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City Scouts

131 Lowther Ave
Toronto, Ontario, M5R1E4
City Scouts logo
 

City Scouts  

131 Lowther Ave, Toronto, Ontario, M5R1E4

  • Type:
    Day camp
  • Focus:
    Traditional (multi activity)
  • Cost:
    $375 to $439/week
  • Ages:
    9 to 14
  • Gender:
    Coed
  • Main language:
    English
  • Capacity:
    100
  • Programs:
    0 available; 7 TBD
Request more info
  • Overview

    Here's what makes City Scouts stand out

    Located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood, City Scouts is a weekly summer day camp for kids aged 10-14. Our mission is to help campers gain a sense of independence and confidence by developing their TTC navigation skills, competing in neighbourhood-specific challenges and sampling local foods! Whether this is your child’s first or third summer, adventure awaits!

    • Special needs: Not available
    • LGBTQ+ friendly community

  • Programs, Rates & Dates

    Programs and Sessions Calendar

    City Scouts, at its core, came from the idea that exploring the City is fun and exciting for a kid who is just starting to become more aware of their surroundings. Year after year, our programming has evolved to maximize how much of the city kids can see in a week and what are some unique and exciting ways to engage with what the city has to offer. Exploring new cities can often feel reduced to events, monuments, or museums. We want kids to have an experience that leaves them feeling eager to continue discovering new parts of Toronto and other Cities around the world


    Choose the right programs and sessions for your child; City Scouts currently has 0 program available; 7 TBD.

    Filter activities :


    Name
    Type/Gender
    Specialty
    Location
    Date
    Bus
     Cost
    Email
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 11 - 12
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $439
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 13 - 14
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $439
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 9 - 10
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $439
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 11 - 12
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $375
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 13 - 14
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $375
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 9 - 10
    Adventure (multi), Travel
    $375
    Travel|Comedy|Arts & Crafts|Drawing
    Day Camp
    Coed
    Ages: 15 - 16
    CIT/LIT Program
    $0
    Travel|CIT/LIT Program|Empowerment|Leadership Training



    Registration Details

    Registration is simple; follow the instructions on our website and you will be directed to our registration portal. From there, you can register for camp as well as any add-ons (before/after-care, subway stations pickup, etc). For any questions or concerns, reach out to directors Riley at [email protected] or Sam at [email protected]. Response times vary, but expect a response back within the working day.



    Financial Aid & Payment Details

    Payment Options:

    Credit card payment Yes

    Discounts

    Discount for 2nd child $25
    Discount for 3rd child $25
    Discount for 4th child $25
    Discount for resident base $25
  • Reviews & Insider Perspectives

    The Our Kids review of City Scouts

    our take

    We often think of camp as synonymous with the presence of a lake, some forest, canoes and campfires. Of course, camp isn’t that. You could even have all those things and still not have camp. A better definition would be this: counsellors who work to bring kids together to have fun, to grow, to experience new things, and to build friendships, skills and resilience. And, while City Scouts may not look like the camp stereotype, it nevertheless provides all of those things in abundance. Riley Millican founded City Scouts in a belief in the power of counsellors’ ability to build great relationships, and in the understanding that the urban jungle, in and of itself, is a fantastic place to explore. This isn’t about going to attractions—the ROM one day, the AGO the next, and Wonderland at the end of the week—but really digging in and experiencing the city in and of itself. Which, frankly, kids love, as well they should. The city is a vibrant place that they often only see while on their way somewhere; they lack authentic opportunities to interact with the spaces and the people they find there. City Camp is, for many kids, a unique opportunity to slow down, even within the urban rush, and to explore their world in a new way with a bunch of other kids just like them, and all wearing the same t-shirts. For parents, it’s a great, eminently cost-effective option, right there on your doorstep.

    Three Things: City Scouts
    Hear the three things that Our Kids’ editors see when they look at City Scouts

  • Gallery

    City Scouts - profile photo

    Video Gallery

  • Meet the Staff

    Interview with the Director of City Scouts

    Riley Millican, Founder and Director

    View transcript

    Transcript of our interview with Riley, Founder and Director


    What is unique about Urban Adventure Camp?

    We're unique in a lot of ways. First off, as a director and owner of a camp, I'm a lot younger than most. The way that I run my camp is in contrast to how I found other camps were running when I was growing up. I found that they were always really constrictive, and they were always really creative and smaller spaces. 

    But that's not what I really enjoyed about the summertime as a kid. I wanted to have more freedom, do more, see more. And when I was going to these other camps, I found myself in a gymnasium for an afternoon with lots of other kids there. But we're not that ... We have different versions of tag and dodgeball. I just wanted to be able to expand what the camp experience can be. Our camp works in a way that we are really trying to promote independence, and we're going to do that through pushing kids to go slightly outside of their comfort zone, because that's where we feel the most growth comes from. 

    What type of child is successful at Urban Adventure Camp?

    The ideal camper or the campers who tend to do the best are the ones who come in open-minded, excited for new experiences, and willing to push themselves and indulge in some of the things that might sound a little more wacky than what they're used to.

    Is the schedule structured or is it more open?

