Category: Why Camp Woodland?!

I’m back! I’ve been in Dallas (with JoAnne), Atlanta, and Atlantic City (with Lee) attending several conferences and facilitating trainings over the past month and will be sharing with you what camp pros around the country are thinking about, reading about, and listening to in as we head into the summer. The person I’m going to mention today is someone I’ve already written about, and her stuff bears repeating again and again (and again). I (we) really like what Lynn Lyons has to say!

If you’re not familiar, Lynn is this brilliant anxiety specialist who talks about how our kids are increasingly struggling with mental health challenges. And not because the world is more dangerous, but because they’re not developing the skills to handle uncertainty.

One of those boss level skills? Flexibility. Not the “down dog” kind from yoga class (whew!).

• The “Oh, it’s raining? Let’s pivot to an amazing indoor activity without missing a beat” kind.
• The “I’m not sure what’s happening next but it’s cool, let’s roll” kind.
• The “This isn’t exactly what I expected but all good, can handle it” kind.

And yeah, if you know me, you know what’s coming next.

Summer camp might be the single best place on earth to develop this skill!!

Flexibility: The Secret Superpower

Here’s how Lynn puts it: “When we get locked into a position, stance or perspective—be it based on fear, inexperience, or rigidity of any kind—we remove the opportunity to learn, expand, discover, and problem solve.”

Sound familiar? It’s basically the opposite of what happens at camp.

At camp, flexibility isn’t just encouraged – it’s required.

The schedule changes. The weather doesn’t play nice. Your favorite counselor has the day off. The kitchen ran out of grilled cheese. Your cabinmate snores like a broken chainsaw. The best part? Parents/caregivers aren’t around to “solve” any of it.

And somehow, kids learn to roll with it all.

It Matters More Than We Think

The thing about flexibility is that it’s not just about adapting. It’s about adapting without falling apart into a million-gajillion pieces.

Kids who develop flexibility at camp don’t just grudgingly accept change – they are rocking new environments with confidence. They develop a simple but super productive mindset that says, “I can handle the unexpected.”

Meanwhile, rigid thinking leads directly to anxiety.

When kids go through childhood believing things must go exactly as planned or disaster is on deck, they’re setting themselves up for a lifetime of stress.

The Flexibility Gym

There are so many ways flexibility gets exercised at camp:

• The weather suddenly changes, time for a quick pivot from afternoon activities to Lip Sync Contest.
• A homesick camper needs the counselor’s extra attention, so it means the morning routine might shift just a bit.
• The food isn’t exactly what they’re used to at home, so new foods are tried.
• Another kid reacts to something in a completely unexpected way which gives valuable information about that person.

Each of these moments is a rep in the flexibility gym. Each one says to a kid, quietly but clearly, “You can adapt. You can handle change. You’ve got this.”

As Lynn Lyons says, “A kid with a flexible brain becomes a person who can go with the flow when life doesn’t unfold as planned. Handling the unexpected is a critical skill in most aspects of life.”

Most parents are desperate for their kids to develop exactly this. The word “flexibility” may not be used, but there is a definite want/need for children to be able to handle uncertainty without shutting down.

Embracing the Unplanned

Here’s where it gets tricky for us as adults: Sometimes we work so hard to make everything perfect, predictable, and seamless that we accidentally remove the very opportunities that develop flexibility.

• What if instead of seeing schedule changes as failures, we look at them as growth opportunities?
• What if instead of apologizing when things don’t go exactly as planned, we celebrate the chance for kids to practice adapting?
• What if we told you, our camp families, in July, “Your child had fifteen opportunities to practice flexibility today, and they crushed it”?!

Yep, that happens at camp! Every. Single. Day.

Making It Stick

The beauty of camp is that flexibility practice happens naturally. And, we can be more intentional about it:

• Normalize change. “Plans change, and that’s actually a good thing!”
• Celebrate adaptability. “I noticed how quickly you adjusted when we had to leave earlier than expected. That’s a real strength.”
• Highlight the skill. “You just showed flexibility, and that’s going to help you in so many situations.”

Because at the end of the day, what we’re really doing is preparing kids for a world that will never, ever go exactly as planned. And, if you want to give your kids a jump start, you can begin practicing NOW. Not sure what to say when your camper shows signs of anxiety about the summer ahead through the questions that are asked? Say This, Not That (a previous blog) will give ideas on how to respond (thank you Lynn Lyons!).

