Camp Gordon Clark

Camp Gordon Clark is a traditional YMCA summer day camp run by the South Shore YMCA, based at the Emilson Y campus in Hanover. It serves ages 3–15 on 46 wooded acres, and it’s designed for classic “move-all-day” camp energy: big outdoor play, friendships, and confidence-building — plus a lot of facilities that make it feel like a full camp campus (athletic fields, outdoor pools/splash park, archery range, low ropes, climbing wall, courts, organic farm, and access to Laura’s Center for the Arts). Daily swim/play is included in most Camp Gordon Clark programs.

For parent logistics, daily timing is built around flexible drop-off and pick-up windows: drop-off 8:00–9:00 AM, half-day pick-up 12:00 PM, and full-day pick-up 3:30–5:00 PM. Registration for summer 2026 opened in tiers (members first, then returning families, then public, all currently open), with a $50 deposit per camper per week at sign-up; campers also need an up-to-date physical (MA regs: valid for 18 months) and required forms completed ahead of time. Campers are generally organized into Lower Camp (ages 4–7) and Upper Camp (ages 8–12) for traditional day camp, with additional program types noted separately (sports, specialty, arts/tennis).

See a more in-depth look at camp with our spotlight interview here!

June 15 - August 21, 2026

Pricing varies by camp type and age, but generally expect for non-members:

• Half-Day: $245 - $395
• Full-Day: $450 - $560

YMCA members do receive a sizeable discount comparably. See pages 12 - 13 in the Camp Guide for a full pricing detail breakdown.

Financial assistance is available, see the application here.

Register for programs online here.

cgc@ssymca.org

Camp Gordon781.924.8338

Veronica Kelly, Director: vkelly@ssymca.org

Nicole Fantasia, Assistant Director: nfantasia@ssymca.org

ArtsCamp781.924.8335

Matt Maggio, Director: mmaggio@ssymca.org

Nature Adventures Camp781.659.2559

Rachel Bond, Director: natureadventurescamp@ssymca.org

Not explicitly offered, but pick-up and drop-off windows are at least an hour, offering a sort of non-official extended care for working parents.

What Parents Like‍

• Parents appreciate the inclusive, supportive staff (especially for neurodivergent kids). A mom explicitly describes Camp Gordon Clark as an “INCLUSION camp,” saying staff understood her child’s needs from day one, he was “embraced by everyone,” made friends quickly, and that camp “completely changed our summer for the best.” (1)
• Guardians say that kids get attached (in the best way). One long-time guardian story notes their child attends summer camp every year and “gets upset when he can’t make it,” crediting staff support over many years. (1)
• Camp Gordon Clark works for families who use the Y as a “summer hub.” A grandparent/member story mentions their grandkids were at day camp every day and that the outdoor pool area was heavily used by the family—signal that the broader Emilson YMCA environment feels like a reliable summer routine for families. (1)

‍What Parents Think Could Be Improved‍

• A public review praised camp overall but complained about porta potties and morning bathroom access near the pool, most notable if you have little ones. (2)

‍Our Take

‍Camp Gordon Clark’s strongest, most consistent “why families like it” signals are belonging + staff support—especially for kids who benefit from an inclusive, understanding environment—plus the kind of repeat-summer loyalty you only get when kids genuinely feel connected. Because third-party review volume is light, we’d treat this as a “high-trust local staple” and recommend a quick parent checklist call/email to inquire about specific needs for your camper.