Time to Start Thinking about Packing…

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May means a lot of things to a lot of people.  To some it’s Memorial Day and the official beginning of summer.  For others, it marks the end of another school year.  For summer camp parents, it means it’s time to start thinking about packing.  For first time parents, the task can seem absolutely overwhelming.   How much sunscreen and shampoo do I pack?  Do they really need shinguards?  How many t-shirts are enough?  For seasoned camp parents, packing is a science based on experience.  The art is in packing just enough but not too much or too little…and knowing which items the children have sneaked into their bags to take out and which ones to let go.  Packing properly takes time…and patience.

Camps provide rather comprehensive packing lists.  These should not be disregarded.  They’re compiled by professionals with years of camping experience who have excellent knowledge of what children’s bags need to contain in order for them to arrive prepared for a successful summer at camp.  Also keep in mind when packing that living space is somewhat limited at camp.  Your child will not have his or her own room at summer camp.  He or she will live together with several other campers as well as a couple of counselors. This means that there is not a whole lot of room for “extras” and labeling clothes is important as mix-ups are otherwise bound to happen.  If laundry is your primary concern, rest assured that camp laundry is done at least once per week.  Your child’s counselors and other camp staff will see to it that your child has clean clothes.

Summer camp values also often downplay appearance.  The emphasis of summer camp is on fun, friendship, and safety.  Before the end of the summer, your child will likely get wet, slimed, painted, generally messy, and a host of other cool things that tend to make children laugh and adults cringe.  So keep the really good stuff at home and send clothes that neither you nor they will miss too much if they have to be “retired” at the end of the summer.

It’s important for both new and seasoned camp parents to pay as much attention to the items your child’s camp asks not to bring as those items it asks to bring.  There is a reason your camp requests that certain items not be brought onto campus, whether it’s to help facilitate a specific environment, protect those with allergies, or to avoid other issues not conducive to the spirit of summer camp.  Packing “do not bring” items risks them being lost or confiscated until the end of the summer.  This ultimately causes undo stress on your children.  Alleviating stress that results from the idea of having to leave a beloved item such as a cell phone or notepad at home is typically accomplished by reiterating to children about what they will have at camp as opposed to what they won’t.

By following your camp’s advice and being proactive rather than reactive, packing for camp can be a fun countdown to camp rather than a reactive chore.

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Ladies and Gentlemen…

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Maybe your child regularly practices his or her acceptance speech for the Academy Awards–or maybe you have a child who just likes to occasionally brush up on his her acting skills–or maybe still you have a child who is merely curious about exploring the world of theater.  Whatever your child’s level of passion, summer camp is a place he or she will thrive.  Although there are many camps that specialize in the arts, even traditional summer camps often foster healthy theater programs that put on multiple shows throughout the summer.  It’s not difficult to understand why theater is such a beloved tradition at virtually every summer camp.  Camp itself is an environment that encourages children to shed the self-consciousness that may hold them back in other more formal settings and to try new things, act silly, explore interests.

But it’s not just the summer camp environment that makes camp theater programs ideal for aspiring young artists.  Many summer camp theater programs also offer outlets for exploration behind the stage in areas such as costumes or stage and set design.  By being able to be part of the process of piecing together a show from both in front of and behind the curtain, some children actually find that their real passion isn’t necessarily as part of the cast but part of the crew.  Children also learn to understand the importance of working together.  Putting on a theater production, whether it involves the entire camp or just a few people, is a cooperative effort.

The team spirit quality of this encourages participants to support each other makes summer camp theater ideal for anyone who might want to explore theater as a new hobby, or children who like the idea but aren’t quite sure how they feel about being on stage.  Summer camp theater programs tend to place the emphasis on the importance of being part of a production rather than being the star.   Although there are many elements that may seem separate from the outset, the final product is the sum total of all of those efforts added together.  Summer camp itself breeds a sense of togetherness, so perhaps it’s that sense that makes theater perennially a popular summer camp program.

