Hey, Camp Fans!

We’re announcing the winners to our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest right here on the Blog. Come back each weekday to see who else won; it might just be you. This year, we have more stories, more laughs, and more fun! And, now for our second $50 winner—congratulations to….

Claudia B.!

“During the night, after dinner, camp comes alive again on certain nights. Campers go to be seated in the pavilion, and we get ready to play special games called 'Night Games.' While the name isn't the most creative, it is a source of great joy for the campers, CITs, and even counselors to play. This specific game was known as 'Animal Game', where you were on a certain color team and had to run from a designated color while chasing a different color. The object of the game is to get tagged the least amount of times. I was team red, running from green and tagging purple. While I got tagged four times that night, that didn't really matter. What mattered was that there was a twist. Counselors disguised as 'minions', which are brainwashed henchmen of the camp myth 'The Man' and 'The Woman', were to chase campers around and when they tagged a camper, the camper had to sit down for the rest of the game. We needed a plan, and fast. We teamed up with another team, a friend named Lucas who I had met before. We started running toward the back tree line, desperate to find a good cover. And there it was, a cabin hidden so that the back could not be seen by anyone in the regular area. It was right before the back tree-line, which was our boundary, so it wasn't breaking any rules. In short, it was perfect. We waited in silence, occasionally peaking out to see if anyone was coming. Suddenly, we heard a rustling. We all got ready to run. But when peaking around the corner, it was another team made up of people I knew. We let them hide with us and devised a plan for lookouts. One clap to hide, two to run. Finally, it happened. A kid whom Lucas knew snitched on our hiding spot, and a minion came over. Preparing for the worst, we almost took off running before he just told us we couldn't hide behind cabins, before running away to tag someone else. That was fair enough, so we looked for a different hiding spot. It was almost over, so we just needed something sufficient for a few more minutes. We saw a clothesline and thought it would probably do. And it worked. One second after the end, I got tagged. Our team won, and I will always remember it as one of the most fun night games of my camp experience.”

Awesome, Claudia! Sounds like you got the full summer camp experience at The Pines Catholic Camp. I like how everyone kept gravitating to your hiding spot until the wrong person saw you! Darn friend of Lucas! At least your team still came out victorious. Your storytelling really put me in the game with you! Thanks for sharing this memorable moment at summer camp with us!

If any of our readers want to take a closer look at The Pines Catholic Camp, check it out by clicking right here. Come back tomorrow to find out who our third $50 winner of this year’s ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest is! Who knows?! It might be you! If your entry is announced a winner, you’ll receive an email with the gift certificate code once all other winners have been disclosed. As always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Fans!

As the summer season makes its subtle shift into fall, we like to look back and reflect on the fun that you had. That’s why, when the camp season is over, we’re always excited here at Everything Summer Camp to keep with our traditional ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest.

This year we have ten winners for prizes of $50, $100, $200, and the grand prize of $500! Today we're announcing the first of our five $50 winners.

Today’s winner is Gregory C.! Congratulations, Gregory! You’re our first $50 prize winner! Gregory spent some fun summer days at Camp Longhorn this year for camp! Read all about it in his submission right now...

“This summer was my first summer attending camp. My whole family was really excited for me. I am the oldest and the first in my family to attend a sleep away camp. We counted down the days since the moment I received my acceptance letter. I had my awesome orange trunk in the corner of my room reminding me of the adventure I was about to have. I was so nervous to leave my family but from the moment I arrived at Camp Longhorn, I knew it was going to be what I looked forward to every year. My favorite part of camp was the BLOB and church mountain. The blob was endless fun and church mountain was so peaceful. I really missed my family when I went to bed but I cannot wait to go back and have the best of week of the year every summer!”

Thanks for this great submission, Gregory! We’re so glad to hear how much you loved your time at Camp Longhorn. Being the first in your family to attend a sleep away camp must have been a special experience, and the anticipation leading up must have been both alluring and intolerable! It’s great to hear you’ll be returning to Longhorn in the years to come!

For anyone else interested in Camp Longhorn, you can check it out right here. Tune in the rest of this month as we continue to announce our prize winners. Tomorrow we'll have our second $50 winner. Once our winners have been announced they’ll receive an email with your gift certificate code. As always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks!

- John

Hey there, Campfire Wordsmiths!

Are you still sitting on the sidelines, pondering whether or not to participate in our awesome, annual 'Share Your Camp Story' Contest? Well, grab a pen and paper or get your camera recording so you can get your camp tales recorded and ready for submission! You're reading this post, but you should be getting ready to submit your story! What's the urgency, you wonder? Today is your last chance to join the Camp Story frenzy and time's a-tickin', so get past the hesitation and get your story TOLD!

