Our Policies

Camper Eligibility

Camp Mac is available to boys and girls of good character who have completed the grades as stated on the application. Because every camp term is different, we believe it’s important for you to work with us to make sure the program is right for your child’s maturity, ability, and interest. Because it is our goal to provide a remarkable experience for each and every camper, we do reserve the right to dismiss any camper who has a history of being disruptive, is unable to follow directions, will not cooperate with camp staff, or is unable to adjust to our program. We expect all of our campers and you, our parents, to follow all camp policies.

Communication

Mail is how your camper will be communicating with you throughout the term. To help with their adjustment to camp life, campers are not allowed access to phone or email. Please send stationary or postcards stamped and addressed, so that your child can write home about all the wonderful fun they are having at camp! Remember, it can take days before you receive your child’s letter. Please put camper’s home address as their return address, not camp’s. Often if a camper’s cards are returned, it is after they have gone home for the summer. This helps with lost mail.

Note:  We do have a one-way email service for parents to email their camper at $1/email.

No Package Policy

In the past, the large number of packages received by campers promoted a competitive atmosphere at camp and overwhelmed our small camp post office. As a result, we have a no package policy. All large envelopes, padded envelopes,  any envelope larger than a letter size #10, or a greeting card envelope 6×9 is considered a package and will be returned. Regular envelopes containing “anything” (other than your letter) are considered packages (don’t send these)! However, if there is a necessary item left at home, medicine, or a birthday gift (no food) you may mail the package to the office.

"What an amazing camp! We picked up our son today from his first junior term. I cannot say enough good things about his experience. He talked all the way home about all of the awesome activities, counselors, new friends and food! We enjoyed seeing him in the daily news and loved reading his postcards about camp. It was truly a life-changing experience for our son, and he will definitely be back next summer! Thank you, Camp Mac!" - A Parent

Picture Policy

During the summer, we update our website daily with news and photos of the previous day’s activities. Our news comes from daily six o’clock news reports (at 7:15pm) and is uploaded the following day around 5pm. Photos are available for download in our Facebook Photo Gallery! No account required. Our photo gallery is best viewed on a computer. Please note, while we take as many photos as possible, you may not see a picture of your camper every single day. Please remember, camp is for the camper! Our photographers do not interrupt activities to take pictures, rather they try to blend in to the background and capture those action shots we all love. Our photos are an extra service that we happily provide for our camper families, but there is no guarantee on how many photos will be posted of your child. While we do our best to capture pictures of all of our campers, we are not able to guarantee a camper will appear in the same number of pictures as another camper. Just because you may not see pictures doesn’t mean they aren’t having fun!

Swim Requirement

Because of our extensive waterfront program, every camper is required to swim unassisted at least 50 yards before attending Camp Mac.

Birthdays at Camp

Birthdays at camp are very special! Campers’ names are listed on a large poster in the Dining Hall. At dinner on their special day, they are presented with their own birthday cupcake platter to share with their cabin provided by the Camp Mac baker!

CabinMate Request

Before you arrive on Check-In, Bunk Assignments will have been made eliminating added stress of trying to get a certain bunk or save bunks upon arrival. If you have a request or disrequest, please indicate that on your camper’s Personal Profile Form. We will not be able to honor day-of requests. Please note that bunk assignments take into account all campers’ requests and disrequests and have been thoughtfully prepared by our staff for each camper. Families are not allowed to swap camper name tags on bunks at Check-In.

Electronics Policy

We allow music-only devices with earphones for use only in the living cabins and only if they meet the following conditions:

  • Contains no videos or games and has no video capability
  • Costs less than $100. Relatively inexpensive MP3 players such as iPod shuffles and iPod Nanos are allowed
  • Has no WiFi or cellular LTE capability
  • Uses earphones or earbuds (speakers are not allowed)

Cell phones, e-readers, tablets, and any device with cellular LTE or WiFi capabilities are not allowed. Devices that fail to meet our criteria will be taken up and returned at the end of term. Please do not bring expensive cameras or GoPros. Cameras that fail to meet our criteria will be taken up and returned at the end of the term. Camp Mac reserves the right to search as needed, including contents of electronic devices.

Prohibited Items

Campers are prohibited from bringing the following to camp: alcohol, tobacco and tobacco products (including electronic and vaping devices), illegal drugs or devices needed to use these drugs, weapons, and animals. Camp Mac reserves the right to search as needed. Possession of any of the listed items can result in dismissal without refund of fees.

Visiting Campers

You and your child will adjust to camp better without the interruption of visits. For that reason, we do not allow visits to campers during camp terms. We encourage you to meet our staff and tour the grounds on check-in day and check-out day of each term. Camp Mac is not open to the general public at any time.

Check-In/Check-Out

Check-In Times:
6 Day Mini Terms: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM CDT
11 Day Junior Terms: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM CDT
3 & 4-Week Senior Terms: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM CDT

Parents leave when the bell rings!

Check-Out Times:
6 Day Mini Terms: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM CDT
11 Day Junior Terms: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM CDT
3 & 4-Week Senior Terms: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM CDT

Camp Tours

We have scheduled tours throughout the year, watch for when and join us! Touring is a great way for your child to see for themselves what camp is all about and get them excited about spending a summer Among the Pines. Not only are tours great for kids, they also help parents settle any hesitations they may feel about sending their kids away to camp.

