While our Activities Schedule for this summer is still in the planning stages, here are some of the activities we've offered in past years. (Program plans are tentative and subject to change.)
Interested in seeing the camp
schedule from last summer? Click here. Remember that although all these
activities are offered, you can relax by the lake all week if you like.
Mornings
Aerobics: Begin each morning gettin’ sweaty with our adorable Camp aerobics instructor! A high energy, high/low impact class with tons of irresistible tunes from the ‘80s – and beyond. Finish with work on those abdominals!
Morning Swim: Join hardy fellow campers at 7a.m. for a ¾-mile swim across the lake as the mist is rising off the water. Don't worry: a canoe accompanies you in case you get tired. C'mon – you can do it!
Silence & Reflection: Come sit quietly in Camp's designated sacred space for early morning meditation and reflection.
Late Mornings/Afternoons
Adventure Course & Climbing Wall: Challenge yourself mentally and physically with a series of climbs, some up to four stories tall – an adrenaline-pumping experience with an exhilarating sense of accomplishment. And if the four levels of difficulty and 14 different elements to conquer aren't enough for you, you can always test your climbing skills on the climbing wall – great practice for the off-site Rock Climb for yet another level of climbing adventure!
Basketball: Brush up or learn new skills during Friday morning's clinic and then put them to use during a game that afternoon. Whoooosh!
Canoeing & Kayaking: After breakfast, learn or relearn the basic paddling strokes and the basic skills to balance and direct a canoe or kayak. Then in the afternoon, head out to the lake or join one of the off-site trips down the Ossipee River.
Crafts: Oh, the magic you can work with wire and tissue paper! Learn the craft of Wire Basketry and other fun projects you can easily repeat on your own once you return home.
Or come on out and make a totally groovy Tie Dye item that’ll make your friends back home green with envy.
Croquet: Did you ever watch “Alice in Wonderland” and wonder what game she and the Queen of Hearts were playing? It’s croquet, of course! Join us as we play this venerable yet surprisingly hip and fun game of whacking balls through wickets. But promise to try really hard not to scream “Off with her head!!” if you aren’t winning.
Dance: Char's a great Swinger – and she gives great instruction in Two-Step, Circle, or Line Dances, too! So, don't be a wallflower: having no partner is no excuse – there's always someone to dance with here.
Digital Photography: Digital cameras rock! With no film or developing costs, you can experiment to your heart's content – and that's exactly what you can do in this class. After a brief introduction to the features found on many of today's digital cameras, join our roving pack of photographers and learn tips on shooting everything from landscapes and macro shots to action shots and portraits.
Figure Drawing: Come join Micki and explore the magic of expressing yourself through drawing the human figure. Designed as an outlet of expression through drawing and not a measure of how well you can draw, the class will offer fun for the novice or advanced artist.
Fishing: Grab a rod and come land a big one with Steve! Whether experienced fisher(wo)man or novice, you can spend a peaceful afternoon fishing from a canoe or from shore on a tranquil pond, full of trout and bass. All the fishing rods and supplies you need are supplied.
Hiking: On Monday, take a half-day hike along Burnt Trail to reach a beautiful panoramic view of the Maine wilderness. Want a bit more of a challenge? Well, Thursday’s and Saturday’s hikes are beautiful full-day hikes through the forest up Blueberry Mountain to the open bluffs at the summit overlooking the Cold River Valley. (Bring your swimmers for this one!)
Jewelry: Get creative! Learn silversmithing and bead work to create earrings, pendants, bracelets, and rings. Pick up a sterling silver 'Camp' Camp logo charm in the Camp Store and use it to create your own one-of-a-kind piece of 'Camp' Camp jewelry.
Karate: You don't have to be big or strong physically to feel that way (even though that helps sometimes)! Karate - shotokan style - will connect you to your inner strength, give you a chance to feel and act powerful and discover the ROAR inside of you! Once you start, you may want to continue all week long, adding the karate work-out to your daily schedule, or just come once to get a taste of a different side of yourself.
Massage: Share the gift of touch and discover the relaxing and healing power of your own hands. Learn basic massage strokes while giving and receiving a relaxing massage.
Meditation: A simple practice that can be approached by everyone, meditation helps to nurture mind, body, and soul – and reduce stress. Whether or not you have an existing meditation practice, this class is for you. Learn some simple steps to meditation, as well as ways to strengthen an existing meditation practice. Join us for a healing time together.
Mountain Biking: After some basic instruction on the mechanics of mountain bikes for beginners and a practice ride around camp, it's off to mountain trails where you'll encounter rocks, roots, logs, and mountain streams as well as woods and countryside. A challenging and inspiring experience for body and soul.
