Posts Tagged ‘summer camp’

Youth Pick Summer Camp

Friday, March 18th, 2011

There is a wide range of Summer Camps to be found all over the country. Most traditional camps offer similar programs, activities and adventures for your child. Specialty camps offer activities that emphasize a particular area of interest or have a subject theme. If your youngster is ready, he or she can take advantage of an overnight resident summer camp, which offers opportunities for learning independence while still setting certain boundaries.

Happily, there really is an Youth Summer Camp for almost any area of interest or need that your child might have. If your child is into arts, there are camps that focus on drama, arts and crafts, dance, and photography. You can also opt for overnight camps that offer programs for weight loss, self-improvement and grief therapy.

Overnight Summer Camps vary in other ways besides activities – there are girls camps, boys camps, and co-ed types of camps for children – sleep away camp, day programs, day programs with tours or trips, and special needs camps. Special needs camps can be best for kids with severe disabilities; they can provide different summer camp activities and experience in a therapeutic environment.

Attending science and nature camps can help the camper find a different approach to science when ideas are explored in a structured way surrounded by nature.

Private summer camps are more expensive than nonprofit summer camps, but price does not always equate with the quality of a young camper’s experience at that camp. It is best to anticipate extra expenses involved in choosing and going to summer camp such as extra canoe trip or activity charges and the cost of your visit to the camp. When you contact a camp you are considering, the director should be happy to give you complete information about the true cost of that camp. Keep in mind as you discuss this or other topics that the attitude of a camp’s directors and staff will have more bearing on your child’s experience than the cost.

Usually the duration of camp can range from one to eight weeks. Consider your child’s willingness to be away from home, for days or overnight. Ongoing discussion with your child will be helpful, especially for balancing fear with anticipation and excitement. A first time camper will often face an adjustment and that may be temporarily challenging for some kids. Find out how the camp accommodates and deals with a first time camper’s homesickness and the initial adjustment to camp life. A conversation about this area with a camp’s director can also show you if the attitude so important to a good experience of camp is going to be there when your child arrives.

Your child may want to join a camp with friends. Although it is natural for a youngster to want to go to camp with his or her friends, there are instances when there is value in time away from accustomed peer pressures. When it comes to learning independence and developing self confidence there can be an advantage to starting fresh in an unfamiliar environment.

Choosing the appropriate summer camp for your child can be quite difficult but the rewards are priceless. A free website, www.summercampadvice.com, is designed purely for the purpose of helping parents and campers choose the best possible summer camp. This user-friendly site has comprehensive guidance information and questions to ask the directors and staff of any given camp when you contact or meet them.

Swift Nature Camp is a Children’s Summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend a traditional summer camp activities with that of a Animal Summer Camp

A Loon Story, More than A Story

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

A Black Bear, Loon & Walleye: A Fable from the Northwoods a story by Sara Button holds a special place in our hearts. As Directors of Swift Nature Camp an Overnight Summer Camp in the Northwoods of Wisconsin,our campers can see this story unfolding right in front of their eyes. It is so special we keep a copy in our camp library for all to read.

the story tels of three friends–Black Bear, Loon & Walleye, one furry, one feathered, one sporting fish scales–and each wishes for the gifts of another. As you can imagine ech wish for the others coat. Black Bear longs for shiny scales to look flashy and impress his friends; Loon wants to sport and enviable fur coat; and Walleye wants to fly. But when their wishes mysteriously come true, each realizes a disadvantage: Bear’s scales can’t keep him warm, Loon can’t fly with fur weighing her down, and Walleye has bad eyesight and is no good at flying even with feathers.

This rich fable, takes our main characters: Loon, Black Bear and the Walleye on a wild adventure that teaches them lessons that are timeless and universal. Valuable lesson are learned that day, The friends learned a to appreciate each others gifts, but most of all to value their own. Trying new things is important, because you might find something that you really enjoy. Yet, when it does not work out, you learn more about yourself from the experience. From that day on, the three friends agreed to always appreciate the gifts of others, but most of all to value your own gifts.

This is a story for all generations and a reminder of the importance of trying new things, understanding our own true nature, and having faith that we are all perfectly designed to fulfill our own unique purposes in life. Know yourself well! Value your gifts!

At our summer camp a wonderful opportunity arises to promote each child’s personal development by providing fun, friendship and leadership in a supportive and noncompetitive environment away from the daily life of a child’s home. Camp provides children an opportunity to act on their own, be self-reliant and try things for themselves, always knowing that if it doesn’t work out they can start over with little consequences after all it’s camp. This is like the books’ stars Black Bear, Loon and Walleye.

At night as our camp counselors are reading the campers hear the traditional call of the northwoods, the loon in the background. It truly makes it a special evening. If coming to the Northwoods is not as easy for you use the enclosed CD that has loon sounds along with a guitar background.

Thinking of a sending your child of to camp? Try Summer Camp Advice a Free reference for parents looking for the Best Finding a Children’s Summer Camp.

Swift Nature Camp is a Minnesota Kids Camps for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend traditional Coed Summer Camps activities with an appreciation for nature, animals and the environment.