Camp crafts: keeping the arts alive

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Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 3.29.17 PMSummer camp isn’t just about campfires and sports and jumping in the lake: we’re happy to report that the arts are alive and well at Camp Starlight!

From fine art to ceramics to theater, there are activities and specialty resources available for practically anything a creative spirit could dream of.

Art offers variety

Camp is a hands-on place, so it makes sense that the hands-on approach applies even outside the core activities like sports and archery. Not everybody wants to be on their feet all day, so painting, ceramics, and other studio arts give campers a chance to slow down, zone in, and get their hands dirty in a creative environment.

Not a huge fan of ultimate frisbee? How about ceramics then! Not a pottery buff? Maybe some theater will float your boat? Camp is full of creative outlets, and everybody gets a chance to try out as many different mediums as they want until they find the one that speaks to them.

Art builds real-world skills

One of the best things about doing arts activities at camp is how they build on themselves from year to year, all while connecting with students’ activities and interests during the school year.

Campers who dream of going to art school can find plenty of time and resources for honing the skills they already have, while newcomers to a craft can start fresh and continue to grow the next summer if they desire.

At camp, the level a camper wants to reach within the arts is completely within their own control. The sky’s the limit!

Theater keeps everyone laughing

What’s a campfire without some good-natured inside jokes? Theater is a great way for campers to play and practice team organization outside the sports environment. The end product is usually a little on the goofy side (this is summer camp after all, not Shakespeare in the round), but what’s really valuable about the activity is applying those teambuilding skills to something more like “real life” than a team sport.

You could say that the team that plays together, stays together.

Self-expression builds confidence

Ultimately, the goal of creative activities at camp is to build confidence through self-expression.

The arts have always been a safe place for campers to express the things they have on their minds. Making art in a community ensures that everybody gets plenty of attention, and skilled instructors are always on hand to pair campers with the tools appropriate to their skill level. No matter the discipline, every camper gets a chance to show their own unique creative spark.

Camp isn’t just a fun place — it’s a creative place too! So get creative in the arts. There’s no better time than summer to make something spectacular!

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Enjoying Camp at Home All Year

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Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 3.20.36 PMFor most campers, a summer at camp just isn’t enough. Even though camp counselors are pros at squeezing as much fun into every minute of every day at camp, eventually it is time to go home, and teary eyed campers are sad to say goodbye. Parents can easily help their kids feel connected to camp all year round by incorporating little things into their life that remind them of camp.

At America’s Finest Summer Camps, there is a chant, rhyme or song for almost everything campers do. This not only helps them remember important information, but also brings all of the campers together. Parents can ask their kids what songs meant the most to them and why, and find a way to incorporate the song, chant or rhyme into their daily lives. Campfire songs are a classic camp memory, and having children teach their parents these catchy tunes is a great way to connect parents and kids, and also brings back fond memories of camp all year round.

It won’t take long for parents to figure out what activity their children really connected with at camp. If possible, parents can plan a weekend at the lake for their new sailor or wake board enthusiast and see for themselves why the sport meant so much for their children. If kids discovered their love for acting, music, art or dance, parents can look in their community to see if enrolling their children in these programs/classes is realistic for their family. It is very important for parents to encourage their children to follow their dreams and passions, many of which are discovered after a fun filled summer at camp.

There is no doubt that kids will come home with more than one new best friend. Parents can help their child stay in touch with their camp friends by helping them write letters, emails and arranging “Skype-dates.” If possible, planning a get-together with friends from camp may ease the common “camp sickness” (the camp version of homesickness) and allow kids to foster and build upon the relationships they made at camp.

The Internet is full of fun ideas to bring summer camp to your home, such as DIY fire pits, delicious ‘smore recipes and exciting team games that will get the whole neighborhood involved. Parents can get creative in bringing the camp experience home, and by asking their kids a few questions about what they loved about camp, it is easy to bring some camp favorites right to their own living room.

