Hey, Camp Fans!
Tuesdays throughout the month of May were made Tips and Advice posts about the Five Goals of Summer Camp. Of course, we only covered the first four in May—Goal #1: Have Fun. The second week talked about Goal #2: Improve athleticism, intellectualism, and artistry. Last week covered Goal #3: which is to Gain Independence. Last week covered Goal #4: Make Friends and Develop Social Skills.
Today, we’re extending this series into June to reveal the fifth goal:
Goal #5: Experience a New, Natural Environment
Summer camping has changed a lot in the last century or so, but one thing that hasn’t changed in all those years, is the focus on the natural environment. It IS, after all, the natural environment that draws such popularity to summer camps.
It’s not out of the ordinary for parents who live in the city to want their children to experience the wholesomeness of life in a rural area. While our society’s advancements in technology certainly benefit our daily lives greatly, it seems to reduce kids’ contact with the natural world. Camp aims to fix that.
Most camps are located on beautiful areas. As noted in Drs. Chris Thurber and Jon Malinowski’s ‘The Summer Camp Handbook,’ “At a good overnight camp, your child can gain respect for and curiosity about nature.” With a skilled cabin leader and a natural setting, campers build upon their personal growth in body, mind, and soul.
The great outdoors mean different things to everyone. For instance, some kids might enjoy the waterfront because that’s where they get to go swimming, whereas other kids might like sitting by the water because the sunsets are the prettiest there.
In either case, kids get a lot out of their environmental surroundings. Finding a camp that sits on a beautiful setting is where kids begin to achieve the Five Goals of Summer Camp. As always, thanks for reading.
- John