2024 Spring Tours:

  • Saturday, April 6th at 1 PM Central
  • Sunday, April 14th at 1 PM Central

Click here to Sign-Up! 

 

Parent Handbook

Meet & Greets!

Want to host a Gathering in your town? Inquire at [email protected] about setting one up!

What Our Parents Say!

We cannot express how impressed we were with the entire process. From the registration, the communication leading up to today – but then today we were absolutely blown away. Expectations exceeded in every way. And before we could leave our son was already asking when could he come back! – M.M.

Our daughter talked the entire way home about all the fun new things she tried and the new friends she made and all the fun she had! She was so sad to leave (I can totally relate). It was a wonderful experience and one she will talk about for weeks to come. A huge thank you to her wonderful counselors for making her first venture at camp such a huge success!! I am so grateful to them for taking such great care of my little girl. – K.F.

Our boys had a wonderful time! Mu husband and I are so thankful for the personal growth, friendships and confidence gained. They haven’t stopped talking about the activities, funny stories and all they accomplished this year. This “magical place: will never be replicated. We are forever indebted to you for providing a healthy, safe, and constructive environment for our children. To be a Camp Mac Camper is just the greatest gift. – G.G.

We did not make it to Buc-ees before he said that he missed Camp Mac!! Music to my ears! Loved that he connected with a childhood friend of mine’s son. – N.M.

I wanted to let you know how impressed I was with everything my son shared with me about his experience. I only wish his time at camp could have been longer. I know he had experiences that will be remembered for a lifetime and he is already looking forward to next summer. – K.B.

Wow I cannot believe how fast their junior term has gone by. Going into this as “newbies” the 11 day seemed so long and now- I completely understand why the kids want to go for the longer terms! – J.W.

We sent all of our boys for 4 weeks. They had the best time in their lives!!! When we picked them up they had had so many fun stories of new friends and all the amazing things they did. This was our first time but not our last time. I really don’t think they wanted to come home! – L.S.

My son was a first-time camper and his first words to me when I picked him up were “can we do 11 days next year?”- pure mom joy! – T.D.

This was my daughter’s first time at a summer camp and she LOVED it!! She had the best time and made lost of new friends. When we picked her up from the 6 day camp, she was very happy to see us but wished she could stay for 11 days! She is already planning to go back for 11 next summer! – E.W.

Thank you so much for working so hard to make camp happen this summer. Our daughter had a blast. She came on her own- without any of her friends. We told her that it would be a great chance to just be herself, learn new things, and just had the time of her life. Her letters home have let us know that she has made tons of new friends, had learned new things (including getting up on skis for the first time!!) and has just had plan old good clean fun. I can’t tell you how happy I am with her first camp experience. Thank you, thank you for providing such an amazing and wholesome environment for so many kids to grow, learn and play. I am certain that I will hear nonstop talk on the way home and I can’t wait! – J.B.

One of the most amazing places on earth! I am beyond thrilled that a place where I made so many wonderful memories is around for my boys to enjoy! The staff are amazing! My youngest got sick and was taken care of by the most awesome nurses! This place is a blessing to so many! The confidence and growth I see in my boys once they return home is immeasurable! So grateful for such a fantastic summer experience among the Pines! – B.S.

My children have had such an amazing experience both of the years they attended Camp Mac. I just wish we had started them coming sooner! It is wonderful work that you all are dong. I am so very grateful to everyone at camp for all that they have poured into my children. They are so much better for having had the opportunity to be part of Camp Mac. – D.S.

“I love camp * please pertend like you forgot to get me so I can stay.” Letter home from one of our youngest campers (shared by her mother!)

I want you and all of the Camp Mac staff to know what a wonderful experience this has been for our son. You have no idea how much the last few weeks have meant to him and us. He is in love with Camp Mac. He has gained the little stroke of confidence he so desperately needed. This has been the best gift! – G.L.

What an amazing camp!! We picked up our son today from his first junior term. I cannot say enough good things about his experience. He talked all the way home about all of the awesome activities, counselors, new friends and food! We enjoyed seeing him in the daily news and loved reading his postcards about camp. It was truly a life-changing experience for our son, and he will definitely be back next summer!!! Thank you, Camp Mac! – S.D.

Appreciate everything you do for our children and keeping them safe and Blessed with this camp!  – G.O.

Let me begin with a gracious ‘thank you” on behalf of my son who could not have enjoyed his time at camp more. He was not ready to leave when I picked him up and talked my ear off in the car on the drive home about how much fun he had. I have no doubt he and his sister will both be attending the longer term together next summer! Thank you, again, for maintaining an atmosphere of learning and fun and developing the whole child. The counselors you employ are such wonderful representatives of the Camp Mac brand! – M.D.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to EVERYONE who made the last 4 weeks so special for our daughter. I wish we could have come around and thanked all of you in person. She had the BEST time ever!!! She had 4 AMAZING weeks and is already planning for next summer. So please share my thanks with anyone and everyone!!! She can’t wait to see all of you next summer!!! – H.Y.

5 stars for sure! My children, as always, had a marvelous experience and did not want camp to end! You all do a remarkable job. Many thanks. – M.R.