Buchanan YMCA
Summer Camp Programs
Great Summers Start at the Y
NOW OPEN FOR REGISTRATION
Forge new friendships, create lasting memories
The YMCA of Greater San Francisco is committed to providing quality youth programming and exceptional summer camp experiences to our Bay Area families. At Y day camp, kids can develop skills, self-confidence, new friendships and a sense of belonging – all while having tons of fun.
Trained Youth Development Staff
Our youth development leaders are trained in CPR and First Aid.
Health & Safety
The Y abides by all public health guidelines set by the city, county, and state.
Free Extended Care
We offer morning and afternoon extended care at no extra cost.
Multiple Camp Options Available
Looking for traditional day camps? We have you covered! Looking to step it up with Specialized Camps? We have those too.
Camp Location
Y Camp at Chinese Immersion School at DeAvila Elementary School
1250 Waller St, San Francisco, CA 94117
GENERAL CAMP INFORMATION
Program Information
Campers are organized into small age-appropriate groups. Each camp session is led by well-trained youth development staff. Our daily activities are developed with your camper’s age and skills in mind, tailored to keep your camper engaged and having fun.
This summer, your camper can expect their week to be full of excursions, arts and crafts, camp songs, building friendships, and so much more!
Dates
June 9, 2025 through July 25, 2025
Hours
Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:30 pm
Grades
Entering Fall of 2025, Kindergarten through 5th
Deposits
A deposit is due each week you register your child(ren)
ALL DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE
Summer Camps for GRADES ENTERING KINDERGARTEN TO 5TH
AGES: 5–11
STEAM Camps
Welcome to a summer of STEAM fun! Join us as we embark on weekly adventures in science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
Campers will engage in exciting projects like coding, stop-motion animation, creating art inspired by nature, and solving real-world challenges. Every week, campers explore new destinations such as zoos, amusement parks, museums, and nature reserves that bring STEAM concepts to life. We balance learning with play with activities like hiking, team games, and environmental studies to encourage curiosity about the natural world.
This is the perfect camp for young minds to grow and create lasting memories.
*A non-refundable deposit is due at registration per weekly session.
*No camp on 06/19 and 07/04.
*Field trips are subject to change.
REGISTER
Please click below to view weekly pricing and to begin your registration.
Weekly Theme: Let’s Go, Lego Maniacs!
Field Trip: Legoland Discovery Center Bay Area
Weekly Theme: Code Masters (Coding)
Field Trip: The Tech Interactive
NO CAMP ON JUNETEENTH
Weekly Theme: Mad Scientists (Experiments and the Scientific Method)
Field Trip: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Weekly Theme: Animaniacs (Stop motion animation)
Field Trip: Children’s Creativity Museum
NO CAMP ON 4TH OF JULY
Weekly Theme: A Space Odyssey
Field Trip: The Lawrence Hall of Science
Weekly Theme: The Animal Kingdom
Field Trip: Oakland Zoo
Weekly Theme: Field Day Nature Walk
Field Trip: Golden Gate Park and California’s Great America
How to register
To register online, you will need to access your online account to get started. If you do not have an online account, you can create one through our Community Portal by clicking on ‘Create Account’ in the lower right corner of the login window. Due to registration requirements, select branches do not offer online registration and must be done in person.
You do not need a YMCA Facility Membership to register; however, YGSF members with active Facility Memberships can receive a discount of up to 20% on select youth development programs. If you’d like to join the Y, please click here to select the membership plan that best suits your needs.
Families without Facility Memberships can register as Community Members; this account is free of charge.
Once you have logged into your account, you will be able to select the camp sessions you’d like to register for. A deposit is due for each weekly session for each child. Please note that deposits are non-refundable. Your paid deposit will hold your camper’s slot for the weekly session selected, and the remaining balance (less the paid deposit) will be due 9 business days prior to the camper’s start date. Payment due dates are available for review below.
THIRD-PARTY BILLING
We accept 3rd Party Billing, such as Children’s Council, Marin Childcare Council or 4Cs. All inquiring families must submit a Certificate/Contract of child services provided by your caseworker to [email protected] before a request for enrollment can be submitted. Please note that you may be responsible for a portion of camp dues. Please contact your caseworker to notify them of the camp(s) you’d like to register for.
