Welcome to Summer Experience!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2026 BROCHURE
CLICK HERE FOR PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION

The Summer Experience 2026 schedule is now available! Get ready for an unforgettable summer filled with laughter, learning, and lasting friendships. You can view the digital brochure by clicking on the cover image or use one of the links listed above.

Summer Experience 2026 is designed to meet the diverse interests of families and students from PreK through Grade 12. With 8–10 weeks of engaging programming, campers can explore a wide range of options including academics, arts & sciences, athletics, and more, creating a customizable summer filled with growth and fun. Families can choose the schedule that works best for them; register for a single week, multiple weeks, all summer long or anything in between. 

Your family’s one-stop summer solution: everything you need, all in one place!

For Lower and Middle School divisions, be sure to check out the At-A-Glance week by week schedule guides and planning tool pages. Current CA families and Summer Experience families from last season will automatically receive a printed brochure in the mail in mid-to-late January. If you are new to Summer Experience and would like to receive a printed version of the brochure, please email Summer_Experience@columbusacademy.org, and we will be happy to mail one out to you! 

Summer Experience 2026 Session Dates

  1: June 2-5 (no camp June 1)
  2: June 8-12
  3: June 15-18 (no camp June 19)
  4: June 22-26
  5: June 29-July 2 (no camp July 3, Adventure Day Camp ONLY)
  6: July 6-10
  7: July 13-17
  8: July 20-24
  9: July 27-31
10: August 3-7 (Adventure Day Camp ONLY)

What's New and Noteworthy for 2026

• Before Care is back! We are excited to reintroduce our Before Care option for summer 2026. Before Care will be available starting at 7:30am for all weeks, Sessions 1-10.
   
• The cancellation/ refund deadline date is now April 1, 2026 and the installment payment plan dates are February 15th, March 1st, and April 1st. Mark your calendars now for these very important dates!
   
• Our Be a Junior Counselor program is now called Counselor in Training (CIT)! The core of this program remains the same. This is a small, but meaningful name change that we feel better represents the mentorship and leadership aspect of the program that helps prepare and train participants for a Senior Counselor position.
   
• Adventure Day Camp is an exciting new addition under our Summer Experience umbrella! This outdoor traditional day camp style program is set in nature on our beautiful 231 acres and is your one-stop summer solution. Simplify your summer — one program, one campus, everything you need for summer child care.

Registration and Payment

Online registration opening dates for 2026 are as follows:

• Priority Registration for current CA families | February 3 at 9:00am

• Priority Registration for returning families from SE25 and CA Alumni | February 4 at 9:00am

• General Public | February 5 at 9:00am

Note: If you qualify for more than one priority registration group (i.e. - you are a CA family AND a returning SE25 family), you will be able to register on all eligible dates. You will receive the appropriate email communications and link for each priority registration group separately.

Registration is available online only. Returning families will use current login credentials to access registration while new families will use the “New User Sign Up” to create an account. Please note you will not be able to create an account until registration opens. If you are a Columbus Academy academic year family, you can simply use your Columbus Academy mySchoolApp login credentials. Please look for the “Login using Columbus Academy MySchoolApp” button on the CampBrain sign-in page. If you would prefer a separate login, you may use the new user sign-up option if you did not create one the previous year. 

For priority registration, the appropriate link will be sent via email the day prior to your registration opening date. This unique link must be used to access priority registration, and the link will no longer be active once registration opens to the general public.

Beginning on February 5th when registration opens to the general public, the online registration site can be accessed by clicking on the “Register Now” button which will be added to the webpage just prior to that date.

Registration is on a first come, first served basis for all programs. Many programs fill quickly and therefore, we recommend registering as early as possible. You will register according to your child’s “rising grade” meaning the grade your child will be entering in the 2026-27 school year. A non-refundable and non-transferable registration fee of $30 per camper is required at the time of registration. The registration and program fees are payable by credit card or ACH only. Pay-in-full is accepted at the time of registration or you may select our Installment Plan. All balances must be paid in full by April 1 or your registration will be cancelled for any unpaid camps. If you register after April 1st, full payment is required at the time of registration. Registration closes on Monday at 6pm for the following week’s camp session and new registrations or schedule changes will not be accepted after this deadline. ACH denials/errors will incur a $35 fee per occurrence. There is no proration for absences or conflicts due to schedule, vacation or other activities

Installment Plan

You may select the Installment Plan to divide your course fees total over three equal payments. Payment due dates are February 15, March 1 and April 1. Credit card or ACH payments will automatically be processed on the due dates. All balances must be paid in full by April 1 or your registration will be canceled for any unpaid camps.

Waiting Lists

All programs have an enrollment maximum for safety and appropriate ratios. Once a program fills, a waitlist for that program begins through the online registration system. There is no course fee required to register for a waitlist. You will be notified via email if a space becomes available in your waitlisted class. You will have 24 hours to accept the open spot and make payment arrangements including the $30 registration fee if not already paid. Once the 24-hour window has expired, we will move to the next person on the waitlist. Spaces are filled as openings become available up through April 15. Late cancellation spots will not be filled beyond that date with the exception of extenuating circumstances. When registering, you may also select a second choice or “back up” program with availability while on the waiting list for your first choice. If a space becomes available in your first choice program and you accept the spot, our office staff will assist in making the appropriate adjustments to your child’s registration schedule.

Fees, Changes, Cancellations, Refunds and Deadline Policy

All camps have a minimum enrollment that must be met in order to run. Therefore, we must adhere to the following policy regarding cancellations. Please understand that after the deadline listed below, we have made firm financial commitments to our faculty and staff, in addition to purchasing materials for the class. The $30 per camper registration fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. The cancellation deadline is April 1, 2026. Any changes or cancellations made prior to April 1st will incur no penalty and course fees will be refunded in full. There is no refund for cancellations after April 1. We do not fill openings from waitlists for late cancellations received after April 1st. Changes made to schedules after April 1st will be charged a $25 non-refundable change fee per session week change per child plus any difference in course fees. Registration closes on Monday at 6:00pm for the following week’s camp session and new registrations or schedule changes will not be accepted after this deadline. All change requests and cancellations must be submitted in writing to Summer_Experience@columbusacademy.org and a cancellation confirmation received.

If a child is removed for disciplinary reasons, there will be no refund. Exceptions to the cancellation/ refund policy will be considered for medical reasons only and proper documentation from the child’s doctor is required. CA Summer Experience reserves the right to cancel any program due to low enrollment. We will make every effort to place your child into another available program. You will be notified via email with alternative camp options or to receive a full refund.

Save the Date: Family Meet & Greet • Sunday, May 30

Join us at Columbus Academy on Saturday, May 30, from 1:00-3:00pm, for our Family Meet & Greet! Registered families will receive an email by the beginning of May with more details.

CA Summer Experience Contact Information

Columbus Academy
Attn: Summer Experience
4300 Cherry Bottom Road
Gahanna, OH 43230

Summer Experience Phone: 
614-509-2267

Director's Phone: 
614-509-2529

Summer Experience Email:
Summer_Experience@columbusacademy.org

Director's Email:
KingA@columbusacademy.org

Connect with Summer Experience on Facebook!