Camp Tannadoonah Activities
There are three activity periods each day at Camp Tannadoonah. Campers may sign up for swimming lessons, boating classes, Bejeweled!, Beginning or Advanced Tennis, Team Building Challenge, Camp Fire Progression, Campers on the Move, Dance, or Candid Camera, which will meet during the same period each day. This year we will allow pre-registration for these activities. Or they may keep all three periods free, and choose a different activity each day to attend during those times.
Other activites include fishing, archery, sports & games, handcraft, nature, drama
In addition, campers can participate in the Saturday morning Lake Swim, Polar Bear, Iron Chefs and Camper Council.
Our youngest campers (going into 3rd grade and younger) take part in a special program called Bluebirds.
Finally, everyone in camp takes part in the following activities: Cookout & Cabin Night, Friday night Costume Party, Council Fire, and the weekly Camper Extravaganza.
Swimming Lessons
Red Cross Water Safety Instructors teach campers swimming and diving skills. Swimming classes meet one period per day, at the same time each day. Parents can request that their child take swimming lessons, or leave it up to the camper to decide. Campers who plan to take lessons are tested on Sunday evening to determine which of the 6 Red Cross Swimming levels they will be assigned. At the end of the week campers who took lessons will be tested to see if they have met all of the Red Cross Requirements, in order to move on to the next swimming level. Campers can also take courses in Diving, Basic Water Rescue, Water Safety Instructor’s Assistant, and Junior Life-Guarding.
Boating
Boating courses are offered in canoeing, kayaking, rowing, and sailing. Boating classes meet one period per day, at the same time each day. Campers who wish to take boating classes must pass the boating test on Sunday evening.
Swimming and Boating tests
To earn an “intermediate” band, campers will be asked to swim one length (25m) on their front and one length on their back.
To earn an “advanced” band, which gives campers access to the diving board, they will be asked to swim one additional length on either front or back.
For campers taking swimming lessons, we will test campers according to Red Cross standards to assign swimming level. However, this stroke proficiency will have no bearing on swimming band assignment.
For boating, we ask campers to demonstrate some swimming proficiency for their own safety. To be eligible for boating, a camper must earn either an intermediate or advanced swimming band. If the camper does not earn a band, but wishes to take boating, he or she can qualify for boating by treading water for 10 minutes. Please note: all campers taking boating will wear life jackets at all times.
Fishing
Campers can spend a lazy afternoon fishing in beautiful Birch Lake. Learn how to bait a hook, cast a line, and reel in the catch of the day!
Lake Swim
On Saturday morning each week, a brave group of early-bird campers gets up at 6:00am to swim all the way across Birch Lake. Campers who wish to do the lake swim must qualify for an intermediate or advanced swim band, and demonstrate their endurance by swimming 500 yards during a free swim prior to Saturday morning.
Polar Bear
Campers in the 6th grade or higher can opt to get up each morning 30 minutes before reveille to take a dip in the cool waters of Birch Lake. Campers who attend Polar Bear every morning throughout the week receive a special prize at breakfast on Saturday morning, and are eligible to purchase a Camp Tannadoonah Polar Bear Club T-shirt.
Bejeweled
Do you love to express yourself through arts and crafts? Whether using beads, wood or cloth, campers will spend this session using their creativity making various jewelry projects. Cost: $25 for materials and supplies.
Team Building Challenge Course
Learn how to work with other campers to build a strong community. Solve problems, figure out puzzles, and learn more about yourself and your fellow campers! Plus, you'll get to find out what "Yogurt Bridge," "Giant's Finger," "Giant's Skis," "Porthole," and many other strange things mean! Campers who sign up for this special program will be guided through the confidence- and team-building course for one hour per day. Cost: $25.
Camp Fire Progression
This nature program allows campers to move through the five steps of the Camp Fire Progression. Campers who participate in this program will meet one hour each day to learn camping skills, such as fire building, “leave-no-trace” camping, tree and leaf identification and more. At the end of the week campers will receive an award showing their completion of the level. Note: Campers typically progress one level per week, although greater advancement may be possible depending on the age and camping experience of the campers.
Campers on the Move
Spend the week training for a camp triathlon. Run each morning with a staff member, practice swimming at the waterfront, and bike around Birch Lake. On Friday, campers will compete in a mini-triathlon. This is a great way to train for the South Bend Parks and Recreation Kids Triathlon or the Birch Lake Kids Triathlon.
Note: Campers must bring their own bike to participate in the biking portion. Meets two hours per day.
