Why Families Choose Our Maine Summer Camp
When families begin the search for the perfect summer camp for their child, they quickly realize how many options exist. The process can feel overwhelming: every camp is on a beautiful lake, the sunsets are spectacular, and the websites are filled with pictures of happy campers and counselors.
Even with all these terrific choices, year after year, parents and campers alike decide that Kamp Kohut is the best fit for them.
Here are some key reasons why we think Kamp Kohut stands apart from other summer camps, and why so many parents trust us to create the most memorable summers for their children.
The Perfect Session Length
Kohut’s two distinct 3.5-week sessions are intentionally designed to give campers adequate time to settle in, build confidence, develop lifelong friendships, and grow in meaningful ways. This program length is the perfect amount of time to gain the valuable life skills a sleepaway camp can provide, while not being so long that it limits family vacations, specialty camps, or other summer pursuits.
For our youngest campers (ages 7–9), Kamp also provides the option to attend the first two weeks of each session. These young campers get a special dose of Kamp Kohut warmth and support as they check out what Kohut is all about. After two weeks, campers who would like to stay for the remainder of the session are very welcome to do so. In fact, almost all do!
Built on Core Values
At the heart of Kohut’s mission is our commitment to providing a safe, warm, inviting, exciting, and fun place where children feel accepted for who they are and supported as they are challenged to become the best they can be. Everyone is called upon to be respectful, inclusive, and supportive, and our staff models empathy, integrity, inclusion, and leadership every day.
While we want all campers to go home with the satisfaction that they learned new skills in our activities, more important to us, and a true measure of success from our view, is that they leave Kohut more confident, kind, compassionate, and tolerant of others.
A Close-Knit, Family-Like Community
Each summer, Kohut brings in campers and counselors from 20+ states and 20+ countries. This diversity is intentional and one of our greatest strengths. Even with these diverse backgrounds and upbringings, Kohut maintains a close-knit, family atmosphere. Our limited enrollment of 175 campers per session allows every child to feel seen, supported, and valued by our 120+ staff.
It may be cliché, but there’s nothing quite like “Kamp” friends. The friendships that form at Kohut are genuine and lasting. It’s often the primary reason why campers and staff return summer after summer. As we hear every year at the Final Campfire, Kohut truly feels like home.
Tech-Free Living
In today’s screen-filled world, parents love that Kohut is a technology-free camp. No phones, tablets, or social media. Just genuine human-to-human connection and interactions. Campers discover what it means to live fully in the moment: whether it’s playing outdoors in a beautiful natural setting, laughing with bunkmates, or forming friendships that don’t depend on Wi-Fi or social media.
Every fall, we hear from parents that their children return home more communicative, grounded, and confident after just one Kohut summer.
And it’s not just the campers that are tech-free! All staff members, from counselors to the leadership team, are without their phones while out and about at Kohut. Only on their time off, and away from campers in our staff lounge, are staff allowed to use their devices. As our Associate Director always reminds staff in Orientation: “There’s no Wi-Fi in the woods, but you’ll get a better connection.”
A Stunning Maine Setting & Summer of Adventure
Simply put, few places can compare to Kohut’s beautiful location: 100 acres of forests and fields on a 2,000-foot+ shoreline of the 4,426-acre Thompson Lake. In the top ten of Maine’s cleanest bodies of water, this spring-fed lake (Poland Spring water, in fact!) is one of Kohut’s greatest assets. It’s easy to see why our Waterfront department is the most popular area on Kamp!
Not only are campers surrounded by natural beauty at Kohut, but everyone also participates in weekly Trip Days to discover other breathtaking sites that only Maine and New England can provide. From gem mining and mountain hikes to lobster fishing and island excursions, Trip Day at Kohut is full of excitement and adventure!
Each summer, campers also have the opportunity to experience an overnight trip with their bunkmates. The location for these overnights varies by age group. From an onsite overnight in Kohut’s woods for the youngest campers to an extended three-day/two-night adventure in Acadia National Park for the 2nd Year Seniors, these overnights are marquee highlights of the overall Kohut experience.
No Shortage of Activities to Choose From!
With more than 50 activities, Kohut ensures every camper can explore new passions and develop real skills. Whether it’s tennis, archery, waterskiing, or drama, campers experience both the excitement of learning something new and the pride that comes with seeing real progress.
Kamp Kohut is not just a sports camp or an arts camp. Rather, we want campers to be exposed to a wide range of activities and to try something new that they can’t do at home. Our activities are balanced across four departments: Landsports, Arts & Media, Waterfront, and Outdoor Education. Most camper schedules consist of a variety of activities from each department, taking advantage of everything that Kohut has to offer.
Experienced Leadership
At the end of the day, it’s not a spectacular waterfront or flashy new facility that makes a child’s summer camp experience successful. It’s the people.
From Kohut’s veteran Owners and Directors, Lisa Tripler & Dan Rapaport, who lead with warmth, professionalism, and a deep understanding of child development, to its experienced leadership team and counselors who ensure every camper’s summer is safe, enriching, and joyful, Kohut places the greatest emphasis on the people who shape its culture and drive its mission. It’s that consistency, care, and excellence that families can count on.
118 Summers of Excellence and More to Come!
With a history dating back to 1907, Kohut is one of the oldest sleepaway camps in Maine.
From towering pines that were planted in Kamp’s first summers to plaques detailing its momentous events, you can feel the rich history everywhere you walk. Yet, Kohut is also not stuck in the past, always evolving to meet the needs of the current generations. Each summer, added activities, facilities, and adventure enhance the Kohut experience, creating a strong pull to return year after year.
The True Kohut Difference
At its heart, Kamp Kohut is a place where campers and counselors grow into themselves, surrounded by people who cheer them on and a community that feels like family. Parents choose our program not because it’s trendy, but because it’s timeless.