YMCA Camp Kitchikewana:
Camp games and Skill Programs for your kids
Campers in our traditional camp, sailing camp and leadership program will have the opportunity to receive skill instruction from staff who are certified to instruct these water-based programs by provincially or nationally recognized organizations:
Swimming
Camp Kitchikewana offers Kitchi Swim levels 1-6. Campers who choose swimming skill are evaluated on the first day and assigned to a class at their skill level. Kitchi Swim was developed to customize swimming lessons to the specific conditions of camp. Levels take many elements from YMCA swimming levels but also offer more tailored teaching for each camper. Camp offers Life Saving Society of Canada Levels Bronze Star, Medallion and Cross.
Sailing
Camp Kitchikewana certifies campers using the CANSail program levels 1-4. We also offer KITCHISail levels. KITCHI levels are development-based, with more games and no pass/fail at the end of the session. CANSail is a national standard, where campers will aim for more difficult goals, and achieve a real certification.
Canoe and Kayak
Camp Kitchikewana certifies campers in our canoe and kayak skills using the Ontario Recreational Canoe and Kayak Association (ORCKA) levels. For canoeing, traditional 2 week campers can achieve any of the ORCKA Basic Canoe Levels 1-4. Leadership 1 participants can obtain their Canadian Style Paddling Level 1-3. Two-week traditional campers can obtain their ORCKA Kayaking Levels A or B.
Other land-based skills offered:
Arts and Crafts
Campers will receive instruction on crafts such as paper mache, mask making, clay sculptures, jewelry, sketching, shrink dinks, painting, and environmental arts.
Drama
Campers will participate in improv games, scriptwriting, stage blocking, costume design, voice projection and acting techniques. Drama skill campers will put on a performance for the rest of camp at the end of each session. Campers interested in musical theatre should sign up for our fourth session traditional camp.
Guitar
Our guitar skill caters to all abilities, whether campers are just learning to play for the first time or are an advanced player, there is a place in guitar skill for them! Campers in guitar skill are given the opportunity to perform throughout the session during campfire and at the end of the session showcase.
Island Explorers
Campers have the opportunity to explore some of the amazing things Georgian Bay Islands National Park has to offer! In Island Explorers, campers learn about Beausoleil Island’s wildlife, vegetation, wetlands and Indigenous history through a variety of fun activities. Campers will participate in activities such as snorkelling, archery, archeology, and hiking.
Mountain Biking
Intermediate and Senior campers have the opportunity to participate in mountain biking skill. Campers learn about bike safety and bike maintenance. Throughout the two-week session, they practice their skills on bike trails both on and off-site. Due to the size of our bikes, campers signing up for Mountain Biking should be at least 4’10” or 148 cm tall.
Other camp programs
| • | Cookie making | • | Mud Monsters | |
| • | Section Season | • | Water Games | |
| • | Inner Tube Water Polo | • | Gaga Ball | |
| • | Escape Room | • | First Aid | |
| • | Parks Canada Presentations | • | Canoe & Hiking Trips | |
| • | Tower Jumping | • | Leadership Sessions | |
| • | Stand Up Paddle Boarding | • | Low Ropes | |
| • | Gathering | • | Survival Skills | |
| • | Camp Wide Games (capture the flag, theme games) | • | Theme Weekends (Lumberman & Voyagers, Havesters & Explorers) | |
| • | Campfire | • | Evening Programs | |
| • | Talent Show | • | Cabin Choice | |
| • | Geocaching | • | Free Time (Awesome Time) | |
| • | Storytime | • | Fort Building | |
| • | Beach Games | • | Yoga | |
| • | Sports (baseball, soccer, basketball, volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, etc) | • | Baseball Diamond Games (soccer, baseball, soccer baseball, cricket) | |
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CK Levels
Lawn Games |
• | Orienteering |
Out-Trips
All of our traditional two-week campers and leadership participants will take part in an overnight camping trip. Our Waterbug campers participate in a lunch cookout hike.
- Waterbug campers will do a day trip to a nearby site on the island for a cookout lunch or dinner
- Junior campers participate in a one-night overnight hike to a campsite on the island
- Intermediate campers participate in a more challenging one-night canoe or hiking trip to an on-island campsite. These sites could include Oaks, Thumb Point, or Honeymoon Bay.
- Senior campers participate in a two-night canoe trip to Honeymoon Bay, nearby McCrae Lake, or another nearby destination
- Leadership participants take part in longer four to five-day canoe trips. Traditionally, the Leadership 1 program includes a canoe trip through Temagami Provincial Park. The Leadership 2 program typically includes a canoe trip that is local to Georgian Bay, located in the French River Provincial Park, or located in Algonquin Provincial Park. Trips may vary from year to year.
- All trips are weather dependent and will be cancelled in the case of inclement weather. At times it may be too windy to paddle, so canoe trips are changed to hiking trips.
- All junior, intermediate and senior overnight camping sites are within a 20-minute motorboat ride if there is ever a safety concern or need for an evacuation
- Each overnight canoe trip will have a certified ORCKA trip leader who carries their wilderness first aid certificate
- All trip staff have cell phone or GPS communication methods with camp