Traditions & Programs

At Camp Potomac Woods, we have many wonderful traditions, including:

Camp Names

• You may have noticed that our staff all have funny nicknames. It’s a Girl Scout camp tradition that staff choose a “camp name” for the summer. Staff are expected to call each other by their camp names at all times when around campers. 

• The relationship between counselors and campers is a special one. Calling the counselors by an honorific like ‘Mrs.’ is too formal for the camp setting. However, counselors are advisors/teachers/helpers/caregivers, and calling counselors by their first names is too familiar. Camp names have proven to be a great way to handle the ‘what to call them’ question and have now become a time-honored tradition. It also helps when we have two “Emilys” or five “Amandas” on staff.  

• Staff choose names that remind them of things they like, places they’re from, or sometimes just use a nickname. At camp, you may meet a Moth, a Boston, or a Pumpkin Pie. Campers do not get to use camp names until they have completed their first leadership programs. On the last day of camp, staff may reveal their first names to campers.

Hike to the Pooh Tree

• The Pooh Tree is a naturally hollow living tree on the banks of the Potomac River. Most units will hike to the Pooh Tree during their time at camp.

All-Camp

• Each week campers participate in all-camp, usually on Tuesday night. All-camps can be activities like relay races, a dance party, water games, a counselor hunt, and more.  (Half-week programs do not participate in all-camp.) 

Kapers

• Kapers are camp chores. Unit kapers are chores done in the unit, such as cleaning the biffy or fire circle. All-camp kapers are chores done around camp, such as leading the flag ceremony.

Golden Dustpan

• The golden dustpan is an award given to the cleanest unit at the end of the week. Working towards earning the golden dustpan is a great way to encourage campers to do their kapers well!

Me Time

• Every day after lunch Monday through Friday we have Me Time or Siesta! This is free time for the campers to spend in their units doing quiet activities like friendship bracelet making, reading, coloring, writing letters, playing card games, etc. Mail is also delivered to campers during this time.

Theme Weeks & Days

• Program staff choose our theme weeks (Magic/Fantasy, Star Wars, Disney, Superheroes, Color Wars, etc.) and theme program activities, meals, and days after the theme. Theme days include Tie-Dye Tuesday, Wacky Wednesday, Twin Day, etc.

Cookouts

• Every unit cooks out Wednesday dinner each week. Cookouts are a great time for campers to learn to build a campfire and how to cook their meal over the campfire. Each unit will choose a meal and dessert option from preset menu choices and pick up their cookout food from the kitchen.

“Sleep-In” Breakfast

• Friday breakfast is a packout. Breakfast is picked up at the end of Closing Ceremonies and eaten in the unit on Thursday morning. Since campers and staff don’t have to walk to the dining hall for breakfast, there’s time to sleep in before we begin packing to go home!

Opening Ceremonies

• Each Sunday night, the entire camp gathers to learn about camp safety, rules, and expectations, as well as sing a few songs and get introduced to the staff members. The staff members living in a unit will go up and lead a song for the whole camp, and introduce themselves. Then, units are dismissed to go to bed.

Closing Ceremonies

• Each Thursday night, the entire camp gathers at the singing benches to celebrate the amazing time they have had at camp! Each unit performs a song, dance, or skit. After the performances are complete, the entire camp travels to Ashgrove for a campfire.

Camper Programs

This is a list of all the programs we offer throughout the summer. Campers register in early January for these programs, and when they come to camp they (along with their caregivers) expect to take part in all activities in the description. Our program team uses the program descriptions to make the weekly schedule to ensure campers take part in the advertised activities.

Me and My Pal

• New Campers, Caregiver & Me, 1 Night Experience, Grades Pre-K-3

• Bring your favorite adult to Camp Potomac Woods and see what Sleep-Away Camp is all about! You will experience the best parts of camp, including target sports, arts and crafts, nature exploration, songs, games, and of course, s’mores! Trained camp staff will provide all of the activities and caregivers will provide supervision for their campers.

