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2025 Options
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Summer 2025

Summer 2025 Registration Coming Soon

Our 2024 camp offerings are listed below, 2025 camps subject to change.

Traditional Options

Traditional Day Camp

Traditional camp is about exploration and discovery. Campers will explore by hiking, studying the wonder of nature, building connections through teamwork, and conquering many challenges under the leadership of well-trained staff. It exposes participants to various activities, including archery, fort building, tie-dye, gaga ball, swimming, nature studies, paddling, arts and crafts, cookouts, group games, and more. Campers will participate in some, but not all, of these activities, depending on their age and camp locations. Each camper will leave camp with a wide range of memories and experiences!

Junior Day Camp

Traditional camp is about exploration and discovery. Campers will explore by hiking, studying the wonder of nature, building connections through teamwork, and conquering many challenges under the leadership of well-trained staff. It exposes participants to various activities, including archery, fort building, tie-dye, gaga ball, swimming, nature studies, paddling, arts and crafts, cookouts, group games, and more. Campers will participate in some, but not all, of these activities, depending on their age and camp locations. Each camper will leave camp with a wide range of memories and experiences!

Wee Backpackers

The Wee Backpacker program aims to continue fostering a love and appreciation for the outdoors. Campers sing songs, tell stories, and play games while beginning to experience the variety of activities camp has to offer. Wee Backpackers maintains a low staff-to-child ratio.

Little Seeds Day Camp

‘Planting Seeds’ of interest and appreciation for the great outdoors in our youngest campers at Little Seeds Summer Camp! Little Seeds maintains a low staff-to-child ratio under the watchful eye of leadership staff and counselors trained to meet the needs of young campers. Little Seeds offers children the opportunity to engage in nature-based programming while experiencing new things and making new friends!

Half day program, runs 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Arts and Imagination

Arts and Crafts

Participants discover their artistic side and let their imaginations soar. Projects may include sketching, painting, collage, beadwork, and more. Participants create masterpieces to take home and enjoy!

Dragons, Fairies and Friends

Participants let their imaginations soar in this magical fairytale-themed activity. Adventures will include themed arts and crafts, a mystical quest, and a royal celebration!

Pirates

Arrrrrgh! Young buccaneers learn the swashbuckling lingo of pirates, play games like Capture the Pirate Flag, try their balancing skills as they walk the plank, go on treasure hunts, and much more.

Superheros

BAM! POW! KAZAM! Kids think, dress, and act like superheroes! Activities include super games, super crafts, and super fun. Where else can kids spend the day exploring their superpowers as their alter-ego superheroes, meet other superheroes and save the world?

Theater

Kids free their imaginations and develop improvisational skills! Participants explore the theater world through games, acting exercises, script rehearsals, and even performing for an audience.

We Dig Dinos

ROAR! Campers will travel back to explore the Jurassic period with their favorite dinosaurs. We Dig Dinos camp aims to ignite the passion and fuel the enthusiasm of budding paleontologists. Campers dig for fossils, create their dinosaur, and more! Will your kids have a great time at this camp? You bet, Jurassic!

Horse Camp

Colts

Colts is an approximately two-hour-per-day introductory program for campers with little or no experience around horses. First-time riders will build confidence and skills while learning the basics of western horseback riding. Instruction includes safety, leading, mounting, dismounting, reining, and basic riding. Kids spend the remainder of the day in traditional camp activities.

Buckaroos

Buckaroos is an intermediate program for campers with at least one year of riding experience. Approximately two hours of daily instruction includes a basic skill review, intermediate ring riding, trotting, grooming, and saddling. The remainder of the day is spent in traditional camp activities.

Broncos

Build confidence as you develop horsemanship skills. Trained instructors will teach the basics of western horseback riding. You will work on leading, mounting, ring work, grooming, trotting, and saddling. By week’s end, groups may have the opportunity to enjoy a scenic trail ride.

Nature and Science

Critters and Crawlers

Participants become “Eco-Explorers” as they investigate the natural surroundings at camp. We will take nature treks to explore our camp environment and search for signs of local wildlife. Activities include bug safaris, nature hunts, and more!

Farm and Garden

Participants discover how plants, animals, soil, and people work together to produce the food we eat daily.

These young farmers will experience the daily routines of caring for a garden. They will have the chance to gain an appreciation for farm plants and animals through crafts, hands-on activities, and field trips. Campers will take multiple field trips during the week to tour nearby farm(s), where they will participate in farm chores and work in the garden.

Farm to Table

In Farm to Table Camp, campers will learn harvesting techniques and culinary skills to help them prepare and cook recipes from the garden to the table. Campers will spend a portion of their time tending to garden and farm needs before learning how to interpret when vegetables are ripe, how to pick them correctly, and culinary skills to complete a recipe. Campers can try each dish with fellow campers and take the recipe collection home from the week.

Fish, Frogs, and Forts

Filled with exploration and environmental education, we’ll focus on fort-building and discovering insects, fish, and frogs. Campers will take a hike to Croix's waterfront to learn basic fishing skills while practicing the catch-and-release method for shore fishing.

