Good times, Green Thumbs!

Gardening is an age-old skill that’s been passed down through the generations as something that’s always been and always will be an incredibly useful skill—essential to our survival! Understanding how to work alongside Nature to reap the nourishment of the Earth is an incredibly rewarding experience that teaches us patience, diligence, and responsibility.

Gardening seems to have first been not so much a result as much as the catalyst for the first steps away from nomadic living—giving way to the first settlements and cities. It was first practiced in forests where food-producing vines and trees were cultivated in groups. Eventually, the garden space was brought to more domestic means with a purpose more ornamental than nourishing. But its practical means returned within the Middle Ages which eventually led to personal plots in backyards.  

The Benefits of Gardening:

Good for the Mind
Simply being in these beautiful spots gives us quiet time to ourselves to think—or to not think! People will often grow gardens to have easy access to homegrown food, but gardens are enjoyable simply for the beautiful spots they occupy. It’s nice to walk among the new growth, appreciating the fresh sights and smells of plant life.

Good for the Body
Keeping a garden gives you the daily chore of care-taking after the life you’re growing. Tilling the soil, planting the seeds, weeding the area, and more—taking care of a garden is taxing, physical work! You’ll fit in some decent exercise just by taking care of your daily gardening chores!  

Good for the Soul
The plants have a way of bringing peace close to us. Cultivate a calm within yourself to put your soul at ease. Watering your plants and coming out to harvest them when your efforts have come to fruition is a fantastic feeling that goes beyond the senses!

If you’re passionate about Gardening, then I recommend you look into a summer camp that offers it as an activity to boost your familiarity with the skillset. If you already have a camp in mind, call them up to ask about their program. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Cool Campers!

The number one reason for kids to go to summer camp is to have fun! And camps are really good at showing kids a fun time! Most camps offer somewhere between 50 and 100 activities! Some activities are an outlet for your sense of adventure while others indulge your quieter side to enjoy a simple activity that provides a creative outlet. And today’s activity definitely falls under the latter category.

Today, I’m talking about Juggling!

Juggling is documented in Ancient Egyptian paintings on tomb walls that date back as far as 4,000 years! Juggling is a skill that’s been passed down from generation to generation! So far, it’s made it four millennia! Who knows how long it will last?! It’s had its dips and spikes in popularity throughout history. Following a long lull from the court jester days, Juggling came back in a very big way as a part of the act in Vaudeville song and dance shows.

To learn the art of Juggling requires patience, determination, focus, and just a bit of direction. It’s easier to start with two Juggling balls instead of the traditional three, but the concepts are basically the same. If you’re going to attempt three, you want to start with two Juggling balls in your dominant hand and one in the other—otherwise one in each hand if you’re just starting with two.

Starting with your dominant hand, toss one Juggling ball about eye level and when that ball reaches the apex—the height of the toss, throw the ball from your other hand underneath the arch of the ball that’s airborne. Catch each ball as they come down in the respective hand and repeat. It’s that simple. But it takes days of practice to achieve the muscle memorization and fluidity.

I can say from experience, though—the time spent is well worth it! Juggling sharpens your concentration and, once you have the motions down, can be very therapeutic! See if your camp offers Juggling for their activities and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Fun times, Photographers!

Photography can be a casual love or it can be a deep passion! One way or another, it’s a great way to visually record moments in time and to express yourself as an artist. The cameras most frequently used nowadays are built in to our mobile phones! They’re typically used for snapping a quick picture to share with friends or store away for later.    

But for those who are serious about the art of photography, there’s a lot more to it than simply zooming and tapping your phone screen. The camera itself was first invented around 1825, but the concepts of the invention dates back to the ancient Greeks! I shared the history of photography a while back on this Blog—you can find the post by clicking here.

The Benefits of Photography:

Creative Outlet
Capturing not just a picture but your artistic vision is an inspiring and fulfilling experience from behind the lens! Whether you’re abiding by the Rule of Thirds or choosing to play by your own rules, Photography offers an awesome creative outlet for your inner artist!

