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First Time Camper Questions

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My grandsons are going to sleepaway camp for the first time. They know that I help families find great camps for their kids and that I suggested this overnight camp for them. The 11-year-old called me with a lot of questions.

This is what he asked…

  • Will there be a washing machine in the cabin, or will he have to take enough clothes for the whole time he will be at camp?
  • How will he know where to go for each activity?
  • What if he doesn’t like the meal that is served?
  • What if he doesn’t feel well?
  • Will they have baseball and dodgeball?

It gave me insight into what a leap it is for our kids to go to camp and how scary it can be for that first time.  As I answered each individual question it dawned on me that the best answer I could offer is that his counselors will be like big brothers whose job it is to look out for the kids in the cabin and help them.

While it helped to explain that there would be no washing machine in the cabin, I think the most reassuring thing was the understanding that a “big brother” would be waiting to be there to answer any concerns.

How lucky kids are who attend an overnight summer experience! It offers the chance to become more independent, ask for help when they need it, try new activities and make new friends away from screens and the pressures of school.

A letter written on day two arrived alerting me that they do have dodgeball and he is having a lot of fun!

A win all the way around.

Does your child want something different this summer?

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Many parents are still faced with planning for their child’s summer. If you are one of those parents, you need to know the start of summer camp season is about 100 days away. If your child is reluctant to consider an overnight summer program, here are some new and different ideas to tempt them.

While traditional camps never go out of style, for the students who want something different…

Your child who loves:

  • STEM could go to camp and focus on building and launching rockets, study planets and learn about our night sky and mythology, or construct a huge structure in the ultimate maker lab.
  • ARTS could learn to blow glass, make candles and jewelry, or be in a musical or drama performance.
  • LITERATURE could go to a camp on a college campus in the U.S. or abroad and focus on all things related to philosophy, great books, and big ideas.
  • MEDICINE and PUBLIC HEALTH could learn firsthand if this is a career they want to pursue with hands-on experience in clinics and community health centers.
  • COOKING could go to Italy to focus on the Farm to Table movement and learn to make cheese and olive oil with other food lovers.
  • SPORTS could go to a short-session camp on a boarding school campus to improve skills in a specific sport or learn a new one.

100 days will go quickly. Now is the time to plan for summer 2024!

academics programs for teens and studentssummer creative and performing arts

 

Planning Summer for Tweens and Teens, Now’s the Time!

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Planning summers for teens and tweens can be a challenge. It is hard to get them to focus on summer too far in advance. We have a wonderful tool to help! While we no longer offer in-person camp fairs we do offer Zoom Fairs for specific areas of summer experiences, and we are happy to share the recordings from those zooms with you. This winter we offered a month of zooms with each week devoted to a different area of teen interest: Teen Travel, Language Immersion, Adventure Trips for students, Community Service options, and Campus Study Programs. Each zoom includes 10-minute presentations given by 5 or 6 different summer programs in that category. You can review the recordings with your student or preview it before passing it on to them.

We are happy to discuss each option and help you differentiate among the programs. If none seems to suit your teen or tween’s interest or needs, let us know and we will curate  a list of options that do!

Just reach out by phone or email. Let us make planning for summer 2024 easy for you! Call: 800-992-5188 or email admin@tipsontripsandcamps.com

Make Summer Magical, Send Your Kid to Camp!

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At Tips on Trips and Camps, we search far and wide to screen and select exciting and interesting teen programs and summer camps that we are eager to share with our clients. Our mission has always been to find the right experience for each and every student. When the fit is right, it becomes a magical summer for that child and family, but also for the programs we represent. I just received this lovely note from one of the teen adventure trips.

“This year, we were thrilled to welcome some wonderful Tips on Trips and Camps referrals to our trips. This is a testament to your unwavering dedication and passion for connecting young individuals with the transformative power of the outdoors. Your expertise, guidance, and tireless efforts have been instrumental in shaping unforgettable experiences for our students. The impact you’ve made extends far beyond mere adventures; you’ve helped instill values of resilience, teamwork, and appreciation for nature in the hearts of those who’ve participated in our program.”

Our dedicated team is waiting to help plan amazing summers for all.

What’s New for Summer 2024?

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Tips on Trips and Camps just completed our 3-day Annual Meeting in Baltimore. This is a time to review the past summer and hear about what’s new for next summer. It was a great content-packed, in-person meeting that included visits from teen summer programs.

Across the board, our sleep away camps and teen trips and experiences report that summer 2023 was wonderful. Attendance was higher than in previous years, and Covid accommodations took a back seat, though some camps incorporated protocols into everyday life at camp. Lots of hand washing stations are now common.

Here’s what’s new…

Many overnight camps now have a variety of session lengths to offer their families. A number of traditionally full-season camps now offer a shorter session for their first-year campers as an introduction to a summer overnight camp experience. Families with LGBTQ+ kids have wider choices of summer options than ever before with many camps happy to work to welcome kids of all types. And for those campers wanting to focus on sports there are numerous new options for short-session sports and dance camps.

Teen travel is back! Many destinations that were on pause over the last few years are open in 2024, including Bali, China, Japan, Peru and South Africa. Career exploration offers high school students hands-on experiences in emergency medicine, psychology, neuroscience, engineering, forensics, entrepreneurship, architecture, drone cinematography and more on college campuses around the US and abroad or as high school internships in a variety of countries.

