My fondest memories of childhood summers are of my experiences at summer camp. I attended a camp called Lake Aurora in Lake Wales, Florida. There I made friends, sang songs, swam in the lake, acted in original plays, made picture frames from popsicle sticks, and just enjoyed the exotic nature of the experience.
In this fast-paced world that has changed dramatically since my summer camp days in the 1960s, I am pleased that camp is still an important part of summers for today’s boys and girls. Children still enjoy a camp pow-wow, playing in water, creating arts and crafts, and experiencing the natural world. Camp has a different feel than the normal school-year days. The pressure is off, there’s no push to get a certain amount accomplished each day and there are opportunities to play with new friends. Children develop independence and social skills.
The plugged-in world of videos, TV, and electronic games can gobble up precious summer hours, when a week at summer camp makes one forget why those were even important to us. A wonderful opportunity to stay physically active, camp connects us with the outdoors in a way that is hard to accomplish at home.
When planning your child’s summer activities this year, don’t forget to include one or more weeks of summer camp. There are dozens of choices for both day camp and sleepover camp and your child will make a lifetime of memories. Here are two resources which may help:
