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At Wawenock we do many creative activities outside of our regular program, so unlike archery or tennis, these are activities you can do at home with your family!  We’ll be sharing our ideas in the coming days and hope they bring you and your family some fun and entertainment. Today’s activity suggestion is a Reverse Scavenger Hunt! This is a crowd favorite for Unit Night, a night when each age group enjoys time together after dinner doing a game or activity. Below is an altered description for a home version of the game, instead of a cabin-based one.

Materials Required: A pillowcase and items already in your house
How to Play a Reverse Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of 20-30 items children can find in their bedrooms. Without seeing the list, the kids have 15 minutes to gather a pillowcase full of items from their rooms. The items have to be able to fit in the pillowcase and be inside the pillowcase when the game begins in order to count. After the 15 minutes are up, gather the group together. Begin reading the items on your list. For each item that a child has in their pillowcase, they get 1 point. At the end of the list, the child with the most points wins. Though at Camp what they win is pride and honor, maybe at home they can win the decision of what’s for breakfast tomorrow morning. You could even play multiple rounds of this, with round one based off of items in their bedrooms, round two from items in the living room, round three with items from the kitchen, etc. Get creative by adding in specific items from your child’s room to alter the list below!

*Counselor Hack: To encourage clean up, whichever player has their stuff most neatly put away back in their room at the end of the game gets to pick tonight’s movie!

Enjoy and happy hunting! 

Bedroom Reverse Scavenger Hunt Ideas:

• A stuffed animal
• Socks
• A pencil
• An item that has green on it
• A Tshirt
• A headband or hat
• Underwear
• Something that has their name on it
• A book
• A photo
• A piece of jewelry
• Their backpack or a bag
• A lego piece
• Playing cards
• String
• Something that has the letter “t” on it
• A hairbrush
• Marker(s)
• One shoe
• A ball
• A sticker
• A flashlight or nightlight
• An item in the shape or form of an animal
• Something from nature
• A piece of mail
• A hair elastic
• A toy that has wheels
• Something that smells good

When Wawenock campers, staff and alumnae face challenges in the world, they often find comfort in emotionally transporting themselves back to places of calm reflection and beauty at Camp. Whether it be overlooking the massive expanse of Sebago Lake from the top of the images soaking up the warmth of the sun baked rock beneath them; or sitting on the benches around the campfire and watching the sun set across the lake, like a water color painting unfolding; or relaxing with a friend on the stone pier, quietly talking while taking in the last glow of the day reflected in the clouds in the sky, these moments in nature soothe the soul.

This is the time to remember the healing power of nature. Take yourself there either in your mind with meditation or physically to a place you can explore. The natural world is a tonic – a physical reminder right now of the bigger picture. If you’re able to be physically active outside in nature, all the better! Moving your body and being in nature will help clear your mind of the stresses you may be feeling.

Here’s an idea of a camp activity you could plan to do together with your family one evening: imagine you’re on the Image rocks and create your own Vespers at home! Together, pick a theme – a value or big idea, something that is important to you. Then select one or two songs to go along with the theme. We usually use one camp song and one other song. Have everyone prepare something to say or select a quote that’s reflective of the theme. If you want, you can select one person to say a bit more about the topic. At Camp, the campers usually select a staff member to do this Vesper’s speech. Here’s the typical order of Vespers:

1. Assemble while you sing a song (a related camp song, if you have your song book).
2. Have each person stand up and say their quote/what they prepared.
3. Sing your second song, related to the theme.
4. Vesper’s Speech, if you have one.
5. Sing the Hawaiian Lullaby, if you know it.
6. Have a moment of thoughtful reflection.
7. End with a friendship circle and sing “good night.”
8. Finish with additional quiet reflection if you wish.

We hope the time spent reflecting about something that’s important to you and your family will bring you some peace and joy today!

We’re excited to introduce Camp Wawenock Connect ! This is the Wawenock camp family networking page on LinkedIn, and we hope it will be another way to foster your Camp connections. As one alumna recently shared with us: “Wawenock taught me about the power of relationships and for that I am forever indebted. I am a better mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and professional because I understand what it means to honor the individual and to see people for who they are.”
– Maria M. C. 

Regardless if you were at Camp at the same time as another alumna or if you are a camp parent who experienced Camp through your daughter, you share the Wawenock experience and common values and vision.

We hope this platform will help you network and forge new friendships in the greater camp family. Whether you are looking for guidance for your next career step, seeking advice about life, navigating parenting or personal relationships, or excited to mentor another member of the Wawenock family, we encourage you to connect through Camp Wawenock Connect on LinkedIn!  Thanks for your participation! 

Stand and cheer for Catriona who was published in the most recent Camping magazine!

