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Kabeyun's program hasthree main emphases, with a strong instructional focus in all areas:
In four weeks – the minimum amount of time a boy is at Kabeyun – boys have a chance to explore new interests and to delve more deeply into activities they learn to love. Every summer we see lifelong passions begin to develop as boys set goals, work through skill sets, complete projects of their own design, and complete back country challenges. Because he is in charge of his daily plan, each boy determines the timing and the pace of his exploration.
Our activity menu is designed to give each boy opportunities for success in areas where he may not have imagined venturing; and to vary each day according to his readiness for learning. Instructional groups are small – typically four boys in a group – with opportunities for one-to-one coaching and instruction. As they gain the required skills that lead to competence, they are positioned as teachers and coaches for their fellow campers.
As breakfast andlunch wrap up in the dining hall, the bell rings and we review the activity choices they have for the upcoming two periods. Usually there are between 16 and 20 different offerings, ranging from the everyday favorites like sailing, tennis, pottery, archery, fishing, and waterskiing, to the more unusual and occasional – "canoe battle royale" and lumberjacking. Boys raise their hands for the activities that they are most interested in, and with help and guidance from counselors, set their course for the morning or afternoon ahead. There are no limits to which activities he can select – all boys, at all ages and all abilities, can choose from Kabeyun's entire lineup of options.
Expert instruction is provided, emphasizing safety and the development of good shooting skills. Our instructor is certified as a Level I Instructor by the National Archery Association.
We have excellent facilities for campers to create and explore in pottery, woodworking, leather working, and arts and crafts. In arts and crafts, campers have opportunities to paint and draw, make candles, tie-dye and screen print shirts, crochet hats, weave friendship bracelets, and more. Camp’s docks, beach, and forest are all inviting places to create, sometimes in collaboration with our nature, drama, or other programs.
While Kabeyun intentionally de-emphasizes a competitive team sports program, we do have a full-time counselor to supervise and encourage campers in games of basketball, soccer, frisbee golf, volleyball, croquet, baseball, street hockey, gaga, and other games of their own invention. Every evening, our ballfield is full of campers and counselors playing big games of Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, etc.
The three badminton courts are always busy in the evenings and badminton is also offered during the regular activity periods during the day as a complement to the tennis program. Each summer our camper-staff tournaments help to develop good relationships between the boys and their counselors.
Kabeyun has a large number of canoes, enjoyed by boys of all ages. Boys learn the fundamentals of canoe safety and handling on the lake, then have the opportunity to practice their skills on trips. Paddling instructors are certified as River Instructors by the American Canoe Association. Instructors are also certified by the American Red Cross as Lifeguards and hold a certification in Wilderness First-Aid as a minimum. Canoists focus primarily on wilderness flat-water paddling and venture far and wide to some of the most remote places in New England, with some accessible whitewater thrown in for more fun.
From balance beams to the spider web, from fidget ladder to the Burma bridge, these individual and group challenges offer excitement and the opportunity to learn teamwork, trust and personal strength. The ropes course is also used as an instructional setting for introductory rock climbing safety and technical skills. Instructors have experience in other settings and attend training with organizations like Wingspeed Adventures, Project Adventure, and High5.
Croquet is a long-standing and popular Kabeyun activity that engages campers of all ages and abilities in relaxed competition and conversation. Using traditional mallets, balls, and wickets, up to six campers per period play several variations of croquet on the pitch near our waterfront.
In addition to the skits and talent shows that typically comprise our Saturday evening programs, we annually produce a major play each session involving many boys as cast and crew. Boys have lots of opportunities to perform on stage, but if they would rather work behind the scenes, we have an extensive lighting and sound system for guys who are more interested in "tech."
Kabeyun began offering D&D as a full-fledged activity in 2019, after many years of campers and staff playing during their free time. Our D&D counselor helps campers create characters and facilitates adventures within an immersive world that encourages creativity, social interaction, and collaborative problem solving.
The fishing is great in New Hampshire and Lake Winnipesaukee is a favorite destination for anglers. We fish daily from camp, usually heading out to good spots in our outboard fishing boat; sometimes fishing from shore. But we also head out of camp on trips to the lakes, ponds and rivers around New Hampshire. We also offer occasional deep water ocean fishing trips.
Kabeyun has a large number of kayaks, enjoyed by boys of all ages. Boys learn the fundamentals of kayak safety and handling on the lake, then have the opportunity to practice their skills on trips. Paddling instructors are certified as River Instructors by the American Canoe Association. Instructors are also certified by the American Red Cross as Lifeguards and hold a certification in Wilderness First-Aid as a minimum. The focus of the kayak program is the development of whitewater skills and we travel all over northern New England to river sites accessible by a range of abilities and experience.
