We are all smiles! Want to know why? It’s because this week marks the 100-day countdown to the start of Maine Camp Experience summer camp 2021! As with every year, we excitedly countdown when it’s 100 days ‘til camp! This year, in particular, we anticipate our Maine Camp Experience summer more than ever before as we’ve weathered the pandemic and all the challenges. For some, camp will be the first sense of “normalcy” in over a year! Children are excited to see friends, enjoy activities and traditions, and more. We asked Maine Camp Experience camp families about what their campers are most looking forward to about being back at their Maine Camp, and here’s what they shared:

  • “Being with/seeing my camp friends” topped the list. Every single camper who responded started with this answer. One camper shared that her camp friends are her “forever sisters” and another shared that his camp is “like my second family!”
  • The lake! Maine campers are counting down to when they will be near their camp lake, enjoying water sports like sailing, waterskiing, paddle boarding, swimming and more.
  • Several campers shared that they are excited to be away from home and are looking forward “to living without parents and having a big sleepover!” We get it … what could be more fun than being surrounded by your friends with fun (yet trained and responsible) counselors to help guide the summer?! (This camper’s mom shared that she understands her child’s sentiment … it’s been a long quarantine with a LOT of family time together!)
  • On that note, a camper shared that he’s very excited to be back with his returning counselors.
  • Singing camp songs – songs that are so meaningful to the camp experience, that bond campers to each other and to their camp for life, generation through generation.
  • “Campfire” – a special time to reflect on the week.
  • Color War/College Days – a fun time to be really spirited, dress up, and have some fun and friendly competition.
  • Special events like Olympics, Jamboree and 4th of July make camp even more magical!
  • Awesome activities including tennis and rock climbing.
  • “Experience the full camp summer” said one camper who had previously been doing half summer.
  • Excited to be in the next age group – one of the best parts of returning to camp year after year are the special experiences and opportunities that come with each age group. They can range from switching sides from being the “little” to the “big” sister or brother to getting to take new activities, to earning that special t-shirt/jacket/patch or lead special events to going on different trips. It truly is amazing to see the growth and development of a camper starting at age 7 who is finishing his or her final camper summers eight+ years later.
  • And our new, incoming campers weighed in, too. One shared that he’s excited to  make new friends, play new sports, have fun and experience his camp’s Olympics. As one camper articulated … “Camp is my second home. I have no words to describe how EXCITED I am to go back to camp.” We are excited to see our returning campers and looking forward to welcoming our new campers.  Just 100 days left and we.can’t.wait! (Note: MCE camp start dates may vary a day or two from camp to camp.) 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.