Activities

Creative Arts

Visual Arts

If you love art you are going to love everything about this program. Our Art Studios are so impressive it’s easy to be inspired to create! The Visual Arts department offers a variety of classes and activities in many fine art and creative craft disciplines.

Each art studio is fully equipped with everything you need to complete your project, including mature and accomplished artistic staff to teach and assist you. With a combination of imagination and creative instruction, campers truly grow and develop as artists.

Art activities as majors work towards 2-week completion projects to exhibit on Visiting Day when each studio is transformed into an art gallery.

What we offer

• Painting & Drawing
• Stained Glass
• Paper Mache
• Graffiti Art
• Graphic Design
• Mural Painting
• Tie Die
• Jewelry Making
• Ceramics
• Leather Craft
• Sculpture
• Mask Making
• Puppetry
• Creative Crafts

Performing Arts

Circus

Our circus program fosters passion, creativity, and a high level of skill in its campers, many of whom become recognized as aspiring circus artists. With exceptional staff of professional circus trainers from all over the globe, we deliver innovative training and skills development to campers at all levels of experience and talent.

What we offer

• Acrobatics
• Aerials
• Diabolo
• Flying Trapeze
• Juggling
• Lyra
• Mini Trampoline
• Rolla Bolla
• Silk
• Spanish Web
• Static Trapeze
• Tightwire
• Unicycle

Performing Arts

Rock Music

All bands rehearse in climate-controlled studios that are fully equipped and ready to just plug in and rock out.

Campers have the opportunity to play live in various venues around camp which include half-time at tournament games, evening activities, talent shows, canteen, special events, and Visiting Day. Form a band and experience the concert environment and jam with friends who have the same musical interests and who are at the same skill level. Record your music in our recording studio. Play covers or write and perform original pieces. For campers who just want to learn an instrument or improve and practice their instrument, lessons are available daily.

FACT. French Woods started the original ROCK MUSIC PROGRAM in American summer camps. Maroon 5, and many other famous groups and artists started here. Our program is often imitated but never replicated.

What we offer

• Rockband
• Keyboard
• Voice
• Song Writing
• Guitar
• Bass
• Drums

Athletics

Water Sports

Lake. Experience the rush and excitement of our Watersports Program on the French Woods 80-acre private lake. Qualified lifeguards supervise the instruction, safety, and thrill of getting up on skis or a wakeboard or helping to improve and develop skills. Tubing and banana boating is offered every day providing an adrenaline rush and lots of laughs. Our ski boats are fully equipped to handle all levels of skiers/boarders and of course any world champion banana boat rider.

Pool. Our heated pool is used for swim instruction, competitive swimming, open swim, pool games, water aerobics, pool parties, and afternoon BBQs. It’s a great place to keep fit by swimming, be active by just having fun in the water, or to relax in an Adirondack chair and chill with your friends.

What we offer

• Lake
• Heated Pool
• Kneeboarding
• Fly Fishing
• Tubing
• Banana Boat
• Waterskiing
• Kayaking
• Wakeboarding

Creative Arts

Communications

Video tops our Communications Program as the most popular activity. Learn the process of music video production, film making, editing, and special effects, or television/radio commercial production. Become a radio DJ personality, create original beats in the digital music production studio, or create a mix in the recording studio as an aspiring club DJ.

FWC Radio Station transmits both in camp and to home via the internet. Each session we publish a camp magazine which is a group effort of many classes combined. Music videos, daily shows, and ongoing projects are presented every day at meals to the whole camp.

What we offer

• Film Making
• Writing
• Animation
• Music Video
• Radio
• Digital Music Production
• Creative Writing
• Graphic Design
• Green Screen
• News Casting
• Claymation
• Recording Studio
• DJ

Athletics

Equestrian

The French Woods Equestrian Center includes 15 horses, a large barn, tack and feed buildings, an impressive outdoor arena, a variety of jumps, and hundreds of acres of trails.

We designed a well-rounded Equestrian Program in an environment in which horse lovers can experience various riding disciplines. Skilled staff work with campers at all levels from beginners who have never been on a horse before through to advanced riders capable of trail riding, jumping, and dressage. No matter your ability our staff will tailor your lessons and trail rides to suit.

For the horse enthusiast who wants maximum time at the barn, there are also activities to help care for the horses. You can help assist with grooming, tacking, watering, feeding, cleaning up, first aid, and mucking out.

Horseback Riding and instruction are included in our camp tuition.

French Woods is a proud Professional Member of the United States Pony Club.

