Fill your days with fun and challenging outdoor and athletic activities for every interest and skill level—and play with abandon again. Whether you’re athletically inclined or haven’t picked up a ball in years, Camp offers a diverse schedule of activities and an atmosphere of encouragement and support that will entice your inner-child to come out and play.
sports & recreation
9 Square in the Air You’ll love this new, easy-to- learn take on 4 Square! Played under an overhead frame court of 9 squares, you’ll work to defend your square from the other 8 players while attempting to move forward to the sacred “center square” and remain there as king (or, in some of your cases, “queen”) as long as you can.
Adventure Course & Climbing Wall Challenge yourself mentally and physically on our amazing ropes course or climbing wall! Four levels of difficulty and 14 different elements to conquer combine for an adrenaline-pumping experience, and an exhilarating sense of accomplishment.
Aerobics Get a great start on your day with moves guaranteed to shake off the morning cobwebs, get your heart pumping and mind cleared for a great day! Classes will consist of low impact, high impact, isometrics – and a fun dance routine! And we’ll pay some attention to those abs, too… All levels of fitness welcome.
Afternoon Antics: Aqua Bull Riding Camp will host its first mini-rodeo (of sorts) when Campers take turns attempting to stay on that angry (inflatable) bucking bull that’ll be trapped down in Stanley Pond! Can you stay on longer than your fellow Campers? We’ll find out! Those who ride the longest (and hardest?) will win meal-line cut passes!
Afternoon Antics: Color Wars & Water Balloons This one’s a wild & wet two-parter! First up is a colorful free-for-all throwing colored powder at your fellow Campers. Then, everyone can clean up with a good ol’ fashioned water balloon fight!
Basketball Take some time to hoop it up on the basketball court! Each session will begin with a review of basic skills like dribbling, passing and shooting. There’ll also be fun shooting games like H-O-R-S-E and 21 – and those popular half-court pick-up games from last summer will continue! Who knows? If it really gets going, maybe some full court action will happen, too!
Camper Games During your first morning at Camp, break the ice – and maybe even (re)discover your inner child – with a series of fun & silly, large group “getting to know you” games, starring a cast of hundreds. Why, you’ll have over 200 new friends in no time!
Canoeing & Kayaking Learn or relearn the basic paddling strokes and the basic skills to balance and direct a canoe or kayak in the mornings, in anticipation of a relaxing paddle around the lakes surrounding Camp in the afternoon. …Don’t forget to say “Hi!” to the loons!
Capture the Flag Wig Well, it only took 19 summers, but the classic summer camp game (with a gay twist, of course!) finally made it onto Camp’s Activity Schedule! Can you help your team capture the opposing team’s flag wig and bring it safely back to your team’s base without being tagged? Well, come out to the Soccer Field to find out! Don’t worry: if it’s been awhile (if ever) since you played, our instructor will explain all the rules of this outdoor & summer camp classic. Then you’ll count off by twos to form your teams and… let the (gay) games begin!
Fitness: Boot ‘Camp’ Camp Have you been thinking about starting to exercise but you aren’t sure where to begin? Are you a seasoned fitness fanatic needing an endorphin fix? Each session will begin with a dynamic warmup followed by a heart-pumping, sweat-inducing circuit workout that you can take to your individual max effort. Whether you need low-impact or something more challenging, you’ll get a heart pumping workout to torch those extra Camp calories and, by the end of the week, you’ll be taking home the skills to create a variety of workouts, too! …If you’ve been waiting for an invitation to hit the gym, this is it!
Flag Football It’s finally officially a Camp activity! Come out for a rousing game of football – without all that butch tackling! After a quick run-down of the basics of the game, it’s kick-off time. All skill levels welcome.
Frolf Is it Frisbee – or is it golf? Well, it’s a little of both! Instead of using clubs to hit those pesky little balls into tiny holes in the ground, come out and play a nine-hole course using Frisbees and suspended hoops.
Hiking Trips Take a hike with your fellow Campers on some lovely off-site hiking trips. Past offerings have included Devil’s Den, a short-but-pleasant hike with some moderate elevation to cover and the longer, nicely challenging Burnt Meadow Hike with some steep rocky bits – and a great view as a reward!
Kickball Bet you haven’t played this one in years, have you? Everyone’s playground favorite is gaining in popularity with adults throughout the U.S., so we thought we’d revive it ‘Camp’ Camp. Since it’s probably been a while since you’ve played, we’ll first review all the rules – and then the balls will fly! If you can kick, you can play. (In other words, everyone is welcome.)
Lawn Sports Surprisingly captivating, those traditional summer favorites badminton and croquet are always an enjoyable pastime for the athletic & non-athletic alike. So, grab some newfound friends (or your cabinmates or even your whole Rainbow Group!) and come hit some birdies and balls around!
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.
MELT Method Are you looking for a simple way to improve how you feel? Well, MELT hand and foot treatments can help improve your efficiency and performance in your fitness routine, improve sleep and digestion, and reduce accumulated stress and chronic pain symptoms associated with day-to-day living. Explore how to reacquire whole-body balance by directly affecting the cellular hydration of your body’s connective tissue using Hands-Off Bodywork™. You’ll discover the root cause of body aches and experience immediate changes! The MELT Hand and Foot Treatment Techniques are easy to learn, and will help you remain active, healthy, and pain-free for life!
Morning Swim Join hardy fellow campers for a ¾-mile swim across the lake (and back!) as the mist is rising off the water. Both swimmers and accompanying “safety kayakers” are welcome. C’mon – you can do it!
Mountain Biking After a short introduction to mountain bikes for beginners and a practice ride around the grounds, you’ll explore some of rural Maine’s country roads and the trails in the woods surrounding camp, where you’ll encounter rocks, roots, logs, and mountain streams. Challenging but fun!
Nature Ambles Camp’s resident longtime nature enthusiast leads a series of leisurely exploratory walks (and paddles) through the woodlands and wetlands surrounding Camp. History and nature abound in our little corner of Maine – so come and explore!
Night Hike Experience a nighttime walk in the woods surrounding the camp grounds on one of Camp’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. Magical!
Night Paddle Experience a late-night guided canoe trip out on the waters surrounding camp. A beautiful, tranquil way to end another fun & fabulous day at ‘Camp’ Camp!
Pickleball A newer Camp offering, this paddle sport combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. Played with either 2 or 4 players per court, the rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn. But – beware! – play can be addictive and quickly develop into fast- paced competitive games for those more advanced players who catch on quickly.
Sailing Conquer Stanley Pond in one of Camp’s small and manageable Sunfish mini-sailboats – perfect for beginning mariners. Or, try out one of the new catamarans! Once you learn the basics, sign out a sailboat and let the breeze carry you through a relaxing afternoon.
Sightseeing We don’t know why anyone would want to leave Camp (ever), but if you’d like to see a bit more of the White Mountain area while you are in Maine, head out on some fun off-site excursions. Past trips have included a drive up to the top of Mt. Washington where you can take in the spectacular views, a wonderful adventure into Portland for a historic and scenic tour of the Greater Portland Lighthouses, a day spent discovering Portland’s Historic Old Port with a lunchtime cruise around lovely Casco Bay, a trip to the Portland Museum of Art, and the Mt. Attitash Zipline Adventure. (Some trips may involve additional fees.)
Skinnydippin’ Soak your groove thang with the rest of the gang under the stars. A late-nite ‘Camp’ Camp favorite!
Softball Brush up those rusty, (or non-existent!) softball skills during the morning Softball Clinic. During the clinic, we will work on throwing, hitting, fielding, and catching through both group instruction and one on one, personal instruction. Then, put your skills to use during one of the afternoon games. Everyone is encouraged to play regardless of skill – and everyone gets to bat every inning! Remember, this is ‘Camp’ Camp, and it’s a compliment to be told you throw like a girl!
Swim Lessons Gone through your whole life swimming more like a Cocker Spaniel than a person? Get some patient and helpful feedback and tips from our fun and talented waterfront staff.
Tennis Let our tennis instructor help you “get you in the game!” Whether you are a beginner or an expert, attend any morning session at the tennis courts and get some exercise while learning a few basics like forehands, backhands, and volleys along with fun drills you can do with your friends when you are back home and even how to keep score. (See? Now you can watch tennis on TV and understand what is going on!) And, as always, we’re just big on just having fun! Didn’t bring a racquet or tennis balls? No problem… we have plenty!
Volleyball Brush up or learn new skills in a morning Volleyball Clinic, then put ’em to use during one of the popular pick-up games before dinner. …“Spike it, Peaches!”
Waterfront Instruction and free time for swimming, sailing, kayaking and canoeing. Or just bring a novel, relax on the sand beach or docks, and chat with a new friend. If you’re lucky, you might even catch an impromptu water ballet or two…!
Yoga A series of postures and movements which stretch and tone the body, performed slowly and deliberately while focusing on the breath and quieting the mind. While most appropriate for beginners, the class can also be enjoyed by those with a more advanced yoga practice.
