Each year, I look forward to getting my summer camp t-shirt, no matter how old I am. Like you, I miss camp, and I’m happy to put on a camp shirt and feel a little closer to my summer home.
Creative costumes and face paint from the counselors for the Wrath of Nature evening program
Last week I woke up and knew it was a camp shirt kind of day, so I pulled out my favorite one, a sage green shirt with a beautiful loon on the front. The nostalgia I feel every time I open my drawer of camp shirts makes me close my eyes for a moment to remember some of my favorite camp memories: My morning walk to the dining hall and the excitement I feel when I smell the pancakes and bacon, an afternoon spent laying in a hammock in the Chill Zone, sitting in the amphitheater full of campers singing at the top of their lungs, or jumping into the pond during OATs. I actually laugh out loud when I remember Heffalump Hunts.
Wildwood’s 70th summer didn’t go at all how we’d planned, of course, but until we can celebrate together again in 2021, we want you to have that nostalgic camp t-shirt feeling, so we’re offering a special Wildwood t-shirt that you can order now!
Not only can you help support Wildwood by purchasing a 2020 Wildwood T-shirt, but you can also wear it and think of all the amazing camp memories you have made in the past and all the memories we will make next summer.
Do you know how to dress for different winter conditions? What to do if frostbite sets in? How to build a fire on top of the snow? Or maybe how to build a shelter outside?
Learn these and even more winter outdoor skills with staff from Wildwood Camp and the Jaffrey Parks & Recreation Department during our Winter Explorers program series.
This winter, on the third Saturday of each month, we’ll discover a different skill to help us brave the winter weather. Each session takes place from 9:00 to 11:00 am.
Register online on the Jaffrey Parks & Rec website for one session or for all four at a discounted rate.
Saturday, November 21, 2020 At Jaffrey Parks and Recreation 31 Howard Hill Road, Jaffrey, NH 03452
What are your jeans made of, and can they really keep you warm in cold weather? Through a variety of experiments, learn the “do’s and don’t’s” of what to wear during the winter months, including the differences between various fabrics.
Note: Participants should bring clothes in a backpack or bag that you believe could help keep you warm if you were outside in the cold for ten hours.
Winter Hiking with Wildwood at Mount Monadnock
December: Winter First Aid
Saturday, December 19, 2020 At Wildwood Camp 462 Old New Ipswich Road, Rindge, NH 03461
Be prepared for any accident that may occur during the winter months. Learn the warning signs for hypothermia, frost bite, and dehydration and what to do if you or someone else is showing signs.
Note: Instructor Cheryl is a certified Red Cross First Aid instructor; participants will not be certified at the end of the program.
January: Fires & Cooking
Saturday, January 16, 2021 At Wildwood Camp 462 Old New Ipswich Road, Rindge, NH 03461
Have you ever tried to build a fire on snow? What happens to wood when it is wet? Learn the answers to these questions and more as we build a fire and cook over an open flame. Together we will learn the science of how to start a fire without matches.
Note: Participants should bring a travel mug, thermos, or cup with a lid for hot beverages.
Camp cooking in winter
February: Shelters & Knots
Saturday, February 20, 2021 At Wildwood Camp 462 Old New Ipswich Road, Rindge, NH 03461
Protecting yourself from harsh winter weather with a DIY shelter is a great skill to have! Use materials you can find in the woods to help make your shelter safe and warm, and learn different knots and lashings to create a camp chair or even a table!
To register for these programs, please visit the Jaffrey Parks & Rec website. Join for one session or for all four at a discounted rate! Should you have any questions, reach out to Wildwood’s Education Program Manager, Cheryl Oliveira at [email protected].
Here at Wildwood the rain has been holding up, but so has the camp spirit! There have been some exciting activities: we created items for a Dutch Auction, played games like Crab Soccer, did some Food Drawing, and used our imaginations at Monster Making. Check out a few highlights from this week below and see the full slideshow on Smugmug!
Come back on Thursday for a post and pictures from a new and exciting tradition at Wildwood!
Are you sending your little one to overnight camp for the first time? Great! You and your child are both feeling excited and nervous all at the same time. Here are a few tips that will make this first-time experience a little bit easier for you and your camper.
