior to the camp session start date.

Check-In and Check-Out

*Note - Anyone picking up a child must be in their authorized pick-up lists, and must present a physical photo ID at check-out.*

The check-in and check-out location varies by program, but our home-base is Langton Hall, and our office is in room 125. If you are ever unsure, visit us there!

  • Gymnastics check-in and -out will take place in the Langton main hallway.
  • Swimming check-in and -out will take place in the basement of the Women's Building, on the pool deck or in front of the locker rooms.
  • Night Out check-in and -out will take place in Langton, or in the PRAx lobby for PRAxKIDS.

Your program-specific location will be sent to you by email!

Any person who is picking up from KidSpirit must have their name on the child’s list of guardians, emergency contacts or approved pick-ups. This can be done via our Ideal-Logic registrations page, or by visiting our office. Only guardian/s listed are authorized to add or alter their approved pick-up list.

To set up an early pick-up for your child, give us a call! (541-737-KIDS (5437)) Please call at least 20 minutes in advance, so we can have your child in the office ready for you! All standard KidSpirit check-out procedures apply during early pick-up, including a valid photo identification.

During summer day camp, you may also submit the google form sent through link in your welcome email or available at check-in as a QR code.

No worries! Just check in with us, and we will get your child to class no problem.

We understand that parking on the OSU campus can be difficult! Please see our parking page for lots of information!

If you're running late to pick a child up from KidSpirit, call our office and let us know as soon as possible. Your child will come to the KidSpirit office, Langton Hall room 125, and wait for you until you arrive.

Summer Day Camp Logistics

Extended Care Options

Regular camp 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

Times Pricing
Pre-Care 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM

$65/ 2 Weeks

After-Care 4:30 PM - 5:45 PM

$85/ 2 Weeks

Campers will enjoy a safe, engaging environment with board games, arts and crafts, and physical activities led by our staff. This optional program offers families flexibility while ensuring a fun and structured experience before and/or after the regular camp day.

This fee covers materials like paints, canvases, clay, and other artistic tools, ensuring a high-quality hands-on creative experience. 

We are excited to introduce a new camp structure designed to better support campers' development at every stage! After gathering feedback from guardians, educators, and staff, we adjusted our age groups to provide more age-appropriate experiences, foster stronger peer connections, and ensure that each camper gets the most out of their time at KidSpirit. 

All 2025 Summer Day Camps are full-day, 2-week sessions. Extending camp sessions to two weeks allows campers to develop stronger relationships with peers and staff, engage in more in-depth projects, and experience greater consistency in learning and fun. This structure also better accommodates working families by providing a full-day option, ensuring a well-rounded and immersive camp experience. 

This change also simplified registration options for families and streamlined KidSpirit's administrative operations, so we can focus more time on planning and delivering quality programs. It also helps ensure we can plan for adequate staffing and maintain student:teacher ratios to support safety and learning. 

Miscellaneous

All participants requiring medication during a class must fill out an additional form, and bring the medication in the original container to the KidSpirit office. All medications will be kept in the KidSpirit office and dispensed as prescribed by a doctor.

      

Health and wellness is a shared responsibility, and at KidSpirit we commit to protect each other by protecting ourselves and practicing responsible wellness routines and expectations. If your child is sick we ask that they stay home. This includes the following:

• Fever of 100.4°F or higher (taken by ear)

• Severe cough (ex. deep, persistent or “wet”)

• Vomiting (must stay home for 24 hours after last incident of vomiting)

• Diarrhea (must stay home for 24 hours after stool is solid)

• Head lice (may return after being treated with a product that kills lice)

• Pink eye (may return after 24 hours on antibiotics)

• Sore throat

• Stiff neck with headache

• Unexplained rash or sores

• Yellowish skin or eyes

• Difficulty breathing, or wheezing

• Severe pain

• Communicable conditions like chicken pox.

 

If a child has any of the visible symptoms of an illness, described above or otherwise, they may be turned away from class for the day for the health of the other children and staff.

KidSpirit will call the listed guardian if any illness arises during programming. Any child with a fever of > 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or who starts to experience notable symptoms of illness, will wait in the KidSpirit office until they can be picked up.

  

KidSpirit follows Corvallis School District policies on lice (louse) and nit (eggs).

In the case of suspected head lice, KidSpirit follows the following protocol:

  • We screen a child for head lice if they appear to have symptoms
  • If lice are found, we notify the family and suggest prompt and effective treatment
  • Campers may remain at camp and our staff will limit close, head-to-head contact with other campers
  • We notify all parents if we discover multiple cases of head lice at once, and we encourage parents to check their child for lice
  • KidSpirit never discloses the name(s) of the affected camper(s).

If you have questions about head lice, here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about head lice from the Center of Disease Control:

What are head lice and how do you get them?

  • “A parasitic insect that can be found on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes of people.”
  • Found in three forms: the nit (egg), nymph (immature louse), and adult louse (lice)
    • Nits are eggs that live near the base of the hair shaft and are white or yellow in color.
    • Nymphs are immature lice that have hatched and look like an adult louse with a tan to greyish-white color.
    • Adult louse are about the size of a sesame seed, and are tan to greyish-white in color. They feed on blood and can live up to 30 days on a person’s head, but will die one or two days after falling off a host.
  • Lice are commonly found on the scalp, near the neckline at the back of the head and behind the ears.
  • Lice spread most commonly through head-to-head contact, shared clothing or personal belongings (such as grooming items and hats).
  • “Head lice should not be considered a medical or public health hazard, and do not spread disease”
  • “Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice”

Symptoms of Head Lice:

  • “Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair.”
  • “Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of the head louse.”
  • “Irritability and difficulty sleeping; head lice are most active in the dark.”
  • “Sores on the head caused by scratching. These sores can sometimes become infected with bacteria found on the person’s skin.”

How to Prevent Head Lice:

  • Discuss with your child how lice spreads and encourage them to avoid touching the hair of other children. Discourage your child(ren) from sharing grooming items, hairbands, clips, hats or clothing.
  • If your child has long hair, encourage them to tie their hair up during physical activities and when playing with others.
  • Check your child for lice if they complain and/or if you notice any of the symptoms listed above. Notify any of your child's programs or friends' families as appropriate.

For more information and resources regarding head lice, please visit:

YES! KidSpirit offers private and semi-private gymnastics and swimming lessons in sets of four, providing personalized instruction to support skill growth. Semi-private lessons are for two participants at similar skill levels. While we do our best to accommodate instructor requests, availability isn't guaranteed. Pricing varies, so contact us at [email protected] or 541-737-5437 for details and registration!

If your child hurts someone else physically or with disrespect, they will be taken out of class to take a break. You may be called, or we will have a conversation with you at check-out.

If you know of an incident that occurred at KidSpirit of harm or disrespect, please let us know. Whether it was another child, a community member or a staff member please reach out and get in touch with our administration. We want to know what goes on at KidSpirit and ensure that we are always directing our operations by our core values of safety and inclusion.

Absolutely! Our staff is experienced with and composed of many types of people with many different experiences. We utilize frameworks of growth mindset and youth thriving, which are based in child development research as well as trauma-informed care. We have supervisory staff who are trained and talented in working with youth who may struggle with behavioral issues, and we are equipped to help redirect, regulate, and reflect.

If you know that your child has higher support needs, such as needing extended one-on-one attention or specific care, KidSpirit's staffing may not be equipped to support your child independently. Please feel free to call, email, or visit us in person to discuss the specifics of your situation.

If you have a Personal Support Worker who you would like to attend KidSpirit with a participant, we would be more than happy to work with you, and register them to be in class with us!