Tag: camp activities

Healthy at Camp

December 18th, 2014

Photo Oct 01, 10 58 15 AMWhen you combine the ease and affordability of fast food with the ability to literally record days worth of TV to be accessed at any time, your result is kids who are eating junk while watching junk. They are spending more time in front of a screen than they are playing outside. Sometimes the only body part getting a workout is their thumbs from playing video games or their index finger from pointing and clicking all over a computer screen for hours at a time. Lack of exercise and accessibility to unhealthy foods is what has caused childhood obesity to skyrocket in the last 30 years.

According to the Center of Disease Control, more than a third of kids and teenagers were overweight or obese in 2012. The physical risks of childhood obesity are endless; joint problems, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and it leaves them vulnerable to various types of cancers as they get older. Not only can early obesity lead to a lifetime of bad habits that are very hard to break, but the effects on a child’s already very fragile self esteem and body image are devastating. Children who are overweight and self-conscious are less likely to participate in team events or sports, try out for a new sport or activity, or be proactive in making new friends. This is can be a lonely and scary time for kids and teens, and it is absolutely preventable.

At Camp Weequahic, we take the health of each camper very seriously. We have been known to sneak exercise into the daily lives of campers by giving it a new name: FUN. We’ve also found a top secret, patented way to keep campers from eating unhealthy foods all the time: We don’t give them access to calorie filled foods all throughout the day. It’s novel concept, we’re very aware.

The menu at Camp Weequahic varies by the day. There is always fruit available, and a salad bar is always an option at lunch and dinner. Piping hot soups, vegetarian options and plenty of healthy options are always available. Whether your child needs a menu that is gluten, dairy, soy, nut or shellfish free, or they have other specific food allergies, a menu of delicious options can be created for them so they can enjoy everything camp has to offer with a full belly and no annoying or even worse, life threatening allergic reactions. Parents are encouraged to contact the specific camp your child is attending in order to discuss his/her dietary restrictions.

Even if campers do splurge on mac and cheese, shaved steak sandwiches or get creative at the pasta bar, they will easily work off all of those delicious calories in the endless physical activities the camp has to offer. A game of flag football, an afternoon of kayaking (talk about an arm work out!) an early morning mountain biking adventure, an impromptu basketball game vs. the neighboring cabin or an hour dancing away in a fitness class are just a few ways campers can keep their heart rates up while having fun with new friends. Exercise disguised as fun means campers stay active all the time! When campers are so busy running (sometimes literally) from activity to activity, they don’t have time to mindlessly munch on snacks. Screen Shot 2014-12-03 at 11.19.45 AM

Camp Weequahic does not offer soda as a daily drink choice, which is a major culprit in the childhood obesity epidemic in our country. Plenty of water keeps campers hydrated as they tackle another day of go, go go!

Although Camp Weequahic is not specifically targeted towards weight loss, it is a common benefit that occurs naturally when campers spend the summer here. If weight loss is not a concern for your child, they will still benefit tremendously from the constant activity and plenty of healthy food options provided at camp.

Camp Weequahic wants the best for each camper on every level, including their physical health, which is why we are focused on instilling positive attitude towards healthy decisions. A mindset focused on healthy food choices and staying active is an excellent core value to instill in children, and could literally save their lives. By encouraging them to eat right and exercise daily, they are creating habits that will benefit them as they grow, and allow them to live long and healthy lives.

Camp Traditions: The Gitch

September 9th, 2014

It’s the final day of Tribals (aka Color War) and your team is just 10 points behind the leaders and only 5 points ahead of the other two teams. The summer sun is high above, you’ve got butterflies in your stomach, and your face feels a bit funny because of all the face paint you are wearing.

But, you can’t think about that all right now. You’ve got to focus on the task ahead of you – the Gitch.

You can’t believe this relay will take over 1 hour and lap camp three times. You mind is boggled by the variety of events – cup stacking, bowling, Frisbees, the three legged relays, building a tent, lighting a fire…. The list seems endless!

You are pumped about your task. It’s the one your team leaders picked specifically for you and one that you’ve been practicing off and on for the last 24 hours. All 150 of your teammates have been doing the same thing – preparing for the task given to them by the leaders.

You want to complete your task quickly, successfully, and pass the baton along to your teammate to cheer them on. Then, you want to hustle to the basketball courts for the final event – the half court shot.

The entire camp watching a senior boy attempt a half court shot to end the Gitch? Wow. You remember the guy who made three baskets in four attempts over three summers at camp. Man – that kid is a legend. You hope it’s your team’s turn to erupt in a frenzy of cheering for a win. But, you also remember that it’s important to support the other guys, too.

And, when it’s all over, you can’t wait to head to the beach for the final campfire. You and the team will find out the value of the Gitch which the CITs chose from Cole and sealed with red paint. (You can’t wait to be a CIT and get to do that….)

Then, when the envelope is opened and the final points are tallied, will it be enough to put us over the top? Will we own the Deed to the Land for the next year?

But I can’t think about all that right now. I’ve got to focus on my task. Ah – I love the GITCH!

The Close of Another Best Summer Ever

August 15th, 2014

It seems that just yesterday the blog subject at hand was the anticipation of the campers’ arrival at camp. As usual, though, we blinked and now it’s August. Another summer is coming to a close over the next couple of weeks. This is the time of year when campers and staff alike begin reflecting over their summer. They mentally check off their bucket lists for this summer and already begin composing new ones for next summer. They begin making those final efforts to do those camp things they love most at least one more time. They take stock of those special moments—the ones that will forever define the summer of 2014. At the end of the day, there are always a million reasons why this summer was better than any other. Something was always bigger or better or even brand new. Your circle of friends has always grown just a little bit larger. You finally had the chance to go on that camp trip or participate in that camp activity to which you’ve been looking forward to for years. Even though the summer never seems long enough, it’s always mind-blowing to realize just how much was accomplished in such a short span of time. Perhaps it’s the sheer volume of activities that take place at sleepaway camp that makes every summer seem like the best summer ever.

When one weighs the summer as a whole, the good memories are prevalent and the word “amazing” comes to mind far more than the words “didn’t love it.” Upon considering everything that you accomplished, it’s impossible to be disappointed, even if you can’t check all your pre-summer goals off your list. At camp, especially at the end of the summer, it’s much easier to focus on everything you’ve done more than everything you’ve not.. The feeling of accomplishment is inevitably satisfying in a way that reminds you just why you come to camp anyway. There’s no other place in the world where you have the opportunity to accomplish so much in such a short period of time. Sure, you also come to relax, enjoy the rural setting, and spend time with your camp friends. But you also come with an agenda—specifically, a camp agenda of things that cannot be accomplished anywhere – or with anyone – else. These lists are often lengthy and filled with many more aspirations than can reasonably be achieved during a single summer. But the comforting thought that almost everyone brings home from camp is that there’s always next summer…and the promise of another best summer ever.