Hey, Summer Lovers!

We all love to feel those glorious sunbeams that shine on down and smack us right on our smiling faces. Sun showers is what summer fun is all about! The days are long and we’re charged with that vitamin D and that summer solar energy! Indeed, the sun provides us with a plethora of benefits such as stress relief, bone strength, strength of immune system, and *ahem* SUNNY demeanor.

The list goes on, but despite all the reasons to soak up the sun, there are other effects of the sun that we would deem less desirable. Ultraviolet rays, for example, that ride down inside those beautiful sunbeams, can cause premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, leathery skin, liver spots, eye damage, and more stuff you don’t want!

It’s important to take the necessary precautions for hanging out in the sun. That’s why Everything Summer Camp offers a plethora of available products containing 100% natural oils and plant-based extracts that ensure your protection from harmful UV rays while being totally skin-healthy themselves.

Today is National Sunscreen Day. It’s a good point to note that Sunscreen Day occurs within the spring season. As I heavily alluded to above, we associate fun in the sun in the summertime. There are still plenty of sunny days right now in the springtime as well as autumn and even winter. Basically, it’s never a bad time to use sunscreen if you think it’s a sunny enough day!

Sunscreen—the magical concoction goes on the skin to absorb and/or reflect ultraviolet rays from the sun that are otherwise harmful to exposed skin while letting all other beneficial properties of sunlight pass on by. But the sun has always been shining down on the earth, so when was sunscreen invented? All the way back in ancient times? Yep!

Check out this Blog post from a handful of years back about the history of Sunscreen by clicking right here. Remember to keep your skin safe this summer and all year long with convenient sun protection from Everything Summer Camp. As always, thanks for reading.

- John

Hey, Camp Preppers!

Sending your kids to summer camp can be quite the endeavor. But knowing where you want them to go is half the battle! Today, I’m highlighting the brother/sister camps from the Massachusetts peninsula on the East Coast—maybe just the place you’re sending your boy or girl this upcoming season! We’re shining our summer camp spotlight eastward to the Cape Cod this week to give the Camp Burgess for Boys and Camp Hayward for Girls their time to shine.

Located on Cape Cod in Sandwich, Massachusetts and, ironically sandwiched between Spectacle Pond and Triangle Pond, Camps Burgess and Hayward are sitting on more than 300 acres of forests, meadows and sparkling freshwater ponds.

Kids have a blast with a plethora of Water Activities such as Canoeing, Kayaking, Sailing, Swimming, Windsurfing, and more! On the land there are Team Sports like Football, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball, Ultimate Frisbee, and Relay Races. You can also enjoy Hiking, Fishing, Archery, Riflery, Ropes Course, Zipline, Climbing, Rock Throwing, Outdoor Skills, and plenty more!

And don’t forget about the Creative Activities you can take part in like Dance, Acting, Arts and Crafts, Jewelry Making, Drama, Costume Design, Film Your Own Video, Guitar, and much, much more!

Designed in complementary fashion to the gorgeous landscape of woodsy Massachusetts along the river, many of the campus buildings and cabins are all-natural stone constructions, built for comfort, beauty, cleanliness, and longevity.

The cabins are made so that they capture the cool breezes that roll along Cape Cod. Each cabin houses up to eight campers and two counselors. A wonderful place for campers to get closer to themselves and the natural world around us all, check into Camp Burgess and Camp Hayward for your boys and girls and their summer camp stay and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Runners!

A fantastic activity that plenty are very passionate about, Track (also known as Cross Country or…Running) is a competitive sport that’s based in mimicry of predators in high-speed pursuit of their prey. It wasn't called Track or Cross Country to start. it went by 'Hare and Hound'. It originated during the 1800s in England with at least one runner taking the role of the Hare and getting a head start, and another runner or more acting as the Hound and chasing after the prey.

Alterations of the game involved the initial runner dropping pieces of paper or other markers on a random course and the hunter would have to TRACK the prey. This came to be known as ‘The Paper Chase’. Nobody really knows who invented these games. They just got started among kids of a neighborhood who were building upon the most basic of childhood games: Tag.

Public schools started holding events of these games, the first one being Rugby School in 1837. They called it the Crick Run. Soon enough Oxford and Cambridge Universities joined in on the fun and the popularity soared. Within four decades, England had officialized their National Cross-Country Championship in which the game became a long distance race along a course that was laid out in advance.

