Hey, Straw-Sippers!

At first glance, one would easily assume that straws are a frill of the modern day—something that likely came around about the same time as 1950s diners and fast food chains. But they go back much further than that! Nowadays, we’ve got straws made from a variety of materials. The most common that you’ll find here at Everything Summer Camp are plastic—but not the disposable sort, utilized within a water bottle. Otherwise, there are metal straws, paper straws, disposable plastic straws, and more.

Still I’m sure none of you have used a straw like the first ones ever made. Older than the invention of paper itself, history tells us straws were first invented 6 to 7000 years ago by the ancient Mesopotamians who crafted them out of wood and sometimes gold! The purpose came in warmer, buggier climates, making it easy to avoid any insects that may have landed in their drinks.

The 1800s brought about new methods and materials for construction as well as an increase in popularity for this ancient drinking method. 

Why Not Rye?
The Industrial Revolution in America saw straws getting made from organic elements. Popular materials were rye and wheat grains. These straws—rye especially—would lend a grass-like taste to a beverage. They’d also get soggy quickly. People were ultimately left unimpressed. While the public appreciated the concept, they saw plenty of room for improvement. At least one American inventor, Marvin Stone, did.

Stone’s Straws
Marvin Stone came up with the paper straw which proved to be far superior to the grain straws, both in sustainability and consumer-friendliness. Marvin’s family was already in the business of tubular products such as pencil sharpeners, giving him an edge on straw manufacturing of a large scale. He determined the perfect straw length and width—8.5 inches by 21.5 centimeters. And he developed his manufacturing process: wrap pencils in paper, glue the paper, remove the pencil.

Drastic Plastic
A sudden boom of fast-food restaurants in the 20^th Century brought a great demand for disposable plastics such as cutlery and straws. Novelty straws only upped the plastic game with patents like Slurpee Straws and Crazy Straws. For whatever reason, plastic straws were pushed and normalized for over 60 years, kicking paper straws aside despite their obvious benefit to the environment over plastic.

The fight against disposable plastic straws is being fought with reusable water bottles as well as reusable straws. Do your part and shop our selection when you click right here. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Folks! Till next time.

- John

Hey, Hydrators!

Make way for the latest updated water bottles from the one and only Hydro Flask! Standing alongside other top brand names like Nalgene and Klean Kanteen, Hydro Flask has just introduced a couple of their latest designs of their Standard Water Bottle and Tumbler and they’re now available here at Everything Summer Camp! Check out our new Hydro Flask bottles right here!

24 oz Standard Flex Cap Water Bottle
Pack your water along when you head out on your adventures with the Hydro Flask 24 oz Standard Flex Cap Water Bottle. This BPA and Phthalate-free water bottle is constructed with Hydro Flask's TempShield™ insulation to eliminate condensation and keep your beverages cold for up to 24 hours and hot for up to 12. The pro-grade stainless steel retains no flavors from previous drinks, delivering a pure taste every time you go back for more! And the outside coating provides you with an easy-to-grip and sweat-free hold. This bottle comes with the Hydro Flask's Flex Cap which offers flexibility despite its tough stainless steel construction. An easy-to-carry strap swings on pivots in the stainless steel cap which is also insulated using Honeycomb Insulation™. Go Hydro and enjoy the Standard Water Bottle with Flex Cap for all your adventures to come.

22 oz. Tumbler
Keep your drinks at the temperature you want—whether you're enjoying a creamy hot chocolate, a fruit smoothie, or anything else ranging from your essential ice-cold water to piping hot tea. The 22 oz Tumbler from Hydro Flask is up to the task with its TempShield™ double wall vacuum insulation, keeping cold drinks cold for 24 hours and hot drinks hot for up to 6. Its narrow design is a perfect fit in your hand and fits snug in most cupholders. And, the cherry on top: this Tumbler comes with the Press-in Lid, also made with Honeycomb Insulation™ for additional temperature control, an opening for easy sips, and a splash-proof and worry-free way to carry your beverage all day!

No matter how you choose to fill your days at camp and all the days until then, it's important you keep your water bottle filled and stay hydrated. Peruse our excellent hydration products from Hydro Flask by clicking right here. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John

Hey, Little Birdies!

