Maine's Guide To Summer Camps 2024

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO LOOK INTO SUMMER CAMP?

Summer camp provides children weeks of entertainment, camaraderie, and opportunities to learn and grow. It also offers a welcome respite for parents and other caregivers from having to provide recreation for kids during summer vacation, especially if those kids will be attending a sleepaway camp.

Many children are emotionally ready to attend camp between the ages of 8 and 10. Some need a little more time to mature. Parents may think they have plenty of time to investigate camps. Chances are if the weather has already warmed and summer vacation is on the horizon, then it’s already too late to get kids into most summer camps.

According to HealthyChildren.org, a division of the American Academy of Pediatrics, it is important to start researching summer camps as soon as possible. Many start booking as early as January of the current term year. Furthermore, popular programs fill up quite fast. Even though summer weather may be furthest from one’s mind in the middle of winter, this is the time when summer camp decisions must be made.

Start by asking for recommendations from others. The difficulty with this approach is that many people are very protective of their camp choices, especially if the programs are particularly popular. They may not be inclined to give up the secrets to their good thing, especially if that means kids will have to compete for limited spots. Parents also should conduct an internet search of camps in the area and look at online reviews and ratings.

Find out if the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association. This will not guarantee a risk-free environment, but ACA accreditation is a better bet for providing a camp that is safe and nurturing.

Price also may be a factor in the camp decision. Camps are not all priced the same, so it may require doing some math to figure out what is the best value. Location also can be a consideration. Having to drive a long distance away for camp can be a deterrent to some people.

Rest assured that families who are a little late to the game may be able to find summer camp accommodations. But they may have to make some concessions.

COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

Jam Out This Summer AT MAINE FIDDLE CAMP

Maine Fiddle Camp is an outdoor Maine summer camp experience. Campers stay in rustic bunkhouse cabins without electricity or in their own tents or RVs. Youths stay in cabins but may stay in tents with their family if they wish. All campers have convenient access to bathrooms and hot showers.

Good music and good food are elegantly combined at camp. The wholesome meals and snacks are eaten outdoors under tents, and classes are also held mostly outdoors. Mornings are spent in classes, with campers grouped by ability for small group instruction. Afternoons offer time for special-interest workshops, to practice on your own or with a friend, or for non-musical fun such as swimming. In the evenings there are concerts, dances, coffeehouses, and variety shows featuring performances by both staff and campers, all under the big tent, as well as jams for various levels, and sometimes other activities. Spontaneous jams are apt to happen almost anywhere, at any time, as campers enjoy swapping tunes and sharing the music they are learning in their classes.

Musicians of all ages and ability levels are welcome at Maine Fiddle Camp. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. A weekend or week at Maine Fiddle Camp makes a great family vacation. Rates are affordable — it’s twice the camp for half the price! Scholarships are available. Space is limited — early registration is encouraged. Tunes are taught by ear, in the traditional manner. Prior to each year’s first session, a new collection of tunes is posted on the website in both sound recording and sheet music formats and campers are encouraged to take advantage of this valuable resource year-round.

Visit mainefiddlecamp.org

Maine Fiddle Camp focuses on the traditional dance music of the Scots-Irish, French, and Scandinavian traditions as they’ve evolved in Maine. Our large staff of traditional musicians play and teach fiddle, piano, guitar, banjo, mandolin, cello, bass, penny whistle/flute, mandolin, accordion, harmonica, vocals, and more, in workshops, performances, jams, song swaps, and dances.

COURTESY OF MAINE FIDDLE CAMP

Great Summers Happen at the Y!

Don’t miss the chance to give your child the best summer ever!

Courtesy of the Bangor Region YMCA

Convenient Hours: Check! Safe Environment: Check!

Engaging & Caring Staff: Check! Summer of Fun: Check!

The Bangor Region YMCA has everything you need for your child to learn, grow, and thrive, whether your child is 5 years old or in high school! Our day camps and overnight camps provide a safe, positive environment, encouraging each camper to step out of their comfort zone to explore, gain self-confidence, and become their best self.

