Wacky Traditions at Maine Camps

Dutch Auction where campers bring a pillowcase full of random items so they can create and perform a scene called by the auctioneer; Backwards Day where campers start with dessert S’mores around the campfire for breakfast and end the day with breakfast for dinner; Silent Dinner during Color War where campers try not to talk or laugh so they don’t lose points for their Color War team - these are just a few of the many, many weird and wacky games and traditions at Maine Camps. Each camp has unique traditions that make it special and has campers coming back summer after summer.

We at Maine Camp Experience were reminded of these wacky traditions while reading There’s a Skunk in My Bunk, a new book by author Dan Gutman who wrote the My Weird School series of books AND a blog,”The Waterworks,” for Maine Camp Experience about his overnight camp experiences.

In There’s a Skunk in My Bunk, main character A.J. is new to camp and is confronted with Yellow Day at camp where the staff is wearing all yellow and all the food is yellow. When offered only yellow food, he says: “Huh? That was weird. It must be another one of those camp traditions. I guess you can explain anything that makes no sense by calling it a tradition.” This rings true!

Wacky traditions are part of the fabric of the camp. These traditions really bond the current camp community and also link that community with previous and future generations of campers and staff. Parents might not understand. Home friends may not understand. They may think the events and traditions are weird. But they’re really what makes a camp special. And, without cell phones, social media, and other gaming and tech devices, everyone at camp really buys in and gets engaged in this fun and creative play. This is the magic of camp!

Some of the campers’ best times this summer were from weird and wacky traditions. We hold these fond memories in our hearts ‘til we’re back at Maine Camps next year.

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.