Elasticity is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the quality of being adaptable.” By definition, elasticity is not merely a description of successful campers and staff, but a description of summer camp itself. Summer camps have existed for over a century. And although they’re generally considered an American “tradition,” with well over 12,000 summer camps across the… Read more »
Month: July 2013
Letters Home
Have you ever wondered about communication at summer camp? This week’s guest blog is from Camp Weequahic concerning letters home. Before texting and skype, before emails and faxes, there was a tried and true method of communication called ‘letter writing.’ Putting pencil to paper was one of the most effective ways to communicate for a… Read more »
A Whole New World
At one of America’s Finest Summer Camps, a first year camper, upon stepping off the bus on arrival day for the first time, immediately exclaimed, “I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life!” The awe of that young camper at that moment was very reminiscent of the scene in The Little Mermaid in which… Read more »
Big Things in Small Moments
This week’s guest contribution comes from the Camp Starlight blog: One of the best parts of camp is observing moments when campers could teach grown-ups a thing or two. One of them is the way in which campers are able to capture a moment. There are lots of big events at camp. We write about… Read more »
Healthy Competition
“Healthy Competition” is a term that is often used at summer camp. While they also offer a wide selection of niche and hobby type activities, traditional summer camps focus heavily on sports. The emphasis, however, is more about encouraging campers to be active and improve their skills. This is not to say that campers do… Read more »
Spirit Days and Tribals: Spirited Traditions
The guest blog this week comes from not one but two AFSC camps–Camp Laurel South and Camp Weequahic. Both camps describe two timeless traditions unique to them: Spirit Days at Camp Laurel and Tribals at Camp Weequahic. Spirit Days 2013 Tuesday started like any other day at camp. Morning activities were going great. All over… Read more »
The Anatomy of a Summer Camp
Summer camp is often thought of as a whole, a single place where campers convene for several weeks each summer. Few think of summer camp in the context of its smaller parts. Yet, for campers, the special memories that make up “summer camp” in their minds are not merely the product of a whole, but… Read more »