Adventure Building Camp

Adventure Building Camp is back!!!!! and the goal is to build something AWESOME!!!!  Kids are given an adventure project/challenge to ponder and then they’ll build a structure/ vehicle/thing and we (the staff) do our best to support making it all happen.

We love scrap! We use repurposed scrap wood and a variety of other materials for building at camp along with the power tools of the wood workshop. (primarily drills, drivers and jigsaws) Cardboard and staplers will also feature heavily in our explorations.

The basic idea is this: build something amazing with a group of new friends and then take it out for a test drive (that's the adventure part!). 

The last day of camp will include a final adventure where we take our creations out on the road!!!!!! depending on the challenge parents will join us or alternatively come for an exposition/celebration/breakdown/cleanup event.

Examples of adventure building projects include: boats, bridges, rafts, forts and wheeled human-powered vehicles.

Summer 2025 Dates:

Ages 6-8:

Monday-Thursday (4 days) July 14-17, 2025 

8:30am-5pm

$350

Ages 9-12:

Monday-Friday June 16-21, 2025

Monday-Friday August 18-22, 2025

8:30am-5pm

$425

*13 year olds may join either age group, (9-12 or 14-17) depending on which group is a better developmental fit for them.

Ages 14-17:

Monday-Friday June 9-13, 2025

8:30am-5pm

$425

* If your job requires you to be at work earlier than camp start time, please contact me at adohrenwend (at) gmail.com, to make arrangements for childcare for an early drop off.

CAMP FEES 50% deposit, 50% due first day of camp via cash or check

• 100% refund of deposit for cancellations 1 month prior to the first day of your scheduled week of camp.

• 50% refund of deposit for cancellations that occur within the month leading up to the first day of camp.

Registration is confirmed via email, where you will receive directions for how to pay your deposit.

What to Bring:

• Bicycle & helmet (bikes can be locked up at camp overnight or taken home each day)

• Backpack for transporting personal items to and from the beach. (A shoulder bag is not an option)

• Swimsuit, towel, wet bag, and beach shoes

• Your own lunch and snacks

• Safety Glasses are given to each kid, but if you have your own to reuse, please label them with your name and bring them.

• Please wear hard-toed shoes in the morning for use in the workshop. Boots or durable tennis shoes are ideal. Sandals are not protective enough.

Location: 131 W Ohio Street, Marquette, MI.

Schedule:

8:30-9:00: Independent Work Time. Students can arrive to camp anytime during this window.

9:00-12noon: Group/Project work

12noon-2:00pm: Lunch & Beach Adventure

2pm-5pm: Group/Project Work

We usually set a rough schedule every morning and adapt it as the day, project focus, and discoveries unfold. We take some kind of midmorning break, a lunch break (around noon,) and a swim each day. Break time is for free play, exploration, quiet time, and time to get recharged.

Food: Campers should bring a sack lunch, a water bottle and snacks with them each day.

Tool Safety: At the beginning of Camp we do a wood workshop overview which includes basic information about our tools, how they work, and how to use them safely. We do some introductory activities so kids can try out all the tools and then we support kids one-on-one throughout the week as they naturally get the repeated practice they need to build confidence in using a tool. Safe tool use requires that specific tools (power cutting tools) are supervised by an adult at all times.

Staff: At least 2 professional adults (those with both a background and qualifications both in working with youth and construction) will be on staff per week. For weeks with younger kids/ and or a maximum attendance we’ll have an additional staff member.