Camp Arowhon

Outdoor Education

January 6, 2021

“I Don’t Like it!” (And Why We Do it Anyways)

Assistant Director Mara co-hosted a podcast on rules we have at camp that kids don’t like (and how and why we enforce them). Check it out HERE and let us know if there are any rules or policies we have that YOU don’t like and we’ll explain to you why we have them.

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August 12, 2020

Roses and Thorns

It’s been a summer full of emotions, challenges, silver linings, and learning, and today I experienced the rose of my summer. As I was in the office working on updating the 2021 camp application I was roused out of my screen-induced stupor by the kind of high-pitched emotional cacophony that could only come from one […]

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March 2, 2020

Building Character

All over North America there are thousands of summer camps that intentionally grow childrens’ commitment to their religion. Embedded in that religious acculturation there is always character building – simply because most religions speak to the question: What is a good person and what is a moral life? For the rest of us, this raises […]

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July 1, 2019

Sunshine on Tepee!

The summer weather finally decided to show up in Algonquin Park! Day 3 of the session saw campers really getting into the groove at activities and watching them find their confidence was truly inspirational. I took advantage of the perfect conditions and spent 4th period on a windsurfer getting tips from Senior Boys, and as […]

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June 29, 2019

Day One of Program!

Today was the first day of the full on camp activity program. The lake filled with kids skippering sailboats, windsurfing, canoeing and kayaking. The riding rings were full and kids also rode trail rides. The Junior Play, The Lion King, was announced with a cool costumed skit at breakfast. It was generally a great and […]

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June 21, 2019

Pre Camp staff training is in full swing

It’s 7:30 am. Leon and I are sitting on the porch of our cabin having a cup of tea and talking about the camp day ahead. I look at the lake – and suddenly see about 15 yellow canoes coming round the bend from the Joe Lake channel into our lake. Oh great joy, for […]

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May 6, 2019

Is some anxiety ok?

I’ve been working on letting go of my own feelings of despair when either of my beloved offspring is not ok. This is so hard. Appallingly challenging. My urgent need to fix it is even more compelling.Whether these feelings are built into parental DNA, or just the product of our generation of parents for whom […]

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March 29, 2019

Why don’t boys try harder?

I hear so often from parents of boys that their sons are unmotivated, don’t seem to care about doing well in school and can’t seem to get themselves organized. “Where’s your agenda? Why aren’t you writing in it?” These are good questions. The only problem is that we’re asking the wrong guy. Literally. When we […]

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March 2, 2019

March Break and….boredom.

In a February column in the New York Times, Pamela Paul opined: “Boredom teaches us that life isn’t a parade of amusements. More important, it spawns creativity and self-sufficiency.” Three cheers! And now let’s bring on March Break, a golden opportunity to hear kids say: “I’m bored.” The two words that strike terror into the […]

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February 1, 2019

Did St. Mike’s have to happen?

I feel awful about what happened at St Mike’s. Awful for the boys and their parents, and sad for our culture where such goings-on can occur – and be tolerated. I have been hearing this from parents, the worried question: Could what happened at St. Mike’s happen elsewhere? Some parents ask this question, some don’t. […]

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