Ah… Halloween us is upon us again. The kids are dressing up, planning their routes to the houses with good treats, and thinking of mischief… sounds like camp!

Actually, there are a lot of similarities between a great Halloween night and a great camp. Both allow kids to dress up a bit. On October 31st, this happens literally: vampires, cowboys, or superheroes (a staple around the Kelly household) roam the neighborhoods. At camp, kids to try different activities and are surrounded by other kids they have to get to know. It’s a fresh start for many, a time to ‘dress up’ up a bit.

Both Halloween, with its spooky music and haunted houses, and camp, a first time away from home and all those new people, seem scary at first. However, you quickly realize you are having a blast and, at the end, look back on the experience with both surprise and joy.

Finally, you have to approach both the correct way or it will not be a great experience. For October 31st, this means planning your route carefully and not stuffing all of those sweets in your mouth later that night. At camp, it means taking an active part in the experience and understanding that you are an integral part of a community, not the one being everything revolves around.

When done well, both Halloween and Camp can start with that fun nervous feeling in your stomach and end with delight. The good news about Camp: it won’t leave you with any cavities!

Have a Happy Halloween everyone.

Cole

PS: Jerry is already planning another Haunted House for next summer!