For most children, summer means long days outdoors, new friends, and plenty of play. But for families staying at Ronald McDonald House Toronto — often far from home, balancing hospital visits and treatments — summer can look very different.

Unless, of course, Summer Camp at the House is in session.

Each July and August, Ronald McDonald House Toronto transforms into a lively hub of exploration and joy. One day, kids are launching lemon-powered volcanoes. The next, they’re rolling sushi, building stop-motion clay characters, or getting delightfully soaked in the splash-pad finale. Special guests drop by too — from visiting scientists blowing giant bubbles, to all of the furry friends and scaly sidekicks from Amanda’s Exotic Animals. For children navigating  serious illnesses, Summer Camp ensures summer still feels like summer.

“These kids have been through so much,” says Ethan O’Reilly, Programs Manager. “Camp lets them just be who they are — loud, quiet, silly, messy. We meet them there, and we build from joy.”

A Camp Designed with Care

What makes Ronald McDonald House Toronto’s Summer Camp extraordinary isn’t just the programming — though the lineup is enough to rival any traditional summer camp. It’s the way the program is built. Run by trained child life specialists and accredited by the Ontario Camps Association, camp is tailored to meet each child where they are.

Flexibility is key: campers can drop in for an afternoon, or commit to full days. Staff are trained to adapt activities to different ages, abilities, and health needs, ensuring every child feels safe and supported. For parents, the sight of a child smiling after a long day of hospital tests is priceless.

For the children themselves, the Summer Camp is a rare chance to feel like a regular kid, even in the midst of extraordinary challenges.

A Parent’s Relief

Marie-Eve Roy, whose son Maverick is awaiting a heart transplant, describes the camp as nothing short of transformative.

“It means a lot to us for Maverick to be able to participate in a summer camp while he waits,” she says. “It allows him to make friends, have fun and continue to have a routine, similar to the Ronald McDonald House Toronto School schedule, which he is used to. It is a relief to see him play and have fun, after having to go through a lot of tests at the hospital.”

For Marie-Eve, the impact runs deeper than simple play.

“It makes a big difference for sick children to have the opportunity to go to camps like normal kids,” she explains. “In our case, it distracts our son from the reality that we have to live away from home for quite a long time. When he’s having fun he forgets that he misses home and misses his friends.”

A Teen Camper’s Perspective

For older kids, Ronald McDonald House Toronto Summer Camp offers something equally powerful: a chance not only to participate, but to give back. Matteo, a teenager staying at the House while undergoing treatment for lymphoma, joined the Teen Camp program this summer.

“It has been fun and enjoyable to be with younger children,” he shares. “I enjoyed making activities for them and helping them. I will always remember the smiling faces when they asked me for help.”

One of his proudest moments came during Pirate Week, when he created and led his own activity. He prepared a PowerPoint presentation and a craft project, helping the younger campers make pirate ships.

“I will always remember when they clapped after my first activity,” he says. “They wanted to participate and enjoy the activity. It made me feel happy as well, for all of us. I felt so happy to give back to them.”

Beyond teaching, Matteo also joined instructor-led STEM workshops, met scientists and guest speakers, and even connected with a recent architecture graduate — a meaningful conversation, given his own interest in architecture.

“The camp gave me time to talk and share with others,” Matteo reflects. “It was time for me to do something positive and help others.”

A Mother’s Gratitude

For Matteo’s mother, Staceyanne, the camp added structure and balance to a difficult season.

“Having a routine, one that was balanced among different spaces — inside the room, at the hospital, and at Ronald McDonald House Toronto — afforded many rich and memorable experiences to continue ‘life’ beyond the hospital and his treatment,” she says. “Matteo truly appreciated interacting with the younger children and preparing activities for them. He grew, learned, and exchanged life with others in such meaningful ways.”

More than a Camp

What happens each summer at Ronald McDonald House Toronto is about more than science projects, art activities, or themed weeks. It’s about restoring normalcy, laughter, and confidence to children and families navigating some of the hardest chapters of their lives.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, Summer Camp at the House comes at no cost to families — and its value is immeasurable. For parents, it’s relief. For children, it’s joy. For teens like Matteo, it’s a chance to grow and give back.

The season of discovery and play may have wrapped up for the year, but the memories — of pirate ships and stop-motion movies, of laughter echoing in the halls, of kids simply being kids — will last long after.

And for the families who spent their summer at Ronald McDonald House Toronto, that’s truly the magic of camp.