Camp Wind-in-the-Pines

Day Camp for youth 6 to 13 years

Camp Wind-in-the-Pines is a summer day camp for school-aged children located on Stiles Reservoir in Leicester. Each session is packed with themed activities, games, and projects, as well as traditional camp activities.

For the convenience of working parents, camp hours are 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The camp has an ample amount of sandy beach and lake front property with a boathouse and dock, several recreation halls, a ball field and nature trails. The bath house is equipped with private rest rooms, showers and changing areas for campers.

Campers are divided into specific age groups and are instructed in areas that are developmentally appropriate. Each session is packed with themed activities, games, and projects, as well as traditional camp activities. Every session includes swim lessons, recreational swim, boating (8 years and older), arts and crafts, games, sports and literacy.

All camp counselors are trained and certified in CPR and First Aid, and meet the departments of Early Education and Care and Public Health requirements.

Camp Wind-in-the-Pines is licensed through the Town of Leicester Board of Health and complies with all regulations established by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

2023 Camp Sessions:

Nature Session 1: June 19-23 (closed June 19 for Juneteenth) Do you love animals, plants, and all things nature? Camp Wind-in-the-Pines is the perfect spot to explore the great outdoors! You’ll participate in a nature scavenger hunt, make leaf rubbing art using foil or charcoal, create a seed germinator, dissect bean seeds, build a green bean teepee and more!
SOLD OUT Garden Session 2: June 26- June 30 Learn what all the buzz is about. Learn about all about pollinators with the Ecotarium, get scientific with a pollination experiment, plant your own herbs to take home, explore the world of earthwards and get excited about butterfly snack bags!
America’s Birthday Session 3: July 3-7 (closed July 4 for Independence Day) Join us for a week-long celebration of America’s Birthday! Celebrate with firework painting, make patriotic pretzels, film canister rockets, and write letters to soldiers. Special appearance by Fran the Magician Extraordinaire. It’s a party in the USA!
SOLD OUT Be an Entrepreneur! Session 4: July 10-14 Innovate this summer! Brainstorm a business idea for a product or service and pitch your idea to your peers! Use creative thinking to come up with ways to invest and create wacky inventions! Celebrate by dancing it out with DJ Dee and drumming with Crocodile River Music.
SOLD OUT Global Art Session 5: July 17-21 It’s time to let your creativity run wild. Create polka dot art, inspired by Yayoi Kusama, and African inspired art facilitated by local artist and teacher Mary Shepherd. Learn how to do glue batiking on a reusable canvas bag, make a Japanese Koinobori carp kite, and beading with Crocodile River Music.
SOLD OUT It’s for the Birds Session 6: July 24-28 Take flight for some feather fluttering fun! Build and paint a bird house, learn all about feathers in the feather lab, and enjoy a presentation by Wingmaster with live birds of prey. End the week with a family cookout with entertainment by DJ Dee at camp!
SOLD OUT STEM Session 7: July 31-August 4 Do you think you can build a car powered by nothing but air? Engineer a catapult to launch a paper airplane? Design a paper helicopter that stays in the air the longest? During this camp session you’ll get to use your engineering design skills to explore STEM concepts such as energy, speed, physics and more. Other fun projects this week – sun prints and fizzy lemonade.
SOLD OUT Survivor Week Session 8: August 7-11 Combine smarts with physical ability and beat the camp challenges! We dare you to come up with creative solutions, and practice skills that build teamwork and promote fair play. Win a pizza party! Crocodile River Music joins dance lessons.
SOLD OUT Minute to Win It Session 9: August 14-18 Get ready for some heart-pounding fun. Using everyday objects such as toilet paper, cookies, dice, and a shower curtain, you’ll perform various challenges while trying to beat the clock. Win and you’ll advance to the next level. Games requires quick thinking and problem solving skills.
SOLD OUT The Best of Camp! Session 10: August 21-25 Enjoy the last few days of summer with traditional camp crafts and activities. Make an edible campfire, weave a colorful yarn craft that represents Ojo de Dios or God’s Eye, and tie-dye your own shirt or pillowcase. You’ll top the week off with a friendly game of kickball between campers and staff!

Camp Registration:

All summer camp registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please read the registration form carefully. A $30 non-refundable deposit per child per session is required unless paid in full. Balances must be paid in full and all required forms must be received by June 1, 2023.

Register and pay online: Click here

Register and pay by mail, please print and fill out registration packet: Click here

Mail completed registration form with payment to:

YWCA Central Massachusetts,
1 Salem Square, Worcester, MA 01608
Fax it: 508-754-0496

A confirmation packet with additional camp information and forms will be sent once your child’s registration is processed. To receive your confirmation packet via email, please be sure to print your email address on the registration form in the indicated area.

Scholarships:

The YWCA provides partial scholarship assistance through its summer camp scholarship program to prospective campers with financial need. The availability of scholarship funds is limited. If you meet the following qualifications you may be eligible:

You work at least 30 hours a week
You are a student and attend class at least five hours a day
Or you are medically incapable of caring for your child.

Click here for more information and a Camp Scholarship Application.

Transportation:

Parents may drop off and pick up their child at Camp Wind-in-the-Pines, 89 Parker Street, Leicester, or register for bus transportation from the YWCA, 1 Salem Square, Worcester location for an additional fee.

Camp Wind-in-the-Pines