Programs

At Camp Nawaka, we pride ourselves on offering flexible and diverse programs to fit into any family's schedule. Sessions are just one or two weeks (three weeks for some programs for older campers- see "Programs for Teens"), and are combinable to create any length of stay up to the full summer of seven weeks.

Adventure Camp

Adventure Camp is our traditional camp program for campers 8-15, featuring camper-selected activities. Adventure Camp is available in one or two-week sessions, and you may add additional sessions to customize a length of stay. The two-week program is the heart of the Nawaka Experience, as it features all of our special events, including Nawakawood (drama/skit night), Council Fire (end of session ceremonial), and a cabin camp-out overnight across our pond.

Senior Camp

Activities at Camp Nawaka Senior Camp is Nawaka's special program for campers ages 13 - 16, available in two week sessions. Senior Camp focuses on advanced programming in the arts and the outdoors. Campers experience both programs the first week, and then choose a focus for the remaining week.

The outdoor program consists of multi-day hiking trips on the Appalachian Trail and canoe trips on Berkshire rivers. The arts program consists of a special arts project, and features trips to art museums, working artists, and theater performances. There are also special recreational trips as well. When in camp Senior Campers select activities just like regular campers, choosing from Nawaka's wide variety of choices.

Color Week

Color Week is a special week-long camp spirit program that happens at the end of the summer. Campers need not be "returning campers" to have a great time and be a welcome part of Color Week!

Activities at Camp Nawaka Color Week starts with the mystery of what special event will open the contest. The camp is divided into two teams - the Blue and the White - for a series of friendly competitions in areas such as waterfront, athletic, and outdoor events, Quiz Kids, the Nawaka Relay, and the final song and banner competition. A wonderful and highly popular tradition, Color Week has been a part of Nawaka for more than twenty years.

Color Week is an opportunity for us to help teach our campers about healthy competition and sportsmanship - values that are sometimes missing from youth athletic programs and school teams. Color Week teams are judged on sportsmanship, teamwork and cooperation, and enthusiasm and spirit. Color Week is the most popular session at Nawaka, and is a great way to end the summer.

Leadership Training

Activities at Camp Nawaka Leadership Training (LT) is a special three-week program for 15-year-olds, designed to teach peer leadership and community service. See Programs for Teens for more info

Our Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program runs the full seven weeks of the summer, and prepares 16-year-olds to serve as junior counselors at Nawaka the following summer. See Programs for Teens for more info

Activities

Activities at Camp Nawaka Camp Nawaka differs from many overnight camps in that campers select their own activities individually, rather than as a cabin group. Each Sunday, campers sign up for activities for the week - ranking their top choices from a list of activities (although we make every effort, we cannot guarantee that they will receive their top choices). There are four daily activity periods, plus a free activity period where campers select an activity daily. There are also special activities after dinner, known as Evening Programs. See the Daily Schedule page in FAQ for more information.

There are four main activity departments at Camp Nawaka, each offering a variety of classes each period. Read the descriptions below:

Waterfront

At the Waterfront, all campers except Senior Camp are required to take American Red Cross swim lessons. Classes are also offered in sailing and canoing, depending on swim level.

Activities at Camp Nawaka Nawaka is lucky to have 20-acre Larkum Pond, which is completely private, as we own all the land around it. Our waterfront is supervised by American Red Cross-certified lifeguards.

In this pristine natural resource, every camper (excluding Senior Camp) is required to take American Red Cross swimming lessons, as we believe this is a life skill every child needs to know. For those campers that have passed through the Level 7 in the Red Cross program, we offer advanced classes in GuardStart and WSI Aide.

There are also elective classes on the waterfront. Campers in Level 3 and above may take canoe lessons in our Red Cross program or basics of sailing in our small sail boats.

Other classes may be offered, including water polo and other games.

Athletics

Activities at Camp Nawaka Nawaka's athletic facility is located at the top of the camp's hillside property, and consists of a large athletic field, a tennis court, a combination tennis/basketball court, an open area for volleyball, and an archery range.

Classes offered include soccer, tennis, basketball, volleyball, aerobics, flag football, and various field games. Nawaka also has an archery program, and we are a member of the National Archery Association (the group that picks the US Olympic Team), and the program is overseen by an NAA- certified instructor.

Outdoors

In Nawaka's outdoor department, campers can learn wilderness skills, including fire-building, knot-tying, shelter-building, and orienteering. We also offer classes in fishing in Nawaka's 20-acre private pond.

We also offer a nature/environmental education classes. These may include plant and animal identification and general nature exploration around our 130-acre forested property.

The outdoors department is also the home of team-building activities.

Creative Arts

Programs for Teens Our large Arts and Crafts building hosts numerous classes, in areas such as painting, jewelry-making, paper-making, candle-making, basketry, nature crafts, and more.

Nawaka also has its own kiln, so campers have the opportunity to participate in pottery and ceramics.

Outside of the Arts and Crafts building, there are still more options. In our own black and white photography lab, campers can shoot and develop their own prints, as well as make pinhole cameras and nature prints.

We also have a two-week drama class, which performs a play at Nawakawood (our bi-weekly arts production), as well as a set design class.

Evening Programs

Activities at Camp Nawaka At Camp Nawaka, the evenings are the highlight of our day! That's because every evening there are special activities, called Evening Program (or "EP" for short).

EPs can consist of all-camp activities, age-divided activities, or tent/cabin/dorm nights, where each living unit does something on their own.

All-camp activities can be a field game, such as Capture the Flag or RISK, which are always popular. Or perhaps a "station game" such as Clue or the Wizard of OZ , where the campers must rotate through activity stations to receive clues to solve a puzzle.

There are also special events, such as camp dances (one each two-week session), Halloween in July, Nawakawood (our theater arts evening), Council Fire, or other elaborate programs.

Please note that these descriptions represent programs expected to be offered. This program plan may change based on staffing and scheduling. Campers choose from a list of activities, ranking their favorites, and they may not receive their top choices. Not all programs are available every week of camp.