Enroll for 2025

Now is a great time to reserve a spot for your kid/s at camp; we hope your daughter/s will join us at the flexibility gym this coming summer!

A big thank you to my friend, Jack Schott, for being the inspiration of this blog. Here is the Podcast he did with Lynn – Apple, Spotify, Youtube

Just kidding! Now that I got your attention…

A camp director friend at another camp says to parents, “Your kids are going to summer camp in a few years, it’s called college.” Living independently, problem solving, navigating an unknown world, making new friends, and more are a few of the skills necessary to succeed in life after high school (college, trade school, getting a job, traveling, etc). At camp, kids practice and develop those skills over the course of the summer. I actually know someone who is the ED of a fraternity organization on a university campus who shared with me recently that he can always tell the students who have gone to or worked at a summer camp. They exude leadership, confidence, the ability to make decisions, and resilience (just to name a few) that is easy to pick up on over those that did not attend camp.

It is easy to come up with reasons NOT to send your kid/s to camp (too far, too long, too buggy, too hot, too cold, too fun, etc). Yes, camp may actually be TOO. MUCH. FUN. It may have crossed your mind that an extended sleepover in the woods couldn’t possibly be an experience with any substance or observable outcomes. Kids playing, laughing, singing, and having the best time must be just that.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret…

To the kids, our campers, camp is supposed to be F-U-N. And, it definitely is that. Camp is Loads. Of. Fun. And, we want it to be that way. Camp will always be FUN.

To you, the parents and caregivers, camp is SO. MUCH. MORE.

Each aspect of the camp day has layers of intentionality behind it:

• Cabin living = independence and conflict resolution skills
• Activity choices = decision-making and time management
• Evening programs/Special events = social confidence and community building
• Overnight canoe trips = problem solving and teamwork
• Camp traditions = leadership development and belonging

I think it is even EASIER to come up with ways of why you SHOULD ABSOLUTELY be considering camp for your kid/s. Everything we do at camp is just another way to foster cool growth opportunities for ages 7-17 (and beyond). Add that to being surrounded by nature and away from the daily “noise” we live in most of the time, and you have the perfect ecosytem for CRAZY GROWTH!

Thinking about Camp Woodland or Towering Pines for 2025? Know someone who could benefit from a Northwoods camp experience? 

If you or a friend/family member would like to learn more about the Woodland/Towering Pines summer camp experience, we invite you to join us for our Virtual Info Event on Sunday, January 26 at 4 pm CST. (Zoom link will be sent out prior to event). Other events TBD in the months ahead!

If you aren’t able to attend one of our meetings, our leadership team is always willing to spend time sharing what our camps have to offer at Camp Woodland for Girls.

Please DO send your kids to camp (and help them prepare for life after 18)! There is still time to reserve your spots by Registering for Summer 2025!

Now that our calendar reminds us that it is November (not sure how THAT happened!), we find ourselves continuing to reflect on the recent summer. It’s always good to put some time and space between the emotional high the end of the camp season brings and the new routine of getting back to our “normal” lives during the other months of the year. In this transition, I am enjoying taking yoga classes and have zoomed into one of the phrases I hear repeatedly during each session, regardless of the instructor.

As we move through various poses that stretch one side of the body, the words, “back to center” often follow before beginning to move and stretch the opposite side. That subtle “pause” allows the body to regroup, refocus and get grounded again before starting the next thing. For many of our campers and staff, being at camp is a way to come “back to center.” Those 6 weeks in the Northwoods are often needed to regroup, refocus and get grounded again after a busy school year. It is a time to take a well deserved “pause” before the next school year begins.

Just like the dock where I take yoga during the year gives me a break from the busyness I can get caught up in from September to May, I love the hour of being in a beautiful setting looking over the Cape Fear River, hearing the sounds of the waves finding their way to shore, and just enjoying the presence of the others who are in that same space. It is a beautiful opportunity to clear my mind for a short period of time before going back to whatever is on my “to do” list.

Camp is also beautiful, beautiful to see children laughing and playing. Beautiful to witness girls relaxing into the rhythms of camp life, being free to explore, play, create, and discover. It is beautiful to see kindness, budding confidence, and willing enthusiasm color whatever we are doing. It is beautiful to hear organic silliness and laughter everywhere at camp. It is beautiful to feel so close to so many people.

