Tag: American summer camps

How to Have Fun at Summer Camp

June 5th, 2014

Campers: June is finally here and you’re about to head off to camp for the summer. Whether this is your first summer or your seventh, it’s completely normal to be a whole lot excited and even a little bit nervous. This just HAS to be the best summer EVER…as in epic! But do you ever find yourself a little bit confused about how to make that happen? Here are a few ideas to help you out as you get ready for camp.

Make new friends

Of course your old friends are amazing. That’s why they’re your friends. But new friends are pretty great too. Make it a point to say ‘hello’ to people and introduce yourself to those you don’t know. Talk to other campers to find out what you have in common besides camp. Show support for other campers at activities.

Get involved in camp activities

There are so many awesome things to do at camp. Take advantage of the opportunity to get involved in them. Don’t just rely on favorites for your summer fun. Try some new things too. You’ll find that if you go to each activity—even those you don’t love—with a positive attitude and get involved, camp is even more fun.

Show your camp spirit

Camps rely on their campers to create a fun, energetic environment by showing their camp spirit. There’s a reason you count down the months and days each year until it’s time for camp and why YOUR camp is the BEST camp. Don’t be shy about showing it at camp.

Be your best self

Camp is the most fun for everyone when campers are positive, energetic, open and inclusive. There’s no need to make it like school where only certain types of people hang around together. If someone in your bunk or at your activity is shy, go out of your way to include them and take a leadership role in introducing them to others. If your friends try to say negative things about other people, change the subject or reply with a positive. Encourage others at activities, particularly those who struggle or who fear being made fun of. The more fun that everyone has together, the better camp is!

Keep an open mind

Sometimes, things at summer camp don’t go quite how you expected. Think before you react. Don’t let one bad activity, conversation or even day ruin your whole summer. Remember, it’s just one thing out of thousands that happen over the summer. Rather than dwelling on that one thing, shake it off and move on. If you do, you probably won’t even remember it by the end of the summer.

Some Fun Summer Camp Trivia

June 3rd, 2014

In just a few weeks, buses will arrive with Camp Weequahic campers and the summer of 2014 will begin.  While thinking about how close we are to another camp season, we started wondering about summer camp in general. How many are there? How many campers attend summer camp each year? The more we wondered, the more we asked. In the end, we collected a pretty respectable list of summer camp trivia that we bet you don’t know (We didn’t!)…
1.)    The oldest summer camps in America are the brother/sister camps of Camp Dudley for boys in the Adirondacks of New York and Camp Kiniya for girls in Lake Champlain, Vermont. Both were founded in 1885 and are part of the YMCA camp system.

2.)    It is believed that Camp Pemigewassett in New Hampshire holds the title for the summer camp contiguously owned and operated by the same family—or, in this case, families. The camp was founded in 1908 by the Favers and Reeds families, who both still own and operate the camp.

3.)    The 1961 movie The Parent Trap, a
movie in which a set of twin sisters separated as babies meet at summer camp and swap places, was filmed at Bluff Lake Camp. The 1998 remake starring Lindsay Lohan was filmed at Camp Seely. Both camps are in California.

4.)    According to the American Camp Association, there are more than 12,000 summer camps in the United States.  More than half (about 7,000) are sleepaway camps.

5.)    Eleven million people (adults too!) attend summer camp each year. Those eleven million people are in some good company. Just a very small fraction of famous people who also attended summer camp: Mark Cuban (owner of the Dallas Mavericks and featured entrepreneur/investor on Shark Tank), Michael Eisner (former CEO of Disney), Ralph Lauren, Mark Zuckerberg, Albert Einstein, Chelsea Clinton, Clay Aiken, Adam Levine, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jonah Hill, Zoey Deschanel, Leonardo DiCaprio, Natalie Portman, Emma Roberts, and Seth Rogan…Oh, and Michelle Obama worked at a summer camp.

6.)     More than 1.5 million people can boast that they work at a camp each year.

7.)    The top five camp activities (according to the American Camp Association): Swimming, Arts & Crafts, Ropes, Archery, and miscellaneous water related activities.

8.)    Wayne County, Pennsylvania, where Camp Weequahic is located, is home to 30 Wayne County Camp Association member camps. Collectively, they are attended by approximately 25,000 campers each summer.

