CAMP FOREST

Join with Camp Forest Staff and learn about teaching and mentoring children in and about the Natural World. Learn about the deeper levels of Nature Therapy used at Camp Forest. Learn about Coyote Teaching, direct experience, safe space, mentoring, free form scheduling and finding one’s inner passion for learning. Adam Stone, with over 10 years of experience working in this field, will help you develop the skills needed to work in a wilderness camp. Register for training week HERE

Learn and hone your canoe skills Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE

Introduce yourself to nature and the forest. Learn basic plant identification, build a shelter, identify animal tracks, learn to navigate in the woods, make fire, and gather around it to play nature games and sing songs. Gain an understanding of nature and respect for all life while working on the first badge level, the Osprey Badge. Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE

This is a wonderful first wilderness experience or a week to practice your wilderness skills while working on the first badge level, the Osprey Badge. Build shelters, make fire, hike, identify signs of animals, and play nature games while respecting the natural world and developing your wilderness skills. If you have earned your Osprey Badge, continue your learning and further develop your skills towards the next badge level, Eagle and Beaver Skills. Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE

Learn skills for the Junior Maine Woodsman Badge. Experience a week in the woods enjoying the basics of outdoor living: building shelters, cooking outdoors, developing mapping skills, treating advanced first aid issues (fainting, stomach aches, sprains), developing an awareness and appreciation of the outdoors, and perfecting their water-based skills: canoe paddling, fishing, fish identification, and more. There is a required sleepover for this week if you are working on your badge. Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE Camp Forest participates with the State of Maine’s Junior Maine Guide Program. Once Campers have developed sufficient skills, those ages 14 – 18 can take the test for their Junior Maine Guide from the State of Maine during Maine Guide Testing Week. For information on the Junior Maine Guide program, visit https://juniormaineguides.org/.

A wonderful HANDS ON week learning how to make beautiful and useful things from the supplies created by Mother Nature. Bones, fur, roots, seeds, grasses, wood and clay, are all our natural materials to gather and prepare. Learn Nature games Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE.

Eagle Week is a week for digging deep into the part of your badge journey that inspires you! During this self-directed week, you’ll have lots of access to one-on-one and peer mentoring to make progress towards your next badge level. The Maine Woodsman Badge is also offered during this week. Campers age 12 – 4 will test in 15 skill areas to earn the Maine Woodsman Badge. Osprey Badge skills or equivalent is required. Skills for the Eagle, Beaver and Maine Woodsman Badges will be learned. Required two night sleepover Wednesday and Thursday night for the badges. Open to youth ages 7-17 though more advanced skills are taught during this week. REGISTER HERE

There is so much to see in Waldo County! Adam will select an exciting trail. We will traverse 10 or fewer miles per day to make it possible for young children to participate. Any member of the public is invited to participate provided they are able to navigate the trail. Camp Forest will provide drop off and pick up spots if you want to participate on a daily basis. The expedition begins Monday morning at a location that will be announced, and ends Friday afternoon at a different location that will be announced. Families are welcome! Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE.

So many animals live all around us here in Maine, but we hardly ever see them! Spend a week getting close to our animal neighbors in every way. Learn to walk like a fox, see like an owl, hear like a deer. Starting out with painting our faces like our favorite local animals, we’ll go on to track and find sign of all the animals in our woods, make crafts from animal bones and furs, learn bird calls and frog sounds, and even get to see all kinds of animal skulls, pelts, track casts, and photos. Every day, we’ll play sneaking games so that we can get closer to the animals, walk like the animals walk, and learn where to sit and hide to watch them. By the end of the week, you’ll know what kind of animals live around you, where to go look for them, and what kinds of tracks and signs they leave behind. You may feel like you’re a fox or a rabbit yourself by Friday! Join us for an animal adventure and go home ready for the next level – biology, hunting, photography, or just seeing lots of animals! Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE.

Time to go “UP NORTH” to the lakes. The specific location will be posted as the details are worked out. The expedition begins Monday morning at a location that will be announced and ends Friday afternoon. Transportation arrangements will also be posted at a closer date. Families are welcome! Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE.

Nearing Fall and the time of harvest, we will be in natural abundance. Harvest blueberries, apples, hazelnuts, and fish. Learn forest harvest skills, play games and prepare for the community harvest meal. Families welcome. Open to youth ages 7-17. REGISTER HERE