Activities

Camp Wartburg offers a variety of activities for participants of all ages.

Archery

Recommended Grade: 3+

Ready your bows. Aim. Release! Learn basic archery skills, improve hand-eye coordination and see how persistence pays off on the archery range. Aim for individual improvement or compete with others in a friendly competition.

Archery Tag

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Recommended Grade: 7+

Have you ever played dodge ball? Try it with padded arrows! Archery Tag has all of the intensity of Paintball (and safety), with rules similar to dodge ball, all while using a bow and arrows. Please Note: Archery Tag Waiver required.

Axe Throwing

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Required Grade: 4+

Bring out your inner lumberjack as you learn the basics of axe throwing. Aim for individual improvement or compete with others in a friendly competition. Please Note: Axe Throwing Waiver required.

Canoeing (Pond)

All Ages

Learn how to paddle a canoe on Camp Wartburg’s pond. Float lazily in the outdoors or challenge friends to a race in this aquatic activity. Please Note: All participants are required to wear PFDs (Personal Floatation Device). Children under grade 3 should have an adult in each boat.

Canoeing (River)

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Required Grade: 4+

Thirty minutes from Camp Wartburg, the Kaskaskia River offers a gentle current and natural beauty. Two trained camp staff guide your group on your journey. Please Note: All participants are required to wear PFDs (Personal Floatation Device).

Caving

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Recommended Grade: 4+

Stalactites. Stalagmites. Bats. Enjoy the wonders of Illinois Caverns, located ten minutes from Camp Wartburg. Walking tours are an underground creek walk, so you will want to wear appropriate clothing. Please Note: Required equipment includes a helmet with strap and two flashlights. Caving Waiver required.

Creek Walk

*Extra shoes and clothes/swimsuits recommended

All Ages

Experience aquatic life firsthand as you explore a local creek. Paint your face with mud, chase the crayfish and frogs, hunt for fossils or just play in the water. Please Note: Children are required to wear close-toed shoes for this activity. Wet shoes are acceptable.

Field Games

All Ages

Need to release some of that pent-up energy? Play non-competitive games that encourage group interaction or work together to win in a game of Eagles Eggs or Capture the Flag.

Fire Building

Recommended Grade: 4+

Heat. Fuel. Oxygen. Learn fire-safety skills as you race to build a sustained campfire.

Gaga Ball

All Ages

Be the last student standing in this popular game, similar to dodge ball.

GIC/Low Ropes Course/Teambuilding

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Recommended Grade: 4+

Develop group initiative, cooperation, leadership, listening and communication skills. Featuring 13 low-ropes elements and other field initiatives. No two group experiences are exactly the same

High Ropes Course/Zip Line/Climbing

* Not part of the Outdoor Education Bundle

Outdoor Climbing Wall/Zip Line Required Grade: 4+
Full High Ropes Course Required Grade: 6+

Approximately 30 feet above ground, our high ropes course offers 13 elements that challenge participants to do their best. Climb our 30-foot climbing tower and fly through the air on our zip line. High Ropes Waiver required. Check out our indoor rock wall and bouldering wall located inside the rec center. It makes a great bad weather alternative.

Indoor Rock Wall

Indoor Climbing Wall Required Grade 1+

Whether you’re a first time climber or a seasoned pro, you can enjoy our Indoor Rock Wall located in the Rec Center. This area includes three different walls ranging in difficulty along with bouldering walls to guarantee unlimited fun. Please Note: High Ropes Waiver required.

Nature Hikes

All Ages

Did you know that root beer was once made with the root of a sassafras plant? How do you identify a Sycamore tree? Take a trip on our trails. Learn about the different trees, plants and wildlife in the area.

Night Hikes

All Ages

Experience nature at night. Follow a nature trail and join in activities that explore how humans and nocturnal animals use their senses beyond vision.

Orienteering

All Ages

Put away your GPS and find your bearings like the early pioneers. Learn how to use a compass, and then test your skills on our orienteering course.

Outdoor Cooking

All Ages

S’mores are not they only things that can be made over a campfire. In this activity, children are able to engage in food preparation and campfire cooking. Best part is, once finished, they can enjoy their tasty creation! Some of our favorite recipes are Banana Boats and Orange Cakes.

Pond Study

All Ages

Interested in fish, turtles and insect larva? Explore Camp Wartburg’s pond and learn about indicator species, invasive species and the importance of healthy water sources.

Prayer Walk (Self-led)

All Ages

This seasonal self-guided experience, written and built by Eagle Scout Keenan McBurney, takes campers through either the Days of Creation or through, during Lent, the Last Words of Christ.

Scavenger Hunt

All Ages

Partner up and explore Camp Wartburg. How many of these outdoors items can you find? Increase your observation skills as you explore.

Survival

All Ages

Develop trail and camping smarts, play in the woods without leaving a trace and build a rustic shelter to protect yourself against the elements.

Other Recreational Activities

All Ages

Other recreational activities that are available at Camp Wartburg include, but are not limited to basketball, hockey, kickball, lacrosse, parachute, soccer and volleyball.