5 wakeboard tips and tricks to stay in practice all year round

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Screen Shot 2015-10-26 at 2.58.01 PMSummer camp means getting out on the lake, and getting out on the lake means: wakeboarding!

Wakeboarding is a favorite for many campers, providing tons of adrenaline and fun in a super safe environment. (After all, the worst that can happen is you fall in the lake… and campers are constantly doing that on purpose anyway!)

The only tricky part about wakeboarding is remembering everything you learned the year before. Like any seasonal activity, staying in practice year-round is pretty difficult. (Unless you live somewhere with warm winters and happen to have a boat and lake at your disposal, that is!)

So how can you practice at home so you’re in top form when it’s your turn to hit the lake?

We’ve gathered some of the best ways to stay on top of your wakeboarding game. Get ready to impress your camp friends when they see how many tricks you can do!

Note: as with any sport or fitness activity, always wear safety equipment, stay within your limits, and only practice with a qualified instructor to keep everything safe and fun.

1. Practice your board skills with snowboarding or skateboarding

The hardest part of wakeboarding can be simply balancing on the board. Luckily, snowboarding and skateboarding both build similar skills, so if you can get out on the slopes or make it down to the local skate park, you can practice your balance all year round!

The best part is that both sports are super fun in their own right — and they’ll make sure you have killer board handling skills by the time summer camp rolls around.

You can also consider using a balance board, which gives some of the same advantages as a skateboard without requiring you to leave your room or the gym. You could even watch Netflix while you practice!

2. Improve your balance by adding exercises to your routine

If you already have a stretching or workout routine that you follow at least once a week, consider adding some balance-focussed exercises to the mix! Exercises that improve your balance are surprisingly simple: practice balancing on one leg for 30+ seconds, then build up to hopping on one foot, and doing one-legged squats and lunges.

Pro tip: closing your eyes makes these exercises twice as hard, but will have huge rewards when you get on the board.

3. Study up on YouTube

When it comes to learning specific tricks, YouTube is your best friend. Instructors all over the world have videos you can watch for free that break down each trick into step-by-step challenges, and you can play them over and over until you’ve got a handle on the mechanics of the trick.

4. Trampoline time!

Yup, wakeboarding is your excuse to play around on the school trampoline!

A trampoline is surprisingly effective at simulating the wakeboarding experience, and gives you a chance to practice a tricky move over… and over… and over again, until you’re absolutely sure you’re ready to give it a shot on the lake.

Plus, jumping on a trampoline is just plain fun!

5. Daydream

Success comes to those who expect it, and summer camp activities are no different. If you’re excited about another fun season of wakeboarding, go ahead and let yourself get stoked about it!

Visualize yourself doing the tricks you enjoy, and practice them mentally while doing less exciting activities (like sorting your clothes, for example). How did it feel to grind that steep wake? How did it feel to land that spin?

Summer is always right around the corner, and it’ll be time to get out on the lake again before you know it. Can’t wait to see you there — be ready for some serious watersport fun!

Why outdoor adventure skills are important

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Screen Shot 2015-10-14 at 1.15.33 PMAs a camp counselor, I’ve always been surprised by the wide range of lessons that campers take away from the outdoor adventure activities at camp.

Some campers benefit most from building a sense of self-reliance and resourcefulness. Others particularly enjoy the non-competitive aspects of the activities, which combine the adrenaline of sports with the positivity of teamwork. And of course, some campers just like having fun in the sun.

Regardless of interests, everybody at Camp gets to benefit from outdoor education. Nature, like adventure, is universally meaningful — and universally fun.

Personal development

A camper must learn to trust themselves before they learn to trust others, and outdoor skill-building is one of the greatest ways to build self-confidence.

The world is a scary place, and survival skills like fire-starting and shelter-building teach campers that strength comes from within; all it takes to survive and thrive in the world is a little know-how and ingenuity.

…Not to mention that knowing a thing or two about how to pitch a tent and read a map opens up a whole new world of outdoor recreation activities for life outside camp!