While we owe the invention of ‘Hare and Hound’ as well as ‘The Paper Chase’ to kid’s games, the United States owes its interest in Track to one New Yorker named William C. Vosburgh. It was William who got wind of this English Sport. He took a great interest in it and introduced it to schoolboards of his local community.

The same as England, it didn’t take long for the popularity of Track to rise here in the states—plus it was starting out as in a much more official capacity than its beginnings overseas. In 1887, just ten years’ time, the National Cross-Country Association was founded in the United States and the first championship event was held.

It wasn’t long before Cross-Country Running was offered at Harvard in the Fall Semester as a training event for Track and Field Distance Runners. Plenty of other colleges followed Harvard’s example. City College of New York, Cornell University, and the University of Pennsylvania were the initial three to take part in the first intercollegiate meet in 1890.

Let Mr. Vosburgh teach us all a lesson about speaking up when we see something we like. Chances are other folks will like it too! Enjoy learning the ins and outs of Track this summer and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

It’s our mission here at Everything Summer Camp to help you in every way we can in sending your kids off to get the most out of the summer camp experience. The same as you, we want to ensure that your family is fully prepared and ready to enjoy the opportunity of summer camps. That’s why we’re proud to carry some of the top names in the market to give you confidence while you shop for camp.

Of course, any good summer camp strives its best to keep its property clean and sanitized, but due to lack of modern amenities and influxes of kids from around the world, summer camps are a high-risk breeding grounds for bed bugs.

One particular problem with bed bug treatment and prevention (especially around children) is the prevalence of chemicals in many methods used today. If you are searching for an alternative to help your child stay bed bug-free during summer, Bed Bug 911 is your solution.

In 2005, during the bed bug panic of New York, Nicole Levine—owner of a company called Home Clean Home—was quickly overwhelmed with customer requests for bed bug treatment. Bed bug infestation was higher than it had been in more than 50 years!

Aware of the chemicals and insecticides used in bed bug extermination, Nicole developed an organic line of bed bug sprays and other prevention products, including mattress covers and bedding. Below, you'll find a selection of Bed Bug 911 products available to order. Find the right options for you needs and place your order here at Everything Summer Camp today!

More than just a pesky reality of summer camp, mattresses in general are potentially teeming with insects that can really ruin a party (slumber parties to be specific). Don’t let it happen. Order your Bed Bug 911 here at Everything Summer Camp today and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

Light is a pretty important subject at summer camp—not just for you to see, but for people to see you as well! We’re thrilled to share some of our latest additions to our lighting products from the leaders of the lighting industry, Nite Ize. Based on resourcefulness and creativity, this company brings new ideas to practical products for people who lead active lifestyles. Check out these three shining examples:

Radiant Rechargeable ShineLine
In a tent under the stars, staring up from your hammock, riding your bike after dark, or decorating your bunk area, you’re sure make it feel like home with the Radiant Rechargeable ShineLine. This technological wire is 10 feet of illumination as well as a flexible design that’s made to custom shape for whatever space you’re decorating. Check out more about it by clicking here.

Radiant 250 Headlamp
Casting 250 lumens in an adjustable beam, this headlamp is designed with only one button to operate its four different lighting modes: a white high spot, a white low spot, a white flood, and a red flood. It also features a lockout mode to prevent accidental activation as well as battery drain. Use your head for this hands-free lighting! It's impact and water-resistant (IPX4) and features a body that can be tilted up to 90° for easy beam adjustment. Learn more here.

SlapLit LED Slap Wrap
Like slap bracelets from days long past, The SlapLit from Nite Ize features that same 'slap it to snap it' construction. Nite Ize didn't stop there, though. They added the LED element to the Slap Wrap to make this bracelet light up. Durable nylon with a design, the SlapLit glows an easy-to-activate, red LED that's shining all the way down the Wrap. Hit the power button and slap this sucker around your wrist, upper arm, ankle, bicycle frame, or wherever else you can find a use for it to give yourself instant nighttime visibility for safety.

Keep your world illuminated with these amazing light products from the ever-innovative Nite Ize. Have a browse through the entire selection we offer from this brand by clicking right here and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John