FAQs

Registration for Creative Summer:

Registration for Creative Summer 2026 occurs on a Priority Registration Schedule.

Pre-Season Registration – 11 a.m. Sunday, December 14, 2025, to 4 p.m. Monday, January 5, 2026 – is open exclusively for families of current Holton-Arms students, employees, and Board Members; current Brown House families; and Creative Summer 2026 staff. The registration link will be provided in Holton's Sunday Skim newsletter.

Priority Period 1 – 7 p.m. Monday, January 5, through 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 7 – registration is open to families in these groups:

• Returning Creative Summer families from 2025 and 2024
• Families of current Holton-Arms students, faculty, and staff
• Families of current Holton-Arms Board Members
• Children of Holton-Arms Alumnae
• Families who participated in Holton's Arts Adjunct Program in 2025
• Families of Creative Summer 2026 staff

We will email the Priority Period 1 registration link to Returning and Priority 1 eligible families in our database or Inquiry list in late December. Other Priority Period 1 eligible families not in our system should email us to request the Priority Period 1 link.

Wait List 2025 Priority Period – 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 6, to 5 p.m. Wednesday,  January 7 – is open to families who were wait-listed for Creative Summer 2025 Day Camps and did not ultimately attend may register. We will email the Wait List 2025 Priority registration link to eligible families in late December. 

Priority Period 2 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, January 7, to 5 p.m. Thursday, January 8 – registration is open to:

• Current residents of Zip Code 20817
• Families eligible to register during Priority Period 1 or Wait List Priority

We will email the Priority Period 2 registration link the first week of January to residents of Zip Code 20817 who have accounts in our registration system or who have submitted an inquiry form. You may also email us to request the Priority Period 2 registration link; please provide your full mailing address to verify your status as a resident of Zip code 20817.

Requests for the Priority 2 link must be received by January 6, 2026 to ensure the link is sent before Priority 2 registration opens.

General Registration opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 8, and is open to:

• Families new to Creative Summer
• Families wait-listed in 2024 and earlier
• Returning families from 2023 and earlier
• Priority eligible families who missed their respective Priority Registration periods

Once General Registration opens, all registrations are given equal consideration and processed in the order they are received.

For questions about our registration process and priority eligibility, please email creative.summer@holton-arms.edu.

Health Form Due Date
The Camper Health History Form is incorporated into the online registration form and is submitted when you register. You must provide insurance and emergency contact information and answer questions regarding your camper's basic health, including providing the date of their most recent tetanus shot.

All Supplemental Health Forms, if necessary, are due Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Balance of Tuition Due - All Camps
Wednesday, April 1, 2026

Last Day for Tuition Refund - Day Camps
Friday, May 1, 2026. All tuition for Day Camps becomes non-refundable after this date.

Last Day for Tuition Refund - Sports Camps and Discovery Camps
Monday, June 1, 2026. All tuition for Sports Camps and Discovery Camper becomes non-refundable after this date.

Families of current Holton-Arms students, employees, and Board members; current Brown House families; and Creative Summer 2026 staff may register during Pre-Season - 11 a.m. Sunday, December 14, 2025, to 4 p.m. Monday, January 5, 2026.

During Priority Period 1 – 7 p.m. Monday, January 6, through 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 8 – families eligible to register include:

• Returning¹ families from 2025 and 2024
• Families of current Holton-Arms students, faculty, and staff
• Families of current Holton-Arms Board Members
• Children of Holton-Arms Alumnae
• Families who participated in Holton's  Arts Adjunct Program in 2025
• Families of Creative Summer 2026 staff

¹Returning families have had at least one child attend a Creative Summer Day Camp, Sports Camp, or Discovery Camp within the last two summers - 2025 and 2024. Returning Family status extends to siblings of returning campers living in the same household, even if the sibling did not attend Creative Summer. Extended family is NOT eligible for Returning family status.

During the Wait List 2025 Priority Period – 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 6, through 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 7 – Wait-listed² families from 2025 are eligible to register. 

²A Wait-listed family is defined as a family who applied to Creative Summer in 2025, was wait-listed, and did not attend camp that year even if space was offered. Wait-list family status extends to siblings of wait-listed campers even if the sibling never applied.

During Priority Period 2 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, January 7, to 5 p.m. Thursday, January 8 – families eligible to register include:

• Current residents of Zip Code 20817
• Families eligible to register during Priority Registration Period 1 or the Wait List 2025 Priority Period

General Registration opens at 7 p.m. Thursday, January 8, and is open to:

• Families new to Creative Summer
• Families wait-listed in 2024 and earlier
• Returning families from 2023 and earlier
• Priority eligible families who missed their respective Priority Registration periods

Once General Registration opens, all registrations are given equal consideration and processed in the order they are received.

For questions about our registration process and priority eligibility, please email creative.summer@holton-arms.edu.

