Archives for 2015

Summer Unplugged

December 15, 2015 by Barb Leave a Comment

A poem I wrote years ago. Timeless, especially in our plugged in, tech driven world.

IMAGINE………

Imagine a place where a blackberry is actually a berry that is black.

Imagine a place where text means the words that kids hand write in letters to mom and dad.

Imagine a place where social networking means telling stories around a campfire.

Imagine a place where telephone is a game played while sitting in a circle.

Imagine a place where alcohol is something the nurse uses to clean cuts and scrapes.

Imagine a place where when the lights go out, kids immediately fall asleep….

…..and when reveille blows they eagerly pop out of bed.

Imagine a place where kindle means lighting a campfire, and nook is your little corner of the bunk.

Imagine a place where a laptop is the place a young child sits when being comforted by his counselor.

Imagine a place where a screen is only used to keep the bugs out.

Imagine a place where a tweet is the sound a real bird makes.

Imagine a place where friending someone means a physical connection;

and a wall is something kids don’t write on (or at least aren’t supposed to).

IMAGINE CAMP

Why think about Summer now?

December 7, 2015 by Michele Leave a Comment

We have just celebrated Thanksgiving and now everyone is caught up in the upcoming holidays. So why do I suggest we think about summer now? Well, you know that rushed, stressed feeling you have about the holidays? Do you really want to repeat that feeling when it comes to your child’s summer plans? It is a proven fact that the warmth and sunlight of summer is good for your psyche. So take a deep breath and imagine your teen exploring the world, participating in a community service project, sitting in a college classroom enjoying a class that they selected or putting those foreign language skills to use thru a language immersion program. Imagine your camper swimming in the lake, singing camp cheers or just laughing with their bunkmates. This is the time to have leisurely conversations with the camp director or summer teen program director. This is the time to find out what interests your child wants to pursue – sports, arts, science or outdoor adventure.

Enjoy the warmth of your home during the holidays knowing you will enjoy the upcoming months without the stress of “what is your child doing this summer”.

Unique Gift Options for Your Camper

November 30, 2015 by Ellen Blum Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving has come and gone. We’ve all had our fair share of leftovers. Now, holiday shopping begins. Black Friday…Cyber Monday… where do we get the best deals? While we all brainstorm what to buy, some of the best choices cannot be purchased by standing in line for hours, or by using a coupon code. Give your children a gift that will last them a lifetime.

A summer camp or teen program is an invaluable gift to give your child. Whether it’s through the friendships that are made at camp, engaging in community service, traveling to a faraway location, or a host of other choices, summer programs provide endless possibilities of growth and innumerable memories. Now is the perfect time to contact your local Tips on Trips and Camps advisor and discuss the options available.

Is your child already signed up for camp or a summer travel program? There are many gift options to consider this time of year that will continue your child’s excitement:

A camp sweatshirt or other clothing item
A camp blanket for those chilly nights
Travel accessories (toiletry kit, duffle bag)
Fun stationery
New water bottles or fans

Many camps have links on their websites to companies who sell items specifically for that camp. Go online and check it out. You’ll find fun options.

If you have not yet decided on a summer experience, the holidays are the perfect time for you to look at summer programs with your child. What better gift . . . than the gift of an amazing summer experience!

Planning Ahead : Be thankful for the opportunities of Summer 2016

November 3, 2015 by Julie Morris Leave a Comment

In our 45th year, the consultants at Tips on Trips and Camps are gearing up now to help families find a diverse assortment of summer programs for your children 8-19.
We can help you connect with experiences that offer a lifetime of Thanks…

-Innovative and sustainable service projects for budding environmental conservationists, sight-seekers, and language enthusiasts
-Experiential travel that offers meaningful service and cultural/language immersion to prepare for the changing future
– A vast array of professional internships in major U.S./World Cities
-Academic and career studies at major U.S Universities and Abroad
-Student leadership programs
-Developing Sport’s Enthusiasts
-Enhancing Music, Theatre, Dance and Visual Arts
-Traditional summer camp for all ages and interests
-Gap Year Service opportunities

Contact the consultant nearest you to learn how your child can discover and be thankful for new opportunities and adventures. Opportunities include trekking through mountains and rainforests diving or sailing, safari adventure, meaningful service working hands-on with local children and families, animals, farm-to-table culinary skills…. the list goes on…
or just a blissful summer to unplug at CAMP!

