Independence at Maine Camps

Wow! We can hardly believe that the Fourth of July has already come and gone. Whether campers were able to celebrate in Maine or spent the holiday with family and friends at home, we hope our Maine Camp family had a great Independence Day!With “independence” on our mind, we at Maine Camp Experience (MCE) are of course reminded of camp— and the many awesome ways that summers at camp allow our campers to develop their independence and experience a sense of freedom.Of course, when we think of independence at camp, the first thing that comes to mind is that, for most of our campers, their first summer at camp is their first time away from parents for a long period of time. While we know this can be intimidating for some, we also think this is one of the best parts of camp. Being away from parents— with the support of amazing counselors and directors— is a crucial part of the growth that occurs each summer in Maine. This experience allows campers to foster independence for the first time and teaches campers of all ages how to make good decisions away from parental guidance. This includes (but is definitely not limited to!) how to manage their time, how to get from point A to point B successfully, how to form their own opinions, how to form their own friendships, how to resolve conflict, how to troubleshoot and how to make all the small decisions throughout the day. It’s these examples and more that help campers develop a clear sense of self, and feel the confidence that they can navigate the world around them!Each summer at our Maine camps, campers learn to be responsible for themselves in different ways— whether it’s a younger camper learning to pack their backpack for a trip or activities, or an older camper given the freedom to explore Portland with fellow campers on a day trip. These experiences are immeasurably valuable to our campers— and fun, too!At each of our MCE camps, campers, with the guidance of supportive, caring counselors, experience time away from home that ultimately helps them mature each year. MCE blogger Emma recounts how many of her friends who did not attend camp felt nervous to be away from home prior to their freshman year at college, “While many of my friends had never spent time away, my time at camp— though of course different from a year away at college— had prepared me greatly to move away for my freshman year. While it can be scary to be away from the comfort of home and parents, learning independence at camp at a young age, and enjoying time to have fun with my friends and make memories on my own is something I will always value!” — Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

You can share your own Maine camps memories & expressions of gratitude on our Memories of Camp section of our website.

Looking for the perfect Maine camp for your child?  Try out our helpful tool where you can select a camp by choosing: type of camp (girls, boys or coed) and session length (1-8 weeks).  It helps to narrow down a few camps to a manageable list that includes rates.  Then you can research these camps in more depth.

Next, be sure to  to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.