Summer Camp Registration Forms: 5 Top Tips + Free Template

1. Keep Summer Camp Registration Forms Short And Simple
2. Include Your Camp’s Information On Your Camp Registration Form
3. Add Pricing Tiers And Options To Your Summer Camp Registration Form
4. Offer Your Summer Camp Registration Form Online
5. Sell Merchandise On Your Camp Registration Form

Plus, we’ve created a free summer camp registration form you can use as a template!

 

Providing a great camp experience starts before campers even arrive. A thoughtfully prepared summer camp registration form will not only increase sign-ups but also convey an air of professionalism that instills parent trust. With the right form, you’ll excite campers and reassure parents, starting the camp season off on the right foot. Let’s get started!

1. Keep Summer Camp Registration Forms Short And Simple

When drafting your summer camp registration forms, avoid including unnecessary fields. Doing so can increase your form abandonment rate, as few parents want to waste time answering questions that aren’t relevant to their child’s camp registration process. 

 

Instead, give parents what they want and focus your registration form fields on the following topics:

• Camper information. This includes the camper’s age, birthday, gender, allergies, and relevant medical history. You can also ask if the child is a returning camper or if they have any special needs.
• Parent information. Since parents and guardians will be most campers’ emergency contacts, ask for their names and contact information.
• Camp programs. Create a form that lists your camp’s unique programs and let parents choose the activities their child will participate in. For example, if you offer a horseback riding program with limited spots, let parents select it during the registration process.
• Payment information. Wrap up your summer camp registration form with payment information so parents can successfully complete their enrollment.

By asking for only the necessary information, you’ll increase your forms’ completion rate. If, after using your form for a while, you realize you need to ask about another piece of crucial information, simply adjust your form. Just keep in mind that the shorter your form, the happier parents will be!

 

2. Include Your Camp’s Information On Your Camp Registration Form

At the top of your form, right around the title, include all relevant contact information that a curious or worried parent needs. This includes information like:

• An email address of a staff member who can answer registration-related questions.
• The phone number and working hours of the staff member.
• Your camp’s mailing address for mail-in registration forms.
• Your camp’s website address, where parents can find more information.

In addition to making your camp registration form more professional, providing this information puts parents at ease, as they can easily call or email your camp staff should any questions arise.

 

Including contact information on your form also increases the chances of parents completing it. If they come across a field they don’t know how to answer or have a question about, they can call your camp immediately instead of putting the form down and forgetting to pick it back up.

 

Another way to ensure that parents view your organization as professional and trustworthy is to make sure that your camp registration form is branded correctly. Your color scheme and logo should be consistent across your website, newsletter, registration forms, and anything else you might send to parents.

 

This is especially important for online forms, which parents might view as inherently less trustworthy. Make it clear that your form is connected to your camp to ensure parents feel comfortable sharing their personal information and payment details.

 

3. Add Pricing Tiers And Options To Your Summer Camp Registration Form

Although it would be easier for every single camper to pay the exact same amount for attending a camp session, that’s not a practical pricing system for many camps. However, scholarships and discounts ensure that all children can experience the joys of summer camp!

You might offer camp discounts for a range of reasons, including military service, multi-child registrations, returning campers, referrals, and more. Children can also earn scholarships by applying or having their parents send in proof of need. However, some parents may not know about your discounts or might not think they’re eligible for scholarships.

To prevent this issue from keeping kids from attending camp, include a short informational section on your camp registration form regarding scholarships and discounts. The most important informational tidbits to include are:

• Scholarship application deadlines.
• Common types of discounts and qualifications.
• A link or QR code leading parents to more detailed information.

Consider also including a field on your form that allows parents to apply a discount or scholarship to their application. Of course, your staff will need to review applications to ensure that parents include the right code or check the right box, but allowing parents to self-select for discounts saves both you and parents time and money.

By following this practice, parents can avoid paying upfront with money they might not have on hand, and your camp staff doesn’t have to worry about giving everyone refunds after scholarships or discounts are applied. It’s a win-win!

 

4. Offer Your Summer Camp Registration Form Online

All of the tips we’ve shared so far have been applicable to both online and offline registration forms. But when building the most attractive and effective camp registration form possible, you must plan for the future. As your camp grows, it’s going to be increasingly important to have an integrated software system that helps your camp collect and use data efficiently.

 

If possible, your camp should invest in online registration software.

 

With an online solution, parents everywhere can register their campers with ease. Your staff can also rest assured that they've received all of the applications and payments, instead of worrying about checks or registration forms getting lost in the mail.

 

Online registration is a best practice for camps everywhere for multiple reasons:

• Information from summer camp registration forms can automatically flow into your summer camp database software, ensuring that information never gets lost.
• Camps can easily create personalized and adaptable forms with different fields based on programs.
• Parents can send scans of important documents straight to your camp, instead of worrying about sensitive information getting lost in the mail.
• Using online forms instead of paper saves trees!

Offering online registration also makes it easier to register multiple children in a family, synchronize roommate requests, track the number of campers registered for a program or activity, and follow up with parents for payments or additional documentation.

 

An online registration form that integrates with or is part of your camp management software makes the registration process as convenient and secure as possible for both parents and administrative staffers.