Home / Refunds and deposits

What happens to your money if plans change?

These are the refund, cancellation and deposit terms each operator prints, in its own words.

Listed, not checked. We have not visited, inspected, rated or endorsed any camp named on this page, and a camp being named here says nothing about how it is run. Each fact is the operator’s or the agency’s own wording, with a link to the page it came from. Read the questions to ask and put them to the camp yourself.

Who prints that fees are not refundable?

• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: Program fees are non-refundable. (clevelandmetroparks.com) no year in this line
• Cleveland Metroparks nature camps: Camp fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. (clevelandmetroparks.com) no year in this line
• Hiram House, overnight page: All fees are non-refundable. (hiramhousecamp.org) no year in this line

Who refunds on a schedule?

• Akron Zoo: If the cancellation occurs two or more weeks before the first day of the camp, a 50% refund will be issued. (akronzoo.org) no year in this line There is a $10 service charge for any changes made to the original registration. (akronzoo.org) no year in this line
• Columbus Recreation and Parks: Refund requests submitted after May 11 will not be granted, unless accompanied by an extenuating medical circumstance. A $15 processing fee will be assessed for each refund request processed. (columbusrecparks.com) no year in this line
• Cincinnati Museum Center: There is a $50 processing fee for cancelling before May 1, 2026. There will be a $100 fee if you cancel on or after May 2, 2026, up until the Friday before your camp. (cincymuseum.org) the line prints 2026
• Metroparks Toledo: If the cancellation is received more than 30 days prior to the start of the camp session or program, a full refund will be issued. If the cancellation is received 15-30 days prior to camp session or program, 50 percent of the payment price will be refunded. If the notification is received less than 15 days in advance, no refund will be issued. (metroparkstoledo.com) no year in this line
• Hiram House, questions page: Cancellations made at least 30 days prior to the session start date will receive a full refund (minus the deposit). Within 30 days of the start date, refunds are only issued for documented medical reasons. (hiramhousecamp.org) no year in this line

Hiram House’s questions page also prints Camp fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, but we understand that unexpected situations can arise. (hiramhousecamp.org) With the overnight page’s line above, that is three statements, and we print all three. Our suggestion: ask the camp which governs your session and get the answer in writing.

How do deposits work?

• YMCA of Greater Cleveland: There is a $25 registration fee per child. Each week of summer day camp requires a $25 deposit, which is applied towards tuition. Deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable. (clevelandymca.org) no year in this line
• YMCA of Central Ohio: Standard deposit fees are $20/week for each camp instance. (ymcacolumbus.org) no year in this line Deposits are not refundable or transferable at any time. (ymcacolumbus.org) no year in this line The balance of your camp fees is charged 10 days before each week of camp on Fridays. (ymcacolumbus.org) no year in this line
• Hiram House day camp: A $100 non-refundable deposit is required per camper, per session. Session 1 Only (1 week) is available for $500. (hiramhousecamp.org) no year in this line
• YMCA Camp Kern, for families applying for aid: Pay a reduced $25 deposit per week + $2 admin fee (campkern.org) no year in this line
• Columbus Recreation and Parks: ALL camp session enrollment fees must be paid in full prior to the first day of camp, June 8, 2026. (columbusrecparks.com) the line prints 2026

Why is Metroparks Toledo on this page?

Its camps page printed these refund terms when we read it. The only other line we quote from it is a scholarship link label, on the help paying page. There is no Toledo page on this site.

What should you do about it?

Our suggestions:

1. Find the refund paragraph before you pay, and save a copy with the date.
2. Put the last full-refund date in your calendar.
3. If you are waiting on a scholarship, ask whether the deposit comes back if aid is refused.
4. Ask what happens if the camp cancels. Akron Zoo: The zoo reserves the right to cancel any camp with insufficient registrations. In the event this happens, a full refund will be issued. (akronzoo.org) Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: If Cleveland Metroparks Zoo finds it necessary to cancel a program, a refund or internal education program credit will be issued. (clevelandmetroparks.com)