Sunday, August 2nd, 2026

Dear Moose Families,

It is our pleasure to write this first weekly letter home from Moosilauke during the second session of summer 2026–our 122nd year!  Along with chronicling the day-to-day happenings at camp we will also use the intro section to write about issues related to boys.

As you are probably aware, Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, which was published almost 3 years ago, remains one of the most talked-about books on childhood in years. He argues that the shift from a “play-based childhood” to a “phone-based childhood” over the past fifteen years has driven sharp increases in anxiety, depression, and loneliness among kids and teens. His core claim is straightforward: children need much more unstructured, independent play and much less time on smartphones and social media to develop into confident, resilient adults. Haidt points to the loss of free play, in particular, as a major driver of the anxiety we’re seeing in young people, since it’s through unstructured play with peers, away from constant adult direction, that kids learn to take risks, resolve conflicts, and build the confidence that comes from figuring things out on their own. He also connects this to what’s often called “helicopter parenting,” arguing that when adults over-manage kids’ daily lives and shield them from every small risk or conflict, boys in particular can miss out on the chances to test themselves and build real confidence, which often leaves them more anxious, not less.

At Moose, we’ve always believed in the power of a screen-free environment, and a little “stress and mess,” (click here for a blog on the subject). We of course can’t promise the kind of fully unsupervised `play Haidt describes as ideal; camp is a structured environment, and our staff is present and involved throughout the day. But we do think camp offers something increasingly rare in kids’ lives: weeks away from phones and social media, filled with real, face-to-face interaction, physical activity based around positive risk taking, and the chance to navigate friendships and challenges in person rather than through a screen. That alone puts campers closer to the childhood Haidt is advocating for than most of them get during the rest of the year.

The following is the recap of the first few days of the 2026 Moose Second Session–July 29 through August 2, 2026. 

On Wednesday we excitedly welcomed campers from 15 states and 3 countries as part of opening day for the 2.5 week session. Although we prepared for a rainy day, the weather gods smiled on us and kept us relatively dry. Families at drop off were greeted by the Directors and Associate Directors, cars were unloaded with luggage, then there was time for some quick good-byes for the families. Campers then headed up the hill to unpack and settle into their cabins before venturing down the hill to set up their lockers, check in with their nurses, and grab a name tag. After the bus from New York City and Connecticut arrived and those boys had a chance to unpack in their cabins, the whole camp convened in front of the office to learn the “Moosilauke Shuffle” and for a round of “Bill Says.” There were then campus tours by cabin group. After a dinner of Moose burgers and french fries there were name games followed by counselor introductions. Then it was time for our first cabin meetings. 

Thursday we had a regular Moose day with assigned activities in the morning and choice activities in the afternoon. Each age group also did their annual swim test. After breakfast Bill did Moosiuake trivia and then Charlotte talked about the daily schedule. And then it was back to the cabins for clean-up and inspection. The initial trips of the session started Thursday with the Senior A1s (fifteen-year-olds) going rock climbing in Rumney, and then the A1s and A2s all went to the natural waterslides at Baker Cliffs followed by a treat at Moose Scoops. At rest hour Bill took a group of campers wake surfing. In the afternoon the Associate Directors held talks in each cabin on inclusivity. In the evening, there was kickball, street hockey, Gaga pit, dodgeball, extreme bocce, whiffle ball, and tubing.

On Friday, the Senior Bs (thirteen-year-olds) had their turn at Baker Cliffs and Moose Scoops. The other trips on Friday included a bike adventure around the lake and another climbing trip to Rumney. A highlight Friday was the leadership development session Charlotte ran for the Counselors-in-Training. They learned about how to tap into their 24 core strengths. Using the VIA Character Strengths Survey, they spent time understanding their power strengths (those that show up on a regular basis) and their growth strengths (those they might need to intentionally pay attention to). They also unpacked what it means to overplay and underplay their strengths and to watch where they may collide, both positively and negatively, with another person. They will check in with Charlotte next week to see how their strengths continue to show up, and she’ll be challenging them to share stories about how their growth strengths are starting to emerge. Intercamp competition on Friday was a 12s baseball game at Moose. In the evening, there was street hockey, kickball, volleyball, frisbee golf, Ultimate frisbee, tubing, and trivia and riddles at the beach with Timmy. 

Saturday, our new campers (not participating on another hike during the session) and some returning campers hiked Mt. Cube. They ascended to the North Summit via the Rivendell Trail, having a snack along the way. They then traversed to the South Summit where they lunched on sandwiches, fruit, and candy, and soaked in the amazing views of Camp Moosilauke. About a third of the group opted to descend down the long way via the Appalachian Trail which leads right to our camp entrance. Other trips on Saturday included a top-rope rock climbing session at the Rumney crags and a mountain biking adventure around the lake. Intercamp competition on Saturday included a 15s pickleball tournament and 13s basketball tournament – at neighboring camps – along with a 11s basketball tournament and 12s soccer tournament at Moose. After a busy day, the campers were excited for a relaxing movie night with homemade popcorn and candy snacks provided by the CITs. 

On Sunday, we had a delicious breakfast buffet that included scrambled eggs, omelets, bacon, sausage, homemade cinnamon rolls and danish, a full yogurt/granola/fruit bar, and hot chocolate. Campers then sauntered down the hill for pick up games in tennis, basketball, four-square, volleyball, the Gaga pit, ping pong and/or relaxed by the beach reading, playing cards or other board games, and catching up with friends. In addition, campers jumped into beginner waterskiing/wake boarding and some sailing. In the afternoon, it was Capture the Flag organized by the Counselors-in-Training. This session’s theme was the Land Sports vs. the Waterfront. After the closely contested match, there was a free swim, followed by a cook-out on the field consisting of hamburgers, hot dogs, and S’mores around a campfire for dessert. In the evening, popular activities included the tall-tale, the Orford Butcher, on the beach with Port, along with a waterfront extravaganza, dodgeball, kickball, and other activities. 

Happy Summer!

Bill, Sabina, Ken, Ingrid, Todd, Preston, Jake, Charlotte, and Quinn