Category: Uncategorized

Camp Changed My Kid

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… Leggi altro »

Camp and Compromise

Growing up as an only child has many perks. I was always the focus on my parents’ attention, I had all of my own stuff, own space, and when a family decision had to be made, I always felt like my opinion was heard and, more often than not, given serious consideration. Sure, there were… Leggi altro »

9 Lessons a counselor learns from their campers

  Everyone that arrives at summer camp leaves with a profoundly changed outlook on life. Like many camp counselors, I expected to learn a lot from the experience. What I didn’t expect was for so many of the things I learned to come from my campers!   It turns out being a role model can… Leggi altro »

Fun rest hour card games for 2+ players

America’s Finest Summer Camps are busy places, so it’s important that campers get a little bit of down time every day to relax with their group. Laidback card games keep everybody smiling even if they don’t necessarily feel like napping. But what can you do if everybody isn’t on board to play Uno for the… Leggi altro »

How the ropes courses at camp helped me conquer my fears!

High and Low ropes courses are designed to create a very special moment: that split second where you have a choice between doing the thing that’s challenging, and doing the thing that’s easy; and you choose the thing that’s challenging. Someone watching a ropes course in action might be tempted to think it’s all fun… Leggi altro »

What did YOU do this summer?

“Okay, who wants to tell me what they did over the summer?” A teachers asks a classroom full of nervous students on the first day of school. She hears about trips to the Grand Canyon, a few kids spent a week at the beach, and a lot just respond with “nothing.”   But then there… Leggi altro »

Woodworking: it’s back in style!

  Have you been keeping up on Parks & Rec lately? Yeah, so have we. (You have to do something when you’re waiting for summer to start, right?)   Here at camp pretty much everything reminds us of camp activities, but apparently we’re not the only ones: and Nick Offermans’ goofy woodworking-obsessed character has gotten… Leggi altro »

Where I go all summer, and why I look so happy when I come back

Every summer students all over North America close their school books, say goodbye to homework and board the bus out to summer camp. For a few days, or a few weeks, they stay busy doing activities, exploring nature and making new friends. All that anybody hears from them is the occasional cheery postcard dropped in… Leggi altro »

How Camp Helped Me Live A Balanced Life

Before I went to camp, if you were to ask the adults in my life to describe me in one word, they would probably say “focused” or “disciplined” or “passionate.” This would be their nice way of saying I focus on one thing and one thing only, my grades. Now of course this makes my… Leggi altro »

国际夏令营拓展视野的5种方式

夏令营本身已经是超级好玩的活动了。可以想象如果能与来自世界各地的营员和辅导员一起那一定会让你的欢乐程度爆表! …当然,国际营并不只是想象中简单的将已有夏令营活动内容与一些异国口音混合在一起。营员们通过国际营有机会直接接触来自不同地区和国家的伙伴并了解每个人的“不同”— 并且在此过程中也能够更深入的了解自我,这就是国际夏令营如此特别并且吸引营员反复参与的秘诀。 区别是生活的调味品 每个人都有独自的特点-国际营在此基础上又多了一些。营员们与来自不同国家的同龄人交朋友,也与来自世界另一端的营员们一起找寻共同点,这样的过程让营员们学会了尊重差异。 总而言之,没有人愿意总是被与自己相似的人所包围!学会欣赏不同的文化能帮助国际营员成长为更加自信、宽容和具有情趣爱好的世界好公民。 重点在于沟通 谈到沟通是不是过于冗余?当然不是,锻炼营员的沟通能力是夏令营领导力训练中很大的内容板块!国际营是实践测试营员沟通能力的大好时机。 尤其是当来自不同语言国家的营员们尝试寻找共同点、理解对方时,对营员们来说会是一个挑战;每一位国际营员在与和自己完全不同的伙伴分享的过程中会学习到有意义的一课。 有意义的友谊 友谊是营地体验的核心,也是营员们每年都重回营地的一个原因。 “今年会是谁和我一组呢?” “伙伴们会是从哪里来,他们又会是怎么样的呢?” 这样的问题都会浮现在每位夏令营参与者的脑海中。 …最棒的是,当夏天结束国际营员回国后还与来自于世界各地的营员结为笔友—谁会知道没准在不久的将来你也会到法国、中国、西班牙等国家拜访国际营的小伙伴呢! 宽容是国际通行证 世界每天都连接的更加紧密,学会宽容对待与自己不同的人不仅仅是营员们也是每个人人生中重要的一课。 国际营员学习了解到最真实的文化体验,让他们了解不同文化的好玩和有趣而不是对不同文化的恐慌或疏远。文化桥接是国际夏令营的宗旨。 好奇心是关键 国际营员们似乎都知道交朋友的秘诀是怀有一颗充满好奇的心。国际营员对不同文化的好奇会促进相互交流而不是自己单方面对未知的揣测。 与来自不同国家的伙伴交朋友的时候,竖起好奇的耳朵倾听是度过快乐夏天最简单的方式。你也许会学到很多有趣的东西! 保持开放式思维接受新体验 对于乐于寻找的人来说世界是一个充满乐趣和机遇的探险之地。国际营就是一个精彩的起点,在这里营员们不仅了解了世界的丰富多彩还能让他们学会珍惜那些让自已文化具有独特性和有趣性的因素。 从不同人的视角看来世界上的每个国家都会具有其独特的异国情调—对于国际营员来说,世界就是一个大家庭!