Your one-stop-shop for all of the August Camp fun! You may not physically be at camp this summer, but we’ve curated content to give you a small taste of the bubble at home. This page will stay live all summer long, so check back in whenever you get camp-sick!

Want more? Check out the Junior, June, and Main Camp Connections!

Breakfast Club Videos

• Week 1: If you’ve never experienced one before you are in for a treat. Breakfast Club happens every morning in the Dining Hall after breakfast (makes sense, right?). We get on our feet and sing the song before Jimboy gives a quick pep talk on one of the elements of the 4 Fold Way (growing spiritually, socially, mentally, and physically!), and tells a joke! Spoiler alert: the jokes are always a little cheesy, but it’s fun to laugh anyway.
• Week 2: Who thinks he’ll be able to get through the joke without laughing? Not us!

Morning Assembly Videos:

• Week 1: After breakfast at camp, we head down to the Pavilion and start our day with dancing to fast songs, singing praise and worship, and listening to a quick devotion from our camp minister. It’s the perfect way to have fun and center our day on what matters before we go off for a morning of classes. We may not be in the Pavilion together, but we still have a Morning Assembly just for you, led by some of our counselors and older campers! Who’s going to join us?
• Week 2: Come learn a few more of our favorite fast and slow songs, and hear a devotion from a counselor you will love.

Camp Classes:

• Cooking: We have a special treat for you August Campers, a step by step guide from our Kitchen Director, Gervais, himself on making our famous, homemade bread! We’ve never done this before, but you won’t believe how simple it is. So get out the flour and start kneading with us, and make sure to eat the finished product with honey like a true Greystone Girl. There’s nothing better than warm bread right out of the oven… that you made yourself!
• Farm and Garden Come along with two of Jimboy’s daughters as they introduce you to the pigs, chickens, and other personalities in this camper-favorite class. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll learn (and how cute the pigs are)!
• Crafts: Two of our favorite counselors, Madison and Mary Ellen!, will be teaching you how to make woven baskets for storing all of your camp treasures. No crazy artistic skills required - anyone can make these!
• Card Games: We’re teaching you a game you can play all by yourself this year. Perfect for Rest Hour, or just all this time in quarantine!

Links and Activities:

• Connection Bucket List: Print it out and check off to make the most of these next two weeks (or whenever you want to hang out with us here!). We’re missing you, Greystone Girls, but this is the next best thing!
• Family Olympics EP: We are breaking it down and making it easy on you - all you have to do is show up and be ready to play (with a few supplies you already have on hand). Play with your own family, or cue up a camp friend on Zoom to challenge her. Play tonight, or make a date for a weekend soon. Who knows? You may find out your brother is an expert at marshmallow catapult! Extra points if you send us pictures of the best family game night EVER. Have fun!
• Storytime with Laura: We call her our “camp mom” in the summer, because she makes sure you are taken care of every minute of your time at camp. She’s famous for her sporty skorts and always having a pencil ready in her hair, but today we’re getting a little more comfortable. She’s reading you one of her favorite books, Fanny McFancy, with a lesson we could all use!
• Backwards Day: Breakfast for dinner? Dinner for breakfast? Backwards clothes? The way you can interpret it is up to you, so feel free to get creative. Make sure to send pictures of you celebrating to Cat. After all, this year has felt backwards in a lot of ways, but one thing that feels right is all of us having fun together, no matter how far apart we are!
• Challenge Day: Aka one of our favorite days of the session, where our two teams compete to earn points (check out yesterday’s fun fact for more information about our teams!).
• Stumblers: It’s an optional “club” started by Jimboy’s dad, where we meet on Sunday morning to run or walk 15 laps on the track. One of the best parts? If you complete it, you get a special Stumblers t-shirt! We may not be able to give out t-shirts from afar, but we’re still challenging you to do Stumblers at home today with your family! We’re giving you all our best tips and tricks to bring that camp feeling home with you. Who’s in?
• Vespers: At Vespers we wear our Whites and have a quieter night, where we reflect on the beauty of God’s light and what that means for us. It’s one of our campers’ favorite Evening Programs every year. It won’t be quite the same, but we’re giving you everything you need to have your own Vespers. So gather your family, grab a candle, and read these verses with us. Greystone Girls all over the country are doing it today too!
• Goose Chase Scavenger Hunt: We’ve got tons of fun tasks for you on there to earn points and show off your skills, everything from dressing like your favorite camp director, to doing a LipSync with your family, to describing yourself in a street sign. If you’re up for the challenge, simply download the goose chase app, search for “August Camp Scavenger Hunt, and then click on the team “August Camper” to join. The password is “AugustCamper,” and then you’ll be all set to complete the challenges. Having trouble? Shoot an email. On your marks… get set…. Go!
• Overnight and Stargazing: We’ve got activity and food ideas, whether you want to have a “camp-out,” or a “camp-in.” Fingers crossed for perfect weather - it’s going to be a fun night!
• Banquet Day: If we were at camp, today would be full of anticipation of the themed play the counselors put on (the BIGGEST secret of the session), entering our transformed Dining Hall (that becomes our Banquet Hall), and celebrating the session we just finished with awards and songs and a final farewell. Today we’re throwing a Christmas themed party for our Camp Connection Banquet! We’ve got playlists, movie recommendations, activities, recipes, and even a nametag printable to make it feel just like camp. Want to end the night on a sentimental note? End the night with a goodnight song from our counselors!

