What can you do at camp? Pretty much anything. Our friends at Caddy Lake Camp in Manitoba outline just some of the amazing experiences campers can expect this summer. When can we start packing?!

Did you know going to camp is a simple and fun way to earn Guiding badges? Campers are encouraged to take on challenges that they may not have the opportunity to do in the city. At each session the staff and the campers will come up with one or two badges to work on during their stay at camp. Here’s how it works:

Bird watching
At camp, you will be outside nearly all day with lots of time to observe rare wildlife that you may not spot in your busy city life.

• We’ll be able to learn about different types of birds, what they eat, how they nest – and see them in action!
• We’ll be making classic milk carton bird feeders for the girls to take home.
• There will be lots of birds to observe, draw, and describe on our hikes.

Forestry
In the city, there is not much of an opportunity to see trees and shrubs of all sizes and types in their natural habitat. Caddy Lake has thriving plant life. The camp is covered in various tree species. As it’s getting harder and harder to find forests that aren’t mono-culture, this spot is extra special.

• Learning about the forests of Canada should be easy when we’re living in one! We’ll talk about forests and parklands and why they are so important.
• As a craft we will create beautiful travel brochures for the Forest of Caddy Lake, bringing in facts about trees (like the different kinds of trees and forests and what their enemies are) and why we like particular kinds.
• We’ll go over conservation of trees, the goods produced by them, and how forest management and conservation are linked.

 Outdoor adventure
All summer, we`ll be lucky enough to be on one big outdoor adventure! Camp is excellent practice for planning and going on unit hikes and other adventures.

• We’ll be having plenty of outdoor cooking sessions where campers will participate in planning meals perfect for hikes and camping like grilled cheese, kabobs, pita pizza, bannock, and spider dogs.
• Whenever we go on field trips, hikes, or bike rides we always have a first aid kit. The girls will learn how to put together a first aid kit and what each part is used for by a qualified nurse or first aider. At camp we know safety is one of the most important parts of an outdoor adventure.
• We’ll have Manitoba Conservation come in to present bear safety and RCMP coming to do a ‘Hug a Tree’ presentation about what campers should do if they ever get lost.

Astronomy
Being out of the city brings on a beautiful view of the stars. Caddy Lake Camp is a great place to start a love of stargazing, and with our knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff it is also a place to increase your knowledge of astronomy.

• We’ll learn about planets, comets, meteors, meteorites, stars, and the milky way.
• We’ll be demonstrating different parts of astronomy through fun crafts like creating mini models of planets. Once we’ve seen the real thing in the sky, we will be creating our own mini flashlight constellations.

Guest post by the team at Caddy Lake Camp, a Girl Guides of Canada camp enjoyed by girls in Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. This is an edited version of the blog post Guiding Badges at Camp.