Brantwood Camp
In these glorious hills and woods in friendly comradeship…
Camp News
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Upcoming Events
Registration Opens!
Online, February 1, 2025 …Details
Kick Off Registration Event!
In Person Event in Roselle Park, NJ with Inspired Horizons Collective 3pm-5pm …Details
Staff Paperwork Due!
May 1, 2025 …Details
Spring Work Weekend
Brantwood Camp, May 3-4, 2025 …Details
Open House!
Brantwood Camp, May 31, 2025 …Details
Registration Paperwork Due!
June 1, 2025 …Details
Alumni Weekend!
Brantwood Camp, August 23-24, 2025 …Details
Our Mission & Vision
The mission of Brantwood camp is “to provide a fun, positive camping experience for boys and girls–from a variety of backgrounds–who would not otherwise have had the opportunity or been able to afford such an experience.” We believe in the impact that camp can have on a young person’s development and the integral ways that our program can help develop character and empower our campers and staff and because of that we believe that all families should have access to this invaluable experience.
For the past 120 summers Brantwood has served thousands of campers and families in numerous communities and states. Our goal is to remove the financial burden and barriers that restrict children from having the opportunity to attend camp. Our mission is rooted in the principles of equity and our impact stretches far beyond the summer season, campers take the lessons learned in our program and apply them to their lives for years to come.
Our Day
There are several options for each period during the day. Each cabin is on their own rotating period schedule, with each period consisting of either: a friendly competition between cabins in some form of athletics, swimming (each cabin swims daily in the pool), nature activities, arts & crafts, team building activities, small camp maintenance or clean up projects, etc. Though each cabin has their own rotating daily schedule, there are some periods that are camp wide including Chapel, meals, rest hour, free time, and campfire.
Rising Bells, Morning Exercises, Breakfast, Inspection, Chapel, First Period, Second Period, Third Period, Lunch, Rest Hour, Fourth Period, Fifth Period, Sixth Period, Dinner, Free Time, Campfire, Bed.
Overview
Brantwood Camp offers a two week program to Campers 10-15 on site in Peterborough, NH. We have two camps-Girls and Boys Camps. Our Program is a traditional summer camp experience filled with athletics, nature experiences including hikes, outdoor camping, waterfront activities, swimming at our pools, and some arts & crafts. Campers engage in a friendly competition between Cabins to gain points based on Inspections (cabin cleanliness, general respect for Camp areas, etc), Spirit, and Athletics. Our culture is centered around the Five Ideals: Good Sportsmanship, Honesty, Loyalty, Unselfishness, and Cooperation.
Our Ideals
Honesty
Good Sportsmanship
Loyalty
Cooperation
Unselfishness
Activities
Athletics
Aquatics
Team Building
Hikes
Silver Lake
Day Trips
Special Programming
Our Facilities
The Boys’ Campus has a total of 7 of these unique A-frame style cabins including Monadnock, Naumkeag, Skatutakee, Pentucket, Amoskeag, Belknap, and Kearsarge. Each cabin houses 2 staff members and a maximum of 9 campers. The cabins are equipped with bunkbeds and cots, both have mattresses, and each camper has a drawer and cubby to store their belongings for the session. Brantwood for Boys has 2 large Waysides (bathroom buildings) for the campers to use. Each Wayside is a modern building with hot running water, private shower areas, sinks and flushing toilets.
There are 6 identical camper cabins nestled into the forest at the girls’ camp including Sunapee, Minnewaska, Nubanusit, Saskatchewan, Merrimack, and Piscataquog. Each cabin houses 2 staff members and a maximum of 11 campers. Each cabin has a screened door and windows for comfortable summer ventilation. Campers are provided storage areas for their belongings. Brantwood for Girls has 2 large Waysides (bathroom buildings) for the campers to use. Each Wayside is a modern building with hot running water, private shower areas, sinks and flushing toilets.