Teamwork vs. competition

Teamwork is one of the core values at camp, and nothing builds trust and communication between teammates quite like working together to solve the fundamental human needs that outdoor exploration puts us in touch with. That being said, outdoor adventure still requires a high level of teamwork, even though the objective isn’t “beating” another team.

There are no winners and losers when the goal is to make a campfire or build a cool shelter; it’s campers against the wilderness, rather than campers against campers. Students learn to work together to conquer a challenge, without worrying about accomplishing anything more or less than their absolute best.

Finding our place in the world

When it comes to outdoor adventure at camp, the “outdoor” side is at least as important as the “adventure” side.

Adventure is all well and good, but the raw experience of being in nature is what makes seemingly simple activities like hiking and camping so memorable. Particularly for campers coming from the city, a reminder of how small we all are in the grand scheme of things can be immeasurably valuable. The great outdoors are important for everyone. After all, it’s wild woods, crisp air and clean water that makes Camp such a special place to “get away from it all!”

Can-do attitude

Whatever particular aspect of outdoor adventure captures a camper’s imagination, they are guaranteed to walk away with a new sense of empowerment. We live in a fast-paced and quickly changing world, and the outdoor experiences at camp leave campers ready to tackle the world with creativity, determination, and humility. Just get outside and try it!

What I learned from playing sports at camp

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Screen Shot 2015-10-05 at 3.13.27 PMI wish you could have seen my face the first day of summer camp; my excitement was so contagious I was worried the nurse would put me in quarantine. That being said, my excitement had nothing to do with sports. So far as I was concerned, sports were just another stressful school activity, and to be honest I was initially disappointed when I first saw “basketball” on my daily schedule.

Fast forward a week later, and I was signing up for golf and baseball of my own free will, and even organizing pickup games during rest hour. While I’d dreaded sports at school, they quickly become one of my favorite activities at camp!

So what happened? Well, it might sound a little cheesy, but it didn’t take much camp spirit to change my attitude. Let me explain…

Camp is “different.” In a good way.

Although many of the team sports at camp are familiar from the team sports at school, the experience of participating in sports at camp can be a completely different experience. In a good way, of course.

For campers who thrive on organized sports at school, camp offers a unique opportunity: a chance to hone skills in a more focused environment, and access to incredible coaches who are completely invested in helping their campers have a blast and build their skills. “You mean I get to spend all day long outside playing games?” For sporty campers, the athletics program at camp is paradise.

For campers who might be less inclined towards sports at school, on the other hand, camp offers a different kind of advantage: a chance to try a wide variety of sports in a stress-free environment, without the pressures that come along with the high-stakes atmosphere of organized team competitions at school.

Learning to challenge yourself

I know I wasn’t the only convert; many other campers who would never describe themselves as sporty outside of camp found themselves discovering the more positive, pro-personal-growth side of athletics during their time at camp. If the school environment sucks the fun out of volleyball for you, just try it at camp! It’s a totally different game. Trust me.

When competitive sports let me down at school, I thought it was everyone else’s fault. But getting a chance to chill out and try new things at camp taught me that actually, it wasn’t anybody’s fault; I just needed to relax and learn to be okay with winning some days and losing on others. You know, just like life.

Camp is a great environment to try new things

Regardless of a camper’s feelings towards sports at school, the number one difference that camp has to offer is this: variety.

At camp, it’s not a question of fitting a sport or two around academics; it’s a question of fitting as many sports as you can imagine into a single day! Roller hockey, golf, flag football, lacrosse, cheerleading, baseball, tennis, soccer… and those are just the tip of the iceberg.

The chances for finding a sport that suits you are endless, and if you don’t care for a particular game you aren’t stuck with it; after all, a new one will be starting up next period.

Keep an open mind

So here’s my advice to a new camper who might be anxious about team activities at camp: relax, give it a try, and keep an open mind. The best part of camp is that the scenery is always changing. Even if you decide that an activity isn’t up your alley, you can always sign up for something new next time.

…And once you do discover your favorite sport, it’s just a question of signing up as much as possible!