What we offer

• Trail Riding
• Horse Care
• Barn Management
• Western
• English
• Dressage
• Jumping

Athletics

Challenge Course

If you love action and adventure you are going to love our Challenge Course. This thrill-seeking course will take you through zip lines, climbing walls, and high ropes course elements. This exciting aerial experience has been expertly designed and built to challenge all campers no matter what your level. ADVENTURE AWAITS!

What we offer

• Zip lines
• Climbing Walls
• High Ropes Course

Creative Arts

Technology

The Technology Program provides an opportunity for campers to explore the world of computers, technology, gaming, and ESports.

Campers work on 2-week incremental projects that can include app development, coding, game design, programming, and more. Technology at camp reaches way beyond the computer screen – build a robot controlled by an iPhone, bring your creative designs to life with 3D printers, or create a world in Minecraft animation. Our Technology Program is unique in that it offers everything a Tech-Only camp would offer, but we also have hundreds of other activity options to enjoy as well.

What we offer

• 3D Design & Printing
• Programming
• Coding
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Model Building
• Robotics
• App Development
• Web Technologies & Web Design
• Game Design
• Esports

Athletics

Extreme Sports

The French Woods Skate Park hosts skateboarders, bladers, BMX riders, ripstickers, and even freestyle unicyclers. The skate park includes ramps, half-pipes, quarter pipes, and grind rails.

We also offer mountain biking, mountain boarding, and BMX. No matter what your riding level is our staff will help you to improve your extreme sports skills.

Safety is top priority in this program. All campers must wear kneepads, elbow pads, a helmet, and in some cases gloves.

What we offer

• Skateboard
• BMX
• Mountain Biking
• Mountain Boarding
• Skatepark

Creative Arts

Role Playing Games

Role Playing Games (RPG) are where each participant assumes the role of a character, generally, in a fantasy or science fiction setting, that can interact within the game’s imaginary world. Create your character and let the campaign begin. Several forms of RPG are played including tabletop RPG, ‘live-action role-playing’ also known as LARP, and online RPG programs. Take part in epic live-action battles, play D&D, Magic the Gathering, Pathfinder, Betrayal at House on the Hill, Settlers of Catan, and other well-known games. Create your own characters, build your own world, and much more. We also have Magic Cards and Wargames.

What we offer

• Card Games
• Magic Cards
• Live-Action Role Play (LARP)
• Dungeons & Dragons
• Video Games

Performing Arts

Theater

Our talented theater staff is passionate about performing arts and create a safe supportive environment for campers to express themselves. They will coach you and work with you each day to make you a star!

A variety of classes are offered and in each 2-week session, we produce either a musical, a play, a variety show, or a musical showcase. Everyone who auditions get a part. Campers who prefer to stay behind the scenes can learn set and costume design or technical theater which includes sound and lighting.

Campers have several opportunities to perform during their session(s) at camp leading up to the main performance on Visiting Day for family and friends. Our 500 seat theater is completely wired with professional lighting and sound systems.

What we offer

• Musicals and Plays
• Theatre Games
• Acting
• Stage Combat
• Improv
• Mime
• Acapella & Voice
• Technical Theatre

Performing Arts

Magic

Classes are offered for all levels of magicians by our in-house master magician/wizard. There is a concentration on Close up and Parlor magic including card tricks, coin tricks, illusions, and character development.

In our ‘drop-in’ trick of the day class, you can learn a new trick each day, purchase it if desired, take it home, perform the trick and become a star with your family and friends. Camper magicians get to perform frequently at camp along with all other performance based programs.

What we offer

• Card Tricks
• Coin Magic
• Parlor
• Stage Illusions
• Escapes
• Mind Reading

Performing Arts

Dance

Classes are available for beginners through advanced dancers in Hip Hop, Tap, Jazz, Ballet, and Contemporary. French Woods Sports and Arts Center has 3 professional dance studios.

With teachers trained in many styles of dance, choreography, and technique, we can guarantee that campers involved in this program will go home much more educated dancers and with an appreciation for new technique. It’s fun for beginners and with enough challenge for the advanced.

Many chances to perform are available so bring your dancing shoes!

What we offer

• Hip Hop
• Ballet
• Jazz
• Contemporary
• Tap

Athletics

Fitness

French Woods Sports and Arts Center encourages a healthy active lifestyle and provides the facilities, equipment, and staff to make this happen!

Our Fitness Program consists of three separate zones: Weight Room, Stretching-Yoga-Zumba Studio, and a state of the art Cross Training Gym.

Program equipment features the latest strength training machines, treadmills, ellipticals, interactive bicycles, a full range of free weights, an octagonal cross-training fitness rig, and a range of strength, training, and aerobic tools. A certified Professional Trainer will support and guide you through a customized workout program.

What we offer

• Weight Training
• Zumba
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Flexibility
• Running Club