Summer Camp Adventures

This summer we welcomed over 200 adventurous kids to our grounds to explore and play in the surrounding fields, forests, ponds, and mountains. We savored every moment of sunshine with our Explorers, Woodlanders, Rovers, and Voyagers, and with a group of burgeoning young creators during our newest camp session, Art & Writing on the Wild Side.

Every day ended with “closing circle” — a moment for campers to come together to play games and reflect on the day. (photo © Audrey Dunn)

Explorers & Woodlanders

In July, 25 Explorers — our youngest naturalists — played games, sang songs, reveled in the coolness of sprinklers, and roamed our meadows and pond edges in search of animals and other woodland discoveries.

At the same time, 100 Woodlanders in grades 1 through 5 discovered adventure in our fields and forests. They ponded, birded, hiked, explored the Big Boulders, played trail games, made tee shirts, dissected owl pellets, and of course, played “Bobcat” (an elaborate game of tag) every day.

Rovers & Voyagers

Thirty-six Rovers and 28 Voyagers wandered and explored the wild outdoors over two weeks in July. These adventurous middle schoolers summited Skatutakee, Thumb, and Bald Mountains, swam in Willard Pond, explored the glacial erratics along the Boulder Loop Trail, and played trail games.

The Voyagers also paddled on Nubanusit Lake and Spoonwood Pond, ate their fill of wild blueberries, and found some snakes!

Art & Writing on the Wild Side

In June, 13 young artists practiced connecting with nature through creative expression. Gathering inspiration from the natural world, they watercolored ethereal mushrooms, felted small animal friends, foraged for petals, leaves, and twigs to incorporate into works of art and hand-made paper, and kept nature journals.