STEPIO

Other than the FAQs we have on the high-level questions Who/What/When/Which/How, here are some more FAQs that you might have for the STEPIO Camps :

Why are 5-year-olds not included in Sports Camp?

We have found that most 5-year-olds are not ready for the full day camp environment. We want all campers to have the best camp experience possible so they want to continue in the future with sports and camps. We have determined that 8-year-olds are consistently ready for camp and can adapt to our camp setting most successfully. Enrolling campers that are camp ready helps ensure positive experiences for all campers. Please see the age group page for further details.

Can you group my child with his friend?

Yes, usually. In the interest of keeping things fun and effective to operate, we like to accommodate such requests. Sometimes, however, for personnel or behavioral reasons, we may choose to separate a pack of friends. Please note that campers are grouped by grade in the morning and afternoon sessions and offered free hours in the evening for friends to gather.

Will my child learn to play all different kinds of sports like Tennis/Volleyball/Basketball/Soccer in one camp?

Usually not, unless it is an All-Sport Camp held in the States and Moscow in summer. Usually we offer training camps for one particular sport, or some supportive sports as exercises to balance body training and/or warm-up.

In those All-Sport Camp, we certainly touch on the basics of these sports (and more!) during different sessions of camp. However, in the interest of keeping it fun and semi-competitive, we often play hybrid versions of these sports, in game form. The children usually enjoy the hybrid games much more than traditional sports partly because of their novelty and partly because they usually are appropriate for a larger variety of abilities while some sports are difficult for younger and/or smaller campers to all play.

Each session we offer both repeat and new activities to maintain camp favorites and also mix things up for campers attending multiple sessions. We are not able to guarantee specific sports offerings during specific sessions because facility and instructor availability varies throughout the summer.

If you want your child to play a specific sport at camp or focus on specific sports skills, we recommend the sport specific camps offered through STEPIO that focus on one sport for the entire camp session. Please see the Sports Training Camp specific page.

Why the Field Trips?

In the interest of trying new things and see the world around us – we include a weekly field trip to our camp sessions.

Field trips range from watching a local sports game, tourist spot visit, Olympics training campus visit, interview with country Olympic athletes, famous sport club skill exchange, etc. The learning opportunities are immense – ranging from learning a new skill, history of a country, a different culture, and to working with a group to taking care of themselves away from mom and dad. Please see further on our website homepage to see the list of the diversified countries we offer camps at.

I am concerned about my child going on field trips to certain places. Is there an alternative option on field trip days?

On field trip days, all campers and staff go on the trip so there are of no alternative programs or supervision on camp venue. We have many safety rules and protocols in place to ensure the safety of all campers on our trips. Specifically, for the younger campers, they are matched and remain with an assigned counselor for the day. If you have any questions about our field trips or safety protocols, please let us know. Please refer to our Safety page on our protocols

My camper really wants to be with her friend on the field trip? Can I make this request? 

Unfortunately, with so many campers each session, we are not able to take requests for campers to be in certain groups on the field trips. However, counselors will often work together so that campers can be with friends or near their friends on the field trip even if they are not in the same group.

What if I want my child to go on a specific field trip or have a specific activity?

The availability of sports/games/activities rotates on a daily basis based on facility availability, size of the age groups and staffing. We do not always provide field trips and special activity schedules in-advance but we do strive to offer a variety of activities kids will enjoy.

Please note that field trip locations are subject to change for a variety of reasons and we will not be able to process registration changes/transfers/refunds as a result of field trip changes after registration begins.

Please consider Field Trip is an add-on bonus on the sports training camp instead of a main program.

Do STEPIO Camps provide lunch?

It depends, some do and some don't. Please check with the specific details of each camp.

Lunches, or even all meals, might include especially for international campers, i.e. the camp is held in another country.

For local camp, your camper should bring lunch on Monday to Thursday. On Fridays, we provide a pizza lunch for the campers.

Some field trips will include lunch but we will let you know in-advance for those days.

Campers in older age range (age 12 or above) can bring lunch or money to purchase lunch at nearby restaurants and shops, Monday-Thursday.