Campers entering second grade have a choice of camps. They may attend EITHER Junior Campers, a contained program of housed in the Lower Camp, where their activity schedule is pre-set, OR the Upper Camp program, Creative Campers, where each camper selects his/her own activities, and travels as an individual from class to class five times each day.

Please read the descriptions of both offerings to assist you in selecting the better program for your camper entering second grade in fall 2026.

If your rising second grade camper wants to "Camp with a Friend," please check with the friend's family to be sure the friend and your camper plan to enroll for the same program. Because our camps fill quickly, transferring between camps is usually not an option.

A camp deposit, paid by the session, is due at registration for all camps. Deposits vary by program and are outlined on the Dates and Rates page. This camp deposit becomes non-refundable three (3) calendar days after registration is submitted.

The remaining camp balance is due Thursday, April 2, 2026. For registrations or purchases of Creative Summer options, such as Extended Day, Lunch, Bus Service, or Merchandise fees) made after Friday, March 27, 2026, full payment is due within five (5) calendar days of purchase.

For registrations before March 27, 2026, families have the option to set up an automatic payment for their account balance to be charged to their credit card on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

Although full tuition is due April 2, 2026, partial payments in advance of this date are welcome. If you would like to set up a formal installment payment plan, please contact the Creative Summer office at creative.summer@holton-arms.edu.

Tuition for Day Camps may be refunded (per our refund policies) until Friday, May 1, 2026. All tuition for Day Camps becomes non-refundable after this date.

Tuition for Sports Camps and Discovery Camps may be refunded (per our refund policies) until Monday, June 1, 2026. All tuition for Sports Camps and Discovery Camper becomes non-refundable after this date.

All Creative Summer camps register by their respective full session.

• Day Camp sessions are three full weeks.
• Sports Camp sessions are one week.
• Discovery Camp sessions vary in duration.

We do not register for partial sessions or pro-rate tuition, regardless of the number of days/weeks the camper attends.

Your Account Username is the e-mail address you used when you last applied/registered for Creative Summer or the last time you updated your account information.

Holton-Arms families who have enrolled in Before & After Care, Bus Transportation, PROWL Enrichment Programs, or Summer Academic Camps should use the same account for Creative Summer registration.

If your email address has changed and you did not update it in CampBrain or with the Creative Summer office, log in using your old email address as your username. You can verify/update your account information from within your online account.

If you do not remember your Account Password, click HERE to generate a password reset email message.

We recommend that you log in to your online account to verify your password before online registration begins; high volume on the server during registration could delay password reset emails. If you need further assistance, contact the Creative Summer Office by email or call 301-365-6003.

IMPORTANT: If you cannot log in to your existing account during registration, log in as a new user with a different email address and create a new account. Your old and new accounts can be merged later.

Electronic payment online is required for your camp deposit at registration; we accept MasterCard, Visa, and Discover online. Creative Summer DOES NOT accept American Express for payment processing in our online registration system.

Your final balance may be paid via credit card through your online account. or by check payable to "Creative Summer" and mailed or delivered to Creative Summer at Holton-Arms School, 7303 River Road, Bethesda MD 20817.

ALL CAMPERS REQUIRE

• The Camper Health History Form is incorporated into the online registration form and is submitted when you register. You will be required to provide one emergency contact other than a resident parent, your camper's insurance and physician information, and the date of their most recent Tetanus immunization. We do not require an annual checkup record from your camper's physician.
• Immunization Records: All campers must submit a copy of their immunization records EXCEPT those who attend school, public or private, in Montgomery County, Maryland.
  • US RESIDENTS may submit their Immunization Records in any format provided by their physician's office.
  • NON-US RESIDENTS must submit their Immunization records on MDH form 896, which may be downloaded from our Health Information page. 
  • Upload a copy of your camper's immunization record to your online account or email it by Saturday, May 2, 2026.
• Sunscreen Authorization Form
  • This form is incorporated in the online registration.
  • Indicate whether your camper will apply sunscreen during the camp day.
    • List acceptable brand(s) of sunscreen.
    • Indicate whether our adult counselors may assist your camper in sunscreen application.
    • A copy will be provided in your summer mail packet; you must keep this copy with the sunscreen.
    • Sunscreen must be provided in its original container with your camper’s name clearly labeled on the container.

