Letters to parents
Dear Parents,
How often do you find yourself uttering the phrase, "When we were kids . . .", or at a minimum thinking about your youthful days when you left the house first thing in the morning and returned only to pass through the kitchen at meal times or to collapse into bed at the end of a long sun-soaked day filled with non-stop activities limited only by your own imagination. The world has changed so much for our kids, complicated by computers, video games, cell phones and scheduled activities, that we can't help but wonder if they may be losing touch with the simple, but rich outdoor experiences that defined the seemingly endless summers of years gone by.
The mission of The Mountain Workshop's programs is to celebrate outdoor and adventure activities to help kids connect with the natural world. It's not just the spectacular view from the summit or the feeling of accomplishment they will remember from their hike, but also the frog they stopped to watch along the way. Watching the clouds go by on a clear summer's day will be as valuable an experience as the new kayak or canoe skills they learned. Getting outside, spending time with old and new friends, enjoying the amazing adventure opportunities that Southern New England has to offer - these all remind us that memories may be our most priceless possessions of all.
Introduce your kids to the simple pleasures of the great outdoors and watch them grow in ways that cannot be measured on a door frame. I welcome you to "take it outside"!
Susan Friedrich
Director, The Mountain Workshop's Adventure Camp
What is a Mountain Workshop's summer program?
We wanted to take a minute to speak just to you. You will notice that much of The Mountain Workshop's website is written for your child. It is our hope that you will explore the site together and make a program choice that both of you are excited about. But before you do, we'd like to give you a little "behind the scenes" information about our programs.
The Mountain Workshop's Awesome Adventures (day programs) and Trailmark Expeditions (overnight expeditions) are age-appropriate, carefully graduated series of adventure activities, beginning with day trips at local sites for our youngest participants ages 8 to 14 and progressing to extended expeditions (one to two weeks) for ages 11 to 17. Our day programs have pick-up locations at either Branchville or Westport, CT and visit locations throughout Connecticut while our expeditions have destinations throughout New England, including the Adirondacks, the Berkshires, Maine, Vermont, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket. In most cases, previous experience is not necessary. Each program provides an opportunity for a small group of up to 13 participants and two trained instructors to spend a week or more together exploring and learning in a fun, cooperative, atmosphere.
The Mountain Workshop's summer camp is more than just a camp
- it's a journey.
The goal of The Mountain Workshop is to promote growth, understanding, and skills development through shared outdoor experiences. The Mountain Workshop has been running summer programs for over thirty years. The first year, we offered one week of programming. This year we will be offering over 80 weeks of programming and we are looking forward to each and every one!
With The Mountain Workshop your child can do it all: Hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, rappelling, caving, kayaking, canoeing, camping, whitewater rafting, river tubing, sailing, high ropes course, geocaching...
With The Mountain Workshop your child can do it everywhere: The Hudson River, Long Island Sound, the Delaware Water Gap, the Adirondacks, the Berkshires, Maine, Vermont, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket.
In addition to the outdoor skills and adventure, The Mountain Workshop provides opportunities for:
- Personal, physical and emotional challenge
- Self-direction
- Responsible risk-taking
- Accountability for one's choices and actions
- Developing leadership skills
- Cooperative problem-solving toward shared goals
On a Mountain Workshop program, your child will be a member of a team. All participants share in The Mountain Workshop's Contract, agreeing to work together toward group and individual goals, to adhere to behavior and safety rules and to give and receive feedback during daily "group" meetings. Group is an opportunity for everyone to share concerns, successes, appreciations and insights.
We thank you for your interest in The Mountain Workshop's programs for your child. We are ready to answer any questions you may have about our programs or the registration process.
Give us a call at 203-544-0555 or email us at info@mountainworkshop.com.