Giving thanks to all our new and old TOTS families,

Think Outside The Box!

October 4, 2015 by Julie Solot Leave a Comment

One of parents’ most commonly uttered phrases during initial conversations about finding the “best” camp for their child is “my son/daughter is a super athlete – he/she needs a sporty camp.” Of course, that may be true–kids love sports, many play sports all year long and are proficient in several. However, what parents often do not realize is that summer camp can be a perfect opportunity for their child to try something new, possibly, but not necessarily, a new sport. A new non-sport activity might be something that will interest them throughout their lifetime and give them pleasure in their later years, when physical activity can be more difficult.

Camps offer many different activities that kids might not otherwise be exposed to in their day-to-day lives. For example, model rocketry might be an educational activity your child might enjoy, but wouldn’t have an opportunity to try at home. Perhaps your child enjoys music, isn’t interested in playing an instrument, but would like to try being a DJ on the camp radio station! Or you could have a budding jewelry maker on your hands and not know it! Does your child like to act, or have a great sense of humor? Improv at camp is the perfect place for them to explore acting or comedy in a safe setting.

The bottom line is that traditional camps usually offer quality instruction in sports. However, when looking for a camp you should be asking what camps offer that you might not have thought about because it’s outside of your comfort zone! How do you know your son or daughter isn’t a computer whiz just waiting to go to a camp that offers computer training to expose that talent?

Be creative. Time flies with amazing speed and before you know it thoughts turn to where to go to college and what to major in; you may not have another opportunity to expose them to new interests that could give them an unexpected lifetime of pleasure.

Exploring Summer Options: How Early Is Too Early?

September 11, 2015 by Jenny Wolkowitz Leave a Comment

Often times, parents come to our advisory service too late in the season to find the perfect summer experience for their child. In many cases, the only session in which their child can participate – nestled between baseball season, the family vacation and school starting – is already filled up.

The best way to avoid this situation is to plan summer early. Done right, the process of finding the right camp can take an entire year’s worth of research, but the reward is great. When your neighbors are stressing out about what their child will be doing next summer, you will be sitting pretty with your child already enrolled!

One very helpful thing to do is plan a visit to see camps in action. All camps gladly receive guests, if you schedule an appointment. Most camps are located in beautiful areas near state parks or resort areas, so these visits can be fun for the whole family. You could even plan your family’s vacation at a camp and take advantage of a family weekend. These visits can help your child acclimate to the environment of the camp and make the decision to leave home a lot less scary. And, your first-hand observations of the facilities, the activities or the dining hall routine can help you know if this would be the right place for your child!

If you plan early and you have determined which camp suits your child, you can take advantage of early bird discounts. These discounts usually hold the cost of camp down to the previous year’s tuition or take several hundred dollars off the tuition price.

Some parents might not have the time to research camps on their own. With over 11,000 camps in the United States, it is important to come up with a list of questions to guide you. By doing so, you can narrow the possibilities to a manageable few. Then it is helpful to meet with directors, attend a camp fair, and/or enlist the advice of a summer program advisor.

Tips on Trips and Camps, Inc. is a FREE service specializing in overnight summer experiences for children ages 7-19. Call 866.222.TIPS or visit our website at www.TipsonTripsandCamps.com . Once you register, a local advisor will follow up with you immediately. You know your child and we know the camps. Together, we can find the RIGHT match.

A Fun Way to Get Your Child to Write Home from Camp

June 29, 2015 by Ellen Blum Leave a Comment

Now that it is summer and kids are away at summer camp, parents often find themselves awaiting the arrival of the mail with the hope that there will be letters from camp. If they’re lucky, they may find some brightly colored stationary with the obligatory sentences “I am having a great time at camp”, “I miss you” or perhaps a truthful “The food stinks”. If any campers are like my son, you will be disappointed to find the envelope is empty or, at best, a quick one word “HI”. Many camps have rules that campers must send home 2-3 letters per week, but what is in the letters is not monitored, much to the dismay of us parents.

It’s exciting to think that campers are having such a great time playing sports, waterskiing, hiking, creating art projects or working on a performance that they don’t have time to write. But, as parents, we long to get a glimpse into their life at camp. I have some help to offer.