    This year, we're actually going to be taking a different approach and moving it further away from the minimal structure that we had in the past to a really free-choice structure. So in the past, we've had places that we've visited and we've taken kids. And this year, we want to throw that all out and let the kids decide. And the way we're going to do this is by gamifying the camp structure. 

    So when the kids get into their groups, about five or six campers with one counsellor, they're going to be moving throughout the city and trying to collect points.... The way they're moving throughout the city is going to be decided by them, and the way that they try to earn the rewards is going to be through their own collective decision making. What we really like about this is that when the kids see something that they want to do, they're going to be more engaged with it because they're the ones that decided they wanted to go check out a place like that.

    One of the things we try to promote the most is independence and getting kids prepared for that moment in their life when they start moving away from active supervision everywhere they go. And so by allowing them to direct themselves around the city, obviously with a counsellor, but without the counsellor instructing them how to get there directly, that really helps. 

    So we're going to be giving them the tools to figure out how to get to their places and instructions on the different games and lessons that we have while they're there. But mostly, it's going to be them picking and getting to those places collectively together rather than with our counsellors’ help. And so, yes, we're really trying to be completely spontaneous and have a unique experience for every kid every day throughout every different week of the camp. 

    How does your staff deal with behavioural issues?

    We're going to be doing a long training before the camp goes through. Our philosophy around behavioural issues is two-tiered in a way, when it comes to serious offenses: So kids hitting each other or nasty name calling  we have a zero-tolerance policy about. So when a kid hits another kid, they'll be getting a call to their parents, and that'll be dealt with swiftly and partially.

    We really don't want to create an environment where kids are scared about coming to camp the next day, or they're worried about speaking up and feel threatened by any other camper. That being said, we also understand that there's lots of conflicts that arise with campers that are learning opportunities. So in a camp like ours that focuses so much on independence and maturity, we want to be able to have discussions with the kids about why what they're doing is wrong. 

    And so our first thing, once we've evaluated what happened, is to discuss with both of them separately, bringing them together and then trying to work it out in a way that builds on where the infractions came from and learning from it. Beyond that, we also always want to inform the parents and make sure that they know what's going on, what was said, and how we dealt with it. But really, we see a lot of the conflicts, almost all of the conflicts that we've had to date, we have been able to solve because they've been learning opportunities. 

    What do campers value most about their experience at Urban Adventure Camp?

    Some parents really want to see their kid gain those skills that we're promoting —getting on the subway, going downtown, knowing where you are, recognizing different street signs, remembering where you came from and how to get back.

    There's some campers who we've seen leaps and bounds over the week from where they started to where they are. And most of the time, that's just confidence that's built up and saying, “No, you will get this.” A lot of parents have really come to us and said, “I'm so grateful for how much I've seen them change and how much more willing they are to be out and about in the city.” 

    The other thing is, like I was saying in comparison to other camps, is the variety that parents feel their kids get ….  And don't get me wrong, there are some fantastic camps out there. But there are also camps that don't feel like they've shaken things up very much.... They feel more like a daycare, in essence, where it's a place to be, but it doesn't really expand on learning new things like you do in the school year. So I think that a lot of parents like the variety and uniqueness of our camp, as well as the actual skills, the tangibles that their kids are learning.

    What message do you have for new campers?

    Just come have fun with us. You're going to have a good time. And if you come in with that mindset, I promise to keep it up for you. And the only time kids aren't having fun are the same kids who show up on the first day and they have the attitude: I don't want to have fun. And the record of seeing kids come in and they're excited and they stay excited for the whole time, it happens every single week. And so if you come in with some good energy and you're excited about it, I promise to keep it up for you.


    Close window
    • 00:21 - What is unique about your camp?
    • 01:24 - What type of child is successful at your camp?
    • 02:06 - Is the schedule structured or is it more open?
    • 04:33 - How do your staff deal with behavioural issues?
    • 06:43 - What do campers value most about their experience at the camp?
    • 08:28 - What message do you have for new campers?

    Director's Message

    Hi there,

    My name is Zeinab, and I am the director of City Scouts: Urban Adventure camp. I began working with City Scouts in 2021 and have been a committed member of the team since. Working with children is a passion of mine; there's something truly special about the laughter, creativity, and the boundless potential that our campers bring ea... Read more



    Staff and Counsellors

    Our staff operate as group leaders of their team. They are working with their small group of campers all day which really gives them a chance to understand each camper in a one-on-one fashion. We hire only staff who are 18 or older unless they have completed our CIT program which allows them to be hired at 17 if we found them to be exceptionally talented.

  • What's New

    Stories

    • "He discovered new places"

      "Our son went to City Scouts last summer and gained a whole new appreciation for Toronto. He tried new things. He discovered new places. And he gained the confidence to navigate the TTC. He's looking forward to doing it again this summer"

    • "An amazingly special camp"

      "As a parent in Toronto, there is so much to be worried about and there is a tendency to protect kids from any risk to the point that they are never given freedom to explore. Riley Millican has created an amazingly special camp that gave my son the opportunity to learn more about our city and the tools to navigate it! We will definitely be signing up again for this summer."



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