I find that taking yoga classes in the outdoors to be nothing short of magical. Being in the open air without being confined to the space inside four walls provides treasured moments to be in nature and witness unexpected surprises. I never know when a massive ship will quietly make its way through the channel a few feet in front of my mat, dolphins will chase fish in search of their next meal, a pelican will perch on a nearby post, or the rays of sunshine will glisten and shine on the water’s surface while bringing warmth to a breezy day.

Camp is magical in its own way, too. It is full of delightful surprises, moments when we embrace the wonders of nature and each other. It is magical how the simplest things are fun, often hilarious, and end up being a source of deep comfort. It is magical how everyday is both exciting and worry free, filled with new experiences.

It was in the lower 60’s this morning when I found a spot for my pink mat on the dock. I was wearing two long-sleeve layers, leggings, and a puffy vest. The brisk north wind blowing was refreshing. We had another bout of summer weather last week, so I was reveling in the cooler air on my bare face and feet. I challenge myself during each yoga class to have my phone off and out of sight. I am also not allowed to look at my watch until the class peacefully ends with, “namaste.” It is 60 minutes of uninterrupted time to go “back to center.”

Camp is also refreshing. Our Northwoods weather is refreshing (as well as Sand Lake first thing in the morning!), and so is the feeling of being a part of the Woodland community. It is refreshing to connect with the people so easily, to make almost instant friends with everyone, and to be embraced for our authentic selves. For many, it is refreshing to simply be away from the allure of electronic devices.

A few weeks ago, one of my favorite dock instructors came back after being away for almost a year. Erica told the story of why we were seeing garland and white ribbons wrapped around the two main posts as we set foot into our yoga space. She strummed the ukulele and sang a tune in memory of the founder of the yoga dock who fought hard to battle brain cancer. I could feel the strength and courage of this person whom I had never met. I felt a few tears roll down my face during this emotional moment in time.

Camp, too, is emotional, packed with experiences that we feel deeply. We cheer for each other almost everyday. We are thrilled by all the novelty and adventure of the activities, exchanges and trips (even if just across the lake for a night under the stars). There are so many hugs, smiles, and sweet moments of affection. Sharing this much, being this open and genuine, makes even the challenges we face both manageable and meaningful.

Yes, camp is beautiful, magical, refreshing and emotional —altogether miraculous. It is for everyone, campers, staff and directors alike, an experience that’s hard to describe, but one that we cherish each and every year. We remember each summer fondly, seek its spirit throughout our days at home or school, and yearn for its return sometime soon. Camp is a place and time to “come back to center.”

We thank you for helping make this special experience possible, for your support, and for sending your girls. We miss our camp family so much. We look forward to seeing you next summer when we can come together at Woodland and rekindle the camp spirit we love.

In the meantime, until we can all be together again, we are excited for “reunion season” and will kickoff opportunities to come together on Saturday, November 23rd, in the Chicago area. Let us know HERE if you would like camp to come to a location near you!

Now that we are well into our 4th week of camp, it is a great time to take a brief pause and reflect on what Camp Woodland sets out to do each summer. What are our goals? What is our overall purpose? We’re certainly striving to “have fun” (a LOT of fun!), but it’s more than that. Beyond all the different activities, the great food, and our classic Northwoods camp environment, what is Woodland really providing? On a deeper level, what is camp doing for all the girls and staff members who spend their summer here?

A really good response to this question is summarized in the sign that greets you when you enter a new(ish) business in the North Carolina town in which I live. The “Haven” is located on the main street leading into the community of Southport. On any given day or night when I pass by as I am walking Gus and Gumbo, I see people of all ages hanging out; sometimes listening to live music in the back, playing corn hole or other “yard” game, enjoying a refreshing treat of Italian gelato or adult beverage, or grabbing a bite to eat from a food truck parked in the side driveway. This place in it’s short 15 month history is truly living up to its name.

If we go back to the question posed at the beginning of this blog, we might answer by saying, “What we’re doing here is creating a haven for girls.” That then leads to some follow-up questions, but what sort of haven, and why is that important?

