Camp Rising Sun
Camp Rising Sun is packed with activities, games and fun. Campers spend the day swimming, creating crafts, playing kickball, pickup basketball and soccer and enjoying games like gaga ball and capture the flag.
Camp Rising Sun Camp Sessions
There will be 10 weeks of Camp Rising Sun this summer. July 3 is a holiday, and camp will be closed.
Calling all aliens, astronauts, time travelers, and wizards! Your camper will blast out of this world and into summer at the YMCA! Campers will fuel up their spaceships, time-traveling cars, and brooms this week. Campers bring their magic, stars, and amazing costumes to a week so fun, it’s out of this world!
This high-energy week brings campers together through teamwork, character building, and vibrant activities. Each day, a YMCA character trait and color are highlighted with games, crafts, and challenges. The week ends with a Color Run, a fun race where campers celebrate community and spirit with a burst of bright colors.
It’s America’s birthday—and camp is throwing the party! Campers celebrate with red, white and blue games, challenges, crafts, and celebrations as camp honors 250 years of history, community, and summer fun the YMCA way.
It’s a week full of games, laughter, and classic carnival fun. Campers step right up to creative activities, silly challenges, and festive surprises that bring the magic of the midway to life.
Camp hits rewind and campers learn what made yesterday so awesome! Campers step into different time periods, learning how people lived, played, created, and imagined the world. With themed crafts, outdoor adventures, dress-up days, and classic games, every era becomes a brand-new adventure.
Campers explore the excitement of various holidays, including the 4th of July, Christmas, Halloween, and more, through games, crafts, and festive challenges. Each day immerses kids in a new celebration, sparking imagination and cultural curiosity. The week wraps up with a special YMCA Birthday Party, where all campers come together for a joyful celebration of the Y.
Campers dance at a beach party, play wet and wild water games, do seaside inspired crafts, and splash around with new friends. Summer might be hot, but at the YMCA, it's nothing but fun in the summer sun!
Campers are the stars during this week filled with excitement and imagination. Through arts and crafts, active games, and tons of other fun activities, campers will experience what it’s like to live the Hollywood life.
Campers will step into their own superhero stories through teamwork challenges, creative missions, and character-building fun. This week celebrates courage, kindness, and the unique strengths of every hero.
Campers saddle up for a rootin’-tootin’ good time with the spirit of the Wild West. This week is filled with exciting games, creative activities, team challenges, and plenty of chances to grow in confidence and character.
Registration
All YMCA Day Camps require a $20 deposit per session. If you do not have a YMCA account, you can create one at the time of registration.
YMCA Day Camp Experience
From preparation to programming, these are the essentials that shape each camp day.
Counselors & Staff
YMCA Day Camp operates with a 10:1 camper-to-staff ratio. We hire high schoolers, college students and teachers to lead activities, drive buses and facilitate summer camp. Each staff member undergoes extensive training - from CPR and First Aid to leading assemblies. Many staff are former campers and return summer after summer.
Swimming at Day Camp
Almost all YMCA Day Camps offer free swim times or water play (for younger campers). Each camper is assessed for their swim ability on the first swim day of the session. Campers are issued swim bands that identify their swim levels. Swim bands also help lifeguards and counselors identify which areas of the pool are appropriate for each camper.
Weather Management
From outdoor games to water play, day camp is designed to keep kids moving, learning and connecting. But when the heat index rises, so does our responsibility to make smart, timely adjustments that protect campers and staff.
Huddles
Huddles are small groups of campers of similar age and grade who are grouped together at day camp. Typically, huddles move together throughout the day to difference activities. Each huddle is accompanied by two or more counselors.
Character Traits
Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Honesty, and Faith are the character traits the YMCA uses to reinforce positive behavior. Campers can earn beads by demonstrating these traits. Each camper (ages 5 and older) receives a necklace on the first day camp for their beads.
