Author: Liz Stevens

The Essential Packing Items Every Camper Needs

You may have heard while doing your summer camp research that it’s important to pack light, and it’s true! So, here’s some of the items that should be on the top of your list. The first thing we recommend is using a duffle bag over a suitcase. Not only will the flexibility allow for extra […]

How to Prepare Your Child for Sleepaway Camp

Mother and daughter are sitting on a bed talking

Sending your child off to sleepaway camp is a big step for both of you! But before you drop them off, there are a few things you should know. Whether this is their first time away or they’re an experienced camper, a little preparation goes a long way. Camp Walden makes safety a top priority, […]

A Different Kind of Camp Experience

Device used to define a scene when director says "action!"

By Dave Fairman, Independent Film Director   My name is Dave Fairman and I’m a writer, director, and producer. I’ve spent the last decade plus making independent movies, commercials, and other film and video and film content in Michigan and Los Angeles. This past fall, along with some equally dedicated and possibly insane creative collaborators, […]

Why We Have a Playground at Walden

Boy plays on playground structure in nature

Swinging, climbing, twirling, jumping—the Walden playground is one of camp’s oldest features and still one of its most popular gathering spots. And yes, we understand the question: With so many incredible activities available to our campers, why devote space to a playground at Camp Walden? The answer is simple. Swings and jungle gyms are timeless, […]

Video Games: The Good, The Bad, and the Outdoorsy

Screen-Free Camp Walden

Question: How many 10-year-old boys would opt for a week of screen-free overnight camp versus ready access to their sofa, their snacks, and their Playstation? We don’t know the answer, but we suspect that the number is way higher than it was 10 years ago.  Staying home is the new going out in America, and […]

What Camp Can do for Boys

What Camp Can do for Boys

Over the past few years, we’ve spoken to many parents of boys who are reticent about sending their sons to camp—much more than daughters. “He’s a home body,” “He’s just not ready,” “He won’t go without friends” are common refrains. Anecdotally at least, there is more reluctance and anxiety on the part of parents of boys to enroll them in overnight […]

Hire our Staff this Spring!

One of the most urgent issues for the summer-camp industry these days is not a lack of campers: It’s finding and retaining good counselors.  But you can help! Offer our staff a spring internship at your place of work or your business.  A five- or six-week internship, in May and June, provides young adults with the resume builders they […]

Welcome to the Neighborhood

Last spring, a group of Walden alumni, parents, and current staff got together over Zoom for a brainstorming session: How can we explain, to people who have never been to Walden, what camp feels like?   For many years, I’ve used the words “community” and “family” when talking about campers, parents, staff, and alums past and present. […]

diversity, equity, inclusion

Walden understands that a relevant camp community requires the harmonies of many voices—not only those that inspire, but also those that instruct and challenge. We strive to be a camp where diversity is celebrated and supported, and where each camper and staff member is provided the resources and opportunities to succeed. Our mission of teaching empathy and respect is incomplete if it only serves those who think and look like we do. We believe that our camp can be anyone’s camp, and that our greatest strength lies therein.

Walden is an Equal Opportunity Employer that hires qualified staff regardless of their race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law.