As you may know, Wawenock has been participating in a 5 year study, conducted by the American Camp Association, designed to identify the lasting impacts of a camp experience from the perspective of campers, staff, and parents. Catriona was asked to contribute a piece highlighting one of the most distinct findings of the study – that former campers and staff gained an appreciation for being present in the moment. Anyone who has experienced a summer at Wawenock can testify to the presence of that theme in our daily lives at camp! Below, read Catriona’s words which were published in the article:

“One of the most powerful life takeaways of Wawenock for both campers and staff is the appreciation for living in the moment, which comes from the opportunity to be fully present in the here and now, and to live free from the distractions and worries of the external world. Campers and staff have told us that they carry this mentality with them into their lives outside of camp, giving them perspective and an improved ability to prioritize, to see the big picture, and to manage stress.

Role modeling by key leaders is an important aspect of setting the tone for an attitude of appreciation for living in the moment. At Wawenock, this is a concept we instill in our staff, which they then model for the campers. It starts with conversations during pre-season training about being intentional with their personal time-off and technology use. Ironically, we often utilize videos to spark thought-provoking conversations about media consumption and its impact on our mood and ability to enjoy the moment. We also challenge staff to set a technology goal for themselves; as an example, one 17-year-old CIT voluntarily removed Instagram from her phone so she wouldn’t be tempted to spend her time off scrolling through photos of others’ curated experiences.

Staff training sets the tone, and consistent messaging throughout the summer continues to foster an atmosphere that permeates the camp family from day to day and from year to year. Messaging is not enough, however, so we are also committed to providing both times and places for staff to take a deep breath and be reminded of the beauty surrounding us and the special relationships formed in this authentic space. Our weekly staff meetings take place on a patio underneath the majestic pines and overlooking the peaceful lake. As staff arrive, fun or inspirational music (based on the theme for the coming week) is playing. Before we delve into the substance of the meeting, we always spend a few minutes taking a deep breath and pause to notice and appreciate the sights, sounds, and smells surrounding us. We guide staff to think about the people and the places that are important to them in the outside world, to acknowledge them, and to then return to camp and become aware of each other and to feel the strength of our team. This process reminds staff of the importance of mindfulness, of slowing the pace down, doing something for themselves, and relying on each other for any upcoming challenges. Some weeks, the staff are given the opportunity to write briefly about a person who has made a difference to them, or a ‘miracle moment’ where they have seen a child make progress. Other weeks, we share with the staff thank-yous from parents and campers, or ways we have witnessed staff ‘living juicy,’ which is our way of saying living life to the fullest. These are all reminders of what’s valued in our camp family.

In the outside world, the fear of being judged by others can be paralyzing. Part of what allows campers and staff to live in the moment at camp is the intangible feeling they have of safety and security to be completely themselves, free from worry about judgment from others. The intentional creation of that trusted camp family is at the heart of allowing each girl to relax and live in the moment. Of course, building trust takes time, and we are fortunate to have the majority of our campers for seven weeks, and many who repeat year after year. At Wawenock, staff are trained to build confidence in girls; they are taught to look for the contribution each girl makes to a group, and to help that child uncover the unique skill or trait that makes her stand out, shine, and be a valued member of the group. Carefully facilitated group activities and bedtime routines, which appear casual to the onlooker, are very intentional on the part of the staff for creating a positive atmosphere where reflection is encouraged, and opportunities for girls to recognize each other’s strengths are integrated.

In addition, staff and campers celebrate ‘living juicy’ — or spontaneous fun! At camp, you will see a group of 14-year-old girls jumping in puddles, 9-year-olds hosting a dog wedding, or 11-year-olds participating in an imaginary horse show with brooms. What you won’t see is these campers staging the activity to get the right shot to post on their social media accounts. They are allowed to participate fully without worry of curating their experience for others to pass judgment.

Because campers and counselors are looking up rather than down at their phones, their awareness of the beauty life has to offer is heightened. This is magnified by invitations each week to notice the physical surroundings, for example, pausing to take in the moment at weekly campfire. Where else in the world but at camp do 150 people sit quietly together, aged seven to 77, listening for the sounds of birds, leaves blowing in the trees, or waves lapping on the lake? Likewise, campers and staff are invited to stay after our weekly vespers service atop the Image rocks, a tall cliff overlooking the lake, for contemplation, reading, and journaling or drawing.

By providing the intentional time and space, we show campers and staff that we value each individual and their ability to live carefree and in the moment. Here’s what one alumna/staff member shared: ‘Being unpressured, undistracted in the moment with others, has allowed me to really get to know people for who they are. After nine years as a camper and four years on staff, I can truly feel the impact Wawenock has had on my life. In the moment, it was difficult to live with other girls for seven weeks; it was difficult to make conversation at the dinner table; it was difficult to mediate arguments and understand the points of view of others. Despite these challenges, I was exposed to many life skills that I need to succeed in my independent adult life. I can’t stress enough how lucky I feel to be able to understand and appreciate the beauty of life and living with Wawenock spirit in my heart every day.’”

If you’d like to read the article in its entirety, click here.

-Kristy