Today is Feed the Birds Day—a wonderful day to participate in not just for the birds, but for yourself as well! Feeding birds can be a very educational experience, imparting scientific concepts built in to nature and giving us a better understanding of the importance in caring for our environment and the life that lives there. Ask your folks if they can help you feed the birds. Here are some things to consider:

A Balanced Bird Diet
Just the same way that your body requires you eat the right things in order for it to function its best, birds are no different. Birds stay healthy and energized by eating the right kind and the right amount of nutrients. But wild birds are all different. Some eat bugs, grubs and worms for their nutrition while others eat seeds and berries. In order to see what kind of birds enjoy what kind of food, put out a variety for them like seeds, nuts, berries, and suet (fat).

Tweeter Feeder
Different feeders will attract different birds. Bowl-style feeders provide an open shape that allows several birds to feed at once. It’s also an easy one for kids to refill as opposed to a tube-style feeder. Tube feeders take a little extra effort to fill up, however, you can usually get away with a refill once every several days or a week (depending on how much food fits in your feeder. Probably the easiest method yet is to simply get a suet cage and blocks of suet to put inside. Hang it up outside and you’re done.

Hit the Spot
Some locations are better than others for birdfeeders. It’s important that the feeder goes somewhere several feet away from shrubs where predators could be hiding. Birds also want to be either in or near a tree where they can take shelter. Be sure to pick a spot for your feeder where you’ll be able to see it from inside the house. You want to be able to enjoy watching all your new feathered friends! Perhaps you’ll want a pair of binoculars handy to really study these amazing little creatures!

So whether you want to devote a lot or just a little time to putting out some food for the birds in your yard, the birds will sure appreciate it and you’ll love it too. Have a great Feed the Birds Day and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! Till next time.

- John

Hey, Camp Families!

Getting your child ready for summer camp is a crucial element to whether or not they enjoy their stay! It’s hard to smile in a downpour when you forgot to pack a raincoat. Camp prep remains just as important today as it’s always been, but the way we go about getting ready for camp has been changing along with the world in the last couple years.

Families used to make a day out of it. Parents would take their children, load up in the car, and hit a number of retailers where they would acquire the camping gear and other camp supplies for the upcoming season. You might stop for lunch amidst all the shopping and really make the day a treat.

This has changed drastically since 2020, but just because you’re not venturing out to any physical stores doesn’t mean you can’t make it a special day. Have your camper join you for a virtual visit and check out places online where you can order your gear. The shopping experience at everythingsummercamp.com has plenty of great options to choose from as well as a wide array of customized products and gear.

Maybe order in or bake something tasty in the kitchen that day so you and your child can have a treat as reward for all your productivity in your camp preparations.

Being involved in the decision-making and playing a part in designing their own gear gives your child a ownership over their time away. As summer camp expert and co-author of ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’, Chris Thurber puts it, “Something as simple as picking out the color of the new toothbrush will give your son or daughter a healthy sense of agency over the camp experience. Enjoy this co-shopping experience and share your positive expectations for camp.”

Check out this past Everything Summer Camp Blog post from Chris Thurber about the importance of involving your to-be camper in their camp preparations. As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! Till next time.

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

Have you ever noticed that when you place an order with us here at Everything Summer Camp, your order is delivered at your doorstep in just a couple days? Our Shipping Department is a well-oiled machine thanks to Anita’s awesome orchestration! Under her management, so many great improvements have been implemented to our order-picking and order-packing processes. Creating such a fun work environment, it’s no wonder that our Shipping Department works so smoothly.

If given the opportunity to go to summer camp now in her adulthood, Anita said she would be most eager to do some good ol’ overnight camping. Anita feels at home in the Great Outdoors. Monthly camping trips were a regular part of the first 18 years of her life. But once she started dating the man she would come to marry, her camping trips became a weekly activity.

Included in her overnight camping trip, Anita would do some kayaking, some mountain biking, and—of course—outdoor cooking!   

Kayaking
Like lots of kids, Anita could never get enough time in the water. She’d go swimming all the time in her teen years and enjoyed plenty of other water activities growing up like fishing, tubing, water sports, and, her current favorite, kayaking.

Mountain Biking
As natural on a bike as she is in the water, Anita has plenty of fond memories cruising through a trail on her mountain bike. She recalls “Lots of our trips out,” she told me where “We’d just grab the tent, the cooler, the bikes, and go!”

Outdoor Cooking
Anita still goes on camping trips as often as her busy life allows. And no camping trip is complete without meals made over a campfire! Her and her daughter will still make pizza masterpieces over the open flames as well as orange peel muffins and plenty of other delicious meals. Sounds like I ought to join Anita on her next camping trip!

Do you love the same camp activities as Anita? Her picks are very essential summer camp experiences! It’s no surprise to find someone so in love with overnight camping working here at Everything Summer Camp! As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

- John