Bike Camp! 2021
About the 2021 Program
Bike Camp! is a summer program for kids aged 8 to 14. It’s about team-building, fun, community, and discovery.
Each session runs from 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday, starting and ending at the Rita Bright Family and Youth Center, located at 2500 14th St NW, Washington DC 20003.
Our theme, City Explorers, is about exploring the city by bike! We also cover map reading, route creation, group riding skills, and riding long distances. Activities include:
- Riding every day (weather dependent), and as many as 20 miles per day!
- Riding to field trips and volunteer opportunities across the city.
- Learning basic bike maintenance.
This is a great camp for campers who want to see the city, visit new places, and help the community. City Explorers Bike Camp! is $350 per camper. The July 6th week is $320 due to the shortened week.
Camp Sessions:
Each session is one week long, with a targeted age range.
- June 28 – July 2, 2021: 8-10 year olds
- July 6-9, 2021: 8-14 year olds
- July 12-16, 2021: 10-12 year olds
- July 19-23, 2021: 12-14 year olds
- July 26-30, 2021: 8-10 year olds
- August 2-6, 2021: 11-14 year olds
- August 9-13, 2021: 8-10 year olds
Read about our 2016 City Explorer’s Camp to get an idea of the fun in store this summer!
All sessions will include these fun things:
- Bike rides, of course!
- Learning how to take care of their bike and make basic repairs
- Helping local organizations around the city and giving back to the community
- Mapping rides and tracking ride info
- Practicing team-building activities
- Exploring the neighborhood on their own two wheels
- Visiting local sites and go on field trips by bike
- Playing games, learning about DC, and having fun outside
Register
Trouble viewing this form? Click here.
—>Scholarship Information
WABA will offer a limited number of partial and full scholarships each session based on financial need. To request a scholarship, send an email to bikecamp@test.waba.org with the following details
- Student Name
- Are you requesting a full or partial scholarship?
- Briefly explain your financial need or special circumstances.
COVID Information
We will be following guidance from DC Health on summer camps. You can read the full guidance here.
As a summary of that guidance, we have some broad expectations around program operation:
Health and Safety
- Staff and youth will wear masks at all times indoors. We will not wear masks whilst we are outdoors and able to space out, such as when we are riding our bikes.
- Anyone suffering from a list of COVID symptoms will be asked not to come to Bike Camp that day.
- Hands will be washed upon arrival and departure from Rita Bright. Hand sanitizer will be provided as needed throughout the day.
- We will work to limit indoors time, but will have periods of indoor time and will maintain three feet of distancing when indoors.
- Bike Camp will be capped at 10 youth and 3 staff for 2021.
- Eligible youth are encouraged to get vaccinated, but their vaccination status will not change the mask requirements.
Cancellation Policy
- You will have until two weeks before the start of your session to withdraw with a full refund if you are not comfortable with these COVID policies.
- If a confirmed COVID case requires WABA to close Bike Camp, we will refund a prorated 50% of the registration fee.
Sick Policy
- No reimbursements can be offered if your child is unable to attend Bike Camp due to COVID symptoms or any other illness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my child ride on streets? How does that work?
We will ride on residential streets and trails, many of which have protected bike facilities. When necessary, we will ride on the sidewalk or walk our bikes. Campers will always be surrounded by our counselors, WABA staff, and/or volunteers. We will always ride as a “bike train” — single file, with adults in the front and the back of the formation. For us, the best decision is always the safest decision, so our rides are designed first and foremost with camper safety in mind.
Do students bring their own bikes to camp? What if my child doesn’t have a bike?
Students are encouraged to bring their own bikes to camp. If your student will ride their own bicycle during camp, you must have the bike checked over by a qualified mechanic before camp starts. After registration, you’ll receive a Bicycle Inspection Form that you can use to have your child’s bike checked out by a qualified bike mechanic. If you don’t know how to find a bike mechanic, we can help.
Additionally, WABA has a small youth bike fleet. We are able to provide a limited number of bikes to students who do not have their own for the duration of the session. If you indicate that your child does not have a bike in your application form, we will do our best to match your camper with an appropriate bicycle to use during the program.
What should my child bring to camp every day, other than a bike?
In order to participate, your child needs to come to camp with the following items every day:
- Two full water bottles (at least 12 oz. each)
- Two masks
- Sunscreen
- A helmet
- A lunch
- A snack
- A backpack to carry their lunch or other items while biking
Who designed the curriculum?
Our Bike Camp curriculum was designed by WABA’s education staff. Our education staff are League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) who have taught thousands of DC-area kids about better biking. This curriculum is informed by best practices from the League of American Bicyclists, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and by evidence-based program design at The Bike Depot in Denver and Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Bike Works.
My child doesn’t know how to ride a bike without training wheels yet. Can they come to camp?
No, unfortunately. In order to participate in camp, students must be able to ride a bicycle (without training wheels) for at least 30 minutes.
What age groups does this camp serve?
We accept students from 8 to 14 years of age. Different sessions of our camps will be targeted to narrower ranges, i.e. 8-11 or 12-14. While students who fall outside of those ranges won’t be denied entry, it is strongly recommended that students attend the session targeted to their age.
Is this a competitive sports camp?
No. Bike Camp! is an inclusive team-building camp that focuses on fun, imagination, and exploration. Our rides are designed with the abilities of the slowest rider in mind, and we aim to use bicycling as a vehicle for creativity, pro-social behavior, and civic engagement.
A whole camp devoted to biking sounds kind of monotonous. Do you really have enough bike stuff to occupy a full week of my kid’s time?
Yep. Because we’re teaching safe bicycling practices, bike mechanics, and going on lots of fun rides, we’ll have more than enough stuff to occupy our time. We’ll go on at least one ride every day (as weather permits). We hope this camp will just be a jumping off point for you and your child to explore the area by bicycle.
Who can I call if I have a question that’s not on this list?
Email is the best way to reach us. Try bikecamp@test.waba.org.
Alternately, give us a call at 202-518-0524 extension 206.
Most WABA activities are free or don’t cost more than 20 bucks. Why does this cost so much?
Between paying highly-qualified staff, providing safe bikes for kids to ride, maintaining insurance, and keeping the lights on in our work spaces, the expenses add up! The majority of our education and outreach programs are highly subsidized by local governments, foundations, and generous donors, allowing them to be priced the way they are. By contrast, Bike Camp! is fully funded by registration fees alone. Because providing excellent and accessible bike education is an important part of our organizational mission, we do provide both full and partial scholarships to attend Bike Camp! Details are in the scholarship section above.