There are two Infirmaries, or health facilities, one at the Boys’ campus and one at the Girls’ campus. The building is fully stocked with medical supplies and is where all prescription and over the counter medications are kept under lock. There are beds for campers who are not feeling well, and any camper in the Health Facility is supervised and monitored by the Camp Nurse, either an LPN or RN. Each campus (boys and girls) has a nurse in residence for the duration of the session.
Brantwood has an extensive high and low element ropes course. It includes a Zip Line, Catwalk (High Log), Incline Log, and Two Line Bridge for high elements, and has 6 low elements including a Whale Watch, Tension Traverse, Mohawk Walk, and Bosun’s Chairs. Each year, prior to the summer, the ropes course is inspected and select Brantwood Camp staff undergo a training and refresher in proper set up and use of each element by professional trainers who are hired to come to Brantwood and provide this extensive on-site training.
The Commons is equipped with custom crafted tables, benches and chairs and comfortably holds about 100 people. The room is also equipped with a working fireplace. All staff and campers gather together in the Commons for 3 meals each day.
Additional buildings on camp include a variety of Staff housing, which includes single family homes for leadership staff and communal housing for Counselors. There are also pools on each campus, and a basketball court on each campus. On the Girls’ Camp, the basketball court is a covered pavilion and on the Boys’ Camp there is an indoor court in the Winslow Building. There are also additional activities buildings on both camps including Hilton House (Girls’ Camp), the Murphy Building (Boys’ Camp), Nature Shacks (one for each), intramural fields (multiple on each camp), and pools on each campus.
Athletics
Friendly competition between cabins or as a full camp game gives campers the opportunity to practice the Five Ideals and to earn points towards the B Jerseys through Spirit & Athletics. Cabins can earn points through winning competitions, or by practicing good sportsmanship through positive attitudes and cheer. Athletics include traditional sports such as soccer, kickball, basketball, etc and extend to non traditional “camp” games such as gaga ball or other creative games!
Aquatics
Campers get to swim every day (weather permitting!) in either our pools or our waterfront at Silver Lake. We welcome swimmers of all levels at Brantwood, and have many who learn for the first time at camp with us. Campers are given a swim test their first day in the pool, and are then given swim lessons throughout the term. We also occasionally host free swim times, especially on the hotter days. Access opportunities for urban youth to close the gap.
Team Building
One of the most impactful aspects of Brantwood Camp is its focus on growing and encouraging campers to step into and practice leadership skills. Campers of all walks of life come together in one cabin, which can lead to some challenges! Many campers experience overnight residential camp and the autonomy that comes with that for the first time at Brantwood, which gives us a unique opportunity to grow their leadership skills through team building and conflict resolution games and exercises. These are skills that will be important and impactful through adulthood!
Hikes
Brantwood Camp is conveniently located with access to Pack Monadnock, giving a great opportunity for campers to hike! Campers hike North Pack (a shorter beginner level hike) at least once a term. The older or LIT (Leaders in Training) campers have the chance to do some higher skill level hikes such as Mount Monandock or do small group sunrise hikes! These hikes are some of our campers first experience of this type, and it can have an empowering effect on campers when they complete the challenge!
Silver Lake
Brantwood Camp has over 300 acres on its main site, and is also lucky enough to have waterfront property on Silver Lake in Nelson, NH as well! Each term, campers will go as either sets of Junior Cabins or Senior Cabins to spend at least one overnight at the lake, cooking over a fire and sleeping in tents under the stars! Campers get to swim on the waterfront, as well as kayak and canoe out on the water. The view is also one that can’t be beat-except by maybe our mountain view at the Boys’ Camp!
Day Trips
Brantwood Campers get to take one or two day trips during their term. Trips to Squam Lake Science Center and most regularly to the Friendly Farm Petting Zoo are usual spots for our campers to do a day trip, though we have taken opportunities to visit other local spots that help us connect with our local community or expand on our mission.