SOME CAMPERS may need

• Immunization Certificate/MDH Form 896 
  • Campers who reside OUTSIDE the United States must submit their Immunization Records on this form. Creative Summer cannot accept immunization records from non-US residents in any format other than MDH Form 896.
  • Campers who are exempt from any immunization must submit their Exemption Certificate on this form.
    • Medical exemptions must be signed by a physician.
    • Religious exemptions may be signed by a parent.
• Medication Administration Authorization (MAA)
  • Campers who require daily or emergency medication, including Over-the-Counter medication provided by the family, must submit an MAA for each medication and/or EpiPen you provide for your camper. Two types are available:
    • Medication Administration Authorization. Up to three medications may be authorized on a single form
    • Medication Administration Authorization - Asthma Action Plan. For campers managing asthma at camp.
  • MAAs require both physician and parent signatures
• Over-the-Counter Medication Authorization 
  • This optional form authorizes our Camp Nurse to administer certain Over-the-Counter medications (listed on the form) as needed to treat minor injuries/illnesses using medications provided by the camp.
  • This form is not valid unless signed by both a physician and a parent. 
  • Physician must specify the medications and dosage for your camper.
  • Creative Summer form must be used; we cannot accept OTC forms from any other school or camp.

Any Health Forms that are not filled out during registration are due by Saturday, May 2, 2026. 

Visit the Health Forms and Information page for more information and links to download forms.

Creative Campers have a five-period class day. They will choose one activity per period per session online in late April, according to the priority schedule outlined below. You may explore the planned activities on our Creative Campers Options page. These options are subject to change until final class menus are emailed to Creative Camper families in early April.

Registration links and class menus will be emailed to registered families no later than April 15.

Class selection begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. the following day for each priority grade group.

Campers who miss their grade’s priority selection window may choose their classes starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 1, after each grade group has had its day of selection priority.

In the first week of June you will receive an information packet via US Postal mail from Creative Summer. This important information will be sent to the home address on your account, so please be sure it is current. This mailing includes:

• A camp newsletter
• Car Line Number Placard (unless you are registered for afternoon Bus or Full Session After Care)
• Bus Information
  • Rules and Schedule for registered campers
  • General information for non-registered campers
• Extended Day Policies
• A Lunch Ordering Menu
• Schedules for Day Camps
  • Creative Campers (ages 7-13) will receive personalized schedules
  • Creative Kids will receive a copy of their group's schedule
• Welcome Letters for Sports Camps
• Welcome Letters for Discovery Camps
• Sunscreen Authorization forms

Most of these documents will also be available on our Creative Summer Documents page.

Creative Summer is closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in recognition of the Juneteenth holiday.

Creative Summer is closed Friday, July 3, 2026, in recognition of the Independence Day holiday.

Creative Summer is Allergy-Aware, but is NOT a peanut-free camp. Families are permitted to pack peanut products in their camper’s lunch and snacks. However, we do have precautions in place to protect our campers with nut allergies.

Additionally, we have a peanut-free bin that campers can put their lunches in to be refrigerated and a Peanut-Free Zone in the Dining Room. This is a designated space where campers can sit during lunch to ensure they are not exposed to peanut or other nut products.

Creative Summer offers families the chance to pre-order lunch for their campers through the Holton-Arms food service provider, Meriwether Godsey.

Creative Summer lunches may be ordered through your online account. Lunch ordering opens in May.

Please visit our Lunch page for more information.

Creative Summer campers and staff have three options for transportation: family vehicles, Creative Summer bus service, and Metro Bus.

Cars, Car Line, and Carpools
Most campers arrive to camp and depart from camp in cars. Morning car line runs from 8:30 to 9 a.m. and afternoon car line runs from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Families who participate in afternoon Car line will be provided color-coded number placards to display in their cars during pickup. Our full car line process is described in our Camper Handbook.

Creative Summer encourages families to form carpools for transportation to and from camp. To support this practice, we provide a list of families who have consented to share their contact information for the purpose of forming carpools, organized by geographic area.

Creative Summer Bus
Creative Summer runs morning and afternoon bus service on six routes to 15 different stops in Maryland and Washington, DC. Please visit our Transportation Page for routes and schedules. 

Metro Bus
Metrobus T2 stops at the Holton-Arms School entrance at River Road & Royal Dominion Drive. 

Creative Summer offers Extended Day Before Care and After Care during our Day Camp sessions from June 22 to July 31, 2026.

Before care begins at 7:30 a.m.; After Care runs from camp dismissal at 3 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Please visit our Extended Day page for more details.

Please inform the camp, by phone 301-365-6003, email, or submit an online Attendance form (link on our Document and Forms page), if your camper will be late to or absent from camp. Camper safety is our first priority, and that starts with knowing where our campers are.

Please note no refunds will be given for camper absence for any reason.

Emergency Closure Notification
Camp closures will be posted on on the home page of the Creative Summer website and the Holton-Arms website, as well as on a recorded message on the Creative Summer office phone line at 301-365-6003. If possible, email messages and text messages will also be sent to registered camp families.

Emergency Closure Policy
In the event the Holton-Arms School administration deems it necessary or is required to close the School’s premises due to circumstances beyond its control, such as extreme weather, power outage, flooding, or other emergency condition, Creative Summer cannot guarantee the make-up of lost time. Though we may schedule make-up hours where possible, camp time lost may be void. No refunds or credits will be issued in the event of a weather or other uncontrollable event or closure.