Type of Journal
Traditionally when we think of a journal, we think of a collection of written word passages about autobiographical subject matter. However, lots of different things can play the role of a journal—like songwriting, to give just one example. Photography is no different! You can use the pictures you’ve taken as a means of some sorts to documenting your life.

Stress Reliever
I guarantee your blood pressure lowers after you spend just a little while steadying your shot, lining up the proper angle, focusing your lens. Photography is indeed stress relieving and is inevitably healthy for your mind, body, and spirit!

Boosts
Lastly, after spending long bouts of patience and effort snapping the perfect pictures, reviewing the fruits of one’s labors is a satisfying and natural self-esteem booster! Seeing what a great job you did makes you feel great about yourself and can teach you how to do some things better next time!

If you’re passionate about Photography, then I recommend you look into a summer camp that offers it as an activity to boost your familiarity with the art form. If you already have a camp in mind, call them up to ask about their program. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

What’s up, Woodworkers?

Woodworking is essential to our daily existence—everyone alive likely uses something made from wood every single day! Most folks spend their days within the wooden walls of their home. It’s kind of hard to avoid! Whether you’re making a birdhouse or constructing a house for people, you’re sure to get a great sense of pride when you reach the fruits of your labor!   

People have been using wood as material to create useful tools and beautiful objects throughout all of ancient history and back into prehistoric times as well. This natural resource has stood the test of time and shown us its value even in our modern era of steel skyscrapers and plastic tools. It is, however, an artform that’s not as common as it was back in the day.

The Benefits of Woodworking for Kids:

Creative Outlet
Making a physical object with your hands gives kids a place to focus their creative efforts. It may not be thought of as a common art medium (as opposed to visual art, music, or dance), but woodworking is just as creative and artistic as any other form of art!   

Figuring It Out
The challenge of working with wood confronts kids with flaws in the design or a process of trial and error. Woodworking aids kids in sharpening their problem-solving skills and builds confidence with more hands-on experience.

Measure Twice…
There are absolutely mathematical skills involved in the art of woodworking. Planning a design and making things out of wood is a great tangible way of teaching kids counting and measuring skills.

The Right Stuff
Woodworking gives kids experience with the proper tools for carpentry such as a tape measure, a speed square, a screwdriver or a hammer. For most people, especially with an activity like woodworking, experiential learning is the dominating means of gaining knowledge and confidence.

If your child is interested in Woodworking, then I recommend you look into a summer camp that offers it as an activity. If you already have a camp in mind, call them up to ask about their program. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hello, Young Yogis out there!

All across the nation, the practice of Yoga is becoming more and more popular and summer camps are just as hip to that as any zen master. That’s why you’ll see Yoga being offered as a choice summertime activity which is great because there’s no age that’s too early to take in the breath of fresh air that is Yoga. 

Yoga and meditation are technically the same thing, so their histories can be difficult to distinguish, however, the traditional idea of Yoga essentially goes back just as far as traditional meditation practices anyway which is more than 5000 years ago with Buddhist monks.

Lots of people find peace in their practice of Yoga! Check out what you can expect to get out of the experience if you want to participate at camp.

Lessen Pain
You might think you don’t need to worry about lessening pain until you’re an old person, but it can’t hurt to start when you’re young and prevent yourself from ever leaving your body susceptible to diminishing strength and resilience.  

Breathe Easy
Stretching and contorting your body into certain positions and deep-breathing is a refreshing experience that aligns your body in a number of different ways. The regular implementation of the Yoga practice creates an abundance of healthy benefits from the inside out including improved respiration, energy, and vitality!

Reduce Insomnia
Regular Yoga practice allows your body to be better in tune with itself. Tap into your body’s own circadian rhythm—your own, internal, biological clock—that will queue your body’s particular optimal time to fall asleep as well as the best time to wake up.

Mental Benefits
Similar to the way meditation will bring about mental clarity and peace of mind that allows individuals to manage stressful times, Yoga too helps us achieve an unclouded mental state that aids us better as we navigate through life.

If you’re passionate about Yoga, then I recommend you look into a summer camp that offers it as an activity to boost your techniques and skills on your Yoga mat. If you already have a camp in mind, call them up to ask about their Yoga program. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John