Mini Camp

Mini-Camp sessions combine the best of day and overnight camp into a one-week hybrid session.

Mini-camp is perfect for the camper who is excited for sleep away camp, but a week from home still feels too long.

Registration for 2027 opens November 15

Camper Registration Portal

What is Mini-Camp?

Mini-Camp is designed to support in campers’ comfort as they prepare for their first full-week sleepaway session away from home. Mini-Campers arrive and depart with our Day Campers Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, Mini-Campers are dropped-off (by car or bus) prepared to stay at camp overnight for the remainder of the week (until Friday pick-up with Overnight Campers).

Mini-Campers will have their own cabin cohort with 2 Overnight Cabin Counselors, as well as time to connect with Day Campers, Overnight Campers and counselors from across Hochelaga. Mini-Campers participate in Overnight Camper classes - meaning they’ll sign up for classes upon arrival Monday, and remain in the Block classes they have chosen for the remainder of the week. Please know that this differs from our Day Campers who have choice over their Activity Blocks day-to-day.

  • Note on Readiness

    Our Mini Camp programming is intended for campers who have experience with sleepovers//staying evenings away from home already, whom are not quite yet sure if they’re feeling ready to spend a full week away from home.

    If your camper has not had a sleepover before, we would recommend joining our Day Camp program where they will still be able to participate in a single overnight stay at camp to help in building their confidence on their own.

  • Drop Off/Pick Up & Transportation

    Camp Hochelaga offers free bus rides from the Burlington area in the University Mall parking lot (on Dorset Street) with a stop at the Chimney Corners Park & Ride on Route 7 in Milton/Colchester.

    This full size school bus will be staffed by Hochelaga counselors in addition to a trained and licensed driver.

    Please ensure that you have a valid Driver’s License or Identification when picking up your camper. Please make sure whoever picks up your camper is on the approved pick up list. We will not release your camper without proper identification or approval. If anything changes last minute please give us a call.

  • Transportation Schedule

    *For Mini-Campers, transportation via our Day Camp bus is available Monday (all day) through Wednesday morning. It is expected that all Mini-Campers be picked up on Friday with our Overnight Campers based on their grade: MORE INFO HERE

    Morning Pickup/Drop Off

    7:30am – Depart from Burlington Location
    8:00am – Depart from Chimney Corners Park & Ride
    8:30am – Arrive at Camp Hochelaga 8:30am - Camper drop off (if not on bus)

    Afternoon Drop Off/Pickup*

    4:45pm – Depart from Camp Hochelaga
    4:45pm - Camper Pick Up (if not on bus)
    5:00pm – Drop off at Chimney Corners Park & Ride
    5:30pm – Drop off at Burlington Location

    *Please note that our team is doing their best to transition 30 campers from programming to the bus and the bus can often run 10 minutes late. Any later our team will notify you.

What Makes Mini-Camp Special?

  • Gentle Ease Into Overnight Camper Life

    Mini-Campers will arrive with our Day Camp cohort Monday-Wednesday of their session, and transition into overnight campers for Wednesday and Thursday evenings.

    Mini-Campers will be assigned their own cabin from day-one of their session (which they’ll get to instantly start settling into and decorating for their sleepover nights), as well as cabin counselors who will get to know them individually to help support them throughout the week as they begin to connect with their Overnight Camper peers who they’ll be living near.

  • Support from Staff and Peers

    Our Mini-Campers will get to meet counselors from both our Day Camp Staff Team, and their Overnight Cabin Counselors from day one. This means they’ll already be able to begin building a network of support across camp, and familiarity with a variety of friendly faces around our camp space.

    Our Mini-Campers not only create their own cohort, they’re also able to bond with our day campers at meals and on the camp bus; and with our overnight campers who will be in their neighboring cabins during leisure times at camp, and through their camp classes.

    This hopefully helps ensure that all of our Mini-Campers can feel confident as they prep for their stay at camp, and excited about the friends and counselors they know they can expect to see there.

Everything you’ll need to ensure your time at Hochelaga is a success

  • Complete Camper Household Resources

    Explore our Camper Household Resource page for all-in-one access to our Camper Household Handbook, photos from the summer, and more!

    Have everything you need for your stay at camp? Check out our Suggested Packing List to make sure you’re not leaving anything behind

  • Scholarship

    Interested in more ways Hochelaga can help support your future camper access camp? Our Circle of Girls+ Scholarship strives to dismantle financial barriers to our camp space.

  • Day in the Life

    Click to view our daily schedule.

    To learn more about the programming we offer, feel free to explore our Activities page. Which includes our complete summer calendar for the upcoming season so that you can choose the sessions that are best for your camper.

CAMP MERCH STORE

Our Camp Store is open during the summer season. The Camp Merch Store will be available each check-in and check-out day for Overnight Campers and check-out day for Day Campers and Mini Campers.

CAMP THRIFT

By suggestion of a current Hochelaga parent, we are now also accepting donations to our “Camp Thrift Store.” Any Hochelaga gear or apparel that you or your camper have grown out of can be donated to our Camp Thrift and resold for $5 or less.

We hope this helps reduce waste, and provide access to beloved Camp Merch for more our camper households. All sales from our Camp Thrift Store go towards our Circle of Girls+ Scholarship fund.

Cancellation Policy

Please notify the camp office immediately if you need to cancel your child’s enrollment. Cancellation must be in writing or by telephone at least two weeks in advance of the camper’s arrival at camp. Cancellation notices received less than 2 weeks from the start of the session registered are not eligible for refund. The deposit fee is non-refundable.

We reserve the right to withdraw, with no refund, any camper whose influence or actions are deemed harmful or who will not live within the rules and policies of the camp. Homesickness is not a condition for refund.

PAYMENT OR ACCOUNT QUESTIONS?

Please contact the YWCA’s Office Manager at (802) 372-4510 or contactus@ywcavt.org. Please note that you can check your balance, make credit card payments, and print an account statement that lists camp’s Federal Tax ID Number from your online account.