Animal Adventures (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, Half Week, Grades K-1

• Give camp a try for the first time with your favorite stuffed animal and your new friends. Play games, make a craft, sing songs, try a s'more, and have a dance party!

Teddy Bear Tea (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, Half Week, Grades K-1

• This short week will give you a taste of what camp is all about! Make a Craft, take a nature hike, sing songs, and try a s'more. You'll even get to have a tea party! 

Forest Fairies

• Fairies, Magic, Badgework, Grade 1

• Search for fairies and other creatures in the forest at Camp Potomac Woods! You will make fairy houses, design a set of wings, and learn about protecting the outdoors while you earn the Daisy Eco Learner badge with your new friends. It's sure to be a magical week at camp!

Storybook Adventure

• Stories, Adventure, Grade 1

• Watch as your favorite stories come to life. Explore Potomac Woods with visits to never never land, the Pooh Tree, and more. Discover how a simple story can become an incredible adventure, experiencing new activities each day that will thrill your imagination. 

Expedition Outdoors

• Hiking, Badgework, Campout, Grades 2-3

• Feeling adventurous? Try a little bit of everything in this outdoor expedition! Take a hike, test your aim at target sports, play games, and earn the Brownie Outdoor Adventurer badge. One night, choose with your fellow campers whether to sleep outdoors in hammocks, tents, or under the stars.

The Great Potomac Bake Off

• STEM, Baking, Creativity, Grades 2-3

• Are you ready to become a champion baker? Work towards your Brownie Home Scientist badge as you explore different ingredients and how they react to each other! Try your hand at baking and try science experiments to learn how you can use everyday ingredients to create amazing masterpieces! 

Splish, Splash, Splat!

• Water, Art, Games, Grades 2-3

• Spend extra time in the pool, have a dance party, and play with different kinds of art. Splish Splash and Splat through water games and paint games you'll even work towards your brownie outdoor art creator badge. 

Potomac Players

• Performing Arts Grades 2-3

• Its your time to take center stage! Spend this week Dancing, Making Music, and Playing Drama Games. Use all your amazing talents to create a performance to showcase your unit at the end of the week.  

Curious Critters

• STEM, Environmental Stewardship Grades 2-3

• See what all the buzz is about this week as you work towards your bugs badge. Spend time in the pollinator garden learning about bugs and their habitats; help to plant additional plants building up the garden. You'll make bug-inspired art, go for a hike in the Peace Creek, and explore Potomac Woods.  

Pony Tails

• Horse Riding and Care Grades 2-4

• Your equestrian adventure awaits! Travel each day to a nearby stable where you'll spend two hours learning to ride, groom, and care for horses. Enjoy swimming every afternoon, as well as archery, crafts, and a campfire meal during your week  

Eco-Explorers (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• Nature Discovery, Art, Badgework, Grades 2-3

• Love to discover the world around you? Spend your week learning all about the environment at Camp Potomac Woods as you hike the RiverWalk trail, learn to build a campfire, create art inspired by the outdoors, and earn the Brownie Eco Friend badge.

Brownie Blast (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, Half Week, Grades 2-3

• Explore Potomac Woods with your new friends and see what camp's all about. Spend this short week hiking the trails, playing games, singing songs, and making your own s’more!

Heroes of Olympus

• Target Sports, Grades 4-5

• Are to the next Hero of Olympus? Complete trials like Hercules to prove you have what it takes. Take Aim like Artemis and Apollo by going to the Archery Range and completing an archery challenge, Test your wisdom with Athena through a trivia night, even go for a nature hike and share the love for nature like Pan and the satyrs. 

Water Otters

• Water, paddle sports, adventure, Grades 4-5

• Learn the basics of paddling through your water adventure. Go for a hike next to or in the peace creek and see all that Potomac Woods has to offer. Spend some extra time by the pool with water games, swim time, or learning new water based skills. 

Showstoppers

• Performing Arts, Creativity, Confidence, Grades 4-5

• Take a chance to be center stage or find your groove behind the scenes. Try your hand at dance, drama, music, and more this week as you and the others in your unit work together to create a showstopping performance. 

