Activities At Arcadia
Our Program
“To be confident in the world, one needs to be confident living in the out of doors.”
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Our activity program is based on this belief and is designed to ensure campers achieve these skills. All of our campers participate in four Basic activities:
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Boating Campcraft Canoeing Swimming
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From there, campers together with their parents, choose the Elective activities they wish to participate in for the upcoming summer.
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Each activity is divided into four skill levels. Our campers are placed in the level of their ability in each activity rather than age or living unit. We structure our activities to meet children’s needs and abilities.
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Each camper is provided with a schedule of her activities and free choice periods. Every day we prepare a schedule of the activity offerings and each camper may choose the activities in which she wants to participate.
Our counselors in each activity are trained in the activity and offer a multi-sensory learning environment of encouragement, response, feedback, careful supervision, support, and enthusiasm.
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We are proud of the experience we provide for campers of all ages. We encourage you to see for yourself what Camp Arcadia can do for you.
Basic Activities
One of the goals of Arcadia’s program is that each girl becomes comfortable and confident in the out-of-doors. Each girl attends boating, campcraft, canoeing, and swimming until she attains proficiency in these activities. The skills in these activities help our girls become more independent in the woods, on the water, and in the water.
Boating
A beloved tradition and life skill, Boating is at once a favorite pastime and place to learn oarsmanship and small craft safety.
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Our campers take picnic and distance trips around the lake as well.
Campcraft
Beginning with the essentials such as fire-building, outdoor cooking, compass and map work, and moving into how to use jackknives, axes, and saws, at Campcraft girls learn the skills needed to live in the out of doors. Campcraft also encompasses first aid, plants and animal identification and conservation and the ever-important knot tying skills.
Girls 14 and older may participate in the summer long Junior Maine Guide Program. Since the program began in the 1950s, over 200 Arcadian's have been certified as Junior Maine Guides.
Canoeing
Our campers learn lake and river paddling skills, wind theory, care and repair of canoes and small craft safety. Our campers use these skills on a variety of canoe trips on the lakes and rivers of Maine, New Hampshire and Canada. The trips range in length from 1-6 days.
Swimming
Taught by certified Water Safety Instructors and Lifeguards our campers learn Red Cross Level 1-6 skills as well as additional water safety and competitive swimming skills.
Girls may participate in a number of swim meets with other camps. Older campers have the opportunity to take American Red Cross Basic Water Rescue and Lifeguard Training (including CPR for the Professional Rescuer).
Morning and Afternoon Activities
Elective Activities
We have 22 elective activities. Our campers may attend the activities of their choice when they are not engaging in the basic activities. We ask each camper in the spring, together with her parents, to choose her electives for the upcoming summer.
Evening Activities
Every evening after supper, we offer three to four fun activities not offered in our daily
activity program. From 6:30-8:00, girls have the option to participate in activities such as campfire songs and s'mores seen here. Other options could be:
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Basketball
Culinary Arts
Capture the Flag
Field Hockey
Games
Lacrosse
Open Waterfront
Open Art Studio
Soccer
Song Writing
Stand up Paddleboarding
Woodshop
Trips
I believe in the wonder of the out-of-doors, in the inspiration of the stars and in the allurements of life in the open.
Creed of the Out-of-Doors, Rudolph Carl Stroll
Our Trips Program offers wilderness experiences that allow our campers to practice their Campcraft and Canoeing skills in the mountains, lakes, and rivers of Maine and New Hampshire.
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Our campers learn to read topographical maps, build and cook over a fire, and paddle in the stern of a canoe. They progress to paddling whitewater rapids, planning and preparing multi-course menus, and distributing gear and weight in packs for several days of strenuous hiking.
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Over 80% of our campers participate in at least one trip in the summer, and our skill- and age-based progression ensures that each summer brings new and exciting opportunities for returning campers. Our youngest girls participate in day and single-night adventures, while our more experienced campers participate in the planning of multi-night expeditions. We ask parents for general permission for their daughter to participate in our trip program prior to her arrival to camp but allow our campers to choose from specific trip options once they arrive at camp.
ABOUT OUR TRIP STAFF:
We select our trip leaders for their skills, experience and dedication to outdoor pursuits. Most of our staff, male and female, come from around the US and have strong personal experience in hiking, canoeing and camping. All of our trips staff receive trip-specific safety training.
Trips to Take at Arcadia
