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It is OK to Act Your Own Age – How camp allows kids and young adults to enjoy being young

November 13th, 2017

Many first time parents are guilty of rushing their babies from one milestone to the next, pushing them to sit then crawl then walk, while seasoned parents have learned to appreciate each step and understand how fast each stage flies by. As kids grow, they too can find themselves wishing their childhood away, always wishing they were older and on to the next stage of their lives. In this fast-paced world, kids are hurrying through the most joyful times of their lives in pursuit of freedom and independence, and before they know it they’re paying bills and reminiscing about “the good ‘ol days”

 

Camp strives to meet kids right where they are; to embrace their innocence, their goofy-ness, their awkwardness and their curiosity. Camp is a safe place for kids to act like kids without the fear of being judged. Camp Weequahic is serious about fun, and has become a place where kids can be fully immersed in childhood play. Instead of taking selfies and worrying about where they fit in with their peers, they are chasing lightning bugs, judging belly flop contests, singing songs around a fire, and putting on shows. They are being kids, which is exactly how they should be spending their summers.

 

And kids aren’t the only ones acting like kids. Camp counselors come back year after year because of the freedom and joy that comes from being at camp. Camp counselors use their summers at camp as a way to escape the rules and restrictions of adulthood and embrace their inner child. They play games, dress up, sing songs and fully engage with the campers every day. They use this time to free themselves from the ridged expectations of their everyday lives and participate in the activities that make them feel like a kid again.

 

The school year is full of schedules, deadlines, and commitments that can sometimes overshadow the importance of play. With clubs, sports, family obligations and school expectations, kids can bogged down with responsibilities that takes the fun out of being a kid. Although a healthy balance of work and play is vital for growing minds, the summer should be a time where kids can relax a little and enjoy this fleeting time of their lives. As adults, we know how fast this time goes, and we should encourage the children in our lives to spend as much time as they can playing, laughing, getting dirty, trying new things and being silly. And that is exactly what Camp Weequahic aims to offer each and every camper.

 

Where in the World….

November 10th, 2017

We are coming up on the worldwide #CampTShirt day on November 14th and we’re excited to join in on the fun. To see all of our CampWeequahic campers and staff showing off their camp spirit that day would be fantastic. Preparing for the day got me thinking of our campers who are literally from all over the world.

Weequahic by the Numbers

Here are some fun facts about where our Summer 2017 campers came from:

  • 11.5% of our campers this summer came from 14 different countries. These include Spain, France, Mexico, China, Thailand, Russia, Italy, Canada, Columbia, Czechoslovakia, Uruguay, Japan, Belarus, and Switzerland.
  • 88.5% of our campers were from fifteen different states spanning every corner (literally!) of the United States.
  • The state from which most of our campers come from? New York with Maryland, Florida, and New Jersey all tied for second place.

And, if you add in our 225 team members (why wouldn’t you as they are a huge part of the experience!), you get another six countries and twelve more states. Wow!@

Citizens of the World

While the physical size of the world has not changed much at all over the past billion years, our ability to connect with others in distant lands has improved in countless ways.

I have plenty of camp stories about kids staying up a little too late in Italy to facetime with their buddies in California. I’ve seen best friends (one from Moscow and the other from NJ) spend time together apart from camp. I’ve got personal experience in taking my boys to see their best friends in the world… all over the world.

Camp, it turns out, is a bit like the United Nations. Some alum families tell me that being a part of the camp experience prepared their children for college in ways no school could match. Being a part of our community allows people to connect to others from different cultures, places, and experiences and prepares them for a wonderful future.

The best news? Regardless from whence they come, all in our community have something in common – the love of creating amazing experiences the Camp Weequahic way.

This allows our campers to literally travel to every continent and know someone who lives there. (Well… ok, I’m still trying to get a penguin to camp. The Antarctic visa process is really tough!) And that aspect of Weequahic truly opens eyes and hearts and minds… and doors.

Combine this with the independence, teamwork, maturity, and curiosity our campers develop while at Weequahic and you’ve some pretty well prepared young people for the world around them.

So, campers, here’s the takeaway. If you keep your eyes and hearts open, you can build friendships with people from almost every major culture in the world. Sure, you may not speak the same language back home as your new buddy or mentor. However,  you all are fluent in ‘CAMP’ and that can really open up your world.

Camp Weequahic Pride

We hope you’ll join us on November 14, 2017 by wearing a piece of your Camp Weequahic gear. If you care to, please share a photo of yourself on Instagram and Facebook with some CW clothing. Make sure to tag us at @campweequahic1953 on Instagram and @campweequahic on Facebook. Also, please use the #camptshirtday in your post.

I hope you and your family have a fantastic week!

Cole

Why Weequahic?

November 6th, 2017

Camp is not your ‘normal’ summer experience. Indeed, if done right, it can be an incredible gift that continues to give over a lifetime. Why? Because where else can a seven to 16-year-old girl or boy enjoy everything we have to offer?

 

It’s About the People

First off, camp is all about the people. You can have a great camp in the middle of an empty field if you have the right collection of campers and staff. To us, the perfect camper is one who engages, who gets excited about meeting new friends and learning new activities. While our campers are mostly (90%) from the US, we also enjoy a few campers from eleven different countries each summer.

Our campers spend their time with other children their same age and gender during their program day. In the bunks, campers enjoy spending time with up to eleven bunkmates and three college-aged counselors. (More on them in a moment.) This living arrangement and activity schedule allows our campers to build new friendships and try new activities while at Weequahic.

 

Our staff members are no less important to the great experience at Weequahic. Our year-round team spends nine months interviewing, hiring and preparing the best staff we can find. These young men and women all are in college or are recent graduates and are hired for two main roles: bunk counselor and activity teacher.

 

First, our staff members have to be great at creating a remarkable experience in the bunk for the community of children they lead. Secondly, they have to be able to teach a specific area for our campers to enjoy. Only staff members who can fill both roles are hired at Weequahic.

 

It’s About the Learning

By being away from home and interacting on an hourly basis with great staff members and interested kids from all over the US and larger world, our campers gain several new skills:

 

  1. Independence: Our campers build this invaluable skill under the watchful eyes of fun and patient mentors. Choosing their own activities, making their bed, and building new friendships away from home are important experiences for our campers.

 

  1. Community and Cultural Differences: Our campers begin to know the American culture through spending time with campers and staff members from all over the US. This opens their eyes to a different experience and place.

 

  1. Language Immersion: For campers coming from overseas, there is no better way to improve their use of English than living with our staff and campers. We help to guide them through the process and make sure nothing is left to chance.

 

It’s About the Fun!

Don’t forget the most important aspect of camp – it’s incredibly fun! With over 60 activities from which to choose, modern and wonderful facilities, special events and evening activities, and more than 450 campers to get to know, there are ample opportunities to laugh, learn, and grow at Weequahic.

 

Please don’t hesitate to call or write if we can be helpful with any questions about our three-week or six-week options at Camp Weequahic. Located just 2.5 hours northwest of New York City, we do our best to make the camp experience easy for our campers and their families.

 

We would be happy to learn more about your family and help however we can.

 

Can’t wait for camp!