Digital Photography
Explore digital photography during your week at camp. Meets once per day to teach campers the basics of digital photography. A local photographer meets shares photography tips and experiences. Campers will learn how to frame images, determine appropriate lighting, take night photos, edit and select their best images, and then cut out their own mat to show off their photos. Each camper will take home a disk with all of their photos, and one printed and matted image. We recommend that campers bring their own digital camera, but we do have cameras to borrow. There is an additional $20 charge for the digital photography class, to cover the cost of materials. Campers should bring their own digital camera. There are a limited number of cameras which may be rented from camp for $5 for use during this class.
Tennis
Our tennis instructors will teach campers the fundamental rules and skills of the game of tennis. Campers will have to opportunity to play singles and doubles matches against other campers and their instructors. There is an additional $25 charge for tennis instruction, which includes a Camp Tannadoonah Tennis Camp T-shirt. Please bring your own tennis racket! Beginner and Advanced Instruction offered.
Archery
Campers will learn the basic of archery from a certified archery instructor. At the end of the week campers can participate in the Golden Arrow Tournament with their peers.
Sports and Games
Each day of the week the Sports and Games leaders schedule a different activity. Friday is “Camper’s Choice,” and campers who attend sports and games get to vote to decide the game of the day. Activities include basketball, softball, wiffleball, golf, relay races, dodgeball, Spud, Frisbee golf, kickball, and many others!
Bluebirds
Our youngest campers at Camp Tannadoonah get to take part in special “bluebird” activities. The bluebirds leader will plan a schedule of activities to keep campers busy and entertained throughout the week. Bluebird campers are all campers in the 3rd grade and younger.
Handcraft
Learn how to build a birdhouse out of recycled materials, braid a keychain or lanyard, make a friendship bracelet for your best buddy, or make a popsicle stick box to store all of your camp treasures. Those are just a few of the fun things the handcraft leader has planned for the summer!
Drama
Charades, Imrov Games, “Freeze”, Pictionary, act out skits & scenes. Have a great time being creative and goofy playing drama games.
Nature & Camp Craft
Learn nature lore in the forests surrounding Camp Tannadoonah, visit the Princess Tree, take a trust hike, learn how to build a camp fire with no matches, learn pocket knife safety, carve yourself the perfect marshmallow roasting stick, or take a water hike. Learn to identify different types of trees, flowers, and bugs.
Iron Chefs
Cook at least one meal outdoors over an open fire each day! Learn how to make California Egg Scramble, Foil Dinners, Pie Irons, Pizza Bread, and many more meals (all over a fire!). Rain or shine! Campers learn how to build their fire, prepare the meal, and cook it all over the fire.
Camper Council
One camper from each cabin represents their friends in the Camper Council. Camper Council members help counselors select and plan the evening activity on Thursday night. Activities include Counselor Hunt, One Way Street, Dice Game, Relay Races, Water Games, Capture the Flag, a lake Serenade, Name that Tune, Tannadoonah Auction, and many others.
Cookout & Cabin Night
On Wednesday evening each cabin builds their own cooking fire and prepares their own meal over the fire. Each week is a different meal: Hot dogs, Camp Fire Stew, American Chop Suey, Foil Dinners, Walking Tacos. Enjoy S’Mores or just some toasted marshmallows for desert. After cookout, each cabin will plan their own evening activity, such as a canoe trip, a game of kickball against another cabin, an evening of board games, or a nighttime hike.
Council Fire
The end-of-the-week Council Fire is our way of wrapping up an exciting week at camp. Counselors distribute awards to the campers in their cabins. Activity leaders present the awards for the Golden Arrow in Archery, the Golden Broom for the cleanest cabin, tennis, swimming, and boating achievement awards. At the end of each Council Fire the camp director presents a few senior campers with the highest award that can be earned at Camp Tannadoonah: The Order of the Birch. Family and friends are always welcome to attend Council Fire on Friday nights.
Costume Party
Bring your costume for the Friday night costume party. Be sure to take note of the theme for the week you are attending! The cabin with the most (and most creatively!) costumed campers will win a prize.
Saturday morning Camper Extravaganza
Parents are invited to take a tour of camp and see their camper show off some of the skills they’ve learned during the week. Watch your camper play a tennis match against a fellow camper. Or check out your camper’s photos. Or head down to the waterfront to see your camper show off his or her new swimming and diving skills. The Camper Extravaganza will take place from 10am to 12pm, during Checkout on Saturday mornings.