Blogs

• Jimboy’s Opening Day Blog: Your favorite camp director is here to welcome you to camp. It’s worth reading just to get the link to our famous scone recipe! Whip up a batch at home today for it to really feel like Opening Day.
• Bread Pudding Recipe: It sounds a little weird, but hear us out: blueberries, white chocolate, crusty bread, and lots of creamy goodness. Are you in? At camp, whenever we say “save your plates for dessert,” you know it’s going to be a good one, and most of the time, everyone is secretly hoping bread pudding is in their future! So why not make it at home today, and see what all the fuss is about!
• Advice for Your School Year from Laura: Since you couldn’t be at camp right now to get that pep talk, Laura is on the blog with her best advice for starting the year off right.

Camp Fun Facts:

• Day 1: Camp Fun Fact of the day:** Did you know that we have the same (delicious!) food every Opening Day? Everyone knows about our famous scones that you can pick up on the Dining Hall porch, but there is nothing better than finishing the day with a spaghetti dinner. After an exciting (and exhausting!) day, this classic has never tasted so good. Why not take that inspiration and make your family’s favorite spaghetti recipe tonight?
• Day 2: We know that one of the things you think about the most when you’re anticipating camp is the activities you are going to take, and for good reason. Greystone offers more than 50 classes, so there is something for everyone! Your schedule is going to be as unique as you are. Want a project for today? There’s no better time to start brainstorming and dreaming up the classes you want to take! Not all classes will be offered at all sessions, but this list will give you a good idea of what to expect. You’ll pick out your exact classes and make your schedule with your counselor on Opening Day, but now is the perfect time to brainstorm and research what you want to experience at camp. From Glass Beads to High Ropes to Flag Football to Archery to Cooking to Farm and Garden, the hardest part is narrowing it down to just 7!
• Day 3: One of the best parts of your time at camp is going to be your counselor! She’ll live in the cabin with you, have dance parties, tuck you in at night with a devotion, and take care of you every step of the way. She’s the best combination of a big sister, best friend, and mom all rolled into one! Our counselors come from all over the country just because they want to meet YOU. Some of them were campers themselves, and some have been dreaming about working at a summer camp their whole lives. Your counselor will also teach an activity during the day. It’s always fun to take your counselor’s class if you can fit it into your schedule! Our hiring process makes sure that our counselors are the best in the world. Check out our staff profiles to meet some of the counselors that were supposed to be here in 2020 - if we get lucky, you might see some of them next year!
• Day 4: One of the things you probably think about the most before you come for your first year is your cabin, where you’re going to sleep and make your home for the next few weeks. Today we’re giving you on the lowdown on our cabins - spoiler alert, they are so cozy! We have 3 kinds of cabins: Tentalows, Bungalows, and Cabins. The youngest girls stay in our 12 Tentalows, the middle-aged girls stay in our 6 Bungalows, and the oldest girls stay in our 12 cabins. Most buildings have an upper and a lower, so you could be in Lower Tentalow Six, or Upper Bungalow 4. No matter what cabin you’re in, you’ll stay in one of our cozy custom made bunks, with shelves and a huge drawer with room for all your clothes. You’ll have a toilet and shower right in your cabin for easy access, and a porch that’s perfect for hanging out with your new friends. Explore our cabins with pictures here!
• Day 5: Did you know that when you come to camp, you’re automatically placed on a team based on where you are living. You’ll be an Odd (green team!) if you’re in an odd numbered cabin, and an Even (gold team!) if you’re in an even numbered cabin - pretty simple! These teams go all the way back to the first year of camp, and you will be able to earn points for your team throughout the session. One of the biggest team competitions is Challenge Day, where we compete all day in our classes to see which team will come out on top. It’s always fun, and never mean spirited, we promise! Did you know that over the years, the difference in the points earned between the teams is less than .1%? The odds are winning by a very slim 270,129 to 269,848, but we’ll have to wait until next year to see if the Evens can come back!
• Day 6: How much do you know about one of our favorite parts of the day, Candy Shoppe? (yes, shoppe is spelled weird - that’s what happens when you’re a 100 year old camp!) Most nights after dinner, we open Candy Shoppe, which is exactly what it sounds like - a place where you can pick up a piece of candy! Candy Shoppe is located underneath the Pavilion (where we have most of our Morning Assemblies and Evening Programs), and don’t let the “shoppe” part fool you, it’s free. But the best part about Candy Shoppe? What happens after you get your candy! Everywhere you look girls are spread around talking in small groups, cartwheeling, and rolling down the hill as the sun sets. It’s magic - and the candy just paves the way for the joy that happens!
• Day 7: In any community you have some terminology that is unique to the place, and camp is no exception, so today we’re introducing you to some of the lingo that will give you a head start when you come to camp next year. One you’ll hear a lot is DMCs - deep and meaningful conversations, the result of being away from your phones and with people you love! EPs are our Evening Programs, the fun events that we end each day with. Silent Celebrating is our way of cheering for something when we don’t want to scream. You put your hands up and wiggle your fingers - that’s Silent Celebrating! OCP is a camper favorite dessert - Oreo Cream Pie. The Bubble is what we call camp, because it’s a safe bubble away from the world! Want to know even more? Our Greystone Dictionary breaks it all down, but most of all, just know that you’ll pick all of this up super quickly once you get to camp. No need to feel like you need to memorize it all!
• Day 8: Today we want to introduce you to one of the most wonderful, delightful parts of camp: the Mini Talent Shows! Our Greystone Girls have too much talent to fit into one Talent Show, so we start out the fun with multiple “mini” shows, where anyone who wants to perform gets the stage, no strings attached! A small group of acts will be invited back to participate in our big Talent Show later in the session, but seasoned Greystone veterans know that the minis are where it’s at! Sign ups begin early on in the session, so it’s never too early to start planning your performance. What talent can you perform next year?
• Day 9: We know you’re curious about it, so today we’re telling you everything you need to know about one of our most anticipated classes: Dog Camp! Yep, it’s real. Every summer, we get 6-8 puppies from a local breeder (usually labs or retrievers or doodles!) for our campers to take care of all summer long. At Dog Camp, you’ll learn how to take care of the puppies, train them, bathe them, and take them on lots of walks. Of course, we also make time for lots of puppy snuggles! At the end of the summer, camp families just like you adopt the puppies. Want to catch up with 2019’s litter? Click through to see where they’re at now!
• Day 10: Every evening brings a fun and exciting Evening Program, but there’s no more anticipated night than Carnival! It’s gloriously crazy and over the top. We cover our softball field with blow up rides (including waterslides, obstacle courses, a dunk tank, and more!), food booths, and of course leave room for a huge dance floor. You will spend the night running around with your friends getting your face painted, playing games, and sampling treats like funnel cake, popcorn, cotton candy, sno cones, grilled cheese… need we go on? The night ends in a huge camp-wide camper and counselor dance contest, before we say a prayer and head back to our cabins. The face paint will stay on for days but it is so so worth it! Which part of Carnival sounds like the most fun to you?
• Day 11: If there’s one things our campers talk about, it’s the food at camp! Our Kitchen Staff works hard to give us the best food anywhere. Everything is homemade and fresh, and you are going to love it! We always start the day with fruit and cereal as well as a hot option for breakfast. Insider tip - don’t miss the granola in the fruit bar! Favorites for lunch are BLTs (with our homemade bread and thick bacon - YUM!), and chicken fingers and fries (because, of course!). We have a huge salad bar for lunch and dinner too, that always has options no matter what your dietary restrictions are. And of course, our desserts are legendary! You will definitely not go hungry here! Want to try your hand at some of our camp favorites at home? We’ve shared the secret recipes for camper favorites like Truck Drivers Special, Cheesy Chicken, Veggie Lasagna, and more on our blog!

