At Kingswood, programming is an art form. We believe our program is dynamic for four reasons:
1) There is a wide variety of choices every day.
The Kingswood community is composed of boys with very different interests.
Some Kingswood campers live and breathe sports. From sun up till sun down, all they want to do is compete! These boys enthusiastically sign-up for every tournament; they will love participating in the Baker Valley Tournaments, and they will be equally excited about playing in the Kingswood Football Tournament or the Packer Generations Basketball Tournament.
Other boys gravitate towards the fast-paced, action-packed games that are a staple of the Kingswood program. Some of these games are universally known, such as Ultimate Frisbee or Capture the Flag. Sometimes these games are as competitive as tournaments, while other times they are far more relaxed. Boys also love playing games like Crosbee or Trashball, which are unique to Kingswood.
Many of our campers love to take advantage of the surrounding mountains. Nearly every day we offer a hike. Some are simple day trips, while others are rugged overnights. All trips include something memorable – a panoramic view, a rushing waterfall, or an exhilarating rock climb. Unlike other camps, we do not hike by cabins or age groups. No hike is “easy,” but our years of experience tell us which hikes are appropriate for each camper. Once a camper has proven himself to be a strong hiker, he is eligible for all of our mountain trips.
Lots of campers also love our trips to local ponds and rivers. Each week we offer a fishing trip to either Indian Pond or the Connecticut River, where campers can catch bass, trout, sunfish, and even eels! Naturalists enjoy exploring the ponds and streams near camp for animal tracks and red-spotted newts. And jumping off the rocks in Baker River is a Kingswood must – the mountain water is cold, but the experience is exhilarating!
Even the most active campers sometimes prefer a break from the frenetic pace of camp. To that end, we also make sure that every afternoon has some low-key offerings, such as pottery, landscape painting, croquet, or bocce.
Of course, most campers enjoy all of these activities. They are interested in playing in some of the tournaments, trying the Kingswood original games, hiking a mountain or two, and relaxing while making art. The tough part is choosing what to do each day; the only thing that makes it a little bit easier is knowing that there will be lots of good choices the next day too!
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2) No two days are ever the same.
We all know that variety is the spice of life. That is why we try to make every day at Kingswood special. Click on the calendar to see how each day is unique.
3) Our program is flexible.
We also work hard to sync our program with the weather and mood of the camp. For instance, if we get a 90-degree day, we make sure to offer activities on the lake and trips to local swimming holes. When we have a perfect New Hampshire day, what we call a “Sparkler,” we quickly re-arrange our schedule so we can send out as many hikes as possible! Furthermore, if a particular game or activity is really popular, we make sure to offer it more frequently.
4) Our program builds community.
Although campers are grouped together by age for their instructional activities in the morning and for all intercamp tournaments, the rest of the camp activities are mixed age. We believe this is in important component in creating a close-knit community. Thus a hike, fishing trip, or pick-up game might include a 10 year old, a 13 year old, and a 15 year old. The Kingswood Football Tournament is an excellent example of how we have found a way to include campers of all ages in the same competition. Furthermore, many nights we have an all-camp activity, like a council fire or the Egg Drop. These shared experiences and traditions bring boys together. Parents are often awe-struck by how well their son knows ALL the boys at camp, and how all the boys at camp seem to know their son. Don’t be surprised – our dynamic program constantly creates situations for boys of all ages to interact.