SOKY Girl Scouts - 2026 Houchens Day Camp

2026 Houchens Day Camp: Passport to Adventure

Day Camp is Monday-Thursday, June 8–11 with an optional outdoor overnight June 11–12.

Houchens Program Center at 4520 Barren River Road, Bowling Green

Get ready to stamp your passport! This year at Camp Houchens, we’re traveling the world to explore the incredible food, arts, and cultures of our global sisterhood. Together, we’ll discover how girls live, play, and lead in different countries through hands-on activities: we’ll taste international snacks, create traditional folk art, and learn games and songs from around the world. Of course, it wouldn’t be camp without the water slide, nature hikes, and making new friends around the campfire!

Day Camp Info

Camp Details

Registration ends on May 3.

Registration is $125 for the week. Register by April 17 for a $25 early-bird discount! 🥳

Registration is FREE for girls attending with a full-time adult volunteer (one free camper per adult volunteer). Camp Houchens is entirely volunteer-run, please see the volunteer details below and consider spending the week with us! Volunteers must be registered Girl Scouts and complete a background check.

Registration is FREE for Camp Aides, high-school age Girl Scouts who volunteer at camp.

Registration includes all program supplies and badges. All girls also receive a camp t-shirt, a color-coded bandana, and a camp patch. Two daily snacks are included, but girls will need to bring a packed lunch. Girls who stay for the optional outdoor overnight will receive Thursday night dinner and Friday morning breakfast.

Camp drop-off is between 8–8:30 a.m. Monday–Thursday

Pick-up between 3–3:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday

Optional outdoor overnight Thursday–Friday, June 11–12. Brownies and up who have completed a successful night away from home may stay overnight with parent permission. Friday morning pickup is 10:30 a.m.

*Financial assistance is available, thanks to the Joyce Seymour Leadership Fund. See Registration and Payment below for more information.

Benefits of Volunteering

Day camp is completely volunteer run, and we need your help. Whether you're interested in returning to your Girl Scout roots or experiencing camp for the first time, please consider volunteering for Day Camp!

Build memories that will last a lifetime!
Full-time Adult Volunteers receive a staff bandana and a FREE t-shirt
Full-time Adult Volunteers receive free registration for one Girl Scout (must be from same household and volunteer the entire week).
Part-time volunteers (two or more days) receive a free t-shirt and staff bandana.

Girl Scout Camp Aides

Camp Aides are rising 9th–12th grade Girl Scouts who help at camp. Registration is free for Camp Aides. Aides are required to attend an overnight training at camp, June 5-6. Additional details will be shared with registered Camp Aides.

Note: Girls currently in 8th-12th grade who do not wish to be a Camp Aide but still want to attend camp are welcome to apply as a regular camper.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact the Camp Director, Katie Marquardt at 270-999-5362 or houchensdaycamp@gmail.com

What to Bring to Camp

First day of camp:

All items should be labeled with the camper’s name and unit. Most of these items will stay in her unit tent at camp all week. Please send the items in a backpack or duffle bag and remind your camper to keep her items in her bag after use. Each girl is responsible for her belongings, and for keeping the unit tent tidy.

Please pack:

A refillable water bottle. The girls carry these to all activities, so a handle or strap can be very helpful for young girls.
A swimsuit and towel for water play (no swimming).
An extra change of clothes, including underpants, socks, and shoes, in a Ziploc or waterproof bag.
Any medications labeled with the camper’s name in the original bottle. We suggest sending the exact quantity needed during camp. Medicine must be picked up by a parent on the last day of camp.
Sunblock and bug spray (Please practice applying these safely with your camper before camp)
Poncho
Hat
Bandana (in addition to the unit bandana we will hand out. The girls use these as a hand towel)

Every day:

Lunch in a Ziploc bag. Lunches are placed on ice when we arrive, so paper bags will get wet. Reusable lunch bags are not recommended because we trash all lunch items after eating to avoid critters in our tents. Please do not send extra snacks or drinks. We provide water all day, and two snacks each day.
Sturdy closed-toe shoes with socks.
Please apply bug spray and sunscreen before arriving at camp. We will reapply throughout the day.

Do not bring to camp:

Girls should never bring electronic devices (e.g. cell phones, iPods, radios, etc), money, valuables, toys, candy, gum, or pocket knives.

What to Wear to Camp

Campers are required to wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes at camp to avoid injuries. Sandals, flipflops, and Crocs are strictly prohibited. Campers enjoy water play every day of camp. Girls may wear water shoes during water play, but they must be closed-toe, without holes. If your camper arrives in inappropriate shoes, they will remain at the lodge until a parent or guardian can bring them closed-toe shoes.

