Summer Camp: Fostering Community and Kinship
For over 100 years, Camp Kawartha has created unforgettable day and overnight experiences, fostering community, connection, and impact to last a lifetime. With Environmental Kinship at the heart of all we do, we inspire campers to develop a love of the natural world, and an ethic of sustainability and stewardship, all while discovering the best in themselves and others.
The Camp Kawartha Difference
Community
With a small, close-knit community of campers and staff, Camp Kawartha has a 1:2 staff to camper ratio. Our warm and welcoming community allows us to honour individuality in each camper, and to help them to develop their confidence, independence, collaboration and leadership skills. With small cabin groupings, campers form close and enduring friendships. Our counsellors are there to support them every step of the way! For us community also means getting to know and appreciate our nature neighbours that we share our camp with.
Safety
As a trusted camp with over 100 years of operation, safety is always a priority at Camp Kawartha. As an Accredited Member of the Ontario Camps Association, we go above and beyond the standards set out to ensure our staff are equipped with the skills and certifications needed to ensure the ongoing safety of our campers.
Inclusion
Camp Kawartha is proud to welcome campers and families of a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences. We celebrate the diversity of our camp community and strive to make camp a safe space where campers can feel celebrated and seen for how they identify and express themselves.
Leadership
At Camp Kawartha, leadership development is a key part of the camper experience. Throughout all our camper programs and ages, our staff help campers develop skills of communication, teamwork, leadership, initiative, collaboration, and so much more. Our leadership programs for older campers build them up to end their time at Camp Kawartha as confident, passionate leaders within their communities.
Environmental Kinship
At Camp Kawartha, connecting campers to the wonders of the natural world drives everything that we do. We help foster wonder and curiosity in each camper, through opportunities for connection throughout every part of the camp day. It is our goal that each camper who comes through our gates leaves Camp Kawartha with a love of the natural world, a life-time commitment to Kinship and rewilding and are inspired to engage in positive action for the environment.
Roots
Since 1921, Camp Kawartha has created unforgettable summer experiences for campers. As a tech-free camp, we connect campers to a classic camp experience, true to the spirit of camp as it has been over our 100+ year history. We believe in the power of Summer Camp experiences as a means for learning, skill building, and community connection that leaves a lifelong impact on Camp Kawartha campers.
A small camp, with deep roots and a big heart.
Your summer home away from home – we can’t wait to see you soon.
Camp Kawartha’s 4 Pillars
Promoting Self-Esteem
We believe that the development of self-esteem and self-confidence is at the very heart of what we do. Every child is treated as a special individual with something unique to contribute to our camping community. Both in our programs and in our interactions with campers, we provide opportunities for individual challenge and growth.
A Commitment to Excellence
We are an accredited, award-winning, not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to the promotion of the highest standard of programming. We’ve been in operation for more than 100 years.
Promoting a Sense of Community
Our goal is to create a supportive community which recognizes and values every child. Camp Kawartha accepts only 86 regular campers, cared for by 30 staff members. Our intimate size allows us to build a very close-knit community. The staff know the campers by name, and they take the time to provide individual attention to each child.
Fostering Environmental Stewardship & Kinship
Connecting children to nature, providing them with the skills to appreciate the outdoors and to practice stewardship, is at the very heart of Camp Kawartha’s programming. And environmental awareness is an ethic we incorporate into everything we do from the food we serve, to the way we maintain our facilities.
Overnight Camps
1 and 2 week programs for campers ages 7-14
Day Camps
1-week long sessions for campers age 4+
Canoe Tripping Programs
1 and 2 week programs for campers ages 11+
Leadership Camps
3 and 4 weeks programs for campers 13+
Camp Kawartha Activity & Facility Highlights
Cozy camper cabins arranged in community-building clusters
Dining hall and straw-bale extension – the central hub of camp
State of the art straw-bale health centre with three patient rooms, a treatment centre, and a healing garden
Swimming, Sailing, Archery, Windsurfing, Canoeing, Kayaking, Arts and Crafts, Drama, Dance, Eco Skills, Landsports, and more
Rock climbing wall and a wide variety of high ropes courses
Large campfire circle that fits the whole community
Basketball course, two playing field spaces, volleyball court and a GagaBall Court
Over 186 Acres of natural walking trails, wetlands and forests to explore
Testimonials
Have questions? Get in touch with us!
Email our Summer Camp Director, Emma, with any inquiries! We’ll be happy to talk with you soon.
