A Day On The Mainland
February 21, 2023
For boys ages 7-12, our Mainland campus is where campers fall in love with Winaukee. It’s an age appropriate program and culture that uses sports and traditional camp activities to cultivate a community vibrating with spirit, brotherhood & sportsmanship. It is where our boys not only learn what our values are, but also what those values feel like, in action.
So what is a typical day on the Mainland?
CLUBS
We bring the fun & energy right from when the boys open their eyes. Morning clubs are the first thing campers and staff do each morning. Campers can choose from: Polar Bear Swim, a refreshing morning dip in the lake, Bootcamp which is a morning outdoor bodyweight workout, Cheetah Run is a 1-mile jog around camp and Sleepy Bear is for those who DON’T love mornings, to get an extra 30 minutes of rest.
Fire Circle
After clubs, everyone comes together at the Fire Circle for morning announcements, trivia, games & the beloved ‘Sports Center’.
Breakfast
Bellies are hungry now! It’s time for breakfast. Our meals are buffet-style and there are plenty of options to choose from, even for the pickiest eaters. Our staff help younger campers make food choices to ensure they are eating (or at least trying) a variety of foods. Breakfasts include a ‘Main Hot Option’ as well as simple ‘side’ options should the main option not interest the camper. At breakfast, the side options available each day include cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, toast (sun butter, jelly, cream cheese) and fresh fruit.
Morning Activities
Activities on The Mainland are each 50 minutes long. The morning program consists of two scheduled activities and one elective. Half of the activities throughout the entire day are scheduled and half are elective. This ensures that during these formative years, boys are exposed to all of the activities we offer at Winaukee, while still spending plenty of time doing the things they can’t get enough of!
Lunch & Rest Hour
Lunch is always a welcome pit-stop in the middle of the day. We keep the favorites many young people love on the menu (pizza, chicken tenders, tacos, sandwiches, etc.) while ensuring there are plenty of healthy options as well. Our full salad bar offers a variety of vegetables, proteins and sides daily, in addition to our deli bar. Boys eat with their counselors and bunk-mates at each meal. From lunch, the boys head back to their cabins for Rest Hour. Even when they don’t feel tired, this hour requires that they take some quiet time to recharge. Some campers read books, play cards games, write letters home, take a nap or just talk quietly with a friend or counselor.
Afternoon Activities
The afternoon consists of one scheduled activity and two electives. Our waterfront is open throughout the day for both swimming and boating instruction. However, there is nothing like our late afternoon free-swim on those hot July days. Two electives in the afternoon ensure the boys can balance out their schedule depending how they are feeling that day.
Dinner & Fire Circle
Dinner is usually our most hearty meal - ensuring we fill up those bellies after a busy day of activities. Similar to our other meals, there is always a main course supplemented with a full salad bar and pasta with marinara or alfredo sauce as an additional option for those who may not like the main course. From Dinner our entire mainland community makes their way to the fire circle, once again, for evening games, announcements and Shenanigans. Always a favorite of the boys, these silly games and competitions keep everyone laughing.
Evening Activity
Often one of the highlights of the day - our leadership team loves putting together exciting evening activities. From tournaments under the lights to Gold Rush, Sing, Clue, movie nights under the stars and scavenger hunts; there is no better way to wrap up another magical camp day.
After evening activity campers and counselors head back to their cabins for showers and to wind down. Lights out for Junior Row is around 9pm and for Senior Row, about 10pm each evening.