More Than Just A Lake

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-nsuqWS8Q5RoHGrFqonRuduNrLOBBwpYFboTTB4sDEwThere are many things notice when they arrive at camp the first day. They notice the cabins, all of the new faces, the baseball fields, ropes course, tennis courts and acres and acres of open space to run in, play in and explore in. But one of the most breathtaking and exciting parts of camp is the lake. With over 2,500 feet of private shoreline and over three miles of “so-clear-you-can see-right-to-the-bottom” waters, the lake and sandy shoreline is a popular place for campers to spend the majority of their summers.

When it comes to watersports, campers can try a variety of different options while at America’s Finest Summer Camps. Campers can relax and learn the art of fishing, or work their muscles on a standup paddle board, or they can get their heart rate up as they experience the speed and thrill of wakeboarding and water skiing. Professionals monitor each and every sport based in the water closely, and safety is of the utmost importance. The lake doesn’t just offer a location to try new sports; it serves as the backdrop for the time in their lives when kids will remember they tried something new. It will be the place they fondly remember as the spot where they faced their fears, tried something new, and had the time of their lives.

rdspsUTMrlXdz4jrAyADor2vbjs_17dBJcY6PO6UCDwThe lake also serves as a great place for reflection and peace. A quiet stroll along the shoreline can be a great place for a confidential conversation between friends, a quiet place for journaling or writing letters back home, or simply a place to connect with nature. Warm, sunny days heat the water to a comfortable 80 degrees during the day, making it easy to run, splash and play in the crystal clear waters all day long. (Don’t worry, sunscreen is readily available and lifeguards and other professionals are always around!)

The lake is a central part of camp, and it brings campers together in a variety of waves. America’s Finest Summer camps would feel incomplete without all of the activities, events and life lessons that are centered on the lake. Self-confidence, friendships and trust are all built on the lake. Campers who come from a part of the country where they don’t have access to such a beautiful part of nature really connect and enjoy everything the lake has to offer.

The lake is so much more than just a body of water in the middle of camp. The lake is a place that campers really connect with, and where lifelong memories are made.

EASY CAMP FOOD AT HOME– KIDS PERSPECTIVE

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Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 3.02.54 PMUghhhh….Camp is over and of course, NOW summer is over too! This stinks! I mean being back home is kind of a buzz kill. School’s no fun, homework’s lame and dealing with my little bro is like, BRUTAL! All I can think about is how much fun I had away from here, with all my friends and so many awesome things to do!

But the reality is, I’m stuck here for 9 more months, until I can go back to camp. So I asked my Mom, if we could make some real camp food – you know, to bring me back! I figured she’d be game, since she says she needs new ideas and gets tired of making the same stuff over and over again. So we’re bringing camp home YO! How cool is that? Check out the recipes below, for some yummy goodness you can make at home. You gettin’ me? Oh, and no campfire needed!

HOBO DINNERS – makes 4 servings

1 pk. – Ground beef

2 TBS. – Olive oil

Dash – Salt and pepper

3 – Potatoes

2 med. – Red eppers

2 med. – Tomatoes

1 – Yellow Onion

½ c. – Salsa

4-6 – tortillas

Tear off four squares of tin foil, lay each one out and portion out ¼ cup of ground beef, dash of salt and pepper and 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil for each. Then personalize it! Chop up the vegetables and add the ones you like to your Hobo dinner and add a little salsa. Fold up each tin foild square and bake at 350 degrees, on the middle oven rack for 45 minutes. Whala!! Eat it right out of the foil pouch or scoop all the ingredients into a tortilla. Now this is chow! Yum!

TACOS IN A BAG – makes 4 servings

4 – individual bags of tortilla chips

1 lb. pk – grass fed hamburger

¼ c. – taco seasoning mix

1/8 c. – water

½ c. – salsa

½ c. – tofu sour cream

Lettuce

Brown the hamburger until well cooked. Drain. Add in the taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Crunch each bag of tortilla chips. Add hamburger, salsa lettuce and sour cream to each tortilla chip packet. Crunch with a fork and munch! It’s so easy it’s cray, cray!