Stitched Together

• Art, Design, Nature Grades 4-5

• Explore the world of fiber arts this week as you work towards your Junior Art and Design badge! Try your hand at needlework whether knitting, crocheting, or something else; work with different materials to create something unique; learn how craft and nature collide as you learn about creating natural dyes and find inspiration for your next project.  

Voyagers

• Survival, Adventure, Challenge, Grades 4-5

• Try out traditional camping skills like firebuilding and knot tying while working on the Junior Camper badge. You and your fellow campers will take a vote to camp out in tents, hammocks, or under the stars. Go for a hike next to or in the peace creek and complete a camping challenge! 

Horse Lovers

• Horse Riding and Care Grades 5-7

• Your equestrian adventure awaits! Travel each day to a nearby stable where you'll spend 3 hours of your day learning to ride, groom, and care for horses. Enjoy swimming every afternoon, as well as archery, crafts, and a campfire meal during your week  

S’mores & More (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, Half Week, Grades 4-5

• Looking for s’more fun? Try out camp in this mini session where you’ll focus on trying a little bit of everything at camp - songs, games, hiking, target sports, and more!

Project Potomac (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, STEM, Half Week, Grades 4-5

• Explore Camp Potomac Woods and learn about the plants and animals that call this camp home! Go for a hike in the Peace Creek, visit the riverfront for some scientific research, hike to the pooh tree, and explore the pollinator garden. When you aren't exploring the science of camp, you'll get to try target sports, swim at the pool, and make tie-dye! 

Archer & Artist

• Target Sports, Art Grades 6-8

• Ready, Aim, Art! Develop your skills this week in target sports and arts and crafts. Spend time taking aim at archery, slingshots, tomahawks, and knife throwing. Get extra time at arts and crafts, maybe you'll even learn a new craft that you can practice at home. 

Castaways

• Survival, Primitive Camping, Adventure, Grades 6-8

• What would it be like if you were a castaway left with only what you had in your bag? Learn skills like firebuilding, foraging, knot-tying, and shelter building. Try your hand at archery, slingshots, tomahawks or knife throwing. Work with your group to improve your skills and pack your bags wisely as you prepare for the ultimate primitive camping challenge. 

Making Magic

• Creativity, Preforming Arts, Film Grades 6-8

• Fairy Godmother, The Queen of Fairies, and The Tooth Fairy have all had their moments in the spotlight. Now its your time to shine! This week, step into the limelight whether on the silver screen or the camp stage. Let your Creativity sparkle. Explore acting, playwrighting, film, and dance as you work to create a performance worthy of the Fairies.  

Totally Tubular

• River Tubing, Relaxation, Grades 6-11

• This week is all about discovering happiness in nature! Get your adrenaline pumping during a river tubing trip, then relax at camp and take part in some low-key activities. You'll make friendship bracelets, unwind at the pool, try yoga and meditation, and just enjoy camp. 

Rock the River!

• Canoe, Water, Adventure, Grades 6-11

• This week is all about water! Spend extra time at the pool, learn to canoe, and practice your camping skills. Challenge yourself by going on an overnight canoe trip down the Potomac River! 

Chill Out (Sun-Tues, Wed-Fri)

• New Campers, Relaxation, Half Week, Grades 6-11

• Enjoy your time relaxing in the forest at Camp Potomac Woods! Take a break and make friendship bracelets, chill by the pool, nap in a hammock, and hang out with your new friends!

Counselor-in-Training (CIT) I (2-Weeks)

• Leadership Development, Grades 9-11

• Discover what it means to be a camp counselor and develop your leadership skills. Identify and build on the strengths that you already possess and explore leadership styles. Get ready to build connections, make memories, learn and laugh with your fellow CITs, and lead the way for younger Girl Scouts while earning your CIT I pin!

Counselor-in-Training (CIT) II (3-Weeks)

• Leadership Development, Grades 10-11

• Continue building your leadership skills as you move another step closer to working at camp and earn your CIT II pin! Explore your strengths and passions, define your personal ethics, and get to know other future role models. Turn your dreams into reality and spend a week finding your true camping passion in the units or specialty program areas.