Do you have Instructional Swim? If so, is it required and for what age groups?

On the first day, campers take a swim test to determine their skill levels, which informs their instructional groups and safety protocols, with swim lessons varying by camp and focusing on fundamental skills and long-distance swimming challenges.

On the first day, all campers engage in a swim test designed to evaluate their abilities. Based on these assessments, they are assigned to instructional groups that align with their skill levels. This process also informs safety protocols, such as whether campers can swim without a PFD (Personal Flotation Device) or participate in activities like the Rope Swing. Our staff members are expertly trained in Red Cross Lifeguarding and Water Safety Instruction, ensuring a safe and productive learning environment. Although the total number of instructional hours is consistent across camps, the schedule for swim lessons differs. For example, Barn Day Camp, Timberlake, and Firefly Song conduct their instructional swim sessions in the lake, while Tamarack Farm and SAM campers provide swimming as an optional free swim activity. At Timberlake, swim lessons are structured into “intensives,” featuring longer sessions spread over multiple days, whereas Firefly Song offers shorter lessons that take place over a greater number of days. Farm & Wilderness enhances Red Cross technical instruction by focusing on fundamental skills such as flutter kicks, breast stroke coordination, and diving from a dock to cultivate stronger swimmers. Many campers opt to progress through long-distance swimming, ultimately striving to swim around the entire lake, with staff members accompanying them in the water or in rowboats. This distance is approximately 2.7 miles, equivalent to the length of an Ironman Triathlon! The entire camp community comes together to cheer on and support those swimmers who have built up their stamina to reach this impressive milestone.