A Network of Lifetime Friends

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One of the most touted benefits of working at a summer camp is the network one may build even within the parameters of a single summer.  Unlike many work environments, which tend to draw locals with a telescoped set of talents, summer camp attracts staff from virtually all over the world who possess an array of abilities.  A successful summer at camp requires the expertise of athletes and artists alike.  Because summer camps are 24/7 communities, staff members tend to form very close bonds within the two months that they reside at camp each summer.  Camp breeds a sense of family, which is precisely why, for a good many staff members, goodbye at the end of the summer is seldom goodbye forever.  Thanks to a little help from social media outlets such as Facebook, it’s possible to stay in touch with summer camp friends no matter where on earth they live.  Whether it’s couch surfing while traveling, hunting for a job, needing a little bit of advice or support, or sharing an inside joke, camp friends are there.  Working at summer camp is more than just a summer experience.  It’s a way to form a global network of friends for life.

Re-asserting the “Team” in Team Sports

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Whether your family lives in a large city or a small town, there is likely not a shortage of organized sports  for children. Increasingly, the emphasis of team sports is less about what it means to be a member of a team and more about being the MVP of a winning team.   As a result, child athletes are often caught between sparring parents on one sideline and anxious, screaming coaches on the other.  Overly zealous parents and coaches seldom stop to consider that children often absorb their parents’ feelings and may project the resulting tension through their play.  The immense pressure to be a star who constantly wins is often why many children become burnt-out in the competitive sports environment and choose to take a break or even quit altogether.  Says Fred Engh, author of Why Johnny Hates Sports, “If all the focus is on winning, kids may be scared to fail and make mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process and it’s how one improves.”  One of the most undervalued benefits of team sports at traditional American summer camps is the environment that allows children to make mistakes without fear of backlash from the sidelines and to process those mistakes in a way that they can turn them into learning experiences.

Setting up children for success requires a welcoming environment in which they can feel comfortable being themselves.    Those who tend to be self-conscious are particularly challenged by situations in which tension runs high.  The spirit of camp is one of instruction, fun and safety more than competition.  It’s about making children feel like a valuable part of a unit that utilizes everyone’s talents in a way that is beneficial.  In short, the traditional summer camp environment is a team environment.   At camp, children have the encouragement of their counselors and fellow campers when playing sports.  A child making a layup shot on the basketball court for the first time is cheered just as much as someone scoring a winning three pointer.

Perhaps the relaxed positive reinforcement they receive while learning to play sports at camp is why so many children (as many as 60%) feel compelled to continue being active in an activity they tried for the first time at camp.

An International Staff Member Reflects on Working at Summer Camp

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A couple of weeks ago, an American Camp staff member reflected on his camp experience.  This week, we’d like to share the sentiments of an international staff member:

“An average camp is considered to be successful if the kids come home safe at the end of the summer and had fun. Camp is about so much more than that.  The people who work at Camp want to teach and help children grow up.  Working at camp will wear you out.  By the last day you will have no ounce of energy left inside of you. But that’s what it’s all about. It’s the most satisfying feeling you can think of.  It’s so worth it and that’s why I love working at camp!

My name is Fred Goddard and this will be my third summer at camp. I have been a tennis coach, sailing instructor and am really excited about moving into a leadership position as Division Head for summer 2012.   When I’m not at camp, I live in Bristol (UK) and attend the University of Bristol.

My friends back in the UK always ask me why I am going back to camp, and I always tell them… Because I am trying to put off the day that I am going to have to say no to coming back.  I am lucky to say YES to my summer home again in 2012!”

*The above blog was originally published on the Camp Weequahic website http://www.weequahic.com on April 3, 2012.

