“Camp is ten minutes from our house and my son talks about the creek all evening. The counselors knew every camper by Tuesday.”
Dana H.Parent of a nine-year-old
Day camp in Durango, Colorado
A meadow, a creek, a barn and a ropes course
Bandana is a husband-and-wife day camp on a ranch lot at the edge of town, for ages 6 to 13, nine weeks from early June to early August.
The ranch lot
Three places, one ranch lot
Every day moves between the creek, the barn and the ropes course, with the meadow and the pavilion in between.
Wading and netsThe creek
A shallow stretch below the barn, for water shoes, nets, buckets and dams. A counselor stands in the water with every group.
Clay, paper and threadThe barn
Long tables, big doors and a roof for the stormy afternoons. It is where the making happens, and the rainy-day plan.
Low and paddedThe ropes course
A low course of bridges and balance beams, with padded landings and a counselor beside each element.
Summer
Nine weeks, in four blocks
Book a block, or just a single week. Every week runs Monday to Friday.
Summer
Weeks 1 to 3: Creek camp
Ages 6 to 13 · 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
June
Weeks 4 to 6: Barn camp
Ages 6 to 13 · 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
June to July
Weeks 7 and 8: Ropes and trails
Ages 6 to 13 · 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
July
Week 9: Ranch week
Ages 6 to 13 · 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
August
Sample sessions.
The year
Registration opens in January
Families who register early have the most weeks to choose from, and the ranch is open to visit before camp starts.
This school year
- Applications open
Registration opens
January
Families who register early have the most weeks to choose from.
Register - Open house
Open ranch evening
April
Walk the creek, the barn and the ropes course, and meet the counselors.
- First day
Camp starts
First week of June
A walk around the ranch lot, the creek rules and a first morning circle in the meadow.
- Event
Last day and family hour
Early August
Families come to the barn on Friday afternoon to see what the summer made.
Sample dates.
Safety and notice
What we are, and how a day is run
Two counselors lead every group, and the creek, the ropes course, the sun and the weather each have a routine.
License
Bandana Day Camp is a day camp that is not licensed as child care.
Adults to children
1 adult to 8 children
6 to 8 years
Group size: 16
1 adult to 10 children
9 to 13 years
Group size: 20
1 adult to 6 children
6 to 13 years
Group size: 12
Capacity
70
Ages 6 years to 13 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Medication training
Safety routines
Sun, thin air and water
The ranch lot sits high, and the sun is strong even on a cool morning. Send your camper with sunscreen already on and a hat with a brim. Water is at every station, and we stop for a water break between blocks.
The creek
Creek time is wading only, in water shoes, in the shallow stretch below the barn. A counselor stands in the water with each group, anything deeper than the knee is out of bounds, and life jackets hang on the rail for any camper who wants one.
The ropes course
The ropes course stays low, with padded landings and a counselor beside every element. Campers wear closed-toe shoes, and the course closes when the ground is wet.
Storms and smoke
Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August. At the first thunder everyone moves into the barn and stays until it has been quiet for a while. On smoke days we move the whole day indoors and text families before camp starts.
Sign-in and pickup
An adult on your list signs your camper in and out at the gate table, and we ask for ID until we know you.
Allergies, medicine and illness
Tell us about allergies and medicine at registration, and we ask what we need privately. A camper with a fever stays home, and if a camper feels ill at camp, we call you and a counselor stays with them until you arrive.
Sample details.
Who runs it
Jed and Lavonne answer the gate phone themselves
Bandana is a family camp. Jed runs the creek and ropes days and checks the course every morning. Lavonne runs registration, the barn weeks and the family hour, and she is the first call about allergies, medicine or anything you would rather talk through.
Two counselors lead each group, and every one of them is at the gate table at drop-off.
Jed and Lavonne Weldon
Co-directors
From parents
What parents tell us
“I read the notice and the numbers before I registered, and that settled a lot. At pickup they asked for my ID the first day and knew me after that.”
Marisol O.Parent of an eight-year-old
“Our daughter came home muddy and tired every day, which is exactly what we wanted from a summer. The text about the smoke day came before we left the house.”
Ty W.Parent of an eleven-year-old
Sample reviews.
Questions
What families ask us
What ages and weeks do you run?
Camp is for ages 6 to 13, Monday to Friday, for nine weeks from early June to early August. The weeks come in four blocks, and you can book any block or just a single week.
What is a day like?
A day starts at the gate table at 8:30 a.m. with a morning circle in the meadow, then a morning at the creek, the barn or the ropes course. Lunch is under the pavilion, there is a quiet hour in the shade, and the afternoon is a second station. Pickup is at 3:30 p.m.
What happens when it is stormy or smoky?
At the first thunder everyone moves into the barn until it has been quiet for a while. On smoke days we move the day indoors, and we text families before camp starts if the plan changes.
How does pickup work, and who can collect my camper?
An adult on your list signs your camper out at the gate table, and we ask for ID until we know you. If someone new is coming, tell us that morning and we will have them on the list.
How does tuition work?
It depends on how many weeks you book and which blocks they are in. Lavonne explains what sets tuition, what registration is for and how billing works when you call.
What do you do about allergies and medicine?
Tell us at registration. We ask what we need privately, keep a plan for each camper and share it only with the counselors who need it.
Save a place for the weeks you need
Registration opens in January. Register online, or call the gate number and ask about the creek, the ropes course or pickup.