Daily Programs + Activities

“I promise to have fun. On the field, on the lake, and in the bunk I will laugh. With energy, humor, and respect I will represent the very best of Mah-Kee-Nac. And with my friends, I hereby swear to make this summer extraordinary.”- MKN Summer Oath

Elective-Based Program:

During the days at Mah-Kee-Nac, campers enjoy our Elective-Based Program. The program is built around age-appropriate options and provides each camper with a unique opportunity to explore his own interests throughout the summer. Campers choose up to 7 activities for a “Green Block” and a “White Block”. Each block runs for three days in a row offering the campers the opportunity to learn, practice, and implement new skills they learn. Periods 5 and 6 each day are a daily elective which encourages positive risk-taking as many campers use this opportunity to try a new activity. Each week, our boys have the opportunity to select their activities for the following week.  They can choose new activities or stay with their existing schedule – or better yet we help them find a healthy balance of both. Under the guidance of our exceptional staff, Mah-Kee-Nac campers can take full advantage of our Elective-Based Program.  It allows boys to both try new things and focus on familiar interests. They gain confidence from exploration and from mastery of skills.  Every child is different and we pride ourselves on being able to support each camper’s individual growth.

Our Junior Campers, going into 5th grade and younger, follow a “guided-choice” schedule. We offer them a hand-picked menu of activities to choose from each period, however, they will have access to all the activities during the day. This allows us to emphasize exposure and create a balance of individual and group activities for our younger campers.

Evening Activities:

After dinner, our campers participate in new and adventurous evening activities throughout the week.  A few nights a week, our camp community comes together for whole camp activities, other nights evening activities are specific to each age group.   These activities allow boys to build friendships with fellow campers of all age groups and contribute to the sense of family that is an important characteristic of Camp Mah-Kee-Nac.  Our unique evening activities and special events are a highlight for our MKN campers.

Healthy Competition at MKN:

The Mah-Kee-Nac athletic program is based on inclusiveness and Healthy Competition. Boys come to Mah-Kee-Nac with three basic ranges of athletic experience. Some boys have little or no experience with certain sports, while others have a moderate level of experience and tend to play in “rec” programs. The third group of athletes at Mah-Kee-Nac is those that are more avid competitors that tend to play on travel teams at home. Our individualized instruction is designed to support the development of all our young athletes. Additionally, with our intracamp, intercamp and tournament games, all Mah-Kee-Nac boys have an opportunity to compete at a level appropriate to their experience and ability.

MKN Activity List:

  • Archery
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Biking
  • Canoeing
  • Campouts
  • Color War
  • Cycling
  • Digital Photography
  • Fencing
  • Fishing
  • Flag Football
  • Founder’s Cup
  • GaGa
  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Kayaking
  • Kneeboarding
  • Lacrosse
  • Model Rocketry Design
  • Music (Guitar, Drums, Keyboard)
  • Nature
  • Olympics
  • Paddle Boarding
  • Radio/Podcasting
  • Rock Climbing
  • Roller Hockey
  • Ropes Course (Low and High)
  • Sailing
  • Soccer
  • Strength Conditioning
  • Stockbridge Series
  • Swim Instruction
  • Tennis
  • Tournaments/Intercamps
  • Trampball
  • Tubing
  • Wakeboarding
  • Water Polo
  • Waterskiing
  • Woodshop
  • Videography
  • Volleyball
  • Zip-Lining

Trip Program

Every other week, we take our boys out of camps on a special, local day trip.  As the boys get older, 6th grade and up, they go on an overnight trip during the second session.  See samples of our trips and itineraries on our Trip Program page.