Practice—Before your camper comes to overnight camp, have them practice staying at a friend’s house overnight. This will give your child the confidence that they can be successful away from the comfort of their own home.
Packing—Pack together and make sure that you have everything on the list. Once you have gathered everything, supervise your child as they pack their bag. This will ensure that when your child has arrived at camp and needs their pajamas or their swimsuit, they know where to find it. It is also incredibly important to label everything. Campers always misplace things and if there is a name on it, we can be sure that it gets back to the right person.
Promises—When you drop your camper off on opening day it is normal to want to stay and hang out, but this prolongs the inevitable goodbye. Instead say, “Have a great week, you are going to be fine, and we will see you on Saturday for pickup!” Homesickness is perfectly normal. Please also do not promise them that they can call home. Instead, give them strategies to help them be successful. Send them to camp with stationary and stamps and tell them to write you a letter and put it in the mail.
Just remember, your camper will have an amazing time at camp. They will meet lifelong friends and have new experiences that only camp can give them.
Camp is a silly place—a place for campers and staff alike to just have fun! Each session we will have crazy meals and dress-up days. Bring your most creative things from home or make something while you are here at camp. Silly Sock day? What does that mean? You can mix and match your socks, wear tye-die socks, have socks with capes, or socks with pictures of your dog on them! This is your time to be creative. What sessions are YOU coming to?
Session 1 – Nature Heroes – Dress up as your favorite Nature Superhero! Are you Captain Planet? Do you want to be Wonder Water Woman? Be a superhero in whatever way you can, and remember, not all superheroes wear capes!
Session 2 – Crazy Hat or Crazy Hair Day – Do you have an umbrella hat? How about a top hat? On this crazy hat or crazy hair day, you can make whatever you want to wear on your head. You could even try and stick your hair straight up! Be creative! The 4th of July also falls during session 2, so wear your red white and blue as we celebrate the entire day with American-themed activities!
Session 3 – The Olympics – This special event will be an all-day extravaganza of excitement. There will be different events that you and your “country” will participate in. You’ll make a flag and even get ribbons for the events. We’ll also have Twin Day. Are you coming to camp with a friend? Meeting someone at camp for the first time? Either way, you and your friend can dress alike or wear the same hairstyle—you pick!
Session 4 – Halloween in July – Bring a costume or make one or just be yourself. Will you be an alligator, a police detective, a clown, or even a ninja turtle? Bring a costume and we will be sure to have a great time! Towards the end of the session we’ll have a Pajama Breakfast; Come to breakfast in your favorite PJ’s!
Session 5 – Tropical Paradise – Wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt or grass skirt and bring those leis! Our fabulous floral Friday will be a delightful evening full of fun! We’ll bring the coconuts and pineapples.
Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) at Wildwood Family Camp
The search is over! What’s the best thing for your family to
do this summer? A great family vacation where all you have to do is show up!
Wildwood’s Family Camp offers fun for all ages where you can choose your own adventure: swimming, boating, archery, Arts & Crafts, nature hikes, and more are all on the menu.
And speaking of menus, all your meals are provided for you! Breakfast
and lunch are served buffet-style so you and your family can come and go at the
pace that works for you, while dinner is a fun community gathering each
evening, served family-style.
We provide opportunities for adult-only activities, kid-only activities, and those your whole family can do together. Tea Time with our staff from England is a perennial favorite, while the more adventurous folks can take a thrilling ride down the zip line! And what day at camp would be complete without a little swimming in our beautiful Hubbard Pond?
Wildwood’s High Ropes Challenge Course at Family Camp
Your family (up to eight people) can choose from a range of accommodation options. Standard choices include sleeping in your own wooden tent, platform tent, rustic cabin, or yurt, complete with bunk beds and mattresses. This year we are also offering “premium” options on a first-come-first-served basis in Darwin or Muir staff cabins, which have private bathrooms and bedrooms. Or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, you can now bring your own tent!
We can’t wait to meet you and your family this summer during Family Camp! We have the following sessions lined up for this year:
Session 1: Wednesday, June 19–Saturday, June 22, 2019 Session 2: Sunday, August 18–Wednesday, August 21, 2019 Session 3: Wednesday, August 21–Saturday, August 24, 2019
