Mission & Activities
Timberlake is a camp for 90-100 boys, ages 9-14, founded in 1939. Timberlake is a safe and challenging environment where a boy can learn new skills, make friends, and gain a deeper understanding of himself and the world.
Timberlake’s Programs
Outdoor Living Skills (OLS)
Learning skills for wilderness travel is the cornerstone of the Timberlake (TL) experience and prepares boys to take full advantage of our extensive trip program. Each boy learns the basics of wilderness travel - from how to navigate safely to setting up a tarp to cooking over open fires - along with the specific skills involved in canoeing, kayaking and rock climbing.
Barns and Gardens
Milking a cow, sowing carrot seeds, caring for new piglets, collecting eggs for breakfast, and harvesting green beans for dinner on our spectacular organic farm give boys an in-depth understanding of where their food comes from and teaches them to become stewards of the land on which they live.
Waterfront
The TL waterfront serves as both classroom and playground. Boys can take daily lessons with our instructors or swim with a counselor across the cove to the rope swing to practice their flying twists and cannonballs. Campers can also learn paddle strokes for an anticipated canoe trip or take a kayak out for an afternoon on the lake.
Work Projects
Campers have built most of the cabins and structures at TL under the instruction and supervision of our staff. During the summer, a boy may have the chance to build a stone wall for the gardens, add a new deck to a building or create a silly structure that reflects the purely fun side of camp.
Arts in Motion
TL is a vibrant place of creativity and fun—from instrument building to pottery, from making huge puppets to finding a quiet place to sketch. Spontaneous song, dance and drama play a large part in everyday camp life.
Games
Camp abounds with non-competitive sports like soccer or Ultimate Frisbee, as well as impromptu camper-created games and All-Camp Games like “Sticks” and “Stagecoach.” These games are TL traditions, and campers eagerly anticipate them from the start of the summer.