We eagerly await your stories of epic friendships forged, fears conquered, and unforgettable camp moments. Did you conquer the climbing wall? Or perhaps you danced like nobody was watching at the camp talent show? Spill the beans and let us in on the best parts of your summer camp experiences!

Hold on to your camp hats, folks! In just one week, we'll unveil the winners of our coveted contest prizes. We've got five lucky campers snagging a sweet $50 gift card, followed by two champions claiming a $100 gift card. Then, we’ll have two more winners of our second-place $200 prize. And, finally, the grand prize winner will take home a mind-blowing $500 gift card!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 5th—the day after Labor Day—when we'll kick off the celebration by announcing our first random winner right here on the Blog. Get those fingers crossed! It could be you?

We can't wait to dive into your incredible camp stories. So, hurry up, grab a pen and a pad of paper or just hit the record button with your camera and get those entries in before it's too late. Don't let this golden opportunity pass you by—we want to hear from every single one of you!

So share your camp adventures, triumphs, and mishaps before the sun sets on this contest! Thanks for being a part of our camp community and keep those camp stories burning bright! Keep reading and, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

Hey, Campers!

Gathered around a table with laughing friends on a fun-filled evening at summer camp, the campers are focused in on a classic game: the Jenga tower. After some teetering for the previous player, one nervous camper inhales deep and holds their breath as they carefully slide a block out from the middle of the tower—balance becoming an extremely delicate matter. Welcome to the world of Jenga!

The tension rises as the tower wobbles and sways, testing this camper’s steadiness and sensitivity as they successfully set the block on the top layer of the tower. Who’s next?

This game has its roots in East Africa where Leslie Scott—Jenga creator—grew up. At home, she would play a stacking game with her family using simple wooden blocks and, when she eventually brought the game to England in the 1980s, she decided to trademark it under the name ‘Jenga,’ which she got from the Swahili word ‘kujenga,’ which, translated, means ‘to build’. From there, Jenga took off like wildfire!

Jenga Throw 'N Go is essentially the same classic tower game as the original, but with an added element: a Rolling Die. The excitement builds with each turn as you test your skills and try to outsmart your opponents. Each turn begins with a roll of the die which will then instruct the player of the block they need to go for or surprise them with another option.

Will your turn go smoothly or will you face the challenge of a load-bearing block that could bring the downfall of the tower? The roll of the die can change everything, with a ‘Reverse’ sending the turn back to the previous player or an ‘Any Two’ making one turn twice as nerve-racking!

Jenga Throw 'N Go is the perfect addition to your summer camp experience. Experience the thrill of carefully removing blocks and placing them on top, all while keeping the tower from crashing down! With this game, you’re set for hours of fun, laughter, and the sheer exhilaration of summer camp-style fun! Don't miss out on the excitement—bring the Jenga Throw 'N Go tower to your next camp adventure! Thanks for reading and, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

Hey, Unhappy Campers.

Feeling a bit down about your summer camp experience? Maybe you didn't have the thrilling adventure you were expecting. Maybe camp left you with a sour taste in your mouth. But you gave it a try and that’s that, right? Well not necessarily. Just because one camp didn't live up to your expectations doesn't mean that summer camp itself isn't a blast. They’re not all winners, but you wouldn’t swear off apples after accidentally biting into one that’s gone bad.

Here's a little secret: even some camp experts didn't fall head over heels for summer camp their first time around, like the authors of 'The Summer Camp Handbook', for example. Their first years were total chaos! But that didn’t stop them! Their parents helped them find summer camps that checked all the boxes—organized, fun, and filled with excitement.

And now, they can't get enough of summer camp!

Maybe camp really just isn't for your child—that's okay too. But if they're up to giving it another shot, check out ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’, available right here at Everything Summer Camp. It thoroughly covers effective practices in shopping around for more suitable summer camps, the best ways to gather the information you need on them, how to make decisions on specific elements of your child’s camping experience, and plenty more!

So, if your kid had a less-than-stellar summer camp experience, don't fret. We've got your back right here at Everything Summer Camp. Get your own copy of ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’ by Dr. Christopher Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski and comb through our Camp Tips & Advice section right here on our Blog for excellent ideas and pointers about the camp experience.

We'll help you navigate the camp landscape and find the perfect fit for your camper. Remember, it's all about finding the camp that gets your kid's heart racing and their face beaming with joy.

Keep coming back for more excellent advice and insights. We're here to make sure your next summer camp experience is one for the books! Your child’s dream summer camp stay is out there waiting for them, among the pines! Thanks for reading, Camp Folks. And, as always, Happy Camping!

- John