All of America’s Finest Summer Camps are currently hiring.  If you’re ready for the summer of a lifetime, please visit their websites for more information:

www.weequahic.com

www.campstarlight.com

www.camplaurel.com

www.laurelsouth.com

Working at Summer Camp is Like…Watching YouTube

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Have you ever done this?  Gone to YouTube in search of a specific video, you know exactly what you want and why you want it—or so you think.  After you find it, you are drawn to the videos on the sidebar.  You’re intrigued by some of them and begin clicking through to them.  Some of the videos are mildly amusing.  Some of them you don’t really love.  Sometimes they even make you tear up a little, while others still have you laughing days — even weeks — later.  At some point you start reading the comments, too.  You’re hooked now.  You realize that you’ve already become much more involved than you intended, a lot of time has passed, but you’re now invested.  You’re on a mission.  It may not even be related to the reason you originally typed in the URL.  But you know that you’ve found something that interests you.  You find other videos mentioned in some of the comments and begin doing searches for those.  Inevitably, you eventually find that special series of videos that you could watch forever if time were of no consequence.  And you leave satisfied.

Working at summer camp is like that visit to YouTube.  For most people, the intentions start small.  They need a summer job…it sounds interesting…and they want to do something fun.  During an internet search, they come across a few websites advertising camp jobs.  The photos look awesome.  Sometimes they had a friend who worked at a camp who recommended the experience.  Others were campers themselves.  Whatever the reason, for many, it starts out as just a summer job.  Maybe they’re majoring in education and want to gain some experience for their resume or are looking for an alternative to the traditional internship.  Then they get to camp and the experience starts to grow.  It’s chaotic.  The action only stops for sleep at night.  Most days are awesome.  Some are challenging.   Still, others are the kind of which lifelong memories are made.  They start to realize that there is so much more to working at summer camp than they originally thought.  They become engulfed in the experience–their campers, fellow staff members, and the spirits and traditions of the camp.  They want to get everything out of it that they possibly can.  Before they know it, the summer is over—and they leave wishing that summer could go on forever. hiring right now!

America’s Finest Summer Camps are hiring now!  So instead of going to YouTube after reading this, log on to one of their websites for further information.

Camp Senses

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The unseasonably warm and pleasant weather seems to be bringing on summer faster.  The flowers are blooming, the birds are back, and the days are sunny. It’s hard not to take advantage of the opportunity to prematurely engage in all of one’s favorite summer activities a little bit.  The other day, my sisters and I caved.  We decided to rally my niece, go to the park and, yes, even though three of the four us fully qualify as grownups, play on the playground.  I’m convinced that no matter how old one gets, no one ever gets tired of swings.  It turns out that we weren’t the only ones with such an idea.  The place was packed, children and adults everywhere.  The park had even opened up the boating dock, something that they usually don’t do until Memorial Day Weekend.  People were out on the lake in rowboats and paddle boats.  They were picnicking.  They rode by on bicycles, skates and skateboards.  The comforting familiar smell of campfire from the nearby campground even permeated the air.   It was as if 2012 had transposed May and March.  My niece and I managed to score the last two remaining swings while my sisters preoccupied themselves on the monkey bars.

My niece and I have this game we play.  We see who can swing the highest.  The little boy between us apparently thought our game looked fun because he joined in.  As we slowed down for a bit after tiring ourselves out, he started a conversation.  I think he actually wanted to talk to my niece but decided I’d make a good mediator—at least in the beginning.   His name was Hunter.  What is her name?  Angelica.  How old is she?  She is six.  Same as me, he said.  What grade in she in?  First.  Same as me, he said again.  He jabbered on.  His dad had told him that if he was good they might rent a paddle boat later.  Maybe Angelica could come on the paddle boat with him.  He wished the concession stand was open so he could get ice cream.  Earlier in the day he’d gone to his swimming lesson at the JCC.  Then his mom signed him up for camp there this summer. I perked up.  Every now and then, chance throws a writer a bone and you have to grab it and run with it. Camp, huh? Do you stay overnight at this camp?  No, I’m not old enough.  I didn’t tell him that I already knew this.  The minimum age for most overnight camps is seven.  Is this your first time at the camp?  Yes, my sister went last year.  She said it’s really fun.  What do you think will be the most fun?  Ummm…I don’t know.  I don’t really know what we do there.  I bet you swim there.  Yeah, I think we do.  I worked at a camp.  You did?  Yep.  Only everyone stayed overnight at my camp.  His eyes grew.  They did? Yep.  I think I would like to do that someday.  Was it fun?  Yep.  What was it like there?  I looked around at the bicycles and the boats.  I took in the smell of campfire in the air and listened to the sound of all of the children playing and laughing.  It’s a lot like this.  I think I would like that, he said.  Hunter had no idea that he made my day and helped me out a lot by literally handing me material for a camp blog.  I hope he has fun at the JCC camp this year…and that he makes it to overnight camp someday.  If you haven’t thought about sending your children to camp, take a trip to your local park on a nice spring day.  Your senses just may help the decision become clear.

