YMCA Camp Lakewood’s summer overnight camp for boys & girls ages 6-17 of all abilities is located 90 minutes south of St. Louis and provides a well-rounded experience for campers by getting them outdoors having fun, making new friends and learning new skills. With a 360-acre lake, 5,200 wooded acres, caves, creeks and more, there are many opportunities for adventure, exploration and learning.
There’s 7-day traditional main camp program for children ages 8-12 and traditional east camp for children 13-16, with additional electives: high adventure, paintball, advanced arts & crafts, SNAG Golf and horsemanship, as well as one-time bonus activities.
There are 7-day Jr. ranger wilderness introduction program (ages 10-12) and ranger wilderness program with options for rustic engineering, hiking, high adventure and canoeing (ages 13-16), as well as 2-week LIT leadership program (age 16) and 3-week CIT leadership program (age 17).
We also have 4-day sessions including the 6-8 year old mini-camp, 9-10 year old tween camp, 11-12 year old pre-teen camp, and 13-16 year old ranch camp.
Camp Lakewood prides itself on its culturally diverse staff, who bring experiences and insights about their cultures. Campers gain knowledge of the world, all within the safe and trusted environment of the Y. The number one priority of the entire camp staff is safety – it’s in everything we do. When you bring your child to camp, they will be cared for like one of our own. This is a job we take in all seriousness, even when camp pictures show lots of smiling faces of kids and counselors having an amazing time together doing the coolest activities.
While campers are engaged in all of the awesome activities that one expects at camp – sports, horseback riding, arts & crafts, caving, climbing tower, zip line, tennis, volleyball, yoga, swimming, canoeing, snorkeling and much more, they are also learning the ABC’s of camping: Accomplishment, Belonging and Character. Children are encouraged to set, accomplish and even exceed goals they set for themselves, with pride that they accomplished goals that they didn’t think they could. They create close friendships (many for decades) and learn about being respectful and tolerant of others’ thoughts and opinions. Kids wake up each morning with a sense of excitement as to what new things each day at camp will bring. This is why campers – and parents – call Camp Lakewood “My Camp”!
Visit CampLakewood.org or call 888-FUN-YMCA.