Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck 2023
An In-Person Summer Camp
Saturday, July 1 thru Saturday, August 12


Founded in 1955, Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck is the oldest residential program of its kind. Camp Dunnabeck is an academic summer camp for students with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. We accept students of average to above-average intelligence. Camp runs for six weeks every summer. Our camp is for boys and girls, ages 8 to 16 years old. Boarding is available, as well as day camper options.
Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck 2.3
An Online Summer Camp
Monday, July 3 thru Friday, August 11
Now Accepting Applications!
Dunnabeck 2.3 is an online summer camp Students receive daily one-to-one Orton Gillingham tutoring while enjoying online community activities and optional camp programs. The online camp program is based on interest in the program.

Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck 2023
Saturday, July 1 thru Saturday, August 12
LOCATED: 476 Skiff Mountain Rd., Kent, Connecticut 06757 (on the campus of *The Marvelwood School).
* Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck is a non-profit youth camp of the Kildonan Organization.
Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck is an in-person academic summer camp for boys and girls ages 8 to 16 with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. We accept students of average to above-average intelligence.
The Camp Dunnabeck program balances dedicated language remediation with outstanding recreational activities. We pair every camper with an Orton-Gillingham tutor for a one-to-one, one hour Language Training session every day. Each camper completes tutoring-based assignments in study hall, the length of which varies based on the age of the camper.
When they’re not studying, campers can choose from a wide array of fun activities and weekend excursions that tap into the natural resources of the campus and the region.
When campers return to school in the fall, they discover that they’re rested, relaxed, and ready for success!

Camp Philosophy
Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck mission is to empower dyslexic students to reach their academic potential and to equip them for future success. We set out to reach that mission by providing an intensive program that builds skills in reading, writing, and spelling, a structured environment in which each student is encouraged to take responsibility for his or her learning, and a program and community that foster self-esteem.
The academic program is unique in that it revolves around daily one-on-one Orton-Gillingham tutoring for each student. The tutor is responsible for devising a sequential learning program in language skills in accordance with Dr. Samuel T. Orton’s principles, and with his belief that “….such disorders should respond to specific training if we become sufficiently keen in our diagnosis, and if we prove ourselves clever enough to devise the proper training methods to meet the needs of each particular case.” Tailoring a curriculum to fit the dyslexic student’s unique brain structure can be accomplished with optimum speed and efficiency in a tutorial setting. The tutor is further responsible for inculcating orderly study habits, and the student must accept the responsibility to work toward becoming an independent learner. Dunnabeck’s academic day centers around multi-sensory teaching.
We believe that learning best occurs in a structured, safe, and caring environment which Dunnabeck provides in both its academic and camp programs. A rural setting, free from distractions, is most effective in providing a program consistent with the needs of the students. Each student’s day is carefully planned to include a variety of experiences designed to diminish anxiety while building confidence. Each student is held accountable for daily independent reading and writing work to reinforce the skills taught during tutoring.
Learning power comes from skill mastery, and study habits improve when students know how to do the work that they are assigned. Improved self-esteem is an inherent bonus built into that formula. Enhanced self-confidence is achieved through activities, such as the arts, athletics, and community life, which are designed to complement dyslexics’ innate strengths. Leadership and service opportunities provide additional means for personal and social growth. Students learn to work through periods of frustration and even temporary failure. They become confident, experience greater success, and gain the courage to invest increasing effort in their personal and academic Central to Dunnabeck’s success is a faculty committed to the philosophy of the camp and willing to implement its goals and ideals. Faculty members respect students as individuals and encourage them to put forth their best efforts. Each camper leaves equipped with the best preparation available for the next stage in his or her academic development.


Kildonan’s Camp Dunnabeck
New Location: 476 Skiff Mountain Road, Kent, Connecticut 06757 on the campus of The Marvelwood School
Mailing Address: 425 Morse Hill Road, Amenia, New York 12501
Contact for the Camp Office: campoffice@kildonan.org | (845) 373-8111