We want to see how you are connecting with camp at home! Want to see yourself featured on this page or our social media? Email pictures of you celebrating camp at home to

Enter our August Camp Contest!

• The what: Write a new Dining Hall song for us to sing at camp next year! We sing songs after every meal, so help us come up with a new song for all of your camp friends to sing.

• The why: We haven’t had a new song in decades, and we think it’s time to switch things up. Did you know that all of our current songs were written by campers just like you to the tune of popular songs? This is your chance to be a part of Greystone history!

• The how: It’s easy. Pick a song you love and re-word the lyrics to be all about camp. Then fill out the entry form to submit them, and you’re all set. You can enter with a group or on your own. All entries are due on Closing Day, August 7th and we’ll contact the winner by email within a few weeks.

• The prize: On top of having your song sung by the whole camp, the winner will receive the Ultimate Prize Package. We’re keeping the contents a secret for now but just know it’s awesome.

Resource Library

Want to learn all the details about camp, experience more video classes at home, or get plugged in to our community? We have a whole back catalog of content waiting for you!

• Take a few video classes! Try out Crafts, Cooking, Greystone Groove, Card Games, or Calligraphy. Want more videos? Our Vimeo page has them all in one place!
• Meet some of our favorite camp celebrities in our Fireside Chat series. Hang out with Jimboy and Margaret, Lell and Ellen Anne, and hear advice and wisdom from our oldest girls at Main Camp!
• Want to be super prepared for camp next year? Meet our directors, learn all the lingo in our Greystone Dictionary, and check out all of our 100th year fun and history. Our New Camper Blog Series is also a great place to start for all the inside information you want to know!
• Connect to our community. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribed to the Blog and Daily Devotions. On Facebook? Join our Parents group or one of our city Facebook groups to connect with other camp families in your area. Our Connecting with Your Camp Community series has a lot more tips and tricks!
• We’ve been hosting the Camp Connection all summer long, so if you’re looking for more of the camp at home fun, check out our June Camp Connection and Main Camp Connection pages for 8 more weeks of resources.