SMORES DIP – makes 4 servings

1 pkg. – chocolate chips

1 pkg. – large marshmallows

2 pkgs. – graham crackers for dipping

Pour the chocolate chips in an 8 X 8 pan. Set large marshmallows on end, covering the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for five minutes or until melted. Serve with graham crackers. Dig in and dip away!

CAMPFIRE CONES – makes 4 servings

4 – waffle or sugar ice cream cones

1 c. – marshmallows

1 – banana

1 c. – chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Fill each cone with as much bananas, chocolate chips and marshmallows as you want. Wrap each cone in aluminum foil and bake for 8-10 minutes. Unwrap and grub down!

What I Learned From My Campers

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Screen Shot 2015-09-15 at 2.52.13 PMWhen I arrived at America’s Finest Summer Camps as a counselor this past summer, I knew exactly how I wanted every camper to feel. I was on high alert for the shy ones, the scared ones, the nervous ones. I was looking for the nail biters and the ones with the look of “wow this is a lot of people” in their eyes. I was going to make them feel important, valued, appreciated, heard, accepted and encouraged. What I DIDN’T know, is everything I would learn from THEM.

 

My campers taught me what it means to be brave. And not the kind of brave that you find climbing a rock wall or balancing on a speeding waterski, but the bravery that comes from being in a new place, with new people, and not running away. The kind of bravery it takes to get up and talk about yourself to people you don’t know, the kind of bravery it takes to play a sport you’ve never tried, or get on stage despite your crippling stage fright. They taught me never to let fear win.

 

My campers taught me what it means to be patient. And not the kind of patient you need for standing in a long line for ice cream, but the patience it takes to get something right after failing the first 15 times. The kind of patience it takes to let someone else speak even when you have something REALLY important to say, the kind of patience it takes when living with someone who snores, is messy, or has a problem with your snores and messes. They taught me that patience brings peace.

 

My campers taught me what it means to be free. Not the kind of free that comes from being away from home, void of rules and expectations, and no longer under mom and dad’s watchful eye, but the freedom that comes from being somewhere safe and non judgmental. Very serious campers found themselves leading a campfire song, putting on an impromptu comedy show by the lake, or starring in a talent show. Being free means letting to go of the stereotypes you have of yourself and of others, and allows you to realize things about yourself that you’ve never known. My campers have taught me to not take things so seriously, to have fun, to be silly, and to appreciate the silliness in others. They taught me that being free is the best way to grow.

 

I went into this camp counselor experience with every intention of changing the lives of every single camper I met. I was going to make sure they all felt important and understood. As the weeks progressed, I realized that in my efforts to teach and focus on them, they were teaching me how to grow and focus on myself. And for that gift I am eternally, eternally grateful.

 

10 ways everyone can totally tell you went to summer camp

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  1. 11755097_10152937395001960_2731866731034636109_nYou want to play outside no matter the weather

The rain-or-shine attitude is something that sets summer campers apart. After all, rock climbing and waterskiing waits for no one — you sure aren’t going to miss out on the time of your life just because of a spring shower!

 

  1. You always want to work as a team on school projects

Summer camp is a crash-course in teamwork and quickly turns even the most introverted personalities into leaders and team players. From mealtime to game time to singing around the fire, campers do everything together and quickly discover that the more you collaborate, the more fun you get to have.

 

  1. You’re always singing and clowning around

“Heeeeey burittooooo! Guac-a-mol-e cinnamon twist!” You can take the camper out of camp, but you can never take the camp songs out of the camper. Repeat-after-me melodies are a tradition as old as camp itself that turn goofy rhymes into songs that get stuck in your head forever — counselors and campers alike.

 

  1. You don’t mind getting a little dirty

Summer camp is all about having fun in the great outdoors, and that means running around in the woods, jumping in the lake and getting grass stains on your jeans. Especially for campers coming from the big city, getting comfortable with mud, bugs and insects means getting out of your comfort zone… and having a blast while you’re at it.