Nature Awareness: Many of us spend most of our days inside a building or on pavement. Take this opportunity to re-connect with nature (you know - all that stuff that isn't inside or paved) with fun, interactive exercises that open your ears, eyes, noses and other senses. Then, reap the rewards all week in Camp's beautiful natural setting.
Pottery: Get dirty! Come on down to our open-air Pottery Studio with its lovely lake views and make your own slab, wheel-thrown, or hand-built high-fire stoneware clay piece.
Sightseeing: Tag along with local resident Betsy on some fun off-site excursions! On Tuesday, take a drive up to the top of Mt. Washington where you can take in the spectacular views. Wednesday’s trip is a wonderful adventure into Portland for a historic and scenic tour of the Greater Portland Lighthouses. Or spend Friday discovering Portland's Historic Old Port with a lunchtime cruise around lovely Casco Bay. (Please note: the Mt. Washington and Old Port trips involve additional fees.)
Softball: Brush up those rusty – or non-existent – softball skills during the morning Softball Clinic. Then, put your skills to use during one of the afternoon games. (Maybe the boys will even win for a change.) Remember: this is 'Camp' Camp – and it's a compliment to be told you throw like a girl!
Stained Glass: Choose a design or draw your own, then learn the techniques used to cut and solder the glass to make a sun-catching gift for someone or to put in a favorite window. One of ‘Camp’ Camp’s most popular activities!
Tennis: Instruction (forehand, backhand, volley, and serve) and free play on five excellent hard courts to get you ready for the big end-of-the-week tournament. Didn't bring your racket? Not an excuse – we have plenty!
Theatre: Theater games, improvisation, and acting classes. Practice a skit or receive coaching on your act and get ready for the footlights on Friday night.
Volleyball: Brush up or learn new skills during one of Nick's popular Volleyball clinics and then put them to use during a game after lunch.
Waterfront: Instruction and free time for swimming, sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, and surf-biking. Or just bring a novel, relax on the sand beach or docks, chat with a new friend – and watch people fall off the surf-bikes!
Yarn Time: The big Camp craze is back! Learn to knit and crochet – or add to your skills. Structured like a knitting club, each session will have a specific focus, but those who want to work on their own projects – or just “spin yarns” – are welcome anytime. …Warning: yarn can be highly addictive!
Yoga: A series of postures and movements which gently stretch and tone the body, performed slowly and deliberately while focusing on the breath, quieting the mind and looking inside. While most appropriate for beginners, the class can also be enjoyed by the more advanced yoga student.
Evening Programs
Barn Dance: No experience necessary for joining in 'Camp' Camp's famous Barn Dance with
professional
callers from neighboring New Hampshire.
Gay Gaymes: Part Game Show, part Wacky Olympics – all fun! Join your fellow Campers for an evening of friendly competition and laughter the ‘Camp’ Camp way.
Tea Dance & Pajama Par-tay! Dance the afternoon away, enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner by Big Jim, our Texan chef – and then dance some more! That evening, come relax in the Maine Lodge for a full-scale pajama party complete with board games, cards, facials, ghost stories, and more. (Anyone brave enough for a good ol' fashioned game of Truth or Dare or Spin-the-Bottle?)
Talent/No Talent Show: It’s the variety show to end all variety shows, performed entirely by your Camp friends. Whether you’re on-stage for the first time or in the audience for a change, you’ll have a great time at this perennial favorite. …Sing out, Louise!
Closing Circle and 'Camp' Camp' Dance Dance: Say good-bye to all your Camp friends at our traditional Closing Circle. Then, celebrate the end of a fabulous week by dancing the night away under the beautiful Maine sky.
Late Nights
Campfires: Come join your fellow Campers out at the Campfire Circle for one of our theme campfires: the Classic Campfire or, for you more adventurous types, the Gay Ol' Campfire. (Guess which one is all about the showtunes?) Come and sing along or just come for the camaraderie. And there's always marshmallows to roast and s'mores to be made.
Phil's Night Hike: Experience a nighttime walk in the woods surrounding camp on one of Phil's ever-popular Night Hikes. Filled with activities that open your senses to the sights and sounds of a living forest after dark, you'll rediscover your night vision and learn to view the natural world in way you never have before.
Stargazing: End your day discovering the hidden surprises of the glorious Maine night sky... Explore the moon and its terrain, identify planets, visit distant galaxies – and wish upon the shooting stars!
Would you like to see Camp for yourself? Watch the 'Camp' Camp Video online by clicking here.
