Camp Colman Family Camp Activity Guide

Family Camp daily activities will be offered a little differently this summer due to physical distancing and sanitizing needs. Please be sure to complete the activity request form in UltraCamp by June 10 so your family can be scheduled for certain activities. Our goal is to have at least 2-3 activities scheduled per family each full day at camp, and more if possible, split into two categories: Guided and Self-Guided.

Guided activities indicate a Colman staff member will guide you through this pre-scheduled activity. Self-Guided activities indicate you can do this activity once you have the needed supplies. GaGa Ball and other sports activities are self-guided but require advanced scheduling to allow for the check-out of sanitized equipment.

Please contact Daniel Alpers with any questions or concerns.

Team Building & Leadership

• Family Team Building: Guided
  In this class, students work together to solve physical and mental problems. The group starts with simple problems requiring basic communication and problem-solving skills. Work up to more difficult problems requiring trust and strong reliance on each other. The instructor uses props or low-ropes elements to create problems that must be solved with teamwork and group participation.
   
• Orienteering: Guided
  Learn the basics of how to use a compass to find your way while working together as a team. The lesson will start with the basics of how to use a compass and lead into a mission to go find the rest of your team!

Traditional Camp Activities

• Archery: Guided
  Learn the basics of range etiquette and shooting a bow. Gain confidence and skills.
   
• Arts & Crafts: Guided & Self-Guided
  A variety of arts and crafts projects are available. Everything from recycled crafts, friendship bracelets, coloring, and beading to up-cycling beach trash into art!
   
• Boating: Guided* 
  Come join us at the lagoon for boating in one of our canoes or row boats. Your group must have at least one adult to use one of our boats. Each boat holds a maximum of three people per vessel.
   
• Garden Crafts: Self-Guided
  Pick up a kit outside the garden to create your own garden magic. Create a recycled bird feeder, a seed bomb, a recycled planter and plant.
   
• Kayaking: Guided* 
  Enjoy our sheltered Lagoon from a kayak! Advanced swim level based on YMCA skill check required.
   
• Lagoon Swimming: Guided* 
  Take a dip in the Lagoon to cool off for some aquatic fun!
   
• Paddle Boarding: Guided*
  Enjoy a stand-up paddle board in the Lagoon. Advanced swim level based on YMCA skill check required.
   
• 
  Tie Dying: Guided
  What’s more camp than tie dye? Bring something white or gray to camp to turn into a beautiful mosaic of color! We also have white Colman t-shirts made specifically for tie dye available for sale in the camp store.

Self-Guided Scheduled Activities

We do not anticipate needing to limit these activities much, but will ask that you schedule them with staff in advance to make sure we don’t have too many people in one area at a time. Please remember to stay on camp property, and to take only pictures or memories, and leave only footprints.

Please bring a mask to wear in the event of encountering other guests and maintain physical distancing from other family groups.

• Beach Campfire
  Let us know if you’d like to build and enjoy a fire at the beach. We’ll be able to schedule a few family groups at various areas. Please indicate if there is a particular day/time during your stay you’d like to do this activity and we’ll do our best.
   
• Beach Walk
  Take a walk down the beach to check out all the cool critters. Use the beach walk key to identify things you find. Create a rock rainbow on a driftwood log.
   
• Sandcastle Building
  Bring your own tools.
   
• GaGa Ball
  Enjoy the playground hit of GaGa Ball in one of our GaGa pits!
   
• 
  Hiking
  Check out our map and follow the Upper Loop through the forest. Take a plant ID guide along to identify the plants you find.
• Sports Balls
  Check out a sports ball to have fun with the family.

*Note: All swimming and boating activities, regardless of swimming ability, require a lifejacket/personal flotation device (PFD). Camp Colman will provide each participant with a PFD at the beginning of camp. Please remember to bring these with you to the waterfront. All swimming and boating activities are under the supervision of trained and certified YMCA Staff Lifeguards.