A Camp Staff Member Reflects on His Weequahic Experience

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A Camp Weequahic staff member reflects on why he loves Weequahic and working at camp in the guest blog this week:

Hi everyone.  My name is Chad Razey and I’m 22 years old and attend the University of Georgia. Go Dawgs! I will graduate in May of 2012 and look to continue my education at Auburn University.  I first came to camp as a basketball instructor and bunk counselor and am now moving into the Basketball Director position. I can remember my interview for the job so clearly.  I was able to meet Tony and Sue Baldwin in their home and we had a great conversation. I was convinced that camp was the place for me and I would really be able to apply my physical education major.  And I got so much more from the experience!

I love the atmosphere at Camp Weequahic.  I have never experienced another place where you can walk in and feel like nowhere else in the world has to exist. Weequahic has it all, from great people to great facilities; whatever you look for in a camp, Weequahic has it.  I was not just a counselor or a basketball instructor. I was a part of a family. The staff got so close that many of us formed relationships that will last a lifetime. The children that I worked with looked up to me as a big brother and a role model; they never saw me as their boss.

Weequahic is its own world. While at camp, there are no weekdays or weekends, there is just camp. No one is stressed from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and everything seems to always flow smoothly. The people you are surrounded with always attempt to make your day better in some way. Weequahic is like a utopia, nestled in the northeast corner of Pennsylvania.

I am thankful for new leadership opportunities, and the chance to return to my summer Utopia! Go Weequahic 2012!

*The above blog was original published at www.weequahic.com on March 10, 2012.

If you’re considering working at summer camp, America’s Finest Summer Camps are looking for amazing staff members! Please visit their web pages for more information:

www.weequahic.com

www.campstarlight.com

www.camplaurel.com

www.laurelsouth.com

Looking at a Summer Camp but Can’t Come to Us? We’ll Come to You!

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Starting about now and over the next couple of months, it seems that advertisements for summer camp fairs are everywhere you look.  Though many families begin researching summer camp in late fall or early winter (or some as early as the summer before), as soon as the snow starts to melt, they realize how close summer really is and that it’s time to make a decision.  Camp fairs are one way to visit with many camp representatives or directors in one area.  However, schedule conflicts or distance sometimes make attending camp fairs unrealistic.  That’s why some camps will come to you!  Home visits are typically as simple as expressing interest in a camp and requesting a home visit.  The camp will work with you to arrange a time for a camp representative, usually a director, to come to your home when he or she is in your area, talk to you about the camp, and address any questions or concerns you may have about the camp specifically or just about camp in general.  Afterward, together you can decide with the director or representative whether your child would be a good fit for the camp.  Camp directors enjoy home visits because it’s a great way for them to get to know prospective campers and their families in an environment in which they are comfortable.

Because the individual who comes to your house is typically a director, home visits are not only an ideal alternative to camp fairs but they are also a great way to get know the individual at the helm. For international families or those who live outside of areas in which camps offer home visits, Skype visits are a terrific alternative.  A Skype visit is the same basic concept as a home visit, except instead of an in person face to face chat, a visit is conducted via Skype.  If you’re interested in a home visit, please contact those camps in which you’re interested to find out when a representative will be in your area.  Because it’s the perfect chance to learn about the camp in a relaxed environment, it’s a good idea to do some homework before your home visit and know which questions you’d like to ask. Other than that, however, after you’ve arranged your home or Skype visit, there’s nothing further for you to do except for the doorbell to ring or the call to come through.  It really is as convenient as that!

