SWIMMING
Campers swim at least once a day (weather permitting) in our pool or the pond. Campers will be swim tested on their first day and are able to re-test throughout summer as they progress. Swim skills lessons will happen weekly for traditional campers in grades pre-k to 4.
ARCHERY
Basics of bow and arrow safety, care, and function with lots of target practice and archery games.
OUTDOOR LIVING SKILLS
Survival skills from fire building and knot tying to map and compass or shelter building. Campers will focus on outdoor skills like fire building, hiking, shelter building, and orienteering and make sure to leave no trace while they explore our Camp Ketcha woods.
Learning Outcomes:
- How to minimize impact in the outdoors using Leave No Trace principles
- Plant Identification and uses in survival situations
- Understand the importance of 4 survival priorities: Shelter, Water, Fire, Food
- Build trust, reliance, and connections with the peers in your group
ARTS & CRAFTS
Campers discover their artistic side and let their imagination soar. Children will create through various projects such as making clay sculptures, sketching, watercolors and paints, nature collages, tie-dyeing, making picture frames, necklaces, bracelets, and more. We will have art projects to complete daily and extra time in our art cabin each day. Campers will create masterpieces to take home and enjoy!
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Hands-on lessons that may include tracking animals, plants and tree identification, weather, birds, insects, and conservation.
GARDEN & FARM
Learn about planting vegetables and flowers. Help manage the feeding, care, and watering of a garden. Learn basic goat care including feeding and grooming. Observe the behavior of our chickens, collect eggs, and feed on a schedule. Spend time in our outdoor kitchen, making mud pies and soups. Hike through the forest observing plants and flowers. Spend time in the barn and participate in art projects and crafts.
Learning Outcomes
- Campers will learn about our garden’s ecosystems, including plants and animals, pollinators and pests, and things campers can do to help gardens grow.
- Campers will develop their planting skills and learn how to use common gardening tools and equipment.
- Campers will visit another farm on a field trip, and learn about their animals!
SPORTS
Soccer, kickball, frisbee, pirate ball, and much more! Campers will play traditional sports as well as some uncommon and camper-made sports all week. Every day they will play a different sport, and will have extra sports time allotted during the week!
- Play traditional sports such as soccer and baseball, and have the opportunity to make up their own games
- Develop teamwork and practice positive sportsmanship
- Be encouraged to wear jerseys from their favorite teams and share their fan experience
- Understand the rules and practices for safely playing each sport
Learning Outcomes:
- Lower rates of anxiety and depression
- Experience less stress
- Higher self-esteem and confidence
- Increased cognitive performance
- Increased cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness
- Stronger ability to self-regulate
- Improved ability to overcome hardship, persevere, be resilient, and think critically
ROPES COURSE
For adventurous campers who enjoy our ropes course. High and low-rope elements and initiatives challenge campers both individually and in teams. They work through team and individual challenges on high and low ropes, learn knot tying and how to belay fellow campers, review equipment safety, and maintenance, and improve teamwork and communication skills.
Campers will:
- Work through team and individual challenges on high and low ropes
- Learn knot-tying and belaying skills
- Review equipment safety and maintenance
- Visit the Salt Pump in Scarborough for a day of climbing *Senior campers will spend an overnight at Salt Pump*
Learning Outcomes:
- Campers will learn how to tie a variety of commonly used knots
- Able to demonstrate their skills in a series of outdoor challenges
- Develop their teamwork and communication skills
- Learn to develop trust with their training partners
- Introduction to basic climbing techniques and how to safely climb on a variety of different elements
ART AND DRAMA
Activities may include theater improvisation games, skits, physical activities, and group challenges. Singing, dancing, music games, bucket drumming, and world music.
Campers will:
- Use our Art Cabin as their home base for daily project creation
- Tap into their imagination and artistic skills
- Use paints, glue, and markers to complete individual as well as group projects
- Work with different mediums such as clay, charcoal, and watercolors and will make natural collages and learn tie-dye
- Collect natural materials while observing plants and wildlife
- *Junior and Senior Campers will go on a field trip to the Portland Museum of Art
Learning Outcomes:
- Campers will develop a sense of their own style and will learn to respect other diverse forms of artistic expression
- Using their hands to create art helps campers develop fine motor skills that they need later for writing
- Art activities help develop brain capacity in early childhood
- Art engages children’s senses in open-ended play and supports the development of cognitive, social-emotional, and multisensory skills