Island-made meals eaten together three times a day are at the heart of the Camp program.  We provide plenty of healthy, vegetarian-focused, kid-friendly food in a cozy family-style setting, with two snack breaks each day on the island.

We can easily accommodate most special diets, including vegetarian, vegan, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and most food-related allergies; please enter special food needs on your camper’s Medical History Form, and contact us in advance if your child requires any particularly unique accommodations.

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An example of a typical day’s menu consists of: cereal, yogurt, and fruit for breakfast; build your own wrap (turkey, ham, cheese, vegetables, tofu, and/or Wowbutter & jelly), carrots & celery, trail mix, and cookies for lunch; and pasta with a choice of vegetarian or meat sauce, salad, and bread for dinner.

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No soda. We serve water, milk, non-dairy milk, and juice.

Safety & Wellness

At Penikese, we are safety experts. We have safely housed hundreds of youth and have ferried thousands of visitors to Penikese Island over our 50 year history. The Massachusetts Department of Early & Secondary Education (DESE) has commended us on our health, safety, and emergency protocols. We are required to share information regarding meningitis with camper families, click here to read public safety information.

We are remote and we are prepared. Our staff is certified in First Aid, CPR, and AED. The Island and boat are equipped with extensive first aid and safety equipment; our staff has been trained how and when to use it. We run trainings with Boston Medflight for helicopter evacuation and with the US Coast Guard (Base Woods Hole & Base Menemsha). We have practiced and proven protocols for medical, fire, and severe weather emergencies.

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House Doctor: Dr. Alan Steinbach, an experienced local Family Practitioner is our Consulting Physician. He is on call 24/7. We additionally have an highly experienced Licensed Mental Health Counselor on call to assist us if needed.

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Daily Care: We conduct personal health screenings for every camper every day, so we always know how everyone at camp is feeling. Staff are aware of camper allergies and are trained to recognize and handle an allergic crisis. Medications are dispensed by the Island Stewards each morning or as indicated. All Health Center visits at camp — even for a blistered toe from new sneakers — are logged in detail. If a camper is just not feeling themselves, they may rest in their bunk or the infirmary at anytime, with a staff member attending.

Urgent Care: In case of serious camper illness or injury, should a child need to be transported off the Island, the parents/guardians will be contacted immediately and will be put in direct contact with a staff member, Dr. Steinbach, and at an appropriate time, with the camper.  Our boat will bring the patient to the nearest suitable port, according to medical need. Parents are responsible for all medical charges that may be incurred.

CampBrain Parent Portal: 
Registered families can log in to their secure CampBrain account at anytime to access, complete, or update enrollment forms, view payment and billing details, edit contact information, or camper medical information:
 https://penikesecamp.campbrainregistration.com

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Announcements & Updates: 
We will share news and announcements via direct email to parents.

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Photography and Videography

We will snap photos and videos during each Science + Nature Camp session.  Please understand we do not have paparazzi on staff.  Photographing camp activities is a second priority to running them well.  Photos will be shared with families at the end of each session.  Please don’t panic if you don’t spot your child in a group shot, or if there is not a clear face shot of your camper, or if your child does not happen to be smiling in a particular photo!

Questions about Camp? Concerns?

Families are welcome to contact our shore staff at any time.  During camp, our shore staff visit the island 2x week and are in contact with the island staff on a daily basis.  We are always willing to answer questions or investigate concerns for parents. 

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Email: camp@penikese.org

General Weekly Schedule

For Campers:

NO ELECTRONICS: No phones, no tablets, no smart watches, etc. Leave them safely at home. We have high quality cameras for campers to use.

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For Parents/Guardians:

• Our Policy: No visits or phone calls. Your child has just 5 days to settle in & enjoy Camp life. If you have concerns or need to talk during Camp, please contact us.

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• Please DO NOT pack food to send with your camper, we will have plenty! Food at camp invites pests to your camper’s bunk.

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Homesickness: Camp can be a huge growth experience for campers. While they may experience some discomfort being away from their home turf at first, we will be right there to support and nourish them through it. There will be no calls home — consider no news to be good news!

For some parents, YOU may feel more pangs than your child does after they head off to Penikese. Giving your camper the tremendous gift to spread their wings can be an even a bigger step for parents. Trust that your child is being extremely well taken care of and cared for. Know that we are very well trained in what we are doing. Have faith that they are happy & having a blast.

We ask parents and campers together to please review our behavior expectations before arrival at camp.

At Penikese, we embrace positive attitude.  Campers and staff alike are expected to treat each other with respect and dignity at all times and to help each other achieve the best possible camp experience.  Everyone is responsible for working together as a team while on the island.

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Our guiding values at camp are:

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1. Honesty: Being honest and trustworthy is at the core of all relationships and interactions at camp.

2. Helping: Look for ways to lend a hand or provide support; show initiative; volunteer. Be a giver.

3. Respect: Show respect for oneself and each other, for camp facilities, for animals and the environment.

4. Thoughtfulness: Think ahead. Consider and anticipate possibilities and outcomes. Be pro-active.

5. Responsibility: Set & follow good examples, be accountable. Demonstrate independence.

6. Kindness: Show caring and compassion to others at camp. Be inclusive & forgiving.

7. Cooperation: Work together, share, and embrace teamwork. Show enthusiasm.

Should a camper’s behavior severely infringe on others, or our core values, we will redirect the camper to more appropriate behavior.  Inappropriate behavior may result in a camper’s dismissal from camp.