Our Philosophy

At Friendly Pines Camp, we're very proud of our extensive list of activities, but we think our method of scheduling campers is even more outstanding. We feel that each child should be allowed to choose his or her own favorite activities, rather than being arbitrarily assigned by cabin groups to activities he or she may not like. On the other hand, we think campers should not roam unsupervised from one activity to another (or to none at all.) At Friendly Pines, each child follows a structured schedule under what we call CIS, or "Constant Intelligent Supervision." Competition for its own sake is discouraged. We assume every camper is a beginner at all activities until demonstrated otherwise. Of course, we seek out the best, most professionally qualified staff available, who can help even the most talented child discover and develop every aspect of his or her potential.

How it Works

From the list of 30 to 40 available activities, the child chooses his or her favorites at the beginning of camp. Our staff works with the aid of a sophisticated computer

system to schedule the child for eight of those activities, four on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and four on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. This unique, popular method ensures a busy and happy group of kids! There are two half-hour "free time" periods for swimming or showers each day, but "Constant Intelligent Supervision" remains the watchword for our staff. Sundays we sleep late, attend a brief non-denominational service at the "Quiet Place", it is also reserved for special events such as Goldrush Day, Rodeo Day, or Circus Day. One evening per week we meet for Council Fire, where the children learn the lore of the First Americans and are recognized for their accomplishments over the previous week. Other evenings throughout the week are spent in games, dances, competitions, cookouts, and dramatic or musical presentations. We believe in making our own fun, rather than relying on the canned entertainment to which kids already receive so much exposure.