We recommend wearing a t-shirt with sleeves for sun protection, and socks that completely cover the ankles for tick prevention. Tick prevention needs to be taken seriously. Our camp is in a beautiful wooded area, and ticks are part of the natural environment. Wearing tall, white or light-colored socks will help us spot ticks quickly and remove them before they have a chance to bite. Strong and proven tick repellent is strongly suggested for every camper.

If your camper is wearing a two-piece bathing suit for water play, please arrive with the bathing suit worn under clothing (don’t forget to bring a dry pair of underpants to change into following water play). This will give each unit more time for water play if some of the girls are already dressed. If your camper is wearing a one-piece bathing suit, she may change prior to water play to avoid frustrations during bathroom breaks.

Thursday Night Camping

Brownies and up who have completed a successful night away from home may participate in the Thursday night overnight at parents’ discretion. Permission slips, tent forms and additional information will come home with your camper this week. If you are planning ahead and your camper wishes to bring a tent, please make sure this tent is designed for outdoor use and that your camper has experience putting it together! Campers also have the option of staying for evening activities and checking out before lights out. Please contact us at houchensdaycamp@gmail.com for more information.

Scholarship Info

If you need help paying for camp, there are two great options to help!

Volunteer: Register as a full-time Adult Day Camp Volunteer for the week and bring one Girl Scout from your household to camp for free using coupon code STAFF. (You must volunteer the entire week to be eligible.)
Joyce Seymour Scholarship: Families that apply for a scholarship may be awarded with a full or partial scholarship to apply towards registration. If approved for a partial scholarship, we will send you an invoice for the amount due.
- CLICK HERE to apply for the Joyce Seymour Leadership Fund Scholarship and make sure to register for camp with coupon code JOYCE.
- When filling out the scholarship: Choose "Day Camp." Cost = $125 and name of camp = Houchens Day Camp.

Pick-up and Drop-off

Carpooling is strongly recommended when possible. Camp Houchens access is a one-lane road. Pick up and drop off are dependent on volunteer traffic guides to keep things running smoothly. For the safety of all the girls and our volunteers, please listen carefully to directions and keep your speed low.

Camp drop off is between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. each day. Pickup is between 3:00 and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Thursday pickup is between 3:00 and 3:30 for Daisies and anyone not staying overnight. For those staying overnight, Friday morning pick up is between 10:30 and 11:00 a.m.

Our camp is staffed completely by volunteers. Please be considerate when picking up by arriving on time. Parents who are consistently late (after 3:30) will be assessed a baby-sitting fee.

Late Arrivals, Early Departures, and Absences:

If you know your child will be absent or arrive late, please notify camp the day before in by emailing houchensdaycamp@gmail.com.

If this is not possible, please notify Katie at 270-999-5362 before 9:00 a.m. If your camper needs to arrive or leave other than at regular times, you need to check them in or out at the lodge. It takes approximately 20 minutes to sign a child out and pick them up, please plan accordingly. If someone other than a parent is signing a camper out, they must be on the girl's camp forms and present ID.

Refund Policy and Participant Expectations

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If you need to cancel, please email HouchensDayCamp@gmail.com ASAP. Cancellation Policy: Full refunds will be processed for all cancellations received prior to April 17. 50% refunds (less any payment processing fees) will be processed for cancellations received prior to May 3. No refunds will be given after May 3 for cancellations.

Safety and Expectations

Safety of our scouts is the most important factor of camp! Therefore, our leaders will go over camp rules and expectations the first day of camp. Please remind your scout that these guidelines are put in place to keep them safe and ensure they have a great week at camp! Any camper who is constantly violating rules/boundaries will be dismissed from camp without a refund.

Health History Form

After you submit your registration, you will be automatically sent to the Health History Form page. We need this filled out for ALL CAMPERS, CAMP AIDES, and ADULT VOLUNTEERS prior to attending camp. If for some reason, you were not redirected to the form after registering, you can fill it out HERE.

2026 Houchens Day Camp: Passport to Adventure

Day Camp is Monday-Thursday, June 8–11 with an optional outdoor overnight June 11–12.

Houchens Program Center at 4520 Barren River Road, Bowling Green

Day Camp Info

Camp Details

Benefits of Volunteering

Girl Scout Camp Aides

Questions?

What to Bring to Camp

First day of camp:

Every day:

Do not bring to camp:

What to Wear to Camp

Thursday Night Camping

Scholarship Info

If you need help paying for camp, there are two great options to help!

Pick-up and Drop-off

Late Arrivals, Early Departures, and Absences:

Refund Policy and Participant Expectations

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Safety and Expectations

Health History Form

Questions?

Please email HouchensDayCamp@gmail.com