Thank you for choosing Wisconsin Youth Company’s Wander Wisconsin Adventure Trips!
Please note: Families are varied and the use of the word Parent(s) refers to the adult(s) who are responsible for the camper.
Please carefully review all tabs on this webpage prior to your camper’s first day of camp.
Verona Base Camp, June 16-July 11| Badger Ridge Middle School | 300 Richard St. Verona, WI 53593
Madison Base Camp, July 14-August 22 | Shorewood Elementary | 1105 Shorewood Blvd, Madison, WI 53705
Camp Cell Phone | 608-445-8046
Camp Hours | Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Drop-off takes place between 8-8:30 a.m.
- Pick-up takes place between 4:30-5 p.m.
- Please note, there is no camp July 4
Meet the Staff
- Adventure Trip Leaders | Abby & TBD
All staff have education and/or experience related to working with children. They receive training prior to the start of the camp season and are certified in first aid/CPR and lifeguarding.
Where to Park
- Madison Base Camp | Limited parking is available in front of Shorewood Hills Elementary. Additional parking is available along Shorewood Blvd. Please use Door 6 next to the small parking lot in the back.
- Verona Base Camp | Parking is available in the main school parking lot. Enter through Door #2 on the side of the building. When facing the main entrance, Door #2 is approximately 100 feet to the right.
Drop-off Procedure | After entering the school building, staff will be waiting to walk you through the sign-in process, or direct you to the correct Wander Wisconsin meeting place. If you would like your camper to arrive independently by walking or biking, please contact the administrative office to authorize Independent Arrival.
Medications, Sunscreen, and Insect Repellent | If your camper has medications, sunscreen or insect repellent, please bring these on the first day of their attendance. All items should be labelled with first and last name. Wisconsin Youth Company does provide sunscreen and insect repellent. Campers are not required to bring their own.
What to Bring
Please only send your camper with following items. All items should be labeled with your camper’s first and last name:
- Sack lunch (nut-free) that does not need to be refrigerated or microwaved
- Gym shoes or sandals with a heel strap (no flip flops or slides)
- Water bottle labeled with child’s first and last name
- Extra set of clothing, as needed
- Campers may bring non-electronic items from home to engage with while being transported to trip locations. Things like books, journals, art supplies, etc. will be permitted from home. Please do not send unnecessary or expensive items with your camper for use during transport.
- Campers may bring a small amount of cash if attending a trip where there will be a gift shop or opportunity to buy a snack. Wisconsin Youth Company does provide two snacks each day.
Wisconsin Youth Company is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property, including clothing.
Picking Up Your Camper
When to Pick-up | Campers should be picked up during the designated pick-up timeframe: Monday-Friday 4:30-5 p.m. If you need to pick up your camper early, please coordinate in advance with Wander Wisconsin staff. Campers travel to trip destinations daily, sometimes two hours away from base camp. Pick-up is allowed from off-site locations, but daily plans will not be modified to accommodate early pick-ups.
Pick-up Procedure | After entering the school building, camp staff will be waiting to walk you through the sign-out process. Occasionally, Wander Wisconsin trips will return behind schedule from the day’s activities. Your understanding and patience is appreciated in these circumstances.
Independent Departure | If you would like your camper to walk home independently or meet you at your vehicle, please contact the administrative office to authorize Independent Departure. Campers cannot meet you at your vehicle unless they have prior authorization.
Authorized Pick-up Person | Only authorized pick-up people can pick up your camper. If you would like to add an additional authorized pick-up person, please email info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org. All authorized pick-up people are encouraged to have a photo ID on them. With the safety of campers in mind, staff will check IDs if they have not met a pick-up person or do not recognize a pick-up person.
Absences
Please call or text the 24-hour attendance message line, 608-276-9898, if your camper will be absent. Please reach out before 8:30 a.m. if the message pertains to that day.
Camper Groups
Campers will travel with other participants in the group to off-site locations daily. Group size will be consistent for each week long program, and will be a maximum of 13 campers.
- Materials and equipment will be cleaned and sanitized throughout the summer.
- Each camper will have a designated space to store their belongings. Campers should only bring essential items for the day.
Snack & Lunch
It’s important campers start each day with a good breakfast prior to camp, and bring a nutritious and satisfying lunch. Sack lunches must not require refrigeration or microwaving; milk is provided. A morning and afternoon snack will be provided. Some campers have life-threatening allergies (like a peanut or tree nut allergy). For this reason, Wisconsin Youth Company requests that campers bring a nut-free lunch. All snacks served at camp are nut-free.
- Campers will eat snack and lunch with their group daily at trip locations. Snack and lunch will be eaten outdoors when it is available.
- All campers must wash hands with soap and water before and after eating. In the event that soap and water are not readily available at the trip location, hand sanitizer or soap and water wipes will be used.
Daily Trip Locations
Wander staff will do their best to adhere to the trips advertised on the Wander Wisconsin webpage. Specific daily trip information will be updated the week prior and can be found on the This Week at Wander tab. Some trip locations may need to be modified closer to the actual program date, and some trip locations are weather dependent. You will be notified of any trip location or time change prior to campers leaving on that trip. Notification will be made via email, text message, or directly by Wander staff and will be reflected on the This Week at Wander tab.
Many Wander Wisconsin trips include a swimming or water component. Please send your camper prepared for these trips with appropriate clothing. To review your camper’s swim level, or to change it, please email info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org. Campers will receive a swim shirt on their first day in program, and should wear that shirt on swimming or water days.
Parent Contact Information
It is important that Parents can easily be reached throughout the camp day. Please verify your contact information in your parent portal and contact the administrative office if changes need to be made.