Camp Acorn at the Y for K – 2nd graders, 8am – 5:30pm

Camp Acorn is for campers who aren’t ready for our traditional Day Camp at Camp G. Peirce Webber in Hampden. Campers in Camp Acorn will stay at The Bangor Region YMCA and have classroom style learning, enrichment activities, time on the playground, and the opportunity to swim every day, all while having fun and making friends!

“CampAcornisanexceptionalsummercamp that strikes theperfectbalance between learning and fun,” says Leslie Flowers. “My son had an absolute blast swimming, playing, and engaging in structured learning activities. The teachers were not only patient and kind but also incredibly professional. I couldn’t be happier with the experience my son had at Camp Acorn. It’s a camp that truly cares about the growth and development of each child. I highly recommend it to any parent looking for a summer camp that combines education and enjoyment!”

Camp G. Peirce Webber Day Camp Programs

for K – 10th graders, 7:15am – 5:30pm

Located on 55 beautiful acres in Hampden on the Souadabscook Stream, our Camp G. Peirce Webber has an in-ground pool, sports fields, playground, ropes course, hiking trails, and a 300-foot zip line. This popular traditional Day Camp program is for campers entering kindergarten through 6th grade, ready for a full day of outdoor fun as they continue to learn through STEAM activities, nature exploration, and swim lessons. Families who give Camp G. Peirce Webber a try will want to return every summer!

“This is year 5 and year 2 for our kids at Camp G. Peirce Webber,” says Amber Peters. “We have never considered them going anywhere else. Each day they come home full of excitement to tell us and show us about their adventures. They try new experiences, they do outdoor activities, and they learn and build confidence. They get excited about meeting new friends and seeing returning friends. They get excited to see the staff who make such great connections withthekidsandreallygetinvolved.Wehavegreat confidence in the staff and know our kids are in great hands and will both have the best experience each year at Camp G. Peirce Webber!”

Campers entering 5th through 10th grade, looking to explore what our beautiful state of Maine has to offer but aren’t ready for our overnight programs at Camp Jordan, will love our Adventure Day Camp Program! Campers will be dropped off at Camp G. Peirce Webber and then head out for the day’s adventure, spending time exploring the outdoors, hiking, swimming, visiting The Bangor Region YMCA Camp Jordan, and more!

Camp Jordan Overnight Programs for 7 year olds – 12th Graders, Sunday - Saturday

Campers who are ready for an incredible overnight camp experience will love experiencing the magic of Camp Jordan, our 200-acre camp located along the beautiful shores of Branch Lake in Ellsworth, where campers from not just across the country, but across the globe, go home with an unforgettable experience and lifelong friends.

We know some campers are curious about the overnight camp experience but are only comfortable with being away from their families for a few days. This is why we created our Mini-Camp program for ages 7 to 9 years old, so they can gain the overnight experience Sunday through Wednesday instead of a full week, but still be fully immersed in the overnight camp experience.

Campers ready for the full overnight camp experience will love our Sleep Away Camp program for ages 7 – 15 years old, where campers experience new activities of their choice from water sports, ropes course, performing arts, and more! Many campers begin in our Sleep Away Camp program before going into Adventure Seekers program or Leaders School Program.

Our Adventure Seekers program for ages 12 to 15 years old is a wilderness expedition program for teens looking for an exciting and elevated camp experience outside of Camp Jordan. Our various expeditions incorporate backpacking, rock climbing, paddling, wilderness survival, and more! Campers will explore the best and most iconic parts of the New England Wilderness from Acadia National Park, to The White Mountains National Forest, to Baxter State Park.

Campers entering 5th to 12th grade who are ready for a fast-paced program with pedal-to-the-medal activities will benefit from our Leaders School program! This program is designed to help campers in middle school and high school develop critical leadership skills and be their most authentic self. Wolf Mackrosen is a huge ambassador for our Leaders School program, from being a camper to a counselor, Wolf shares how important this program is:

“Theysayleadersareborn,notbuilt.Thisisalie,andIamlivingproof. Leaders School doesn’t just tell young people how to be a leader, it creates an open and accepting environment that shows them how to be their own kind of leader.ThereasonsomanyofuscallLeadersSchoolourhomeisbecausethereis nowhere else on earth that makes us feel as loved, accepted, or supported.”

Spots are filling up quickly in all our Summer Camp programs! To register, visit BangorYMCA.org or CampJordan.org. Don’t delay or else your child will end up on this year’s wait list!

