Moosilauke is one of the oldest residential summer camps in the U.S. Since our founding in 1904, our mission has been simple but powerful: creating confident, happy, and resilient boys. Our continued success in achieving our goals is due to a number of factors: our incredibly positive and nurturing peer culture; our program of positive risk taking that encompasses a high level of skill development in three key areas (sports, waterfront and outdoor adventure); our emphasis on both structure and choice relative to activity classes, trips, and competition; and our extraordinary attention to the individual needs of each boy. Combine all of this with an enthusiastic and diverse group of 140 campers (from 18 states and 7 countries), an experienced and caring staff, and an incredible campus (200 acres of fields and forest and a secluded mile-long lake in the White Mountains of New Hampshire), and you have all the makings for an amazing summer.
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The More Parents Help, the More They Can Hurt
By Bill McMahon, Director
“How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Over parenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success” is a recent book that has received significant press and attention, in part, because the author–Julie Lythcott-Haims–was the dean of freshmen at Stanford.
Here is the book’s thesis in a nutshell: our young adults today are not happy, healthy, or resilient; this is especially true of the elite achievers at hyper selective schools;
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Moosilauke Rated As One Of The Top Summer Camps In The U.S.
Moosilauke has been receiving rave reviews and placing high on many lists that rank and rate the best summer camps.
We received the second most votes of all camps in the U.S. in a recent on-line poll titled “Best Overnight Summer Camp.”
We currently rank 4th highest of all camps in the U.S. in terms of overall rating at CampRatingZ where families directly rate their experience. -
The Art of Fostering Skill Acquisition and Self Esteem in Boys
By Bill McMahon, Co-Director
As I have written before, our overarching goal at Moosilauke is to help create confident, resilient, honorable, and happy boys and young men.To achieve our goal we have a laser like focus on a few essential philosophies and practices. It all starts with positive risk taking since it is through encountering and overcoming failure that performance character traits like grit, resilience, and tenacity are created.
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All the World’s a Stage (Especially the Moose Dining Hall at Announcement Time!)
By Bill McMahon, Co-Director
Every camper and counselor at Moosilauke will tell you that announcement period after the meals is one of the most fun and interesting times at Camp. During this period there are a number of daily happenings that everyone looks forward to, including: camper recaps of recent athletic events and trips; Kenny and others reading sports scores and summarizing key happenings in the news; and announcements concerning upcoming activities, -
Peer Culture: How a Camp Creates a Great One
by Bill McMahon, Co-Director
As I have referenced in other writings, it is our firm belief at Moosilauke that the most powerful factor in the life of a camper (especially a teenage camper) is the peer culture he is immersed in.Peer cultures come in many flavors. Without a few important factors in place they can easily spin negative–“lord of the flies” negative. Negative boy peer cultures are easy to spot: there is significant teasing;
