We love what we do and feel that we have a lot to offer the future leaders of Lanark County. But just like any program we have certain values, and in order for you and your child to get the most out of the experience, these values should correspond with yours. Here are a few reasons that Maple Key might NOT be the best fit for you.

1. Your child is bothered by dirt, bugs, and general messyness
   We are a summer camp in the most classic sense. We are outdoors all day. We take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. Sometimes there are bugs. We don’t let bugs or dirt get in the way of having a good time… but one thing we NEVER do is get sunburns.
2. You just want day care for your kids while you are at work, and you don’t want to send them everyday.
   We’re not a day care… we’re a summer camp, and we’re building a community. We want your child to feel connected and like they belong, but that’s hard to do if they’re not here. We hope you’ll see the value in camp for it’s own sake, so if you’re looking for a la carte babysitting… we suggest using a babysitter.
3. You’re ok with them sitting in front of a TV or social media all day.
   Since we specialize in children’s programming, we spend a fair bit of time keeping abreast of the current issues affecting children and pre-teens. As technology becomes more and more ingrained into our and our children’s lives, we think it’s really important to foster an environment where face-to-face connection is the focus. So your kid won’t be able to bring their phone or iPad to camp – and we think that’s a good thing.
4. Your child expects to do only what they want to do, when they want to do it.
   Our program provides more choice than any other camp we know of in Lanark County. We strongly believe in giving kids as much autonomy as possible, as this helps develop their confidence as well as allow them to build skills in areas of interest. But we also have a carefully designed schedule to follow and staff members who have spent a significant amount of time planning a variety of activities and special events. Just as important as giving kids autonomy is teaching them that sometimes not everything will be their first choice, but it might be someone elses.
5. Your child isn’t interested in making new friends.
   It’s perfectly understandable that some of our campers register for specific weeks of camp because they have a friend who will also be attending on those dates. But if they are expecting to spend every moment of camp only in the company of each other, they will likely be disappointed. We pride ourselves on building a strong community – and that means that we include everyone, mix up the partners and teams, and get to know new people.

Are we on the same page? Join the family! Register now.

• Camp Overnights – camp out under the stars with us!
• Puppetry Major – the perfect blend of fine art and performance art, taught by a professional
• “Live From Camp” New Media Major – be the face/voice of camp
• Steampunk Major – science and fine art collide!
• Corcl Boats – it’s like kayaking, only cooler
• Music Mondays – instruction from a specialist, every single week!

*New for 2017* Inspired by the TV Show of the same name, our Mythbusters major takes a scientific look at some myths and urban legends and conducts experiments to test them.

That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg! Read about the rest of our majors here.

All-Star Sports is a major for sporty kids who want to up their game, regardless of which sport is their specialty. In addition to playing a wide variety of skill-building sports, all-stars will learn about the importance of nutrition (and how to make some snacks that are both yummy and healthy), how to plan a safe and effective work-out routine, injury prevention, strategies for dealing with competition and poor-sport behaviour, and develop strategies to improve stress management and mental focus.

On-Target Variation: This version focuses on improving your AIM. Any sport that requires hitting a target is on the menu!

Create Your Own Sport Variation: This version will combine campers’ creativity with their sports skills by creating and testing their very own unique and original sport.

That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg! Read about the rest of our majors here.

In Going Green, campers will learn how much fun it can be to live sustainably. They’ll learn about gardening, composting, reducing your carbon footprint, sustainable practices and more – but most exciting, they will also be the first campers to learn about and care for our feathered friends coming to us from Hinchinbrooke Hills Farms.

Campers will explore the basics of horticulture as well as livestock care, and experience first-hand the important role that agriculture plays in our community.

That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg! Read about the rest of our majors here.

We’re all familiar with team sports like soccer and basketball, and individual sports like track or tennis. But what about one’s you’ve never heard of?

This week might start with you scratching your head, but you’ll be thrilled to discover that you are a champion at cheese rolling, egg throwing, or toe wrestling. This week we’ll try out some of the weirdest sports we’ve ever heard of, and even hold the inaugural tournament of our own unique sport.

That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg! Read about the rest of our majors here.

I have understood the power that camp has to change your life ever since I worked at overnight camp back when I was in university. Ask me to tell you stories about transformations I’ve seen in MKDC campers and I’ll tear up every time. But what I never expected is to experience so vividly this affect on my own boys… years before they’ve even been assigned to a cabin group.

My sons are not even close to being old enough to officially attend camp as campers, but they are with us at camp everyday, and the impact it is already having on them is nothing short of magical.

We had two spring babies, so when Gaelan first went to camp he was only three weeks old. Doyle’s first summer he was 7 weeks old. Each were carried around their first summer by just about every possible staff member at one point or another, and often cuddled by moms of long-time campers at pickup. Occasionally, when I was desperate to be hands-free for a few minutes, I’d sneak over to the Heartwood Girls cabin, open the door just enough to slide in a baby, then close the door and run – the giggles of thrilled pre-teen girls following in my wake.

Gaelan hanging out with his favourite camp staffer

Neither one of my boys showed a single moment of the “stranger danger” phase that typically hits somewhere around the age of one, and I blame camp. They’ve happily been cuddled and carried by such a variety of caring adults that it’s always just been part of their routine. (And so when I say that my staff are chosen carefully because they are looking after my kids too, I really mean it!)

Having a toddler with you at camp is not for the faint of heart. Gaelan, who is now a 3-year camp veteran at the ripe old age of 2, struts about the property like he owns the place. And… to a certain extent he does. I’ll look up to see that he’s wandered just out of my sight again,  and before panic has the chance to set in a staff member says, “don’t worry, N has him.” And N is a nine year old boy, and that’s perfectly acceptable. Because at camp we’re all learning to look after each other.

One of Gael’s favourite books is “The Berenstain Bears Go To Camp”

(And that’s the thing, right there. I would trust the large majority of our campers with my kids. Our campers are amazingly caring, gentle, trustworthy citizens of the world. Is that because the parents who understand the value of camp are the kind of parents who raise that kind of kid? Quite possibly. Is it because the unique atmosphere of camp itself is bringing out those traits in them? I’d love to think so.)

But it’s when we’re not at camp that I really see how being a camp kid is affecting Gael. This is the kid who RACED to the back door to see the campers coming up the hill each morning, and having to explain to him why there weren’t any kids at the end of the camp season was nothing short of heartbreaking. This is the toddler who will go up to random kids in the grocery store (even those much older) and introduce himself, because in his world everyone is his friend. This is the toddler who orders his own lunch in a restaurant, and chats away as he shows his toy to the woman at the next table, because he is accustomed to conversing with adults.

One of the things I love most about camp is our ability to create a unique space in which our lofty ideals about how the whole world should be, can be realized. At camp, everyone respects everyone else. At camp, being yourself, doing your best, and contributing positively to the community are the things that matter most. At camp, technology is a tool, but it always takes a back seat to real one-on-one facetime. And for now, while I can keep it that way, I am thankful that the camp world is the world I am raising my babies in.

*New for 2017* In this LARP-ish major, campers will develop “knightly virtues” as well as their creativity as they join a “house” of knights and prepare to defend their castle.

• Construct and design your own suit of armour. Work independently or collaborate with your team. Spikes, fins, scales, plates, helmets, gauntlets, shields limited only by your imagination. Add your sword, ax, mace, halberd, spear or other “deadly” accoutrements.
• Develop group identities and team strategies to defend or storm the castle in daily competitions of capture the flag and other games.
• Take a lead role in our all-camp “Fortress” wide game

That’s just the tip o’ the iceberg! Read about the rest of our majors here.