First Time Camper Guide 2024

What is Ranch Camp?

What can I do at Ranch Camp?

What will my first day at Ranch Camp be like?

JCC Ranch Camp

What if I have MORE questions?!?

What is the schedule at Ranch Camp like?

My First Time at Overnight Camp

What do I do if I need help when I'm here?

What is Shabbat like at Ranch Camp?

What are Evening Programs and Special Days?

What is Ranch Camp?

I'm going to Ranch Camp, which is a sleep-away camp with wide open spaces for so many fun activities! I will sleep in cabins with bunkbeds, with other campers. I will eat in the dining hall with all of the other campers and counselors. I will do different activities every day, like sports, swimming, arts & crafts, outdoor adventure, and more! I will meet a lot of new friends and explore the outdoors!

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On my first day at Ranch Camp, I wIll...

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More about living at camp

...Unpack my suitcase and make my bunk space comfy and cozy! I'll make my bed, fold my clothes, and put up the pictures and personal items I brought from home.

...See my cabin and meet my cabin mates. There are about 12 other campers! Some of them know eachother already, but I'm sure we will all be friends in no time!

...Say goodbye to my family or friends and meet my counselors! These are the people who will be there for me and make sure I have fun and make friends!

...Snap a picture with everyone in my cabin! Of course we won’t forget a silly one!! 😊

...Take a tour of camp with my group. I won't worry about being alone or getting lost- I will always be with my group and counselor!

...Swing by the barn for a boot fitting for when we have corral time.

At Ranch Camp, my Cabin will be my home away from home!

I will live there with my cabin mates and counselors. There are bathrooms with showers just a few steps away. We will eat delicious food together in the dining hall.

I will have space to unpack my suitcase onto shelves and bunks.

There are bunkbeds in the cabins! I will choose either the top or bottom bunk!

The cabins are cozy, and a fun space to create friendships and memories.

Click here for a sample menu!

We eat with all of camp together in the dining hall, which we call "The Chad."

The bathrooms have private shower and toilet stalls.

The food is delicious AND nutritious!

Back to My First Day

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Ranch Camp is very big, and there are so many things I will get to do! Now, I am going to take a tour of camp to see everything that I can do here!

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Camp Tour!

Activities at Ranch Camp

Wow! I am really excited about all of the things I get to do at Ranch Camp! Archery! Horses! Swimming! Farm! Sports! Games! Arts & Crafts! Ropes Course! And they're telling me that there's even more!

At Ranch Camp, there are so many fun things to do!

Zip Line and High Ropes Course

Archery

Horseback Riding

Swimming

Sports and Games

Arts & Crafts

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More Activities!

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Specialty Programs

Specialty Programs

All of those activities are a part of "Traditional Camp." If I am super excited about horses, or outdoor adventure activities, I could sign up for EQ (Equestrian) Specialty, or OA (Outdoor Adventure) Specialty! These are open to rising 5th-9th graders.I would spend 3-4 acitvity periods in a day in this specialty area. For EQ, that means more riding, learning how to care for horses, how to handle and do ground work, and more! For OA, that means more mountain biking, archery, outdoor cooking, challenge course and rock climbing, hiking and orienteering, outdoor skills, and more!

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This is what the schedule is like on a normal day. I will follow the day with my group. It's nice to know what is coming up next during my day!

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Each night after dinner, we will have an Evening Program. This means we do an activity as a full camp, like roasting marshmallows and singing around a camp fire, playing Capture the Flag, Scavenger Hunts, Talent Shows, and more!

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Special Days

Although most days of camp have a predictable schedule, we will get to change things up on certain days to have some extra fun!

Maccabia is a colorful day at Ranch camp!

We have a day at Ranch Camp that we call Maccabia. This is a full day where we will be in 4 Color Teams and will compete in silly activities like cake decorating, gaga, skits and chants, B-B-S (Baseball-Baseball-Soccer), and the infamous MAC-O-PEEL Relay Race! I will have so much fun on this day because it is a little different from every other day!

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Special Days

4th of july & Mayem Day

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4th of July at camp is an action packed, carnival style day filled with swimming, face painting, bouncy houses, cotton candy, popcorn, and more! Mayhem Day is the same thing, but not on the 4th of July, so all of the campers not attending camp on that day can still have a fun carnival day!

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Special Days

Yom international day

Our international staff get to run stations that showcase their culture and activities from their home country! It is so fun to learn about my counselors and about the world! I will have counselors from Israel, England, South Africa, Australia, and other places!

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Shabbat at Ranch Camp

Shabbat is a special time at Ranch Camp!We will celebrate by doing special services and activities together. One thing I look forward to is "Shabboptions" on Saturday. We can pick how we would like to experience Shabbat! We can be mindful and do yoga, we can practice Tikun Olam and go on a hike, and more!

Friday Night--

Saturday--

We have a morning service at Eddie's Corner in the woods!

After dinner, we have Rikkud- Israeli line dancing- on the Basketball Court

Havdalah means the end of Shabbat. We gather on the Basketball Court

Campers and staff lead a service together at the Pavillion and have an especially delicious dinner!

"Shabboptions" and camp style shiur

Camp Counselors are here to help!

A camp counselor is more than just my group leader. They are the person at camp who can help if I need anything! I will get to know them very well, because they will be living in my cabin, leading all my activities, and eating meals with me. They are kind, funny, energetic, and caring! They will: help me make friends, help me talk through my feelings, help me if I feel sick, miss home, or get a scrape on my knee. They can even help me if I forgot to bring something to camp! They will always be with me!

What if I...

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... Get hurt? I can go to my counselor or any staff member for help. There is also always a Nurse at camp. If I get a bump, scrape, headache, or stomach ache, there is always a professional medical team at camp to help me. ... Feel sick? I can let my counselor know. They can remind me to drink water or help me find something to eat, help me rest, and comfort me. I can also go to the Nurse, especially if I feel really warm, or naseaus. ... Miss home? I can talk to my counselor about it. They are so good at listening and caring. They help me find ways to feel less lonely, and get back to the fun activities with friends. I can also write and receive letters at camp! I love getting mail every day! ... Don't know anybody? If I feel lonely or am having a hard time making friends, my counselor will help me find friends! They will make sure I am included in actvities, and even partner me with other kids who I might be great friends with!

What If I ...

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I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?

I'm tired. Could I take a break?

I'm feeling sad today. I miss home.

"AD-Vo-Cate"

This means to speak up, ask questions, and say what you need. This means telling your counselor or an adult at camp about what you need, what you think, and what you feel!

Our counselors are highly trained to care for us campers, AND IT ALWAYS HELPS WHEN CAMPERS PRACTICE COMMUNICATING!

I lost my toothbrush! What do I do?

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If you have more questions, your adult can schedule a meeting with SOMEONE FROM our TEAM!

More info for the adults

We would love to hear from you!

We are here to help you have a successful summer at camp :)

Max O'Hara- Assistant Director mohara@jccdenver.org (303) 316- 6320

Tuyet Nguyen- Inclusion Specialist tnguyen@jccdenver.org (303) 316- 6367

Rachel Szurek- Assistant Director rszurek@jccdenver.org (303) 316- 6301

Katelyn Skeen- Ranch Camp Director kskeen@jccdenver.org (303) 316-6384

Ready to register?Click here!

Click here to schedule a meeting