 

 

  1. You can totally identify that bug

Bugs are everywhere, and for those that like science and nature they’re one of the best parts of camp. Who hasn’t tried to keep a grasshopper or katydid as a pet in a shoebox? As a summer camper you’ve learned that bugs, along with many other scary things in life, are only scary if you let your imagination get the better of you.

 

  1. You get along with people who are different from you

Diversity is strength, and summer camp is one of the most diverse places around. You never know who’s going to be in your core group, and no matter where everyone comes from you all have to work together both in and out of activities.

 

  1. You love to send “snail mail”

Just like the owl post over breakfast in Harry Potter, mail time at camp is exciting for everyone! Parents love getting updates about all the fun activities, and campers get a little piece of home to remind them that everything will be just fine. After camp, how will you keep in touch with your new best friends? Summer campers have besties all over the map and get postcards from their new friends for years to come.

 

  1. You know how to start a campfire (and roast a perfect marshmallow)

Not everyone knows how to start a fire in the digital era, but as a camper you know a thing or two about getting that tinder to snap, crackle and pop. Chances are you even have a great campfire story or two! (But not any that are too scary, or course…)

 

  1. You know how to have fun no matter whether you win or lose

Camp is full of games, and summer campers learn to have a good time whether they’re on the team that wins or the team that doesn’t. For you, it’s playing the game and trying your hardest that’s most fun, and competition just adds a little bit of good-natured incentive. Summer campers are always easy to spot on team sports — they are gracious regardless of the scoreboard and always smiling.

 

  1. You want to be a camp counselor when you “grow up”

The number one sign of a lifelong summer camper is when you’ve been going to camp for so many seasons that you become too old to be a camper — so you become a counselor! Being a camp counselor is one of the best jobs in the world, and a chance to share all your years of camp wisdom with the next generation. You’re more than just a summer camper. You’re a role model.

Camp Changed My Kid

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I was nervous and excited to send my son Connor to one of America’s Finest Summer Camps this year. Connor’s best friend attended camp the summer before and could not stop raving about it. So after plenty of research and discussions, we decided to let Connor spend the summer away. I won’t lie, my “mommy heart” broke a little when he practically jumped out of the car at drop off and didn’t look back, but I was pretty sure we were making the right decision. Last week, when we picked him up, I was 100% sure we had made the right decision. The happy, smiley kid who jumped into our backseat was….different.

 

11403218_10152921109351960_6993264803082064644_nI couldn’t pin point many differences right away, except for the excitement in his eyes and voice when he talked about all of his new friends and cracked himself up remembering inside jokes and hilarious conversations with his new buddies. One of the main things I noticed when we got home was how helpful he had become. Without me asking, he would make his bed, take his plates to the sink, offer to bring in the groceries or even simply ask if he could get us anything from the kitchen since he was going that way. I noticed a new sense of thoughtfulness when he came back. Not that he was heartless before by any means, but I definitely noticed a change in his willingness to help others and think of others before himself. As the days passed, my heart exploded with joy to see him excited to email, chat and FaceTime all of his new friends. He went to camp a little reserved, and came back social and confident. I loved seeing him interact with his peers, I loved seeing how he was truly listening to what others had to say, and how he felt confident contributing to the conversation.

 

Just today, he told me he was going to try out for soccer tryouts at school, a sport he had never played before camp. He said he was encouraged to try it at camp and played it almost every day while he was there. As a mom, I am blown away at what positive changes have come from sending my son to camp. I knew he would make friends, try a new activity or two, and learn to live both independently and with a group, but I had no idea about the social skills, character development, relational growth, and boost in confidence that spending just a few weeks away could create.

 

Any parent that is even thinking about sending their kid to camp should stop thinking right now and sign them up. Not only will you enjoy a few kid-free weeks of relaxation, but when your kid comes home, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at everything they’ve learned, and more importantly, who they’ve become.

 

America’s Finest Summer Camps changed my son for the better, and we are both looking forward to the growth and changes that will happen next summer at camp!