Quick Summary
- Register for Camp Tekoa's 2027 summer season in January to get the first choice of weeks and programs.
- Sessions fill in the order registrations are received.
- A $250 non-refundable deposit per camp week ($150 for day camps) reserves a spot.
- Families who register before April 1 can set up a monthly payment plan with all balances due May 1.
- Camp Tekoa runs roughly eight weeks of camp from early June through early August, with day camp, overnight TKO camp, adventure camp, and Barnabas special needs camp.
- Registration is online only at camptekoa.org, and the office can be reached at (828) 692-6516.
Why January Is the Right Month to Register
Three things happen when you register early, and all three save you trouble later.
You get the week you want. Popular sessions and adventure programs go first. If your family already knows that the third week of June is the only week that works around a beach trip and a travel baseball tournament, claiming it in January is far easier than negotiating it in April.
You unlock the payment plan. Families who register before April 1 can select installment payments after the initial $250 deposit ($150 for day camps), spreading the cost across up to four months. All balances are due by May 1. Registering in January gives you the longest runway.
You get cabin mate requests right. Tekoa honors one and only one cabin mate request per camper, and the request must be mutual. That takes coordination with another family. Sorting it out in January, when both families are registering anyway, is far simpler than trying to arrange it in the spring.
Step One: Match the Program to the Child
Camp Tekoa runs four types of summer programs, and the range is genuinely wide. Choosing well matters more than choosing fast.
- Day Camps. Elementary Day Camp serves ages 6 to 9 who have completed kindergarten, running Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Adventure Day Camp serves ages 9 to 11 and delivers the activities of overnight camp with evenings at home.
- Overnight TKO Camps. Mini Camp is a four day, three night session for ages 7 to 9, with Older Mini for ages 10 to 11. Elementary TKO serves ages 8 to 11, Middle School TKO serves 11 to 14, and High School TKO serves 14 to 17.
- Adventure Camps. These scale from Elementary Quest for ages 9 to 10 up through High School Expedition Extreme, with programs built around rock climbing, backpacking, whitewater paddling, and primitive camping.
- Barnabas. Tekoa's summer camp for adults with special needs pairs each camper with a special friend who helps them navigate the week.
The progressive design is the point. A camper can start at Day Camp at six, move to Mini Camp, work up through Elementary and Middle School TKO, and finish with High School adventure programs, facing an appropriate new challenge each year. Our summer camps page lays out each option in detail.
If you are weighing day camp against overnight camp for a first-time camper, our guide on how to choose between day camp and overnight camp walks through the decision. For parents unsure whether a child is ready to sleep away from home, this readiness guide is a useful starting point.
Step Two: Build the Budget
Knowing the numbers in January makes the rest of the planning easier. Recent published Tekoa rates have included:
- Day Camp at $425 and Adventure Day Camp at $450
- Mini Camp at $500
- Elementary TKO at $850, Middle School TKO at $875, High School TKO at $900
- Elementary Quest at $850
- Middle school adventure camps at $1050
- High school adventure camps from $1100 to $2,300 for Expedition Extreme
- Barnabas at $850
Current pricing appears on the dates and rates page. A $250 deposit per camp week ($150 for day camps) is required to reserve a spot and is non-refundable and non-transferable. If the full balance is not paid by May 1, the payment is drafted from the original form of payment, and a $50 service fee applies on May 2 if a payment fails or arrives late.
Families who cannot cover the full fee should contact their church first, since many congregations sponsor campers. If the family and church together cannot cover it, partial scholarships are available from the Tekoa Scholarship Fund. A Financial Assistance Request Form must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian and by a minister or sponsoring agency representative, and submitted before or with registration.
Beyond the session fee, plan for a camp store account. Store items run from about $3 to $50; the average camper account is around $30; and week-long overnight campers typically visit the store twice.
Step Three: Handle the Paperwork Early
This is the part families forget, and it causes real problems in May. A few deadlines to put on the calendar now:
- Health history is completed within the online registration process.
- Adventure camp waivers are due by March 1. Programs requiring waivers have included High School TKO and Water Adventure for whitewater rafting, Cascade and Journey for horseback riding, Breakout for rafting, and Barnabas for the special needs questionnaire.
- All forms should be completed and returned by March 1 unless you register after June 1, in which case forms are due immediately.
- Waivers are emailed to the primary parent in January and can be signed electronically.
Registering in January means these forms arrive when you have time to deal with them rather than during the last week of school.
Step Four: Prepare the Camper, Not Just the Registration
The gap between January and June is the most useful stretch of time you have, and most families waste it. Use it.
Talk about camp now, in a low-stakes way. Involve your child in choosing the program, since children who own the decision arrive more comfortable. Have younger campers practice managing their own routine, including getting ready for bed, starting the shower, getting dressed, and organizing belongings. Campers who feel confident in those areas transition more smoothly.
Practice separations. A long weekend at a grandparent's house or a sleepover at a friend's house in February does more to prepare a first-time camper than any conversation in June. The American Camp Association has long recommended practice time away from home as the single best prevention strategy for homesickness.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Camp Tekoa registration open for summer 2027?
Registration typically opens in November for the following summer and remains open until sessions fill. Because spots are assigned in the order registrations are received, January is well within the window for good selection but not the earliest possible date.
What is the deposit and is it refundable?
Each camp week requires a $250 deposit ($150 for day camps), which is non-refundable and non-transferable. For cancellations more than 21 days before camp, families receive a refund of the balance paid minus that deposit.
Can we set up a payment plan?
Yes. Families who register before April 1 can select installment payments for up to four months after paying the deposit. All balances must be paid in full by May 1.
What happens if our preferred week is already full?
You can add your camper to the waitlist through the registration system. When a spot opens, the system emails you and you have 24 hours to accept and pay before the spot moves to the next family.
How many weeks of camp does Tekoa run?
Tekoa's summer camp season runs from mid May to mid August, with roughly eight weeks of camp sessions between early June and early August. Specific dates are published on the dates and rates page each year.
Can siblings attend the same week?
Yes, and many families do. Note that cabin mate requests are limited to one mutual pair, and campers are grouped by age, so siblings in different age brackets will be in different family groups.
Start Your Best Summer Now
The best summers are the ones that get planned in January. Pick the program, put down the deposit, set the payment plan, and then spend the spring getting your camper genuinely ready rather than scrambling.
Browse programs on our summer camps page, check current pricing on dates and rates, or download the 2026 camp brochure for a full overview. Questions are welcome any time through our contact page or at (828) 692-6516.
