Summer Camp

[Waffles]

I know it's early, but is anybody sending the kids off to camp this summer? DNiece is going to one for 3 weeks in NYC called SOCAPA (School of Cinima and Performing Arts).(Used to be the Manhatten School of Cinema) This isn't a normal summer camp living in cabins with bugs, since it's in the city.
If anyone has any tips for summer camp, weather it's in the city or the mountains, feel free to share!

 

[s&k'smom]

It's so funny to see a post on this as just this morning my son was saying is it summer yet? He loves camp, he goes to an 8 weeks program with his school as he is a special needs student and this is a part of his education plan. He can't wait.

 

[TEENEE]

My ds(12) is going to Europe for 19 days with People to People Student Ambassadors. This will be the longest time that he has ever been away from home. I'll be a nervous wreck the entire time he is gone.

My dd(8) is going to Girl Scout camp for 5 days. She loves GS camp. I won't worry about her as much since she'll be closer to home and won't be gone as long as her brother.

 

[mamajoan]

I went to 4-H camp when I was younger.. it was only 10 miles from my home.. but it felt like much more. I enjoyed it a great deal. I also attended Speech Camp when I was 16.. it was held at Eastern Illinois Univ....we stayed in the dorms, so it was a great way to ease into college life.


My DS went to 3 weeks of an outdoor adventure camp in the Sierras when he was 15. He loved it. and this is a kid who is a true homebody. They went whitewater rafting, hiking, boating, skiing, caving, rappelling, rock climbing intermingled with regular camp activities.. like dances, skits, campfires, girls..... LOL. It was expensive $2100 but it was the adventure of a lifetime for him.

He said I packed too many ''good clothes". He liked getting a couple of letters during his stay. He took disposable cameras which worked out very well. He made a few 'summer friends' but no lifetime companions. He took lysol.. he is very germ conscious... He also packed a few ''outlawed" snacks... He told me he brought the least amount... veteran campers know what volume they can get by with! LOL
We researched this camp for a very long time.. in fact he was supposed to attend the summer before he actually did.. but had to reschedule due to a severely injuring himself a week prior to that camp start.
I must share with you that the inspiration of attending camp came from his viewing the Camping series on the Disney channel!!!

From these experiences I can offer the following.
1. Follow the packing guidelines, pack a couple extra outfits and swimsuits
2. Send a letter to your camper so that it arrives the second day of camp.. getting mail is a big deal.
3.Send a couple pre stamped postcards so that your camper can easily write to you.
4. send an alarm clock... make sure your camper knows how it works
5.send a small address book so that your camper can keep new friends addresses
6. A fun thing to send with a very social camper... preprinted cards with their address, email, phone.. very easy way to share their information with other campers.
7. send a book.... they need something for ''quiet time''.

Hope your dn has a Great time at camp!

 

[Waffles]

TEENEE- She was going to do P2P, but instead decided on film acting. I remember last year, coming home from WDW, we were bumped up to first class because the P2P group had to all sit together. Those kids were very nice to us, since it was a small waiting area, and they offered up thier seats, and the adults seemed to have a good handle of what was going on.

 

[Waffles]

Thank you for the tips mommajoan! I'm going to print these out and give them to her the next time I see her. She loves to plan in advance! lol Wonder who she gets that from!

 

[tkd lisa]

My kids are both going to scout camp. DD is going to Girl Scout camp (of course!) that is some sort of farm based activity.

DS is going to his first Boy Scout camp focused on earning his higher scout ranks.

DD asked to go to history camp held at Historic St. Mary's City (which is literally within a mile of our house!). The babysitter last summer took the kids over to visit the site, and they had them hang out with the camp kids for a few hours. It was really funny because there was a pre-teen girl from the DC area who was just mortified about being at history camp. She kept telling my DD that it was just awful, they had to wear these costumes, and eat this awful food, no air conditioning, nothing! DD just smiled and said "I'm coming here next year!"