Next Steps
Three campers hiking up a rocky trail in a forest, one wearing a pink cap and carrying a walking stick, and the other in a wide-brimmed hat, and the third in a white bucket hat. Campers on top of rocks at the top of a mountainYoung camper with backpack walking in the woodsPerson with curly hair sitting on the grass facing a campfire at night, holding a piece of wood, surrounded by others seated in a circle around the fire.Two campers holding white chickens
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Ricky's Ramblings, Stories & Tales, Who We Are

Girl Scouts, Teambuilding, & the Magic of Camp

May 22, 2025
Girl Scout Troop Team building exercise with camp director looking on. Girls working together with woods in the background.

How a Girl Scout Troop Reminded Me What Camp Is All About

-By Ricky MacGregor

We’re into spring now—the trees are blooming, the days are warming up, and everything outside is hinting at what’s just around the corner. Summer is coming. And here at The Nature Place, Summer 2025 is shaping up to be something really special.

I’ve spent most of this offseason in our winter office laying the groundwork for the months ahead. Staffing is almost complete, our program curriculums are coming to life, and each item crossed off my checklist brings us closer to opening day. But as productive and fulfilling as all that behind-the-scenes work is, I find my mind drifting often—out of the office and into the forest, the fields, the climbing tree. I think about what it will feel like to be back outside, working hands-on with campers and staff. There’s nothing quite like it.

A few weeks ago, I got a preview of that feeling.

We hosted a local Girl Scout troop at camp for a day of team building. Our low ropes and challenge course elements are designed to challenge groups—to get them problem-solving, thinking creatively, and supporting one another as they work through a task. That afternoon, I watched the girls take on the All Aboard—a platform just big enough for the whole group, if (and only if) they worked together to fit. Their challenge was to get everyone up and balanced, then sing “Happy Birthday” in unison.

Girl Scout Team building game. Camp director helping with woods and grass in the background.

It did not go smoothly… at least at first. There were lots of ideas. Some fell flat. Some nearly worked. They’d fall off, reset, regroup, try again. But no one gave up. They kept talking, kept adjusting, kept believing they’d figure it out.

And they did.

Eventually, they found their way—not just onto the platform, but into that special kind of joy that comes from solving something together. That moment reminded me why I love this work. Those flashes of growth and discovery, even in a single afternoon, are what camp is all about.

Of course, no team-building day is complete without a visit to our world-famous climbing tree. Helping the girls clip in and make their way to the top brought it all rushing back—that sense of purpose, of connection, of fun. The energy of the day stayed with me long after the last climber was back on the ground.

It’s these moments that help carry me through the offseason—the little bursts of camp magic that remind me of what’s ahead. I’m so excited that we’re finding more ways to bring what we do into the wider community, and I can’t wait for a summer full of moments like this—every single day.

The countdown is on! See you soon.

—Ricky

Ricky MacGregor is the Assistant Director of The Nature Place Day Camp in Chestnut Ridge, NY

Summer Camp at The Nature Place

Here, campers spend 4, 5, or 6 weeks outdoors in a socially nourishing and non-competitive environment. Every experience—whether hiking a trail, wading through a stream, learning to swim, or enjoying a campout—builds confidence, connection, and joy. Our non-rushed schedule gives campers time to slow down, unwind from a busy school year, and have a real summer break.
A Summer of Wonder is Waiting

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