Our day is divided into four instructional periods – two in the morning and two in the afternoon, plus several blocks of self-regulated free time and a rest hour after lunch.
Monday through Saturday, each boy chooses his activities twice a day, after breakfast for the morning, and after lunch for the afternoon periods. All activities are available to all boys regardless of age or experience.
At the end of the meal each instructor presents his or her plan to the entire group and boys raise their hands to sign up. Counselors are actively involved throughout the selection process, helping the boys to plan, and encouraging them to explore new challenges. Most boys sample from the entire menu of offerings, but this system also provides for the chance to focus on a particular area of interest.
Along with the freedom to choose we value balancing the more structured, supervised time of the activity periods with time for the boys to make decisions for themselves about how to spend their time. For an hour before lunch and again before dinner a boy may get together with friends and play a game of tag through the woods, pick up a game of tennis or badminton, throw a Frisbee or baseball. It may also be a time when he wants to return to his cabin to read or write letters, continue a board game or just spend time with cabin mates. A half hour of this time, both morning and afternoon, can be spent in the water at play swim if he chooses.
In the evenings, there are several places where counselors are on duty and boys may choose to go. They can take out a canoe or rowboat with a friend, practice skills learned earlier in the day, or watch the sun set from the dock. Every evening there is a large group game on our ball field – the perennial favorite is ultimate Frisbee, but the games can vary to include soccer, kickball, cricket, or sand volleyball. Our badminton courts are always busy in the evenings, as are the tennis courts, basketball court, and the Lodge, where many boys keep their musical instruments and gather to jam together or practice the piano.