Camp Quest has finally come to Colorado!
Camp Quest is a traditional sleep away summer camp geared towards children of secular families. The camp experience employs activities geared toward developing critical thinking, ethics, scientific inquiry, philosophy and comparative religions.
Kids who go to Camp Quest are not required to be atheists, or to hold any particular religious viewpoint. In fact, kids who believe in God, or who aren’t decided whether they do or not, are welcome. Camp Quest’s organizers firmly believe adults should not label kids in any way, and that kids should be encouraged to ask questions and explore different world views as they grow. The camp does present atheism and humanism as valid options for an ethical and fulfilling life, however, and most camp counselors consider themselves atheists.
Activities vary and include but are not limited to whitewater rafting, fishing, archery, horseback riding, hiking, games of discovery, photography, mountaineering, state-of-the-art astronomy, science education, team-building, scenic picnic lunches, creative arts, sunsets over fourteen thousand food peaks, outdoor camping and ultimate frisbee.
There are two sessions, one for ages 7-14, and another for ages 14-17. The cost ranges from $500-$800. The camp utilizes tiered pricing. No child is turned away because of pricing, and the camp experience is exactly the same for kids at all prices. Families choose the amount they want to pay, and the higher prices help subsidize camp for families that are less able to afford it. Financial aid is available.
Camp Quest is in Keystone, Colorado and this year will be held from August 8-13. They had 40 campers in 2015, and registration for summer, 2016 is still open.
Camp Quest is now nationwide with summer camps in 13 states, and has even gone international, with partners in Norway, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Camp Quest Colorado is currently taking applications for volunteer camp coordinators for the summer, 2016 camp. To apply, click here. To visit Camp Quest’s Facebook page, click here.
I like the idea of having a summer camp for ‘free thinkers’ but to call it ‘for atheist kids’ doesn’t make sense, since that excludes ‘free thinking’! ALL ideas and beliefs/experiences can be included, in depth, for intellectually free people. Inclusiveness is necessary for truth to be found. Not to endorse, but discuss.
Atheism is the idea that something does not exist and cannot be proven to exist. So how can a group event for kids be based on discussing something that doesn’t have any content? Better to make it ‘free thinking’ and include ALL things, regardless of our prejudices: ie,. talk about religions, philosophies, ideas in general. Leave nothing out.
It does include free-thinking kids.
I wish that this had been around for me as a child
So do I! I attended a church camp when I was 11, I considered myself Christian but found it very disconcerting to have a bunch of counselors telling me how and what to believe. (Like that the song “Puff the Magic Dragon” -popular then- was not only evil, but about smoking marijuana!!!) I never went back. I didn’t become atheist for a few more years(or even know it was a thing), but my ability to think for myself was beginning to kick in and had I been encouraged in that, things may have been different for me.