Along with the other crafts we offer, Leatherwork is an activity boys head to to work out their own creative ideas for projects. From boxes and knife sheaths, to belts and wallets, boys have the experience of designing, planning and learning the skills required to bring their visions to reality. We've also seen complete chess sets, hats, sandals and hackey sacks. We have a well-stocked leather supply and an impressive collection of tools to make any project.
Many campers bring their instruments to Kabeyun, where they find ample opportunities to create music and connect with others. We offer music as an instructional activity that often includes songwriting and recording, as well as many opportunities to perform on stage or jam casually with others.
We run an active nature program with projects in the study and observation of live animals, conservation, botany, geology, ornithology, forestry, and astronomy. The 85 acres of woods and shoreline provide ample opportunities for exploration and discovery, but we also have access to a beautiful marsh up the road from camp and travel all over the state to special nature preserves.
We maintain a well-equipped darkroom and offer a strong instructional program with several 35mm cameras and the capacity to teach the processing and printing of black and white film. Boys roll their own film, load it, learn the fundamentals of the 35mm single lens reflex camera by shooting their own pictures. They develop their own film and learn the intricacies of the printing process. Camper work is displayed on a regular basis in our dining hall.
Like leather work and woodshop, pottery is a place campers go to express their creative side. Our counselors teach the skills for hand building and glazing, as well as wheel throwing on both electric and kick wheels. Over multiple days, campers take their visions from wet globs of clay to final products which are fired in our kiln.
Our counselors bring to camp their expert knowledge of the best safety and technical methods for climbing. Instructors have experience and training in top rope site management and high angle rescue techniques. New Hampshire has some of the best climbing in the world. We offer day and overnight adventures to sites suited to a wide range of abilities. All of our trip leaders are certified in Wilderness First-Aid and Red Cross Lifeguard as a minimum.
Lake Winnipesaukee is ideally suited for our active sailing program, which includes daily instruction at camp and a variety of day and overnight trips to islands and other destinations on the lake and ocean. Our fleet includes five Towne Class sloops, one Hobie Cat, two Flying Juniors, one C420, three Laser Picos, three O’pen Skiffs, and one Drascombe Gig, a large boat that can be configured for sailing or rowing and is ideal for longer excursions.
Kabeyun has nine standup paddle boards in three sizes and offers paddleboarding as an activity based at Big Cove’s sandy beach. Counselors teach basic SUP techniques and lead excursions on the lake. As an activity, SUP can be as serious or as silly as the campers want and is very popular on hot days!
The only required activity at camp is instructional swimming. Boys must have at least three periods of swimming each week until they have completed their Red Cross Level 5 requirements. Two recreational "play swims" are offered each day. Our swimming counselors are experienced, certified Red Cross Water Safety Instructors, as well as certified Lifeguards.
We emphasize a strong program of teaching the basics, complemented by ample opportunities for recreational and competitive play. Our three clay tennis courts are a treat for anyone who plays the game and have been a centerpiece of the Kabeyun facility since John Porter's day.
Our S21 Super Nautique is a great instructional boat. Boys are able to experience the thrill of these sports regardless of ability.
With a selection of beginner, intermediate and advanced boards, a variety of sails, a land simulator and our Big Cove beach, we are ideally set up to offer instruction to surfers of all ages and abilities.
From boxes, lamps and shelves, to fully rigged sailboats and chess boards, the woodshop generates a wide variety of excellent projects every summer. Boys learn the process of design and planning, plus the basics of hand tools and are introduced to the full array of power tools and finishes. The woodshop is another place boys go to explore their creative energies and play out their own visions of wood projects.
We pay alot of attention to recognizing accomplishments, large and small - a boy learns that to try is to succeed, and success is the path to competence and confidence. When he hears the celebratory cheers of the rest of the community he knows he is an important part of something larger than himself. For the boys, Kabeyun is a blast, but we know it means more to a life than mere fun and entertainment.
People often askhow we spend rainy days at camp. One thing we do not do is plug in groups of kids to watch videos. Kabeyun is intended to offer boys an experience different from what they have access to at home. The activity program continues in all weather, with the addition of dam building in our stream, or mud soccer; shelter building, or swamp walks. Examples of indoor activities include storytelling, writing for the camp newspaper, knot-tying, chess, and ping-pong tournaments.
There is a creative spirit that pervades our program and underlies the regular activities. Counselors, while skilled and experienced in their particular areas, are free to bring their own personal touch to their programs, occasionally offering new activities not written into the catalog. In this way we see juggling and diving instruction; yoga and Tai-Chi; extreme croquet, water salsa dancing, water chess, gardening...