Camp Cariboo facts for kids

Camp Cariboo was a fun Canadian TV show for kids. It was shown on several CTV channels from 1986 to 1989. Many people remember it best from its reruns on YTV. It aired on YTV from 1989 to 1997.

What Was Camp Cariboo About?

Camp Cariboo was created by Tom Knowlton, Mark Baldwin, and Janis Nostbakken. Directors John Matlock and Paul Francescutti also helped. The idea for the show came from their own summer camping trips.

The show was made in Kitchener, Ontario, at CKCO-TV. Some parts were filmed at real camps in Ontario. Tom and Mark were the hosts. Each episode showed real kids at a pretend summer camp. They did short skits, riddles, songs, and told stories. Kids watching at home could send in their own jokes and riddles. These were shared during a "mail call" segment in the camp office.

Who Were the Main Characters?

Tom and Mark were the main stars of Camp Cariboo. In most episodes, they sang and acted with the kid-campers. They also showed how to do things and performed funny skits.

The Keeners

Tom and Mark had special characters called "The Keeners." These were two campers who loved camp so much they seemed to come back every year. Their clips were filmed in fast motion. This made their voices sound higher and funnier. The Keeners gave camping tips, but they took them to funny extremes. They also told many one-liner jokes. Their theme song, I've Got a Head Like a Ping-Pong Ball, was very popular. Many kids grew up saying the "Cariboo credo": "We'll follow the path where the cariboo walked, Our cariboo headgear is off, on, locked!"

The special hats worn by The Keeners were famous. These hats had eyes and antlers, like a cariboo. They were even shown in an exhibit at the Waterloo Region Museum.

Uncle Wes

Another regular character was Uncle Wes. Tom played this character. Uncle Wes appeared in a part of the show called "Woodsy Wisdom." He would often sit around a campfire. There, he would tell old stories and share helpful camping advice.