One of the best things I ever did while my kids were away at camp was to send them a questionnaire, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope to send it back. Much like the check-off stationary, I formulated questions for them to answer. When they were younger, the questions would be a bit simple where they could circle the answers. Such as, “Circle the activities that you have tried this week” and I would list ones that I know are offered, like Swimming, Boating, Tennis, Dance, Nature etc.

As the kids got older I looked for some fun and creativity asking “What is the funniest thing that has happened at camp so far?” or “What new foods have you tried?” I liked to ask the names of the campers in their bunks and where they are from, or asking them to draw a picture of the bunk and where is their bed.

Each summer I would come up with new questions and, without fail, I would get these letters back. My kids had fun answering the questions and I heard about experiences I may not have.

Have fun with it!

Staying Connected with your Camper

June 14, 2015 by Helene Leave a Comment

While your child is having the time of his/her life at camp, camps are keeping parents well informed about the exciting time at camp. Communication has certainly changed! This is a new world filled with so much technology. Communication technology at camp is no exception! Camps have set up websites where parents can visit and see photos of their children. Directors also contribute to these websites with daily/weekly blogs about camp happenings.

In addition to letters, the good old fashion way, many camps are now using the following:

Emails

Faxes

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Blogs

Voicemail boxes

Phone calls

Part of the reason that parents send their child to camp is to practice being independent. The purpose of these rapid-fire communications undermines this intention. We send our kids to camp to learn to appreciate the outdoors, experience the companionship of other children, learn skills that enhance self-reliance, cooperation with others and a sense of life larger than one’s self. Summer camp offers kids and parents the chance to develop a rarely practiced skill- letter writing.

For many campers, there is nothing like the comfort of a hand written letter. Letters are uniquely powerful in the lives of campers and parents. A camper can get them out to read and reread, a treasure of the wonderful memories of camp for years to come.

Beyond Camp: The Next Step

June 8, 2015 by Julie Morris Leave a Comment

Middle School and Upper School Teen Experiences Between Camp and College

There are a myriad of experiences for your teen who has outgrown “traditional” camp
and is looking for meaningful summer enrichment.
While the world is increasingly “flat”; it is increasingly beneficial for teens to understand and be inspired by different global perspectives while exploring CULTURE, SERVICE,and LANGUAGE opportunities that allow for engaging, transformative adventure travel and community service.

As your teen is beginning a personal exploration of how to weave their unique cloth or imagine how to paint their individual canvas, finding an extraordinary travel program that will strengthen peer dynamics, leadership, independence and more informed global citizenship can lead them to perspective and purpose as they prepare for college and beyond.

Here is a snapshot of what these programs might include:
-Expedition adventure travel
-Cultural exploration or language immersion
-Global Community service
-Farm to table culinary travel
-Marine Science and Conservation in Action
-Emergency medicine and First responder training
-Animal science
-Photography, Art and Architecture Skill-building

As a Tips on Trips Advisor, who offers a free advisory service, I can help you sort through programs we have carefully researched and worked with to find the best global summer enrichment program suited to your student’s interests and goals.
Direct your child to the “Next Step” and let Tips on Trips help you both find a summer program that might develop or even discover a latent passion or interest.
The Life Skills your teen can build cannot be measured by the ACT or SAT; but rather will build the tolerance, maturity and understanding of different cultures, all connected by the thread of human experience.

You are thinking career path, they are thinking beer pong.

May 27, 2015 by Carey Leave a Comment

How to engage your child in the college conversation.

Consider enrolling your child in a summer program on a college campus. Educate your child about what the college experience will be like. Familiarity drives away the fear of the unknown.

Following freshman or sophomore year of high school, enroll your child in a sports or arts camp on a college campus. Your child will get the feel of living in a dorm and having a bit more freedom than a sleep away camp environment. They can pursue a passion they may not have time to explore during the school year.

Following sophomore or junior year, is the perfect time to expose your child to a pre-college campus experience. If they are not thinking about college yet, this is a way to get a sense of the college experience without the pressure of the college application process. If they are engaged in the college conversation, it is an opportunity to take a couple of courses and to explore what type of campus and community would be a good fit. Not skipping class, doing their homework, choosing between study and play are just a few other skills they will learn.

Wherever your child is in the college admissions process, it is not too late to enroll for this summer. Give us a call for free expert advice on campus based summer programs and other teen experiences.

Experts on Overnight Camps & Trips for Kids and Teens

A Free Advisory Service