The answer lies in the definition of the word “haven” itself as shown on the sign from the actual “Haven.” Haven means:

• a place of safety, shelter and refuge
• a port or harbor in a storm, a roadstead (I had to look this one up! A roadstead is a sheltered stretch of water near the shore in which ships can ride at anchor.)
• a place offering comfort and friendship
• an oasis or peaceful retreat
• community for good friends, new friends, old friends, and friends of friends

Without hesitation, our goal is to make Woodland a safe harbor for girls, a place of refuge from the “storms” of modern and everyday life. We are here to create an intentional community that’s different and separate from the all too many damaging forces impacting youth (especially girls!) today.

The good news is that girls flourish once these harmful forces are removed. We are really seeing the positive effects of being immersed into the camp experience for almost a month now. Campers are growing in astounding ways. They grow as individuals and together as a cabin group. These special “families” are a place of comfort and friendship in a “close to home” kind of way while the entire camp community offers comfort and friendship in a more “global” sense.

It is not a stretch to say that camp is an oasis/peaceful retreat. Campers tell us time and time again that they look forward to camp all year long. Our girls soak up and store every possible sight, sound, smell, taste, and feeling from their time in the Northwoods to draw upon later when they need a reprieve from the busyness and stresses often found during the rest of the year.

It goes without saying that we have a community of good friends at Woodland (it doesn’t take too long to figure that out when scanning the plethora of photos on SmugMug!). We welcome and embrace old and new friends and friends of friends. We even have several very special 4-legged friends. Chanel, Coco, and Juno are part of our community, too. I am always amazed at how people who are very different from each other cross paths at camp and become the closest of friends. Had they been in the familiar setting of home or school, they might not have even given each other a chance.

Each of the “haven” sub-definitions are big part of our WHY. Next, we will look a little more closely at HOW Camp Woodland is a haven.

1. Haven from Indoor Living: Life at Woodland is lived intimately with Nature; we are outdoors almost all the time. Many of us spend the greater part of 10 months inside, so it is refreshing to see campers (and staff) learning to embrace nature’s wonder and beauty in large doses. There’s a deep restorative power to this.

2. Haven from a Rushed Life: The pace of life at Woodland is deliberately slower and more mindful. Time is intentionally built into the day to allow campers to savor each moment and engage more deeply with everything and everyone around them. Eating 3 meals/day together and hanging out at rest hour and before bed as a cabin group gives campers multiple opportunities to nuture relationships in a way that is hard to replicate anywhere else.

3. Haven from Inactivity and Modern Convenience: In a world that often prioritizes convenience and sedentary lifestyles, Woodland encourages physical activity, adventure, and hands-on experiences. It’s a place where campers move and play, discovering the joys of doing.

4. Haven from Information Overload: In a world saturated with information, Woodland provides a break from the constant barrage of news and novelty. This allows campers to pay attention to their immediate experiences, fostering connections, creativity and presence.

5. Haven from Competition: Woodland is a non-competitive environment where girls can explore their interests and abilities without the pressure of outperforming others. Keeping score is the last thing on our minds (with the one exception of Olympics next week!). Instead the focus is on personal exploration, kind cooperation, and collective success.

6. Haven from Judgment: Woodland celebrates brave attempts, silly creativity, and an openness to try things. Here, girls explore for the fun of it and are unconcerned with what others will say about the outcome. The kindness of this community lifts everyone up.

7. Haven from Technology: This one is HUGE. Woodland is a tech-free environment that dispels the distraction inherent to digital media and its flickering screens. Camp returns us to real-world activities, the nuance of face-to-face interactions and the complexities of truly feeling things. This allows everyone here to be more human and explore what that means.

8. Haven from Exclusivity: Woodland is committed to creating a community of belonging. Our core value of respect encourages campers to spread kindness and show empathy to one another. We strive to be curious, not judgmental. Meeting so many people at camp helps us appreciate and celebrate diverse backgrounds and perspectives. We are a place where it is “cool to be you.”

9. Haven from Social Pressures: Woodland provides a break from the pressures to conform to certain social expectations. Here, girls can explore their interests freely, while being supported by an enthusiastic community that values them for who they really are.

10. Haven from “I Can’t”: At Woodland we strive to omit these words from our vocabulary for the 6 weeks we are at camp. We celebrate incremental progress and embrace success over time (vs instant gratification). Persistence and grit go a long way in the skills we are developing in activities and with building relationships. When the word “yet” is inserted after an “I Can’t” proclamation, the opportunity to grow is imminent.