Special Programming
During the summer, our incredible Leadership team is known to host special program days or events throughout the summer. These do not usually repeat over terms, but instead are unique to each session. Themed days including Olympics, Fourth of July Celebrations, Medieval Days, etc have been hosted in the past and some are repeated year over year. This gives our Staff opportunities to be creative and develop programs to share with campers outside of our regular routine and sometimes even brings both camps together to celebrate and play!
Awards & Challenges
B Jerseys
The spirit of teamwork and friendly competition is encouraged everyday at Brantwood Camp through athletics, problem solving, outdoor challenges, and activities. Earning your B-Jersey is the goal. Campers work together to earn points toward the final banquet Prize Night, where ribbons are presented for the most points in Athletics, Inspections, and Spirit. The evening’s highlight is the awarding of Brantwood B-Jerseys to the campers who earn the highest number of points in all areas of camp combined. One cabin from each the Junior and Senior sides of camp win the B’s each term! An emphasis on cheerfulness and good sportsmanship encourages campers to be supportive of their peers in daily activities.
Both Camps
Challenges
Campers who complete their outdoor challenges earn one of several special Brantwood hats. There are several levels of challenges, each with more complex or harder to master skills based around general knowledge of history, and nature & survival/outdoor skills. Campers who come back year after year can continue to earn new levels and master more skills each summer!
Both Camps
Brantwood Cups
The Cook-Hall-Peirce Cup
“As the best new camper of the summer _______ is awarded the Cook Hall Peirce Cup.”
Both Camps
The Barton-Clabough-Door Cup
“As the most outstanding shack councilor of the summer _________ is awarded the Barton-Clabough-Door Cup.”
Boys Specific
The John Elliot Seager Cup
“As the most outstanding shack councilor of the summer _________ is awarded John Elliot Seager Cup.”
Girls Specific
The Delia-Leroy Improvement Cup
“For having made the most improvements in all phases of camp life ___________ is awarded the Delia-Leroy Cup.”
Boys Specific
The Kean-Monroe Cup
“For being the boy/girl preferably in his/her last year who has shown that he/she has best profited from his/her association with Brantwood Camp by exhibiting conspicuous qualities of cheerful enthusiasm, unselfishness, and helpfulness to others _____________ is awarded the Kean-Monroe Cup.”
Both Camps
The DiCicco Improvement Cup
“For having made the most improvements in all phases of camp life ___________ is awarded the Improvement Cup.”
Girls Specific
The Brantwood Cup Jr.
“For having grasped the spirit of the camp and having gained the confidence of the permanent council, through outstanding qualities of leadership and loyalty _________ is awarded the Brantwood Cup Jr.”
Both Camps
The Clark-Marshall-Topka
Sportsman Athlete Cup
“As the girl/boy who over the course of the summer has exhibited excellent athletic talent in combination with the highest level of sportsmanship in the true Brantwood spirit ___________ is awarded the Clark-Marshal-Topka Sportsman Athlete Cup.”
Both Camps
The Brantwood Cup Sr.
“For having grasped the spirit of the camp and having gained the confidence of the permanent council, through outstanding qualities of leadership and loyalty _________ is awarded the Brantwood Cup Sr.”
Both Camps
What Our Campers and Parents Say
Brantwood holds a special place in my heart. All the boys in my family went, including my father. I have fond memories of being there as a camper and counselor in the 80's.
Alumni
I went to brantwood last year and loved it! First time being away from family and it was hard but the counselors were amazing at comfort. I got in the car and said can I go back next year? It’s like being in a big happy family. Can’t wait to go tomorrow!
Current Camper
I love this camp everyone is so nice. I’ve been going for three years and this is my fourth year leaving in a month. Can’t wait to go back and see all my friends from different city’s, long life friends. The staff, kids, activities, food, everything is great. The nurse is so kind love her. Overall, it’s an amazing camp❤️❤️