Ora è il momento di iniziare a scegliere un campo estivo

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Non è troppo presto per cominciare a pensare a mandare i figli al campo estivo la prossima estate. Non vi è certamente carenza di campi estivi americani e trovare quella giusta per i vostri bambini è essenziale per il loro successo lì. C’è molto a cui pensare, il che rende il momento giusto per cominciare a pensare a ciò che si desidera in un campo.

Campi estivi tradizionali sono un ottimo modo per introdurre i bambini al campo estivo perché offrono una vasta esperienza e ben arrotondato. I bambini ancora cercando di trovare la propria nicchia in uno sport o un hobby trovare grande successo in questi campi perché sono data l’opportunità per tutta l’estate a prendere parte in molti diversi tipi di attività.

La lunghezza del campo estivo che si sceglie è anche importante. Maggior parte dei campi notturni accettano camper a partire dall’età di sette anni. Nel considerare i campi, è fondamentale prendere in considerazione lo stile di vita della vostra famiglia, le altre attività dei vostri figli e gli impegni, e anche i tuoi stessi figli. Molti abbracciare la tradizionale esperienza sette settimane perché elimina lo stress di cercare di capire come mantenere i bambini attivi e divertirsi durante le vacanze estive. Sempre più, tuttavia, i campi di sessione stanno guadagnando popolarità perché le famiglie i cui programmi o ai bilanci non consentono loro di prendere in considerazione una piena estate al campo può ancora approfittare dei vantaggi della tradizionale esperienza del campo estivo. America Finest Summer Camps offrono sessioni di durata variabile da tre settimane per tutti e sette settimane.

Considerate come lontano da casa volete che il vostro bambino di viaggiare pure. Alcuni genitori preferiscono mandare i propri figli in un campo estivo in poche ore di una casa, mentre gli altri vedono il campo estivo come un modo per introdurre una prospettiva globale per i propri figli e mandarli all’estero per frequentare un campo estivo. Ciò è particolarmente diventando una tendenza in Europa, dove i genitori europei stanno decidendo che vorrebbero i propri figli a provare i tradizionali campi estivi americani. Tuttavia, sempre più, i genitori provenienti da tutto il mondo stanno facendo questa decisione pure. Molti genitori americani trovano la reputazione incredibili, campus belli, e il paesaggio mozzafiato della Nuova Inghilterra e nord-est della Pennsylvania idilliaco e mandare i loro figli da lontano come California, Florida, e molti altri stati.

La struttura del programma in un campo dovrebbe essere ben meditato pure. Via via che invecchiano, la maggior parte dei camper piace prendere decisioni circa le loro attività quotidiane al campo, e molti campi estivi americani dare loro l’opportunità di farlo. Tuttavia, alcuni campeggiatori giovani, specialmente quelli nuovi in ​​un campo estivo, preferiscono un programma strutturato con tutti o la maggior parte delle decisioni riguardanti le loro attività quotidiane fatte per loro. Per i campeggiatori indipendenti o esperti che sanno quello che vogliono, tuttavia, ci sono campi che permettono camper di tutte le età per scegliere tutti o la maggior parte delle loro attività ogni giorno.

Una volta che avete deciso che tipo di campo, lunghezza, posizione, e il programma è giusto per il vostro bambino, probabilmente troverete la vostra ricerca è ridotto a un numero gestibile di campi. A quel punto, è importante per iniziare a conoscere i campi che si adattano ai tuoi criteri. Visualizza i loro siti web, leggere i loro blog, controllare le loro pagine di Facebook (se li hanno), e iscriviti a seguire il loro feed Twitter. In questo momento, vi darà un sacco di tempo per guardare, leggere e ascoltare. Se avete poca dimestichezza con il campo, sarete piacevolmente sorpresi di come le comunità attive campi estivi rimangono per tutto l’inverno. In realtà, le famiglie del campo molti vi diranno che non è mai camp finisce davvero per loro, e questa è una buona cosa. Nel corso dei prossimi mesi, si possono trovare te sentire una certa affinità con alcune di queste comunità. Uno di questi può essere solo la tua famiglia è perfetto fit campo estivo.