When seen as a haven in all these ways, it is within reach to grasp that Woodland is a special experience, and how it’s so important for your girls. We all know that ordinary life is chock full of pressures and challenges. Just ask any teenager; they’ll tell you. Camp provides relief from all that. It’s a sanctuary of freedom where girls thrive. Yes, it’s also a lot of fun and girls love it, and it’s wonderful in this important way as well. We are so looking forward to being together in this much needed “haven” for a few more weeks!

Reference: RBC

We often hear from campers during the school year that, “I always can’t wait to get back to camp.” “Camp is my Happy Place.” “I look forward to camp all year long.” These are common refrains.

It doesn’t seem right to explain these feelings of happiness at camp by pointing to the variety of activities (sailing, riding, archery, dance, to name a few), the great food (taco bar, chicken tenders, Saturday donuts, or Dan’s lasagne), the beautiful campus we enjoy (Climax Forest, Sand Lake, Vespers Hill) or any particular “perk” like that. If not these, then why do Woodland girls love camp so intensely and often with such loyalty? 

There is a phrase we often hear at the closing Inspiration Hour where campers and staff members talk about what camp means to them. The phrase is, “Camp is the place where I’ve learned the most about myself.” There is something special about Woodland that leads to self-awareness, to a better understanding of “who you really are.” What is it about camp that encourages this?” How is camp different from other places in ways that make it well suited for this kind of self-discovery? That may be the question of the century!

For one, the pace of camp life really helps. There’s simply more time for self-reflection, more opportunities to try new things and explore (and Open New Doors!), more opportunities to relax and connect with the people around them. We know how busy lives can be during the school year, “up at 7am and back home at 7pm.” Having stretches of free time at camp is a wonderful thing. That freedom makes a HUGE difference!

At camp there are also “fewer distractions” mostly because campers do not have their phones. This is a big deal! One reason campers love camp, ironically, is because they give up something they use everyday, all day, at home. If every spare moment is consumed by retreating from the real world into the algorithmically curated virtual world of social media and the internet, then what’s left? If a smartphone is always with us, ready to provide instant gratification (distraction), won’t we skip over important details around us and fail to pay attention to what we might discover? With no phones at camp, girls are relishing the expansion of awareness being tech-free provides them. And, part of what they’re noticing is their true selves.

When asking older campers why they keep coming back to camp, they often tell you, “It’s the people.” This translates to mean, “the people at camp are friendly, kind people who make me feel good. They accept me, include me, and don’t judge me.” This sense of belonging, being a part of a community that cares about you no matter what, is a powerful force. It inspires a sort of personal confidence to let the real you shine, to drop those ideas of who you “should” be. It’s very common, after all, for most of us to fall victim to pressures of conformity, to create versions of ourselves that align with assumed ideals of personality, ability and beauty. But if that’s all we do, how will we discover what’s unique about each of us? If we’re just posing most of the time, doing our best to hide any hint of “imperfection,” (thinking this will help people “like” us), who are we really?

We think campers understand this too at some level. Maybe not explicitly, but they know that at Woodland it is OK to discard these social facades and explore other, deeper aspects of who they are. The people here at camp, the whole supportive community, makes this possible. When you realize that people at camp don’t really care what you look like, you can let you hair down, literally and figuratively. That’s the gift that can lead to greater self-awareness, much greater self-confidence, and greater contentment in the long run.

Taken together, these three characteristics of camp life— time for reflection, ditching phone-based distractions, and a community of supportive people —help explain why girls feel they learn about themselves at camp. Since this kind of self-discovery is really difficult back at school, they yearn for these opportunities and so cherish their time at camp. They “can’t wait to get back,” and feel good like this again. Maybe we can say these girls love camp because it’s fun, but also because it helps them grow.

If you want to help your girls grow like this at home, help them by carving out some time when they can slow down, be fully disengaged from their smartphones, and be with people who truly care about them. That’s certainly not easy, but not impossible either. How about a phone-free sleepover with friends, spent playing games instead of watching a movie? Family time one Saturday morning, spent outside? Those are just a couple of ideas that are also not necessarily easy, but may give you some encouragement to try. Our kids really do want these sorts of experiences but are hampered by forces beyond their control. They need our help. Fortunately, there is camp, but can’t we do more? Yes, we can!

Reference: RBC