Camp Rising Sun FAQs
Rides In (drop off) will take place in the front loop by the flag pole. Please stay in your car. From 7 - 9 a.m., we will have a staff member in that loop opening car doors, greeting you and checking campers in. For the safety of your child, we cannot allow children to be dropped off prior to Rides In opening at 7 a.m. while our staff are setting up for camp.
Rides Out (pick up) is from 4:30 – 6 p.m. and will be run in the same loop. Please use the second entrance to the Taylor Y (if you are coming off of Cary Parkway onto YMCA Drive) and take an immediate left to head towards the front of the building loop. The person picking up must have their pick-up card (provided on your child’s first day of camp) and an ID as a safety precaution. After camp closes at 6 p.m., a late fee applies. The fee is $5 for the first 10 minutes and $1 for every minute thereafter. If you are stuck in traffic or recognize you will be late, please call the Camp Office at 919-653-2155.
If you are dropping off or picking up outside of our Rides In and Rides Out times (between 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), please park in the loop, stay in your car and call 919-653-2155. A staff member will come to you!
Camp Rising Sun offers three themed family nights each summer!
Thursday, June 25, 7 - 8:15 p.m. - Character Counts
Thursday, July 16, 7 - 8:15 p.m. - Back to the Future
Thursday, July 30, 7 - 8:15 p.m. - Beach Bash
Family Nights are an opportunity for the whole family to come and check out camp and participate in our fun activities. Campers love to show their families around where they spend their day and introduce them to their camp counselors.
You can come to Family Night even if your camper is not registered that week or if you are registered for a future week and haven’t attended yet that summer.
A few weeks before camp starts, you will receive an email with a recorded Family Orientation video for you to watch together with your camper that details everything you will need to know about camp.
Camp Rising Sun's in-person Family Orientation on Sunday, June 7 from 1-2:30 p.m. will include a tour of camp and a chance to meet camp staff. No registration is required.
Campers have the option to swim every day at Camp Rising Sun! Rising Kindergarteners play in the splash pad and campers in rising grades 1 - 8 swim at the outdoor Oasis Pool. The Oasis Pool is the Taylor Y's second pool that is used only for youth programs during the summer.
Camp K (rising Kindergarten) swim from 10:20-11 a.m. at the splash pad at the main pool.
Camp 1 (rising grades 1-2) swim from 10:25-11:05 a.m. at the Oasis Pool.
Camp 2 (rising grades 3-5) swim from 12-12:40 p.m. at the Oasis Pool.
Camp 3 (rising grades 6-8) swim from 11:15-11:55 a.m. at the Oasis Pool.
All swim times are subject to change due to weather and may vary the first and last weeks of camp. Please ensure your camper is dropped off at Camp in time for them to get changed into their bathing suit in the locker room with their group. If your camper goes swimming in the morning (Camp K and Camp 1) you can send them already dressed in their swim attire.
Campers are asked to bring a change of clothes, a swimsuit, a towel, lunch, two snacks, and a refillable water bottle. Most campers pack everything in a backpack.
Ranks
Open Programming makes it possible for us to offer rank activities, which are activities where campers have the opportunity to develop skills and level up in various areas of interest. Examples of areas where your camper can rank up are arts and crafts, performing arts, archery, soccer and basketball. When your camper ranks up, they will receive a certificate and a bead for their bead necklace.
Wednesday is our Spirit Day at camp! If your camper would like to participate, they can wear as much of their camp color as they can!
- Camp K (rising Kindergarten) is purple
- Camp 1 (rising grades (rising grades 1 & 2) is red
- Camp 2 (rising grades 3 - 5) is blue
- Camp 3 (rising grades 6 - 8) is green
- CILTs (rising grades 9 &10) are black
Sunscreen/insect repellent (lotions and sprays) requires a Sunscreen/Insect Repellent Distribution Form to be completed if you wish for the Y to apply it to your child. This is part of the YMCA Medication Distribution & Sunscreen Application form.
We recommend that your child bring spray sunscreen and repellent for personal use if you prefer they self-apply. Please mark your child's first and last name on the bottles.
Other Day Camps
Offered by the Taylor Family YMCA
