We can't wait for warmer weather and
summer camp opportunities at the
Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Schlagle library!
We hope you'll join us for lots of adventures around Wyandotte County Lake Park as students explore, learn, and grow together. You'll find all the info you need to get plugged in and register for our camp attendance lottery system below.
REGISTRATION OPENS FEBRUARY 15, 2026
Learn More about the Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library
Camp Details
There are seven (7) possible camp weeks to sign up for depending on the age of your child. Each week has 22 camper spots available. This camp is a traditional nature camp, with activities centered around outdoor exploration and hands-on learning. Campers will spend a large portion of each day outside, going on hikes, playing both outdoor and indoor games, and learning outdoor skills such as birding. They will also explore topics related to the environment and conservation, including some environmental education activities. Campers will most likely get the chance to meet an animal during the week. Each day will conclude with a mindfulness activity called a “sit spot,” where campers take time to quietly observe and reflect on nature.
Because campers will be active and outdoors for much of the day, they are required to bring a water bottle to stay hydrated. It is strongly recommended that campers eat a healthy, substantial breakfast before arriving and pack a nutritious lunch, as they will be burning a significant amount of energy throughout the day. Campers should expect to get sweaty and dirty, so sturdy hiking shoes and comfortable clothing that can get messy are encouraged.
CAMP WEEK OPTIONS
Nuts About Nature: June 1-5, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm (PreK, 5 - 6-year-olds going into K, NO FIRST GRADERS)
Eco Explorers I: June 8-12, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (6 - 8-year-olds)
Eco Explorers II: June 22-26 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (6 - 8-year-olds)
Discovery Days I: July 6 - 9, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm with a $20 extra fee option to stay until 9:30 pm on Thur. (9 - 11-year-olds)
Discovery Days II: July 13-16, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm with a $20 extra fee option to stay until 9:30 pm on Thur. (9 - 11-year-olds)
Destination Science I: July 20-23, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm with a $20 extra fee option to stay until 9:30 pm on Thur. (12 - 15-year-olds)
Destination Science II: July 27-30, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm with a $20 extra fee option to stay until 9:30 pm on Thur. (12 - 15-year-olds)
IMPORTANT NOTES:
Camp is $30 per camper.
You may only choose ONE camp week per child.
No age exceptions will be made and siblings are not guaranteed to get spots if another sibling does get one.
Lunch is NOT provided by the library. For camp days that go past noon, campers must bring their own lunch with them.
Camp Week Descriptions
Check out the different opportunities in each camp week option!
NUTS ABOUT NATURE
Our Nuts About Nature Camp is for children who will be entering Kindergarten in the fall (ages 5-6). Most of our camp time will be outdoors taking short nature hikes, engaging in outdoor imaginative play, playing with bubbles and wind streamers, and exploring the insects, birds, and plants around the library. There will be indoor activities as well like painting, story time, games, and crafts. Please make sure your child is prepared for any and all weather and play conditions. Our days will be filled with exploration in grass, dirt, chalk, and other elements that may soil nice clothes. Because our camp is only 3 hours long each day, children do not have to bring a lunch or snacks with them. Snacks will be provided by the library and will be chosen with any camper dietary restrictions in mind.
ECO EXPLORERS
Eco Explorers is a nature camp for children ages 6-8 who love to spend time outdoors! Activities will include hiking, water games, archery, Starlab planetarium, crafts, games, mindfulness and meeting an animal. We will be exploring the outdoors around Wyandotte County Lake and learning about nature and conservation. Campers should be prepared to be outside for most of the day unless there is inclement weather.
DISCOVERY DAYS
During our Discovery Days nature summer camp for ages 9–11, we will do a variety of fun and educational activities. Some of these will be inside our classroom, but many of the activities will take place outdoors in nature. We will be taking two hikes during their week, the longest one being around an hour. Other activities include water games, archery, crafts, games, mindfulness, meeting an animal, and more!
DESTINATION SCIENCE
This week-long camp for teens focuses on science, nature, outdoor skills, art, and games. Activities may include hiking, archery, fishing, science experiments, engineering activities, art making, games, and animal natural history programs. At least half of each day is spent outside or mostly outside. Campers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and equipment as they could get sweaty, wet, or muddy depending on the activity. The optional Thursday evening, which is an additional fee, will include an evening bonfire with dinner and s’mores.
Summer Camp Registration and Lottery
At Kansas City, Kansas Public Library, we are committed to including populations in our programs that are as unique as the communities we serve. In previous years, the majority of our campers have been from outside Wyandotte County (WYCO) and did not represent our community’s demographics.
To align with the library’s mission and the strategic goals of Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, we are using a lottery system to better serve our community in signing up for our Summer Camp program at the Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library.
Our goal is to ensure an equitable, inclusive, and diverse experience for all families in our community. We are excited to implement this change to better serve our community and to make our camps more accessible to everyone. Thank you for your understanding and support!
REGISTRATION PROCESS:
STEP 1:
Register your child beginning February 15 through March 14, 2026. If registering multiple children, one registration per child is required.