In the event that camp staff contact you requesting that your camper be picked up for illness or other reasons, we ask that you do so immediately. If you are unable to pick up your camper immediately, please arrange for emergency pick-up individuals. These individuals must be listed as authorized pick-up persons on your account.
Changing Account Information
Written notification is required to make any changes to your account information (i.e. phone numbers, pick-up persons, emergency contacts, etc.). An email from the email address on-file to info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org is sufficient. Your account password is required to make changes.
Summer Payment Information
The summer payment calendar can be found in this document.
Snack Information
Snack information can be found in this document.
Additional Program Information
Additional program-related information can be found in the program handbook.
Contact Wisconsin Youth Company
Summer Program Director, Janessa Palmer
jpalmer@wisconsinyouthcompany.org
Wisconsin Youth Company Administrative Office – Mailing Address
733 Struck St.- 45620
Madison, Wisconsin 53744
Phone: 608-276-9782 ext. 0
Fax: 262-547-0394
24-Hour Attendance Message Line: 608-276-9898
Email: info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org
Use the above address, fax, email, and phone number for payments, registration and billing inquires, and other general information. You may also access your account online through the Parent Portal.
Q: Who can drop off and pick up campers?
A: Following Wisconsin Youth Company policy, campers may only be dropped off and picked up from camp by authorized pick-up person(s) listed on their registration.
Q: What happens if my child gets sick while at camp?
A: Each camp has a designated space available to use in the event that a camper gets sick. While in this space, they will remain supervised by staff. Staff will call for immediate pick-up. Please ensure that your camper is picked up as soon as possible.
Q: When will my camper receive their camp t-shirt and when do they need to wear it?
A: Campers will receive their t-shirt during their first week of camp. Campers should wear their t-shirts on all swim trip days.
Q: Can I pick up my child from a field or swim trip?
A: Pick-up from an off-site field or swim trip is an option when needed by families, although is not preferred. Please coordinate specific details with the camp director at your child’s camp location. Please note off-site pickup is not always an option. Field and swim trips are pre-determined and will not be altered to accommodate pick up or drop off for children.
Q: Do I need to provide sunscreen and insect repellent for my camper?
A: Wisconsin Youth Company provides sunscreen and insect repellent for all campers attending summer programs. Wisconsin Youth Company uses Coral Isles brand 30 SPF lotion sunscreen and Cutter DEET-free insect repellent. Families may provide their own sunscreen and/or insect repellent. Please contact our administrative office at info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org for Dane county families and waukesha@wisconsinyouthcompany.org for Waukesha families for additional details.
Q: How do I update my child’s swim level?
A: You can update this information through DocuSign or by emailing info@wisconsinyouthcompany.org prior to the start of the camp week.
Welcome to Wander Wisconsin!
We’re thrilled to kick off an exciting week of summer adventures with you and your children! This week, we’ll journey through the 30th state, diving into the legends, lore, and fascinating history that make Wisconsin truly unique.
Our adventure begins at the weird and wacky House on the Rock. From there, the group will mosey along the scenic trails of Tower Hill State Park, cool off at Peck’s Landing, and end the day with a magical troll hunt in Mount Horeb. We’ll continue our exploration with an informational walk through UW Arboretum and a visit to Milton House Museum, followed by some options between the Oregon Historical Society Museum, Veteran’s Museum, and/or a tour of the Capitol building.
Wednesday, we’ll travel to Old World Wisconsin for a glimpse of pioneer life and then cool off at a local splash pad. Later in the week, we explore the ancient petroglyphs at Roche-A-Cri, marvel at the wonders of Witches Gulch, and visit the whimsical Dr. Evermor’s Sculpture Park — one of Wisconsin’s best-kept secrets.
To wrap up our week, the group ventures to the Hoard Historical Museum where we take a step back in time before visiting the Native American Burial Mounds at Aztalan State Park — an extraordinary and culturally significant site in the area. We can’t wait to share this week of discovery, imagination, and fun!
Meet our Adventure Trip Leaders:
Abby & Anikke
General Reminders:
- Sign-in takes place between 8 and 8:30 a.m. each day
- Sign-out takes place between 4:30 and 5 p.m.
- Our staff will do their best to return in time, but please note that our schedule may shift due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. If there are any changes or delays, we will keep you informed and provide updates as needed.
Please bring:
- A water bottle labeled with child’s name
- A nut-free lunch that does not require refrigeration
- Tennis shoes or sandals with a back strap. Flip flops are not allowed.
- Dress to be outside and active in the heat
- We provide sunscreen and bug spray as well as a morning and afternoon snack
- Do not bring cell phones or other devices, or other unnecessary items from home
Items needed for special days:
- Monday: swimsuit, green camp t-shirt, and towel
- Tuesday: navy blue camp shirt
- Wednesday: swimsuit, green camp t-shirt, and towel
- Thursday: navy blue camp shirt
- Friday: swimsuit, green camp t-shirt, and towel
Daily Destinations:
- Monday: House on the Rock, Tower Hill State Park, Peck’s Landing Beach, Mount Horeb Troll Hunt
- Tuesday: UW Arboretum, Milton House, group choices – Oregon Historical Society Museum, Veteran’s Museum, Capitol building tour
- Wednesday: Old World Wisconsin, McKee Farms Park & Splash Pa
- Thursday: Roche-A-Cri, Witches Gultch, Dr. Evermor’s/ Oshner Park Zoo
- Friday: Hoard Historical Museum, Aztalan State Park Burial Mounds, group choice – Sandy Beach, Fireman’s Beach (swimming/splash pad), Henry Vilas Zoo, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Dream Park
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
Stay tuned for more details.
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