Trailblazer Pathfinder Activities

We offer Pathfinder activities in the afternoons for Trailblazer campers. Each afternoon, campers receive instruction and develop skills in their chosen activity from instructors with particular ​expertise and experience. This allows campers to select areas of special concentration on a weekly basis over the course of the camp season.

Pathfinder allows children to select activities in which there is already a particular interest or strength, or to stretch beyond their abilities to take on a completely new challenge.

Pathfinder Descriptions Examples
The Pathfinder descriptions below represent the activities we have offered in past seasons. These activities are subject to change in the 2025 season, but are representative of the type of activities we offer. Pathfinder activities for the 2025 camp season will be available in the Spring.

Archery: Come join Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the Sherwood Forest gang. Hit the bull’s eye more often by developing and improving skills in a sport that is guaranteed to satisfy any camper. This is an exciting part of the day camp experience. Limited to 2 weeks per camper.

Art: Come and create while learning various techniques and styles during this exciting art rotation. This Pathfinder is led by local art teachers and might explore the following: drawing and painting, working on landscape art through painting and drawing, book illustrations, soft sculptures, and printmaking. Limited to 18 campers.

Band Camp: Are you interested in learning how to play a simple song on the ukulele? Join FCS Band Camp in the afternoon to learn some cohort and join in musical reverie with other campers. There might be a chance for interested campers to perform their skills! Limited to 12 campers.

Basketball: Dawn Staley and Lebron James both started somewhere. Join Basketball Pathfinder to practice skills like shooting, dribbling, defense, rebounding, and more. Basketball players will also get to participate in a 45-minute friendly game.

Board Games: Do you like to take your competitive nature to the boards? Join Board Games Pathfinder to explore many different board games together like Uno, Monopoly, Chess, Scrabble, and more!

Capture the Flag: Capture the flag is a traditional outdoor sport where two or more teams each have a flag (or other markers) and the objective is to capture the other team’s flag, located at the team’s “base”. This is a fast-paced, high-energy game, a longtime camp favorite!

Ceramics: In our one-week Ceramic Pathfinder program, campers are introduced daily to a quick hand-building technique demo to provide inspiration. Then they have the rest of the session to craft their ideas. Using a one-time/kiln-fire glaze, students apply color, which melts to a shiny glass coating in the kiln. They have several projects to enjoy at home by Friday, reminiscent of their clay experience.
Limited to no more than 18 campers.

Cheerleading: 
What’s the best way to add camp spirit to any one’s day? Add a little bit of cheer. Come and learn a few camp cheers and get into the summer spirit! Campers in this Pathfinder will perform at Friday?s Spirit Time! (Pom Poms will be included for camper use and flair!)

Crafts: Arts & Crafts goes with camp as peanut butter goes with jelly.  Campers LOVE the imaginative, relaxed, fun projects they get to make while hanging out with their friends in the summer. Activities are traditional camp crafts and art projects using freedom of expression in various media.

Dance: Get ready to bust a move at Dance pathfinder! Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or just looking to have fun, our inclusive and energetic dance floor has something for everyone. With a DJ spinning your favorite hits and classic camp songs, this event is sure to have you dancing the night away. Grab your friends, put on your dancing shoes, and come make memories that will last a lifetime at our camp dance!

Dodgeball: Ready, aim, throw! Dodgeball is a team sport in which players have to dodge or catch the balls thrown by their opponents while also attempting to hit their opponents in the same way. The goal of each team is to eliminate all the members of the opposing team by hitting them with thrown balls, catching the ball thrown at them by the opposing team or leading the opponents to break the rules, such as stepping outside the court. A variety of foam dodgeballs are used.

Drama: Do you like to act? Be silly onstage? Make costumes and scenery? Then Drama Pathfinder is what you want to sign up for! This summer, we are performing “Finding Nemo, JR!. If you would like to participate in the Drama play, PLEASE KNOW this is a four-week commitment. Campers must be enrolled in camp for weeks 3, 4, 5, and 6. There is an afternoon performance on Thursday, August 1st at 4 PM for families and friends, and a camp performance on Friday, August 2nd. Campers MUST be able to attend these performances to participate in this Pathfinder workshop. 

