A Day at Camp Hawthorne for Boys Camp
A day at camp is full of outdoor activity. Skill lessons and activity sessions are mingled with free time for play. Follow along below to see what is in store during a typical day. Follow along below to see what's in store during a typical day at camp.
Schedule
Reveille & Morning Dip
Every day starts with reveille. Many campers choose to take a morning dip in Panther Pond. Nothing wakes you up and gets you ready for the day better than a refreshing swim. Besides feeling clean, you'll earn a campfire point for your cabin if you go all the way under. Not much for swimming? Don't worry, we also have hot showers :)
Breakfast
A hearty breakfast with hot and cold options served in the dining hall. Main entrees include classics like scrambled eggs, waffles, and french toast. Hot sides like bacon, muffins, sausage, oatmeal and home fries are available almost every day. Everyday options include bagels & cream cheese, toast with butter, jam, or peanut butter, fresh fruits, cereal with milk, and yogurt with granola and berries. Drinks include orange or apple juice, milk and chocolate milk, and water. Health conscious campers will have plenty of options to suit their diet, and even picky eaters will find a filling meal every morning. Picky eaters are welcome here - our menu includes sundry basics and most items are separated: View menu page
Cabin Cleanup
After breakfast everyone reports to their cabin for a team effort to clean. Each camper needs to clean up his own area, and then pitch in on the cabin-wide chores like sweeping the floor and emptying the waste bin. The head counselors inspect and rate the job for campfire points.
Morning Skills Session
Campers choose from several lesson offerings such as swimming and music. At the end of the week they can test their skills with a chance to level up.
Morning Activity Periods
Campers convene with a few other programs to play games. A variety of options are offered from active sports to peaceful crafts.
For more activity options, see our new (and growing) activity database
Free Time
Free time to play tetherball, swim, play volleyball, shoot hoops, hangout, or play many other games around camp. Free time is unstructured, so it gives kids a chance to be kids in a safe but independent atmosphere. The games are patrolled for bullying and unfairness but campers are encouraged to resolve disputes themselves and to be inventive and intelligent in their free time choices.
Lunch Buffet
Grab lunch from the buffet serving line. Lunch features a hot entree with many side options. Hot entrees include dishes like grilled cheese, Italian sandwiches, pizza, hot dogs, and pulled pork. A salad bar is available at every lunch and dinner, as are peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, fresh fruit, and milk. Campers sit at long dining tables supervised by counselors helping them improve manners and table conversation.
Rest Hour
Take some much-needed rest and relaxation in between activities during Rest Hour. Get ahead on summer reading, borrow a book from the camp library, or sleep. There's nothing like reading in a cabin with the sound of the waves on the beach outside. Many campers take a nap to recharge for the afternoon session.
Afternoon Skills Session
The first period of the afternoon is another skills session. Campers choose from several offerings to learn or improve their fundamentals. Swimming, archery, and music are a few of the typical choices.
Afternoon Activities
Afternoon activity choices range from relaxing hikes or crafts to intense nerf fights to free swimming. The time is split into a few periods with a quick meeting and water break in between, and then a new set of options.
For more activity options, see our new (and growing) activity database
Free Time with Swimming
Campers can jump in the lake, swim out to the rafts, dive off the docks, play water basketball and any other activity that involve the water and splashing around. Land options abound as usual - badminton, tetherball, frisbee, basketball, volleyball, gagaball, and a host of other games in a wide range of effort levels.
Dinner buffet
After a full day, a big healthy meal to recount stories & share experiences hits the spot. The salad bar & fruit bowl are always open to augment a meal, and the hot entrees like spaghetti & meatballs or ham & sweet potatoes satisfy campers of all ages. Want to be first in line for dessert? --use the vocabulary word of the day in a sentence to get dismissed earlier.
Evening Activity
The whole camp comes together for big field games in the evening while some campers choose to eat s'mores and play relaxing games by the fire. Many campers eagerly anticipate Capture the Flag and Manhunt played toward the end of the week. Relaxing options like a kayak trip and campfire games are offered every evening along with a few smaller games and sports.
Campfire
Everyone gathers around our big campfire for an evening of camp songs, awards, readings, dances, and competitions. Adventurous campers will make many trips to the stage and back and watch from their log bench during the voluntary activities. At the end of the night, campfire points are totaled to determine the winning cabins. Parents are invited to the campfire on the final night of camp. Check out the Campfire Page to learn more.
Lights out
Time to recharge for another day. Taps played from the trumpet on the dock marks the end of the day. Fall asleep to a classic story read aloud to the entire cabin. After reading a few chapters, the counselor too goes to sleep, and the waves, loons, and breeze become the only sounds left.