Please be sure to let our staff know if your camper has any food allergies both on the camper online registration form and when you check in on the hotel check-in day.

Does All-Sports provide snacks during the day?

We provide the following for all campers each day : bottled distilled water and Gatorade, or equivalent, throughout the day and post-camp campers will also receive an afternoon snack.

Please be sure to let our staff know if your camper has any food allergies.

What does a camp day look like?

Below is an example of a day at camp for Fencing Training.

Location of activities will be at the destination of venue

DROP OFF 8:30-8:45
Coach Intros 8:45-9:00
Game in Groups / Warm-Up 10:00-10:45
Group Practice 10:45-11:00
Snack Break 11:00-12:00
Conditional Practice 12:00-1:00
Lunch 1:00-2:00
Footwork and Physical Training 2:00-3:00
Group Competition 3:00-5:00
Coach Conclusion & Comments 5:00-6:00
PICK UP 4:10 – 4:25

Can I sign up for multiple sessions?

Yes! Due to our access to multiple facilities and other benefits of STEPIO Camp, each session can be different. While there is some repetition of activities, things like field trips and session theme days will change on a weekly basis.

Is there a discount for siblings or registering for multiple sessions?

There is no discount for registering for multiple children yet there might be some discount on registering for multiple sessions. Please see the Camp details for such offer.

Do camp sessions fill up right away? 

Most of STEPIO Camps is open pre-registration internationally, and the camp is always a limit on participant to ensure quality and safety. It is always some grade groups and sessions do fill up quickly once online registration opens.

Pre-registration is a way to maximize the participant with STEPIO before the official registration. And pre-registration is FREE. We usually can get the seats by getting us ready way before the day comes.

We typically have some sessions fill up the first day while many others fill up in the first few days. Some sessions will remain open longer as each year high demand grades and weeks differ. We recommend registering early to increase the likelihood of confirming your preferred sessions.

If the session you want is full, we recommend adding to the wait-list at no charge. We work hard to help move campers from the wait-lists, especially those that tried to register within the first week of registration.

Do I have to register online? 

You do need to register online for our camp program. Many sessions fill up quickly and pre-registering online allows you to :

1. increase the likelihood of securing a place and;
2. immediately know your registration status (enrolled or waitlisted) in order to better make decisions regarding additional/alternate sessions or to coordinate with other camper friends. 

Our staff is not able to take credit card payments by phone, paper form or in person. If you do not have access to a computer or prefer to pay with check or cash instead of online with a credit or debit card, you can schedule to meet with our staff during business hours to complete the pre-registration on one of our computers.

We are not able to hold spots in camp so registration is first-come-first-serve online whether you register on your computer or come into our office.

Please email stepio.camp@gmail.com if you need to come in to use our computer to register.

Do I need to pay a deposit to register?

Once you pre-register, you have a spot in that training camp. You can pay the deposit in official registration date, a non-refundable EUR100 deposit is required for each camper’s session. And the remaining balance should pay before the deadline in each registration. Please refer to the registration details of each camp.

What is the refund policy? 

You may cancel your camp registration for any reason within 2 weeks of your session and receive a refund less your non-refundable deposit for each camper’s session.

Cancellations less than 2 weeks before the camp session begins are non-refundable.

What happens if my camper is sick or is injured before camp?

Ill or injured campers may transfer to another session if there is availability or be eligible to receive a partial refund if approved, upon request only. All transfer/refund requests for illness/injury must be submitted stepio.camp@gmail.com before the first day of the session (unless it is an injury that occurs during your camp session in which it is due before the last day of the camp session).

Each request will be reviewed and additional documentation may be required before transfer or refund decision is made.

How do I know if there is a place available when I am on the waitlist?

If a space opens in a session for which you are waitlisted, you will be emailed by camp staff and given instructions on how to register from the wait-list. In most cases, we will need your response within 48 hours to move your camper from the wait-list but the email notification will give you specific information regarding response time to confirm your registration.

What happens if I am able to enroll one of my children but not the other?