Fencing: Fencing is the recreational sport of swordplay that can be enjoyed at any age and offers a multitude of benefits. Fencing is both a physical and a mental workout, in which fencers learn to hone their strategies against opponents of varying skill levels, and build up physical endurance, agility, and accuracy. Confidence and sportsmanship are gained through participation in fencing and extend throughout other areas of life. This Pathfinder is run by Philadelphia Fencing Academy. No experience required! Limited to no more than 20 campers. Limited to one week per camper.

Flag Football: The Guinness World Record for the longest continuous game of flag football is 62 hours! Well, I don’t think we can top that time at camp, but if you like a fast-paced game, try flag football! Flag football is sure to be a hit with campers. This summer during Flag Football, campers will learn the game, have skills and drills, and participate in games.

Free Swim: Free Swim is open to any camper during Pathfinder time. You will have access to the pool to play games with your friends, practice your strokes or just float!

Friendship Bracelets: A friendship bracelet is a bracelet given by one person to another as a symbol of friendship. The origins of the friendship bracelet are said to lie with the Indigenous Peoples in Central and South America. According to tradition, one places a bracelet on the wrist of a friend as a symbol of friendship and may wish for something at that moment. The bracelet is worn to honor the time, energy, and love put into their friendship. You can also make bracelets for yourself! Come join this fun activity and see what colors and patterns you can put together! 

Hockey: Depending on the interest, camping will learn about both street hockey and field hockey in this thrilling Pathfinder. Dating back to the Greek classical era, field hockey remains one of the world’s oldest team sports. Today, field hockey is a game where teams come together on a field and use hockey sticks to drive a ball into a net in order to score points. The winner is determined by whoever has the most points at the end of the game. Come learn about this exciting game, practice some skills and make goals! For Street hockey, campers heat up the street rink working together as a team to compete. The thrill of scoring a goal and making a great save in overtime comes through in this fast-paced, exciting game. Face guards will be provided for safety purposes.

Improv: Improv is a form of live theatre in which the plot, characters, and dialogue of a game, scene, or story are made up at the moment. Improv is unique in that if you see a performance, that’s it… there will never be another show exactly like it ever done again. Improv is different every time! If you like drama games, being silly, and being spontaneous, this is the Pathfinder for you!

Knitting:
Come learn to knit! Or come practice the knitting skills you already have! This Pathfinder is perfect whether you just want to know how to get started or if you already know some basic stitches and want to work on your skills. Beginner to intermediate projects will be available!

Soccer: The excitement of making a key pass, kicking in a winning goal, defending against a speedy winger, or making an incredible save? all these things become real possibilities as campers develop, improve, and enhance on individual and team skills. Enjoy a friendly pick-up soccer match.

Stage Crew: Step behind the scenes and join the dynamic Backstage Crew! This hands-on activity is perfect for those who want to experience the magic of theater from a different angle. You’ll learn the ropes of set design, lighting, sound, and costume changes, working as a team to bring our camp’s performances to life. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or curious about how shows come together, our backstage crew will give you the skills and confidence to make it all happen. Come be a part of the action, support your fellow campers, and discover the excitement of being the unseen force that makes the spotlight shine!

STEAM: Dive into the exciting world of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) at our camp! This engaging activity invites campers to explore and create through hands-on projects and experiments. You’ll discover how STEAM subjects blend creativity with critical thinking. Join us to innovate, problem-solve, and have fun while learning how the world works in amazing ways!

Technology: Campers will explore fun educational software and carefully selected websites in our cool device lab. Chromebooks will be the device this summer. Limited to no more than 24 campers.

Tennis Baseball: Meet with Coach to swing the bat/racquet, run the bases, field that ground ball, and turn a double play. All levels and abilities are welcome.

Ultimate Frisbee: Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact sport that is spreading across the globe. Ultimate is played with a Frisbee instead of a traditional air-filled ball like most sports.  The field comprises a playing area and two end zones, with two teams that compete against one another.  What really sets Ultimate aside is the culture that surrounds it.  All players follow the golden rule, treat others how you would want to be treated. Try it! This is a partnership with our Philadelphia professional team.

Volleyball: Spike, serve, and dive into the fun with our Volleyball activity! Perfect for campers of all skill levels, this action-packed session offers the chance to learn and improve your game. Whether you’re aiming for friendly matches or just looking to enjoy a team sport, volleyball at camp is all about teamwork, sportsmanship, and high-energy fun.