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/Siesta

• 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!

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.

Tajar Trackers

• Investigation, Science, Tajar, Grades 2-3

• Grab your notebook and pen as you learn more about the Tajar. Take a hike to look for clues, learn about camp's history and traditions, and work with a team to build the ultimate Tajar Trap. Will you and your team be able to track down the Tajar?

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!

Diggin' It

• STEM, Nature, Dirt, Grades 2-3

• Its time to get a little dirty as we dig up all that camp has to offer. Explore the layers of camp learning more about rocks, dig up some dinosaurs and learn what fossils can teach us about the world around us, our own teeth, and how to care for both! You'll even get to go for a hike next to or in the peace creek.

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.

Blox and Bops

• Coding, Music, Creativity, Grades 2-3

• Learn some of the basics of coding and work to design a game. Keep the patterns going as you make music, playing with rhythms and more. How do coding and music connect and how can blox and bops come together for the perfect creation?

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!

Bullseye!

• Target Sports, Grades 4-5

• Enjoy extra target sports time as you improve your technique at both archery and slingshots. At the end of the week, you'll put your skills to the ultimate test by taking part in a target sport competition!

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.

Thanks, I made it Myself

• Art, Jewelry, Fashion, Grades 4-5

• Work towards your Junior Jewler Badge as you try your hand at making all sorts of wearable art! Try a trashbag fashion show, make your own necklace, and learn about many new unique ways to make something you can wear!

Blast Off!

• STEM, Space, Exploration, Grades 4-5

• Have you ever dreamed of being an astronaut, rocket scientist, or just love learning about the world around you? Try your hand at designing the best rocket, stay up late to watch the stars, and spend time doing epic experiments.

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!

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!

Axes & Arrows

• Target Sports, Grades 6-8

• How's your aim? Explore the world of target sports and try throwing tomahawks, knives, and slingshots. You'll also earn the Cadette Archery badge as you improve your aiming skills. At the end of the week, you'll put your skills to the ultimate test by taking part in a target sport competition!

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.

I can Totally Make that

• Creativity, STEM, Art, Grades 6-8

• Whether its Woodworking, Fashion Design, or Engineering you are capable of some pretty amazing things. Build, Design, Craft and more as you try new skills and improve old ones. Take a look through a magazine or bring your favorite idea from Pinterest and create (or recreate) a masterpiece.

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.