If you can register one camper but the same session for your other child is full, you may register the first camper, add the second camper to the wait-list and email us at stepio.camp@gmail.com. While we cannot guarantee a spot for the wait-listed camper, we make every effort to keep siblings registered together for the same sessions.

Where do I drop off my child in the morning and pick up in the afternoon?

The Drop-Off and Pick-Up are at the same entrance of the venue. Please note that parking rules will be enforced during camp hours so parking without a permit or paid meter could result in a ticket.

Please allow for extra time on the first day if you are not familiar with the area and parking. 

The check-in table will be located at the venue entrance in the morning during the check-in time. At pick up time, it will be at the same spot to sign out your campers. Campers must have a parent or authorized person sign them in and out each day. All authorized pick-up people must be designated on your online registration account and may be required to show a photo ID at time of pick-up. You may add any additional authorized persons on your account for camper pick-up. You can also add names manually to the list at sign-in on Monday.

What is the policy regarding early drop off or late pick up? 

For staffing and planning purposes, it is important that you arrive at the appropriate times for drop off and pick up.

Drop Off : You may drop off your camper between 8:30-8:45 a.m. Please respect our other campers by dropping off by 8:45 a.m. so that we can start our program on time without interruptions. It can be very disruptive and challenging to get campers to various program locations when campers repeatedly arrive late. There is no additional charge for the pre-camp supervision as it is included in your tuition.

Pick Up : If you are late for registered pick up time (i.e. after 6:10 p.m. without registering for post-camp supervision), you will be charged for the post-camp supervision for the session after the second incident. If you arrive after 7:00 p.m. for pick up, additional charges may apply. Please respect our counselors and their personal time by arriving on time for pick up and allowing them to leave work on time just as they arrive on time ready to work and play with your children each day! Repeated incidents of drop off after 9:30 a.m. and/or pick up after 7:00 p.m. may result in dismissal from future camp participation during current or future sessions.

Can my camper arrive late or leave early for a doctor’s or other appointment?

If you need to schedule an appointment for your camper, we recommend doing so early or late in the day for easier drop off and pick up. Let your camper’s group leader know about the appointment at check-in the day before the appointment so they can give you the location of the camper’s group at your expected arrival or departure time or the contact information to reach them.

What should my child wear to camp?

Campers should wear clothes they are comfortable wearing while being active indoors and outdoors. Camper should also wear their own sport-specific outfits to ensure the training is well taken. We recommend campers wear shorts, t-shirts, sneakers and SUNBLOCK to attend and get changed at the venue.

Also, it can be cool in the mornings so a sweatshirt is good layer to have on. See below for additional items campers should also bring and be sure to label everything so we can get it back to you if it is separated from your camper.

Does my child need to bring sports equipment?

Yes, as always, the campers should bring their own sports equipment. We WILL NOT provide the equipment that the campers need. Depending on the specific venue, it might not be possible to buy supplies on-spot but it is the campers' responsibilities to bring their own equipment.

Can my child bring an iPhone, iPad or other portable electronic devices? 

We strongly discourage campers from bringing electronic games, music players, mobile phones, and other electronic devices. Not only are they vulnerable to being taken, forgotten and broken, they discourage personal interaction and participation. Campers that bring electronic devices and accessories, do so at their own risk. If campers do bring these items, counselors will ask that they keep these devices in their bags and out of sight throughout the camp day. We want campers to interact with each other and the counselors while being active for the best training experience possible!

What should my child bring to camp?

Please label everything so we can more easily return it to you if it is left behind :

• A bag or backpack
• Bottles of water
• Towel
• Sports-specific outfit (e.g. for swimming, swimsuit, pool shoes)
• Hat (outdoor)
• Book, comic book, coloring book or other item for down time after lunch (please no iPads, mobile phones or electronic games – we don’t want them to be lost or taken!)
• Sunblock! for outdoor sports, please apply sunblock in morning before drop off and we will remind campers to reapply throughout the day.
• Lunch (if not provided) Monday-Thursday. The 11-year-olds or above may bring lunch or money to buy lunch at the student union. Top

Additional Questions 

If you have a question that is not answer by our FAQ’s, please email us at stepio.camp@gmail.com.