Why 65K Kids Attend Maine Camps

Did you know that 65,000 children spend time at Maine Camps each summer? Why?! It’s because kids have so much fun and accrue huge benefits. Here are 10 reasons why parents send their children to Maine Camps:

• Scenic environs - Maine Camps all have big, clear natural lakes. Campers enjoy daily waterfront activity. They swim, sail, waterski, paddle board, canoe, kayak, and so much more. Lakes and fields are lined with beautiful mature pine trees. These environs help campers feel less anxious and stressed. They feel more calm and happy.
• Unplug from technology - Maine campers unplug from technology. Without cell phones, online gaming, and social media, campers interact in the real world. They connect with nature and peers. They learn to be more social.
• Make new friends - Maine campers make lifelong friendships. Summer after summer, friendships build stronger and become a great network outside hometown friends. Camp friends become brothers and sisters. Camp friendships are forever! They extend well into adult life.
• Learn new skills - Maine campers get to enjoy and improve at activities they already know and they get to learn new skills - many of which they don’t have access to at home or don’t have time to do at home. Campers learn to sail and waterski, ride horses, play golf, tennis, and pickleball, score goals, climb, bike, fence, build, create art, photograph, produce music, act in theater, and so much more.
• Gain life skills - Maine campers gain confidence, independence, and resilience by living away from their parents. With guidance from directors and counselors, they choose activities, learn their schedule, familiarize themselves with their surroundings, make their beds, help clean their cabins, try new foods, set and achieve goals, make new friends, navigate social situations, learn teamwork and sportsmanship, and more. Skills learned at camp are useful back home on teams and in school, in college, and in life beyond.
• Great geographic diversity - Maine campers benefit from meeting campers from all over the country and the world. It expands their horizons to meet people with different experiences.
• Temperate climate - Maine campers enjoy a temperate climate. Cool mornings and nights and beautiful warm days are ideal for incredible summer experiences.
• Memorable trips - Maine campers get to explore the beautiful state of Maine on day and overnight trips. Examples include: blueberry picking trips, rafting on the Kennebec River, visiting Boothbay Harbor, lobster boat fishing, spending a day at Old Orchard Beach, hiking Mt. Katahdin, and seeing the sunrise at Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park.
• Special events and traditions - beyond the incredible daily activity schedule, there are wonderful traditions that campers look forward to all year. Events like Olympics, Lake Swim, Group Sing, Carnival, and more are packed with excitement and fun; they unite campers from generation to generation.
• Fun!! - While campers are learning and growing, they’re having fun! Whether at daily program activities, intercamp games, memorable trips, eating S’mores by the campfire, or even just enjoying rest time in the cabin, campers are having fun with their best camp friends.

For over 100 years and through several generations, Maine Camps have been the “gold standard” in camping. Top-notch camp experiences help shape campers forever. Campers have fun-filled days and nights and are well supervised by caring and experienced directors and staff. We encourage families to research and enroll their children now for summer 2025. Camps are for kids ages 7-17. There are full season, half summer, and shorter session options available.

Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools 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 contact our Maine Camp Guide, Laurie to discuss these camps as well as for free, year-round advice and assistance on choosing a great Maine summer camp for your child.