Outdoor Living Skills

Participants discover the finer points of preparing for a big outdoor adventure while learning various practical camping skills, including building a fire, making camp shelters, knot tying, campfire cooking, and more!

STEAM

Participants will spend the week engaged in hands-on, interactive projects. There will be lots of learning, using their imaginations, and exploring the indoors and outdoors at camp!

Wild About Nature / Nature Explorer

Enjoy the great outdoors as we explore the wonders of nature! Participants will hike along our many paths to discover the camp's different natural landscapes and ecosystems. Kids learn to identify various trees, plants, and animals.

Outdoor Action

Archery

Participants learn the fundamentals of archery, examine equipment close-up, and learn the science behind target shooting. Instructors teach proper grip, stance, and aim alignment. YMCA of the North provides equipment.

Climbing

Learn about basic climbing, belay techniques, knot tying, and safety. Challenge participants to test their strengths, strategy, and skill on our ropes courses.

Log Rolling

Participants discover how the sport of log rolling (or “birling”) developed out of maneuvering logs down rivers to the old sawmills. Skills learned are great for improving balance and coordination!

Outdoor Adventure

This activity provides challenging activities that work on advancing skills in climbing, archery, outdoor survival and more.

Outdoor Cooking

Kids develop their camping skills by learning how to safely build a fire and cook over it. Campers receive lessons in outdoor cooking safety, cooking techniques, and the essentials for making healthy food in the great outdoors.

Outdoor Games

It’s all fun and games as participants learn to play various outdoor games with a “camp style.” Participants learn to play gaga ball, 9-square in the air, and other field games.

Water Action

Fishing

Kids get hooked on fishing as they learn basic fishing skills. Field trips to local lakes and rivers provide the scene for fishing fun using the catch-and-release method. Campers can bring their pole and tackle or use equipment provided by YMCA of the North.

Sailing

Each day young sailors learn the basics of sailing and safety with YMCA instructors. Participants will be taught techniques and terminology for operating our fleet of sailboats as they practice their skills.

Water Adventure

Participants spend the whole week enjoying an incredible array of water activities, including boating, canoeing, kayaking, or swimming, along with other fun water games and adventures.

Teen and Leadership

Teen Archery

Fine-tune your archery skills and learn new ones as camp leaders highlight games and friendly competitions throughout the week. This camp features a field trip, and YMCA of the North provides equipment.

Teen Artist

Self-expression comes to life in this creative art camp! Your imagination becomes the window of discovery as you create original art. You will create masterpieces to take home and enjoy!

Teen Canoe / Kayak

Embark on a canoeing/kayaking excursion full of adventure. Develop your paddling skills on the St. Croix River and learn boating safety as you experience the challenge of navigating the water!

Teen Climbing

Test your strength, strategy, and skill as you focus on a challenging daily climb. Learn and develop climbing skills, belay techniques, knot tying, and safety.

Teen Content Creator

Participants in the Content Creator camp will use their creativity to highlight the camp experience through video-making. Instructors will emphasize responsible technology and collaboration with other campers and staff. Bring a tablet to take videos during the week, if possible.
 

Teen Farm

Participants discover how plants, animals, soil, and people work together to produce the food we eat daily. Campers will experience the daily routines of caring for rotational grazing sheep and chickens and practice caring for egg-laying hens. Campers will learn about regenerative farming and how to be good stewards of the land through these hands-on farm chores and work in the garden.

Teen Quest

Teen Quest is an exciting day camp program geared toward teens that want real outdoor fun! As a group quest, you will decide and plan out some of the camp activities and events throughout the week. This program develops valuable life skills such as open communication, team building, cooperation, and conflict resolution.

Teen Sailing

Receive daily ground and water instruction in basic sailing skills and techniques, as well as boat maintenance and care. Time is spent learning skills such as rigging, jibbing, tacking, knot tying, water safety, and river etiquette. You will operate our fleet of sailboats on Lake St. Croix.

Teen Survival Skills

Develop your camping skills as you work together to set up camp and prepare for a big outdoor adventure while learning various helpful camping skills, including building a fire, building shelters, knot tying, campfire cooking, navigating maps, and more!

Leaders-In-Training

Discover your leadership qualities by learning to lead campers in activities and assist in planning the week for your group! The second week allows you to put those new skills to the test while you shadow a counselor and assist staff in camp activities.

Junior Counselor

Do you love working with kids in an outdoor camp setting? Here's your chance to take a leadership role! Junior Counselors are assigned to a group and assist Counselors in leading and carrying out various Day Camp programs.

Ages 14–15

Previous experience in a LIT program or leadership experience working with children is preferred. Candidates will be selected through an application and interview process while gaining career readiness experience.

Contact us at day.croix@ymcamn.org or 612-461-9694 for more information.

A day camp lead staff member will reach out for an interview in late April to talk over details and information about the program. We ask for a minimum of a 3-week commitment. Hope to see you this summer!

Campers attending specialty camps will enjoy other traditional camp activities throughout the week.

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Whether you have a question or are ready to plan, we have the answers and are prepared to assist.

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