The Spark of Something New
At Falling Creek, we highlight a Theme of the Week to guide cabin conversations, Morning Watch reflections, and personal growth throughout each session. These themes—like Courage, Humility, or Curiosity—help shape the camp experience beyond activities or achievements. They give boys something to think about, talk about, and live out in both small moments and big ones.
This week’s theme is Curiosity.It’s the perfect fit for 2-Week Camp.
Curiosity is what nudges a boy to sign up for a new activity, even if he’s not sure what it involves. It’s what draws him to lift the corner of a log and discover a salamander underneath. It’s what makes him pause in Chess to ask, “Why would you move your bishop instead of your queen right there?”
Climbing Wall: Starting Small, Thinking Big
At the Climbing Wall, curiosity isn’t just about getting to the top—it’s about learning the basics, building confidence, and figuring out what’s possible.
The climbing wall gives them a safe space to try,” said Tom Short, a counselor from Adelaide, South Australia. “It’s a starting spot to test and see if they like rock climbing, learn how to belay someone, and get better at knot-tying skills before going on the big trips.
I was so interested in the United States, and I wanted to test myself. See what I was capable of,” he said. “It’s been quite the journey. A year ago, I couldn’t have imagined myself working at a camp doing this. Now I’m going back to school to become a PE teacher. I learned that if I could do this and work at a camp, then I can do a whole heap of things.
Chess: Curiosity Over Competition
In Chess, campers are drawn in by the challenge—and the fun.
Chess is all about puzzles,” said Ashcroft, the activity leader. “We call them chuzzles—a new puzzle every day—and we present them during the chesson, our daily lesson.”
Kids who are wanting to try new things give chess a shot because they see other boys playing under the porch or around camp. They want to figure it out. That curiosity is what brings them in.
Nature: No Set Path
And in Nature, boys are encouraged to step off the beaten path...literally.
Hiking and mountain biking are incredible skills and so fun for the boys,” said Clayton Allen, a Nature counselor from Fayetteville, Arkansas. “But they have to stay on the path. In our skill, we don’t give them a path. Campers start exploring, and we give them the freedom to go where their eyes and minds lead. They hunt under rocks or in the water, looking for spider webs. They find their voice here.”
The 2-Week session is built for this kind of exploration. With six daily activity periods and a wide range of options—from blacksmithing and canoeing to archery and pickleball—campers get the chance to try new things and follow their interests wherever they lead.
Whether it leads to a new skill, a new friendship, or a deeper appreciation for the world around them, curiosity is what helps boys take that first step—and then the next one.
Because at camp and in life, that first question is often the one that changes everything.