Supplemental Activities

Glen Brook is situated on 250 acres of mixed-use woods and fields with two streams and a spring-fed pond. This region of Southwest New Hampshire, the Monadnock region (named for the area's highest and most visible peak), is an outdoorsman's paradise, offering many hundreds of miles of hiking and biking trails, camping, and whitewater and flatwater paddling. Many groups choose to stay at camp for younger groups -- canoe on our pond, learn archery, play tennis, do some handwork, cook and bake, build shelters in the woods -- and then venture further afield for day trips with older groups. Please contact Glen Brook's program director for how to tailor your interests with our diverse program possibilities. Following are a few programs that we currently offer:

Confidence Ropes Course

Build individual confidence and a harmonious team beginning with group initiatives, progressing through team-building on low elements, and culminating with work on the high course of ladders, bridges and obstacles high in the treetops. Participants will also learn safe use of climbing equipment.The low ropes course is suitable for grades four through high school. The high ropes course is suitable for grades seven through adult.

Surveying, Mapping, and Orienteering

Learn elementary land surveying using instruments, draw maps, and use a compass and topographical map to navigate through surrounding woods and fields.Our five-day course teaches the history and fundamentals of navigation and mapmaking. Students learn cartography through practical experience, navigating in the woods with map and compass. The course culminates in a five- to seven-mile course through the woods that finishes at the camp.

Introduction to Farming

Introduce 3rd or 4th grades to farming by caring for and learning our barn animals (sheep, chickens, rabbit), visiting a nearby working dairy farm, learning about forestry and maple sugaring, composting and organic and biodynamic gardening, beekeeping, and experiencing the work on the farmstead and in the farm home--keeping up fences, planting and harvesting in season, making butter and ice cream, spinning and weaving wool, grinding grain and baking.

Botanical Studies or Ecology of Woodland Biomes

Explore the New England woods, meadows, wetlands, ponds and brooks. This experience can go in almost any direction and grade level the teacher wishes. While sighting wildlife on cue is nearly impossible, here at camp we have sighted foxes, coyotes, deer, moose, black bear, weasels, beavers, pileated woodpeckers, and owls, as well as the more common animals and birds.

Earth Science and Astronomy

Explore the rocks and formative geological processes, visit a quarry and boulder caves, hike one of our wonderful nearby mountains for an hour to a day, or perhaps take a side trip to the Shelburne Falls area. With plenty of advanced notice we can even set up an overnight trip to the White Mountains. At night take advantage of our excellent telescopes, the 8" Celestron and the 12" computer controlled Meade. Especially for suburban students, let them see the awesome canopy of the night sky as they have rarely seen it.

Winter Trips

Enjoy New England with sledding and skating here, use our cross-country skis and explore the forest, go to a nearby ski mountain for a day of lessons and downhill skiing, drink warm cider by the wood stove while playing charades, hire a folk dance caller for an evening, or take a day trip to the museums of Boston.