9.)    Although “bug juice” is a popular camp term that refers to the flavored drink served by a lot of camps at
mealtimes, like many camp terms and traditions, it has military origins. American soldiers were provided with fruit flavored powdered drink mix that they combined with water. The sugary drink attracted insects. So soldiers dubbed it “bug juice.”

10.) Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (A Letter from Camp), a famous comical song about summer camp, is based on actual letters that Allan Sherman, one of the writers of the song, received from his son during the years that he attended Camp Champlain in Westport, New York.

Counselors, It’s Time to Pack!

May 29th, 2014

You’ve scored an amazing summer job at a sleepaway camp and the summer is so close that you can practically taste the s’mores, smell the camp air and hear your campers laughing. But before you can head off for the summer of your life, you have to pack. Packing can be a daunting task for first time camp staff. Even if your camp supplies a packing list, it’s hard to determine what you may be able to leave behind, if packing space is at a premium, and what you absolutely must have. Here is a brief rundown of those items that camp staff traditionally believe are essential.

If you pack these items, you are in good shape….

Sunscreen

You’re working at a summer camp, and “outdoors” is an operative word in your upcoming summer. In fact, you’ll spend the majority of your day outside. Applying sunscreen often and generously insures that you do not find yourself very red and uncomfortable at the end of a sunny day and protects your skin from the potential long term effects of the sun’s rays.

Water bottle

Heat plus a lot of activity equals the need to stay hydrated. Whether or not your camp provides water, it’s a good idea to take a water bottle that can be refilled several times throughout the day. It’s also environmentally friendly by reducing the use of disposable cups.

Several pairs of shoes for all types of weather

Athletic shoes are essential. Multiple pairs, if you have them, are ideal. Most traditional sports oriented camps do not allow staff to wear flip-flops or open toed shoes for activities that are not water related. It’s simply unsafe in an athletic environment. So one or two pairs for water-related activities and days off are sufficient. A pair of rain boots or galoshes is always a good idea.

Bunk/Cabin games (Jacks, puzzle games, etc.)

These activities help facilitate communication with campers, and are so much fun while in the bunk or cabin during resting periods or rainy days. Some items are not allowed in bunks or cabins, however, so be sure you check with your camp to make sure that games and other activity items are permitted.

Bedding

Some camps provide bedding. Other camps require staff members to bring their own bedding.  If your camp requires you to bring bedding, it is a good idea to bring a thick blanket or comforter in addition to a thin one. Yes, it’s summer. But most camps are in rural mountainous regions, and it sometimes gets cool at night, especially at the very beginning and toward the end of the summer.

Lots of socks and under garments

A saying is among camp staff who return year after year, you can never have too many of either!

Comfortable shorts/pants

Athletic type shorts and pants are best for moving through daily activities, but it ultimately comes down to whatever you feel the most comfortable wearing.

A couple of sweatshirts or sweaters

Again, yes it’s summer, but the evenings can get a bit chilly.

Some colorful shirts and shorts (especially in your camp’s colors)

Camps often divide staff and campers into teams for activities by colors. So it’s a good idea to pack a rainbow of colors so that you are prepared to show team spirit when the time comes.

A few plain white t-shirts/tanks that can be dyed or altered for costume purposes…

You just never know at summer camp.

A bag for laundry

Eventually, you’re going to need to do your laundry at camp. It helps to have a laundry bag for easy transport to and from the laundry. (Many camps provide laundry bags-  so check first.)

Sunglasses

A couple of pairs are a good idea. There is a lot of movement at camp, and sunglasses are an item that is commonly lost, forgotten or broken.

Equipment

Ask yourself, what will you be doing at camp? Will you need some type of special equipment that you need to bring. If so, make sure you leave room for it when you are packing.

Toiletries

Most camps are within a reasonable distance to a shop from which these types of items can easily be replenished. So you usually only need enough of these to last the first couple of weeks, if packing space is at a premium.

If you stuff your suitcase or duffle with these items, you’ll be in good shape for your first summer at camp. If you’re concerned that you don’t have room in your luggage for all of these items, call your camp to see if staff members are permitted to ship items to camp.