Our new 20-ft. climbing wall was a big hit last summer.
This year, each week of the Family Y’s Camp Mahackeno will have a specific theme. All of your favorite summer day-camp activities will still be there, as well as some exciting new opportunities, like our brand-new 110-ft. Zipline.
But this summer campers will have even more fun with weekly themes, which will include special events, dress-up days and games going on all week. The weekly themes during each of our four two-week sessions are:
Session 1 June 25-July 6
Week 1 — Olympics Week: Our first session of the summer is in honor of the 2012 Summer Olympics taking place in London. Events include opening ceremonies with assigned team “countries,” games and challenges.
Week 2 — Space Week: Space exploration and space-themed games will be a part of this session. On “Wacky Wednesday,” campers will dress like aliens and astronauts. For our special event we will search out the aliens that may be hiding around camp. (Remember, no camp on July 4).
Session 2 July 9- July 20
Week 1 — Sports of all Sorts: Campers will learn about sports from around the world and learn new sports skills. Everyone will get a chance to show off their team spirit during this week’s Wacky Wednesday.
Week 2 — Science Week: Who doesn’t love a fun science experiment? Campers will enjoy a “Mad Scientist Day” and solve a crime using different scientific experiments.
Session 3 July 23-August 3
Week 1 — Travel Around the World: Campers will be learning about different countries and stories and games from those countries. They will put their learning to the test with trivia and challenges that earn them pieces to a map.
Week 2 — Arts Week: In a special collaboration with the Westport Arts Center, campers will work on creating a mural at camp as well as other art projects that will be on display during a Family Night Art Show.
Session 4 August 6-August 17
Week 1 — Water Week: Campers will learn about water safety and enjoy fun games and activities to do in the water. Steve Max, a pro at Simon Sez, will also be at camp this Friday to lead us in fun games and activities.
Week 2 — Holiday Week: Each day is a different holiday with fun activities and games. The week will finish with a fun summer camp carnival.
Special Events Week August 20-August 24
Special Events Week – Craziest Week Ever: Tie dye, crafts, a cookout and other fun activities will round off the summer with a good time had by all before returning to school.
We’ve returned to a two-week format because we found that campers attending for single weeks weren’t getting the full experience of camp; they didn’t have as much time to build strong friendships and develop skills from the activity areas.
We do, however, understand that sometimes family scheduling doesn’t allow for a two-week session. While we strongly encourage that your children attend for two-week sessions, we are able to take one-week registrations on a limited basis. So if you require one, please send in your registration soon to reserve one of those spots.
Canoeing on Lees Pond is a classic summer camp activity.
Located amid 32 acres of scenic woodlands and open space along the banks of the Saugatuck River, Camp Mahackeno is part of Westport history. Founded in 1938 as a “stay at home camp” for boys, the property was rugged and rustic, as befits its original role three centuries ago as a summer lodge and hunting grounds for a Native American chief and his tribe.
Today our camp features an array of amenities and programs for boys and girls, including a six-lane outdoor swimming pool, 12-acre pond for canoeing and fishing, rock wall for climbing and plenty of space and time for such traditional camp activities as archery, leather making and arts and crafts. Our programs are balanced to meet the needs of each camper, including our Special Cares camp for children with special needs. There’s also a strong outdoors program for older campers, complete with team-building exercises and local field trips.
Camp Mahackeno is divided into units designed to give age-appropriate levels of supervision and camp activity. These groups have 20 to 24 campers each, with 200 to 250 children per week per session. Camp is held rain or shine, 9 a.m. to 4 or 4:30 p.m. every weekday. Bus service is offered to local campers, and campers with working parents can also enjoy extended opportunities before and after regular camp hours to participate special activities.
Behind all of the fun at camp is a staff that cares a great deal about keeping campers both physically and emotionally safe and secure as they play, explore, try and succeed. A big part of summer camp is meeting new friends and doing all kinds of things with them. While a camper may know one or two people in their group at the beginning, by the end of the session, groups really come together under the guidance of our trained staff.
To register or to view our Camp Mahackeno 2012 brochure online, please visit www.westporty.org, or contact Camp and Youth Director Meg George at 203-226-8981, ext. 179, or mgeorge@westporty.org.
If you are not familiar with the Mahackeno Outdoor Center, please bring your family to our Open House on Saturday, May 19, 12 to 2 p.m., 14 Sunny Lane. It’s a great time to tour the camp and ask important questions. You’ll see sample schedules for your campers, explore the facility, and meet Meg and her staff, many of whom are returning and are former campers themselves.
Mahackeno has provided generations of children from Westport, Weston and surrounding communities a summer day camp that keeps your child wide-eyed, laughing and learning all summer long. Come join the fun!
