Sommerleir

Oksnøen is built around choice rather than timetables: the beach and the boat docks are busy all day, and children decide for themselves how long to stay with sailing, paddling, the tube or the waterski boat before moving on to something new. Activities that need equipment and safety cover, such as the climbing crag, the rappelling wall, the zip line, motorboat driving and riding, are run by leaders in small groups reached by boat or over at the stable, while the pitch, the volleyball court and the tent games stay open in between. Woven through each period are the camp's own traditions, from the Sjøslag canoe battle and the triathlon to the Oksnøiade, where an older and a younger camper are paired as buddies for potato races, archery and three-legged runs. Evenings belong to the whole camp: the UV-lit disco in the dining hall, a carnival night with home-made and borrowed costumes, and campfires with s'mores, sleeping bags and stories from the leaders. When the rain sets in, many outdoor activities simply continue, and the rest of the day turns into table tennis and foosball tournaments, painting and beading, games, pancakes with warm juice, music quizzes and films. The camp is deliberately shaped for and by the 1500 to 2000 children aged 8 to 16 who live in this little kingdom each summer, with its own flag, passport and laws.