Absolutely not! Every participant is welcome. While many of our families do have a current or former relationship with Waldorf in some way, shape, or form, there are also those who do not.

Anyone who wishes to join will be welcomed and affirmed.

Not at all! Our camps do not require any prior knowledge or experience in hiking, camping, or canoeing. We go over basics at the beginning of each camp and we pace our days to be manageable for beginners. It does make it easier on the participants if they enjoy being outdoors or are at least open to it. We do recommend getting a good-fitting backpacking backpack for the backpacking camp.

Over the course of the camps, participants will learn everything they need to know (and then some)

Yes. We get many first-time campers each year and all of our campers were at some point first-timers. These camps are a nice way to ease into this new experience.

We ask that phones and other electronics besides cameras or a watch stay home (please no smartwatches). We ask this for a multitude of reasons, the first being that being in the outdoors and surrounded by nature, we have discovered that most elements do not mix well with our phones or other electronics. Staff will have their phones and take photos although we try and be as present as possible meaning we typically do not use our phones at camp when not needed. As we like to say let’s unplug and connect together! We also appreciate that camp may be one of the few instances where we don't need our phones and can actually enjoy being without them.

No, the guiding intent of Adventure Camps is to live together as a community in wonder and reverence for the beauty of the earth and care for one another. This can be “religious” for a young child, to experience the beauty all around and a growing responsibility for its well-being.

We come together as a camp before each meal to thank those who have prepared it and helped to provide for us. This comes in the form of a blessing that is spoken or sung.

If you or someone you know might be interested in volunteering and joining our staff, feel free to reach out to our team at info@theadventurecamps.org

Our packing lists outline the key essentials of what to pack and how. We are always happy to take phone calls or answer emails about more specific questions around packing, gear selection, etc.

Unless specifically asked for on a packing list, we ask that you do not send any food with your child. Because we are in the wilderness we need to carefully pack and care for all our food. No food can be in tents.

While some of our camps have easy access to fresh drinking water such as a well or spigot, others such as our canoe trip or backpacking camps will require water to be filtered and or treated.

As for food, we try to cook and eat as well as possible, we source locally when we can and buy organic when possible, All meals are served together and often involve the groups helping with setting up, cooking, and cleaning.

All medications will be kept in a secure water and dust-proof case (with the exception of inhalers or epi-pens if the camper wishes to keep those with them on their person they may) that will be looked out for by one of our staff. At the start of camp, parents are to give their medication to the assigned staff member. This person will be familiarized by the parent with the camper's dosage and usage. The camp also has its own first aid supply with basic necessities for the wilderness.

Our staff always have access to weather reports via satellite as well as any emergency services should that need arise. As for animal encounters, depending on the location we will carry bear bells, whistles, and bear spray when or if necessary. Dangerous wild animal encounters have thus far been extremely rare, as we are a large and often loud group with which animals want little to do with. Our staff is equipped with a satellite phone even if cell phone coverage is not available.

Coordinators and staff are well known to us, many from the time they were small children and campers. We are made up of Waldorf alums, teachers, students, community builders, and outdoor enthusiasts. We love that most of our staff carry these camps year after year, which allows participants to bond over the many years.

Each staff member has had a background check prior to participation.

Staff members have a deep level of commitment to the health and safety of the children which is not connected to financial gain. They volunteer their time to see that camp life can thrive and grow.

Our staff differs in certification levels and areas. We have staff certified in lifeguarding, wilderness first aid, wilderness safety and awareness, CPR, and other skills that are useful to know when navigating the outdoors. We ensure that a member of staff with one more of these qualifications always accompany us on these Camps.

In case an emergency should arise, parents and guardians will always know ahead of time our location/routes and who to call, whether that be one of the directors or the campsite, or an outfitter we work with. We will always have a way to reach out to all of you should that need arise. We carry a satellite communicator that can send texts and contact emergency channels such as search and rescue and medical services. We know where and when we have service and our director can almost always be reached if needed.

Adventure camps provide all food, tents, and cooking equipment. We also cover canoe and site rental, kite purchasing, first aid supplies, and any intra-camp travel, such as ferries, shuttles, etc. As one can imagine our gear takes quite the beating and so we are constantly in need of upgrading our tarps, tents, food storage bins, coolers, water containers, etc, which is where a large percentage of your contribution goes.

Another large percentage of the fee goes toward our food costs, rental fees, staff travel, and lastly, our insurance, without which these camps would not be taking place. We strive to keep costs as reasonable as possible and a big part of that is made possible by our dedicated staff who volunteer their time in order to make these camps possible.

Yes, we can work with you to arrange a payment plan that works best for your situation. Reach out and let us know what works.

Yes, we believe this camp experience is an important part of childhood, and we offer it to anyone no matter their family’s financial situation.

If a family seeks financial assistance, we ask that they look at their family budget/financial picture and see what they are able to contribute to the cost of the camp that we have carefully set to meet the financial needs of the camps.

We have limited funds for “scholarships” and encourage you to reach out to us via email to talk about what works best for you and your child.

We sure do! We offer a $100 discount for each sibling that attends one of our camps. Enter the code “SIBLING” at payment to activate this discount.