How summer camp impacts kids...

This week we want the blog to focus on why summer camp is so important for kids. We have an article from Chicago Parents that talks about how camp impacts kids long term.

This article was written back in February before Covid-19 put all our lives on hold, but its interesting to see ow many things stated in the article are even more true today, in a time where we experience quarantine, social distancing, and wearing masks on a daily basis. 

We are linking an article written by staff members at Chicago Parent, a parenting resource website that focuses on families living in the Chicago area. This particular article interviews a mother who is sending her children to camp for the first time and looks at the research done by professionals, like Shasta Nelson and Colette Marquardt, who talk about the science behind why summer camp is beneficial for children. 

The article mentions the abundance of social media and screen time present in children's lives, and how a summer camp experience pulls them out of that trance and allows to broaden their world view beyond an iphone or ipad. Colette Marquardt, the executive director of the American Camp Association, Illinois, explains in the article, “The whole purpose of camp is about relationships and community building so the emphasis is about friendships, about learning to work with others, getting to know other people you never knew before that come from different backgrounds and locations,” she says. “There’s such a variety of people in this world and camp can provide a place for a really good mix of diversity that helps enhance a child’s life.”

 Camp Foley is committed to being technology free as much as possible, to give campers the best possible experience. Campers find themselves sitting together at a table, learning how to have a conversation and how to work together and work through conflict with people who might be different than them. Those are skills that they can take to college and into the workforce.

Camp Foley's plan is to come stronger in 2021 and to give our campers the best possible summer we can provide. After missing camp and the hardships of 2020, summer camp will be more important than ever before. 

Read the whole article here. 

What Camp Foley Means to Mae

This Thanksgiving, as with every Thanksgiving dating back to 1924, we are thankful for our campers. This year we will put the spotlight on one of our Hall of Fame inductees, as we are incredibly blessed to have alumni just like Mae in our Foley Family. Mae wrote her Bridge Crossing essay during her 5th summer as a camper (2012) and had the opportunity to read it aloud to all of camp while she entered the Hall of Fame in 2017. As a 16 year old,  Mae found her 11 year old writing to be quite comical as she took frequent laugh breaks while sharing what camp means to her with her camp peers.   

What Camp Foley Means To Me

Mae M. 

2012

I love Camp Foley so much! It is awesome and it is the main thing I look forward to doing the summer. It is like fourteen days in paradise.

Camp Foley means friends! Everyone always has so many friends at Camp Foley. I love going back to camp to see so many of my friends that I have not seen in a year. It makes me so excited to go  back to Camp Foley! Also, all of the people and counselors are very, very nice and awesome. They are always smiling and giving great advice to everyone.

Camp Foley means super fun activities! All the activities are so awesome. But my very favorite two of all the many activities are windsurfing and soccer. I was so excited when they added soccer. I like playing with a TON of people. I also love facing my brother and sister in soccer. Windsurfing is also super cool. I get so excited while I am windsurfing.

Camp Foley means overnights! Every year I have slept in the tree houses. It is awesome because we have hot dogs and a treat. We also play a fun game called Mafia and a whole bunch of other games. Along with the tree houses I am also excited about my first year being able to go on a canoe trip. It reminds me of going to the Boundary Waters with my family, except at Camp I will be going with all my friends instead. I think it will be even more fun going with my friends. I am excited to be able to cook our own food and sleep in a tent.

2017

Camp Foley means amazing food! Camp's food is so yummy! Sometimes we even get special treats like ice cream and soda bread. I think canteen was one of the greatest inventions ever. You can eat ice cream, candy, and pop. So Good! It makes my tummy rumble just thinking about it. I love Baker's Square Night. It is pie night. All of the older girls dress up. I love camps pie.

Camp Foley means history. All of the cabins are names after American Indian people or tribes. It is so exciting to figure out which cabin I will be in every year. Camp Foley has been around since 1924. Both my parents were counselors at Camp Foley and my mom started there when she was eight years old. So if it weren't for Camp Foley I would not be here.

Camp Foley means super fun extra crazy things. I love how camp always does funny skits and lip syncs. The opening campfire is always my favorite of all three campfires. The staff is so funny! I also love the banquets. The food is so yummy and it is so fun to dress up in crazy costumes.

Camp Foley means activities, food, overnights, dances, lip syncs, and campfires. But it mostly means friends, and having a very fun time at Camp Foley.

Thank you for letting us share your essay, Mae! If you would like to be featured on the Rattlin' Blog please shoot an email to Jordan. Or if you know someone who would love all of the yummy food just as much as Mae does, Register Today! 

Hummingbird Parents and Summer Camp

I recently stumbled across a very interesting blog posted by Richard Louv on the Children & Nature Network. The title: "Hummingbird Parents": Seven Actions Parents Can Take To Reduce Risk And Still Get Their Kids Outside." In the blog, Louv provides seven ways a parent can let their child have independent play - outside - and still feel in control and aware of their child's needs.

I fully recommend reading the entire article, but I want to address two of Louv's seven actions specifically.

Action 1: Take your kids outdoors

Anyone would agree that most children today do not spend as much time outdoors as children used to. Bike races around the neighborhood, exploring the woods for hours on end and disappearing into a neighbors house for a snack just don't happen as often as they used to. To this, Louv says, "If we want our children or grandchildren to experience nature, we'll need to be more proactive than parents of past generations." It's not up to the kids to get out of the house because often it's not their choice. Parents must be committed to introducing their child to nature. This brings me to the second action...

Action 2: Be a hummingbird parent

We hear the term "helicopter parent" all the time, which may be why children don't experience the outdoors as much. Parents are worried about their child disappearing into the woods for hours without checking in. Sometimes it's easier parking a child in front of a screen because there they are safe, under the watchful eye of a parent or trusted supervisor. Louv encourages parents to take Michele Whitaker's approach of being a "hummingbird parent." The idea is that parents can supervise their children - from a distance. Let them make their own experiences and "zoom in" when safety is a concern. This takes the hovering out of parenting.

How this fits into camp

As camp professionals, we hear all the time about the fears a parent may have about sending their child away for weeks at a time. Will they wear sunscreen? Who are the counselors watching my child? Will their allergies be an issue? All of these fears are understandable. We think summer camp is the perfect opportunity for parents to practice being "hummingbird parents."

When a parent decides to send their child to camp, they are deliberately sending their children outside to experience nature. After researching the right camp, parents can send their children off feeling confident that their child will be well cared for while they are away. Parents can zoom in by sending mail (and requesting mail back) or calling to speak to a camp administrator with concerns. It's hard for a parent to hover when their child is away being independent. This allows children to grow and investigate on their own. Sure, they may fall or fail a few times but that builds grit. 

grow GRIT. investigate INDEPENDENCE.