Financial assistance is available thanks to the support from our Y’s Annual Giving Campaign! Families are encouraged to apply early and must submit their financial assistance application by May 17, 2024. Funds are limited!

Explore Wildlife

AT FIELDS POND

COURTESY OF THE FIELDS POND AUDUBON CENTER

Choices, choices!! What sounds like more fun, being an outdoor detective and finding nature clues to solve mysteries in the forest? Or getting wet and wild, learning about creatures that live above and below water, and how to keep our waters healthy and happy?

Kids are spoiled for choice this summer at the Fields Pond Audubon Center’s summer day camp, selecting from seven themed weeks all centered around the amazing wildlife we have here in Maine. Campers spend lots of time outdoors, do some hands-on science projects and creative art activities, and learn about wildlife and habitat at the same time.

With only 12 campers in each session, children get lots of individualized attention from Maine Audubon’s experienced environmental educators. There’s also easy parking / drop-off just seven minutes from downtown Bangor. The camp is for ages 4 & 5, and Grades K-3. Scholarships are available and spots are held open for scholarship recipients. Discounts are also offered to Maine Audubon members.

Kaitlyn Fourre’s son Leo attended the Fields Pond insect camp when he was 6 years old. She says, “We were very impressed with the camp, the activities, and the staff. He still continuously talks about the things he learned and shows his little brother how to catch bugs.”

Leo lives in southern Maine but for this week at camp, his grandparents, who live in Hermon, took him to Fields Pond each day. Fourre says, “He went to several camps in southern Maine, but this camp stood above and beyond the others.”

SUMMER CAMP BY THE NUMBERS

COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

Summer camp is a rite of passage for many children. Each year, campers of all ages head off to nearby recreation centers or travel to rural areas to claim their cabins and bunks. Here’s a deep look at some of the statistics surrounding summer camps.

THERE ARE DAY CAMPS $3.91 BILLION

50% 1,467

RUN BY THE YMCA IN THE U.S. — YMCA

IN 2019, THE PEAK MARKET SIZE OF THE SUMMER CAMP SECTOR IN THE U.S. WAS

BEFORE STAY-AT-HOME-RESTRICTIONS AFFECTED STATISTICS IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.

— STATISTA

14 MILLION EACH YEAR, THERE ARE AN AVERAGE

AMERICAN SUMMER CAMP REGISTRANTS.

— AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION

THE MOST POPULAR SESSION LENGTH FOR SUMMER CAMP IS

OF RESPONDENT’S CAMPS CHARGE $1,000 OR MORE PER SESSION,

WITH MOST PROGRAMS COSTING BETWEEN $1,000 AND $1,500.

200 300. THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CAMPERS SERVED EACH SESSION IS — CAMPMINDER

— CAMPMINDER TO RUN 10 OR MORE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. 7 IN 10 CAMPS — CAMPMINDER

— AMERICAN CAMP ASSOCIATION 1 WEEK

ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF INDEPENDENT CAMP OPERATORS OFFER 4, 6 & 8 WEEK SESSIONS.

79% OF CAMPS MAINTAIN A SCREEN-FREE ENVIRONMENT. —

IMMERSE YOURSELF IN Art Making

Arts education helps develop creativity, imagination, cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, confidence, and more. Students ages 11-17 can immerse themselves in art making at Maine College of Art & Design’s Summer Art Camps.

With six sessions of weeklong art camps and multiple courses to choose from, students make art in MECA&D’s state-of-the-art studios and labs, connect with teaching-artist professionals, and collaborate with other young artists from Maine and beyond.

Do you like wearing your art? Come learn to screenprint your custom designs onto T-shirts and bags, or take metalsmithing where you’ll learn the basics of jewelry design! Is the computer more your thing? Learn how to transform your drawings into animated characters or paint digitally using a drawing tablet. Are traditional mediums your style? Come ink your own comics, develop your painting skills, or try your hand at figure drawing. We have limited, need-based scholarships for our Summer Art Camp students, so please visit the website below to apply!

Camps run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

Register today at cs.meca.edu/summer-camps or call 207.699.5061.

COURTESY OF MAINE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN