During campers time here with us, we pride ourselves on giving campers the freedom to shape their own Summer Camp experience. Our caring staff will always encourage campers to try out new things that they may not be able to experience elsewhere, but no one will be made to take part in an activity that they don’t want to.
Our summer camp days are varied, but for the most part they are broken down into 4 structured activity periods throughout the day, which aim to show a weekly progression. We have exceptions to normal camp days, and we do like to mix things up to keep everything exciting for campers.
Below is a sample ‘normal day’ at Camp. After that, you can see an explanation of some of the one off things that we do at camp, maybe you will be lucky enough to experience one of these happenings!
*Please check out our sample daily schedule. Please note, depending on your campers age groups, period 1 & 2 at the waterfront may switch to period 3 & 4*
Morning
Afternoon
Evening
Wake Up Bell
Breakfast
Tent & Unit Jobs
All campers and staff are woken up by a designated person within the unit, time is allowed for bathroom use and teeth brushing before walking to breakfast as a unit to start the day.
Campers arrive at Gibney dining hall, located in the center of Camp. There, they enjoy a delicious family style meal with a wide breakfast bar selection.
After breakfast campers head back to their units and bunks. An important part of creating the community atmosphere at Camp is having campers all pitch in and clean their own individual areas within the tent (make their bed, clothes tidy, etc.), as well as a communal unit job that the tent will complete together along with their counselor.
Activity Period 2
Period 2 down at the waterfront is either Boating or Swim depending on campers age groups. For Boating class, campers will pick from sailing, canoeing, or rowing. For the week they will be taught to progressively improve their skills in each of these boating proficiencies on our lake.
Free time is an important part of the Camp day. During this period, campers are given the freedom to do whatever they feel like doing at that point during the day. Campers are supervised by our staff as they can pick from a whole bunch of structured activities, as well as hang out with friends, write a letter home, or take a nap!
Free Time Period 1
Campers head down to the waterfront for their first of 2 periods by our beautiful mile long lake. Depending on campers age groups, they will take part in either Swim or Boating class first. For swim instruction, campers are assessed on their first day at camp and placed into one of our three swim groups based on ability. Our waterfront and unit staff will work with campers over the course of the week to help them improve to the next swim rank.
Activity Period 1
Morning
Lunch
Rest Hour
Activity Period 3
Campers head to Gibney for a hot lunch and a full salad bar option. We accommodate all dietary restrictions and our meals are super kid friendly!
There is a saying at camp: rest hour is the best hour.
After lunch, all campers head back to their tents for a well deserved hour of quiet and relaxation. This is a good time to write a letter home, re-hydrate, play a card game with your friends, or take a cat nap! Everybody gets a break from activities and enjoys the time out of the sun.
Activity time! Campers get to choose from a wide range of offerings at the beginning of the week and attend their choice for the rest of the week. If they don’t receive their first choice one week, they will most definitely get it the next. Offerings include Ceramics, Woodworking, Music, etc. Classes are usually coed. Please see our activity page for an extensive list and explanations for our main activities.
Campers attend 2 different activity sessions. Besides our main offerings of activities, counselors always have the chance to make up their own “special” classes. These are usually very popular and in the past have included Ninja class, Water adventure, and Mission Impossible, amongst others.
Activity Period 4
AFTERNOON
Free Time Period 2
This second free time is slightly longer than the first and campers are still allowed to do whatever they want. The Green Room (music), basketball courts, and the Art Barn remain hot spots for campers to hang out.
Dinner
Evening Activity
Settle Down Time
Everybody gathers at Gibney for the final meal of the day. Our weekly theme meals in the past have included; Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, Cave Person dinner, Under the Sea, and Outer Space! As with the other meals, a fully stocked salad bar is available along with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
For the final activity of the day, campers usually spend time with their own unit. Whether that be a tent night or a unit night, counselors take this time to set up a special activity for their own campers. There might be a pajama/s’mores party around a campfire or a roller disco at the hockey rink.
Bedtime! Campers brush their teeth, go to the health center for bedtime medications, and get tucked in. There are staff members who remains in the unit and makes rounds to make sure everybody is settled in, and are always available for campers if they need anything.
The day has ended and campers are tired out! It is an incredibly busy day and is just a snapshot of how much our campers do everyday.
