Sometimes
I actually just sit down by myself, like on the rocks by the
brook...and just think about home...and just think how lucky I am to
have parents who send me to camp. -Geordie, age 11
First of all, camp is not school. As if that’s not reason enough for
kids to love it, overnight camps also offer outdoor activities that
most kids don’t have at home or school. Plus, there are 
opportunities
to make new friends in a relaxed environment, and positive adult role
models whose priority is to show kids a good time. A good camp is kid
heaven. Overnight camps also offer the unique experience of community
living away from home. That experience is what makes overnight camps
so special. It’s what makes overnight camp a wonderful, life-changing
experience.
Of course, spending a significant amount of time away from home and loved ones is not a decision to be taken lightly or to be made unilaterally. You should include your child in the decision to go to overnight camp. Our research has repeatedly shown that children who feel included in the decision to spend time away from home adjust better than those who feel the decision was made for them.
As you read through this chapter, which outlines the goals of overnight camping, discuss your goals as a family. You may be surprised to learn that your child’s goals differ from your own. That’s OK. What’s important is that you recognize that kids are more likely to have immediate and tangible goals for overnight camp, such as having fun or getting better at soccer, whereas parents are more likely to have lofty goals, such as developing social skills or gaining independence.
Having lofty goals is commendable. After all, you’re paying good money for your child to have this experience, right? Just don’t forget: Having Fun is Goal Number One. It is the prerequisite for all the other goals you might have. Unless kids enjoy their time at overnight camp, they are unlikely to experience the personal growth you’re hoping for. It’s the pleasure of living at camp and having fun that paves the way for lifelong learning, such as overcoming adversity, sharing personal experiences, rising to meet challenges, and gaining self-confidence.
WHAT KIDS SAY ABOUT WHY THEY GO
Kids produce revealing answers to the question, “Why go to overnight camp?” Their opinions are as diverse as the camps they attend. Here’s a small sampling, culled from the hundreds of interviews we’ve done as part of our research.
It is a blessing that overnight camp means something slightly different to each child, whether it be the activities, the environment, the personal growth, the facilities, the staff, or the friendships. Many day camps offer these elements, but day camps lack that defining feature of overnight camps: community living away from home. It is this feature that engenders the growth experience you’ll read so much about in camp brochures.
Of course, spending a significant amount of time away from home and loved ones is not a decision to be taken lightly or to be made unilaterally. You should include your child in the decision to go to overnight camp. Our research has repeatedly shown that children who feel included in the decision to spend time away from home adjust better than those who feel the decision was made for them.
As you read through this chapter, which outlines the goals of overnight camping, discuss your goals as a family. You may be surprised to learn that your child’s goals differ from your own. That’s OK. What’s important is that you recognize that kids are more likely to have immediate and tangible goals for overnight camp, such as having fun or getting better at soccer, whereas parents are more likely to have lofty goals, such as developing social skills or gaining independence.
Having lofty goals is commendable. After all, you’re paying good money for your child to have this experience, right? Just don’t forget: Having Fun is Goal Number One. It is the prerequisite for all the other goals you might have. Unless kids enjoy their time at overnight camp, they are unlikely to experience the personal growth you’re hoping for. It’s the pleasure of living at camp and having fun that paves the way for lifelong learning, such as overcoming adversity, sharing personal experiences, rising to meet challenges, and gaining self-confidence.
WHAT KIDS SAY ABOUT WHY THEY GO
Kids produce revealing answers to the question, “Why go to overnight camp?” Their opinions are as diverse as the camps they attend. Here’s a small sampling, culled from the hundreds of interviews we’ve done as part of our research.
Camp
is just awesome. I mean, there are so many things to do here that I
can't do at home...like archery and horseback riding. What would I be
doing if I was at home? Watching TV?
-Jake, age 8
Most of my best friends are from camp. When you live with eight other girls in a cabin for four weeks, you just get close...like really bonded. That's why I come back each year. We do everything together when we're here. We even write to each other during the winter.
-Emilie, age 14
At my school, it’s not really challenging...not in the same way it is here at camp. At school, we have homework and stuff, but not ropes courses or learning about nature. The counselors here teach you way more than regular teachers at school.
-Byron, age 13
I like being away from home. I mean, I still feel homesick sometimes and miss my parents...well, mostly Cactus. That’s my dog. But it’s cool to be out in the woods, kind of living on my own.
-Richard, age 10
I like camp because you're not in the city, where all the buildings and smoke and noise are. And the trees here...you're in the trees, and it makes it look pretty.
-Hali, age 9
There is so much pressure at school, like homework and what you wear and who your friends are. I hate seventh grade. At camp, I'm much more myself.
-Amy, age 12
I didn't know what a church camp would be like. I thought it might be weird, but it was neat. At school, I always have to explain my religion to people, but here, all the kids are the same. I mean, the kids are all different, but we all believe in God in the same way, and that made it easy to get along and talk.
-Elias, age 13
I've gotten so much better at soccer since I got here. The coaches are really nice and they help me a lot with my dribbling. When I first got here, I couldn't dribble at all, and this week our team won the tournament.
-Charles, age 8
The best part, besides all the awesome stuff to do, is the cabin leaders. I can tell my leader anything and she always has time to talk. Like if I'm feeling sad, she usually says something to make me feel better. The leaders here are like your parents...like your parents away from home. Someday, I’ll be a leader here.
-Sophie, age 11
-Jake, age 8
Most of my best friends are from camp. When you live with eight other girls in a cabin for four weeks, you just get close...like really bonded. That's why I come back each year. We do everything together when we're here. We even write to each other during the winter.
-Emilie, age 14
At my school, it’s not really challenging...not in the same way it is here at camp. At school, we have homework and stuff, but not ropes courses or learning about nature. The counselors here teach you way more than regular teachers at school.
-Byron, age 13
I like being away from home. I mean, I still feel homesick sometimes and miss my parents...well, mostly Cactus. That’s my dog. But it’s cool to be out in the woods, kind of living on my own.
-Richard, age 10
I like camp because you're not in the city, where all the buildings and smoke and noise are. And the trees here...you're in the trees, and it makes it look pretty.
-Hali, age 9
There is so much pressure at school, like homework and what you wear and who your friends are. I hate seventh grade. At camp, I'm much more myself.
-Amy, age 12
I didn't know what a church camp would be like. I thought it might be weird, but it was neat. At school, I always have to explain my religion to people, but here, all the kids are the same. I mean, the kids are all different, but we all believe in God in the same way, and that made it easy to get along and talk.
-Elias, age 13
I've gotten so much better at soccer since I got here. The coaches are really nice and they help me a lot with my dribbling. When I first got here, I couldn't dribble at all, and this week our team won the tournament.
-Charles, age 8
The best part, besides all the awesome stuff to do, is the cabin leaders. I can tell my leader anything and she always has time to talk. Like if I'm feeling sad, she usually says something to make me feel better. The leaders here are like your parents...like your parents away from home. Someday, I’ll be a leader here.
-Sophie, age 11
It is a blessing that overnight camp means something slightly different to each child, whether it be the activities, the environment, the personal growth, the facilities, the staff, or the friendships. Many day camps offer these elements, but day camps lack that defining feature of overnight camps: community living away from home. It is this feature that engenders the growth experience you’ll read so much about in camp brochures.
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