STEP 2:
If selected, you will be contacted by March 23 with a link to complete the payment registration through Eventbrite. This registration will only be visible to lottery winners.
STEP 3:
If selected, please pay $30 (+$20 if adding evening camp options) for your camp registration. Payments are due by April 1, 2026. If spots are available, new names will be drawn starting April 1.
LOTTERY PROCESS:
Each camp week has 22 available spots. These spots are selected based on the lottery system and names will be drawn on or around March 15 via the Wheel of Names website for equity and fairness. Below is the breakdown of how those spots are divided up.
WYCO Residents: 18 students per camp (77% of spots). Priority is given to the lowest household income zip codes 66105, 66101, 66103, 66102, 66104, 66106.
According the census.gov, the Median Household Income in Wyandotte County is $60,582. All of the above listed zip codes fall below the Median Household Income and are listed by lowest to highest household income, 66105 being the lowest and 66106 being the highest, but still under the median.
Two (2) spots held for volunteers from WYCO residents (9%).
Non-WYCO Residents: 4 students per camp (23% of spots).
ALL registrations must be completed online in full by March 14, 2026 in order to be included in the lottery drawings. No waitlists will be created.
Registrations will open February 15, 2026. Please click the button below to access the registration form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nuts About Nature is designed around unstructured nature play, imaginative activities, and lighthearted exploration. This camp is developmentally geared toward younger children, and first graders often find the activities insufficiently challenging and may become disengaged.
Campers will be based at the Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library in the downstairs classroom. Throughout the week, they will also explore nearby locations within walking distance, including Stotler Cove, the Bridle Trail, Shelter 6, and either the children’s fishing pond or the beach, depending on the age group.
If your camp includes a Fishing Day, the fishing portion will not be held at Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library. Instead, it will take place at either the Children’s Fishing Pond or the beach. Depending on the age group, campers will need to be dropped off at the pond, which is within walking distance of Mr. and Mrs. F. L. Schlagle Library and located within Wyandotte County Park.
Each camper in Eco Explorers, Discovery Days, and Destination Science must bring their own lunch. We are a peanut-free campus and ask that no peanut-containing foods be packed. Lunch is held every day at noon. Campers should also bring a refillable water bottle daily.
In Nuts About Nature, Ms. Lu provides snacks for the campers and follows all allergen guidelines, including but not limited to vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free needs.
In Discovery Days and Destination Science Camp, campers have the option to stay late for a campfire, games, pizza, and snacks at no additional cost beyond a $20 fee. All allergens are taken into consideration, and vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are provided as needed. The $20 fee helps offset higher costs associated with specialty dietary needs.
In each camp, campers receive a surprise popsicle on one of the days, at the counselors’ discretion. We provide fruit-based, dye-free popsicles.
No, this is not a bilingual camp; however, we are able to work with Spanish-speaking campers who may not speak English. We have several staff members who speak Spanish fluently and others who speak it conversationally. KCKPS has a large Latino/Hispanic population (approximately 60%), and we are experienced in working with students of diverse language needs.
Each camp counselor has a rainy day and an inclement weather plan. On rainy days—especially when there are safety concerns such as lightning and thunder—campers will remain indoors for the entire day and participate in nature-related activities such as crafts, story times, games, and environmental education programs. In the event of severe weather warnings, the library has a designated shelter space inside for patrons, campers, and staff.
On heat advisory days, we ensure that campers do not remain outside for longer than one hour at a time and are never in direct heat.
Unfortunately, refunds cannot be offered due to Eventbrite and system limitations. All registration fees go directly toward recovery costs and are spent giving back to the campers, usually in the form of the crafts and prizes they receive in their activity tubs each day. If you have questions regarding scholarships or payment information, please contact Branch Manager Patrice Gonzalez at pgonzalez@kckpl.org for more information.
We have worked with, and can accommodate, students with special needs. Accommodations depend on the individual student and their specific needs. If a student with special needs is enrolled in camp, a parent or guardian will need to discuss those needs with the Manager to determine what accommodations can be provided.
In the past, we have had students with Down Syndrome who only required a small amount of additional assistance from our intern. We have also had students attend camp with their para, who assisted that student exclusively. We are able to modify most activities for a camper who uses a wheelchair; however, they would need an assistant to help with mobility needs, such as navigating the hiking hill.
We offer a limited number of scholarships for each camp for campers who are unable to pay. To inquire about a scholarship, please contact Patrice Gonzalez at pgonzalez@kckpl.org to discuss available options and eligibility.
For the older camps—Discovery Days and Destination Science—campers who stay for the campfire experience are asked to pay an additional $20. This fee covers snacks, pizza, drinks, and s’mores, which the whole family is welcome to enjoy. Scholarships are also available for this portion of camp.
Each camp counselor will email families approximately one month before the camp begins with detailed information, including any additional documents that may need to be completed or signed. These emails will also include a general breakdown of the week, daily themes, and a sample of activities, while still leaving room for surprises. Families may also contact the Branch Manager, Patrice Gonzalez, at pgonzalez@kckpl.org or the Mr. & Mrs. F. L. Schlagle library staff at 913-295-8250 ext. 2 or flsinfo@kckpl.org