How Camp Rewires Kids’ Brains: Building Positive Habits and Neural Pathways at Waukeela

At Camp Waukeela, we intentionally design an environment where children can create healthier habits, stronger mindsets, and deeper confidence. In this director’s reflection, Graham shares how the beginning of each summer becomes a powerful reset for campers — a chance to shed old habits, build new neural pathways, and grow into kinder and more resilient versions of themselves.

Reflecting on a Summer of Growth and New Habits

Now that we are officially on vacation, my mind does what it always does: it runs straight back to camp. Not even the books I brought with me, nor the pull of the ocean, can distract me from replaying the moments of the wonderful summer we just experienced. These memories come in vivid flashes — conversations with campers, moments of joy, mistakes I made, lessons we learned together. And almost all of these reflections lead me down the same familiar thought: how can we do even better next year?

The “Trunk of Habits” Lesson on Opening Day

On Opening Day, I brought out an old trunk and asked the campers what they had packed inside without realizing it. At first, they were confused. After all, they knew exactly what physical items they had brought. But when I reframed the question and asked, “Which habits do you think may have followed you from school?” their faces lit with understanding. They began naming the kinds of behaviors that can so easily become ingrained during a school year — things like being unkind, leaving people out, feeling jealous, or talking about others. These realizations allowed us to talk honestly about the way habits form without our noticing.

Teaching Campers About Neural Pathways

I introduced the concept of neural pathways and explained how quickly these pathways develop in the brain. Behaviors repeated over time, even unconsciously, become habits and default responses. But just as pathways are formed, they can also be replaced. I reminded them that camp is not school. It is a place where they do not need those old, unhelpful habits. Waukeela is a loving and intentional community where we choose to see the beauty in ourselves and in others. Out of eight billion people in the world, these 200 campers and staff were incredibly fortunate to be here together, and that privilege comes with the opportunity to build healthier ways of living and relating to one another.

Co-Creating a Culture of Kindness and Respect

I invited the entire community — campers and staff alike — to join Gill and I in co-creating a culture built on kindness, warmth, respect, and love. We talked about the power of intentionally replacing unhelpful habits with new, positive ones, and how repeating these new behaviors just a handful of times can begin to lay new neural pathways. To help them imagine what this might look like, we discussed simple routines that can transform the start of a day, such as meditation, affirmations, gentle stretching, time outside, or even something as straightforward as making their bed or tidying their space before breakfast. These small choices set a tone for how they treat themselves and others throughout the day.

What amazed me most was how receptive the campers were. They understood that camp was a rare opportunity to reset, to build the kind of daily habits that could serve them for years to come. They rose to the challenge with sincerity and enthusiasm.

The Results: A Transformational Summer

The results were extraordinary. Naturally, there were disagreements and the occasional tears — such things are inevitable when over a hundred people live, eat, and sleep together for weeks at a time. But the number of serious issues we faced was almost nonexistent. Homesickness was minimal. For the second year in a row, we did not need to send a camper home or ask a staff member to leave. Our community thrived because the people within it chose to thrive. “Share the Love” and “Kindness is Cool” became more than slogans; they became real, intentional behaviors that shaped our days and strengthened our connections.

I truly believe that Gill and I, alongside our extraordinary team, are building something special at Waukeela — a culture that sets us apart. Our campers are not just learning new skills; they are learning how to let go of old habits and consciously replace them with healthier ones. They are discovering that who they become is shaped by the habits they choose to practice.

Continuing the Growth at Home

As your campers settle back into their normal routines, I encourage you to revisit these messages with them. Ask them what positive neural pathways they want to build at home or at school. You may be surprised by how much they absorbed this summer and how eager they are to put these lessons into practice.

Thank you, as always, for reading and for trusting us with your children.

For the love of camp,

Graham & Gill

To learn more about how Waukeela supports healthy habits, confidence, and personal growth in children, explore our mission and programs.