Financial assistance is available to families who qualify, made possible by donors of the YMCA of Greater San Francisco. Please see below for more information.
Weekly Payment Due Dates
| Session: | Camp Instance: | Deposit Due: | Payment Draft Due Date: | Drop Date for Non-Payment: | Last Day for Refund Less Deposit. | No Refund: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 06/09/25–06/13/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 05/27/25 | 05/30/25 | 05/23/25 | 05/27/25 |
| 2 | 06/16/25–06/20/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 06/02/25 | 06/06/25 | 05/30/25 | 06/02/25 |
| 3 | 06/23/25–06/27/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 06/09/25 | 06/13/25 | 06/06/25 | 06/09/25 |
| 4 | 06/30/25–07/03/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 06/16/25 | 06/20/25 | 06/13/25 | 06/16/25 |
| 5 | 07/07/25–07/11/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 06/23/25 | 06/27/25 | 06/20/25 | 06/23/25 |
| 6 | 07/14/25–07/18/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 06/30/25 | 07/04/25 | 06/27/25 | 06/30/25 |
| 7 | 07/21/25–07/25/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 07/07/25 | 07/11/25 | 07/04/25 | 07/07/25 |
| 8 | 07/28/25–08/01/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 07/14/25 | 07/18/25 | 07/11/25 | 07/14/25 |
| 9 | 08/04/25–08/08/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 07/21/25 | 07/25/25 | 07/18/25 | 07/21/25 |
| 10 | 08/11/25–08/15/25 | Deposit is taken at registration | 07/28/25 | 08/01/25 | 07/25/25 | 07/28/25 |
Financial Assistance
Financial Assistance is available to families who qualify.
To apply, please fill out our Financial Assistance Application and email your completed form to [email protected] along with two types of income verification. Please refer to the application form for acceptable forms of income verification.
Families who qualified for Financial Assistance during the calendar year do not need to re-apply. If you have not been awarded Financial Assistance within the calendar year, then you will need to re-apply.
Applicants can expect to hear back from an associate in approximately 15 business days with award details.
Email your completed and attached income verification forms by clicking below:
Daily Activity Schedule
Please keep in mind that these times and activities are examples of a typical camp day and specific details may vary or change due to unforeseen circumstances. Most camp programs will have at least one off-site field trip per week. Please consult with the branch staff to confirm schedules in the late Spring.
| TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 8:00 am–9:00 am | Extended Care & Drop Off |
| 9:00 am–9:15 am | Campfire Songs & Gathering |
| 9:15 am–10:00 am | Morning Snack |
| 10:00 am–11:00 am | Outdoor Group Game |
| 11:00 am–12:00 pm | Theme-Based Activity |
| 12:00 pm–12:30 pm | Lunch |
| 12:30 pm–1:00 pm | Travel Time / Local Field Trip |
| 1:00 pm–2:00 pm | Local Field Trip |
| 3:00 pm–3:30 pm | Travel Time/Back to Camp Site |
| 3:30 pm–3:45 pm | Afternoon Snack |
| 3:45 pm–4:00 pm | Campfire Songs & Gathering |
| 4:00 pm–5:00 pm | Extended Care & Pick Up |
Please note, this schedule is subject to change.
Summer Camp FAQs
We will notify families by email if a space becomes available. You will have 48 hours to accept or decline the waitlisted spot. If we do not hear back from you, we will move on to the next child on the list. For confidentiality reasons and standard operating procedures, we do not reveal where a child’s spot is on the waitlist.
YMCA leaders are encouraging, patient, and can help facilitate successful camp experiences for children with mild to moderate disabilities. For specific questions regarding your child, please contact the branch-specific site contact.
- All deposits are non-refundable
- Cancellations that come in 10 business days or more before the program begins or earlier are subject to a refund of payment but do not include the deposit.
- Cancellation requests made 9 days or less than the program start date will have no refund.
You can expect to hear from your camp team roughly a week before the camp week begins, which will include details like a packing list, meals, snack policies, etc.
Camp Questions?
Contact Misa Nguyen, Camp Director, by email at [email protected] or call (408) 930-0675 for program related questions.
Need Help with your account?
Contact Member Services at [email protected] or call our support hotline at (415) 772-5500.