The prospect of summer 2024 includes so many options! The Tips on Trips and Camps team is ready to help craft an amazing summer for your kids.

TIPS FOR PARENTS WHILE SUMMER CAMP IS IN SESSION

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Try not to worry. Counselors and camp directors are trained to deal with the reactions of campers, particularly those first time campers.

Write to your child often. They will enjoy hearing their name called out when the mail arrives. Check on the camp policy regarding sending spending money and care packages. If permitted, these can be a real treat.

Don’t send so much detail about life at home that it could make your child feel they’re missing out on something. Avoid telling them how much you, their siblings or pets miss them.

Don’t overreact to first reports of homesickness. Almost all campers experience it at some point but it almost always passes in one to two days. By the time a heart wrenching letter arrives in the mail, chances are your son or daughter is a happy camper enjoying time with his or her new found friends.

If you receive an unhappy letter from your child or a letter that makes you uncomfortable about some aspect of camp, call the camp director to discuss it.

Do NOT offer to pick up your child if he or she is not having a good time. Avoid statements such as “If you don’t like camp, you can come home”. The goal should be to minimize feelings of homesickness so they don’t interfere with enjoyment of camp.

Enjoy your time while your child is at summer camp. Give yourself a treat. It may give you time alone with one of your other children, time you don’t usually have to devote solely to them. If you’re left at home with no children, enjoy time to yourself and with your spouse, significant other and/or friends. Make this time a special experience for you in addition to the one you’re giving your child.  Happy camping!

GOING TO CAMP CHANGES EVERYTHING

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Leaving home sparks independence

Living in a cabin group encourages flexibility

Counselors’ influence builds character

Participation leads to skill-development

Keeping track of belongings fosters responsibility

Navigating friendships grows perspective

Being a leader promotes confidence

Camp changes kids…for the better!

THREE CHEERS FOR SUMMER!

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As families prepare for camp, some do not realize that there is a language at summer camps that parents may not know. Here are some definitions that may help.

  • 10 for 2 – This phrase reflects how many kids feel about camp – they live 10 months of the year anxiously awaiting to return for 2 months of sleepaway camp!
  • Color War – A spirited time when the camp is split into (typically) 2 teams. For many campers it is a highlight. The competition is high but it is not necessarily all sports related. At the end, campers return to their cabins as great friends.
  • Bug juice – Some camps serve this sweet juice at snack or mealtime. The kids love it. It is called “bug juice” because of the high sugar content attracting bugs (think Shoo-fly pie).
  • Meal ticket – This is a letter to home that campers must present in order to enter the dining hall. Everyone loves receiving mail!
  • Care package – Mailing packages to camp can be tricky. Most camps do NOT allow any food to be sent. Generally speaking, magazines, puzzles, and cards are all fine. Necessities are allowed
  • Blob – Big, floating toys that are in the lake. Kids have a ball jumping and sliding into the water.
  • Canteen – This is a physical place where kids can buy snacks and some necessities if they need them. Usually money is not needed (parents often have a canteen fund).

There are other terms and phrases that may seem foreign to you, but your campers upon their return will be happy to explain.

HAPPY CAMPING!

 

Counting Down to Camp!

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In about two weeks, we will be 100 days from the start of camp season!

Kids will be able to:

  • Climb a rock wall rather than the steps of the school bus
  • Talk to friends face-to-face rather than through a screen
  • Ride a horse, sail a boat, learn to swim rather than complain they are bored
  • Dive into an art project, woodworking or cooking rather than worry about making a mess

Teens will be able to:

  • Experience the freedom to be themselves rather than worry about social media
  • Meet new friends with new perspectives from different states rather than only hang out with school friends
  • Climb mountains, sleep under the stars, canoe and kayak rather than play video games
  • Find joy in learning new skills rather than worrying about test scores and grades

Summer overnight camps, adventure trips, community service programs and academic experiences give students the chance to grow and blossom.

Make that happen for your kids!

 

HOW TO MAKE THE WINTER GO FASTER WHEN ALL YOU CAN DO IS THINK ABOUT SUMMER

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Winter can be a very long season, especially if you have kids.  How  can you spend quality time with your kids and get them excited for summer camp?  Organize some of their favorite summer activities in your home.  This will even get them to share some of their summer stories with you as they are reminded of summer camp.  Here are some ideas:

  1. Have a bead party – buy this kit and invite over some friends to make friendship bracelets.
  2. Find an indoor gym and have their bunk friends meet up for any game of their choice
  3. Create a cooking activity just like camp!  Did you know that Cooking is one of the most popular camp activities at practically every camp we visit during the summer?  No camper ever turns down a homemade cookie.  Here are some great recipes to start.
  4. Long weekends?  No problem – a bunk sleepover will solve any boredom blues.  Added bonus, you get to know your child’s camp friends better

While your kids are having some summer fun, check out this article to ensure your kids have the best summer!

Experts On Overnight Camps & Trips For Ages 7-18+

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The Scoop On Exceptional Summer Experiences!

Tips on Trips and Camps has always been and continues to be committed to equality for all. The advice we give endorses inclusion, awareness, sensitivity to others, equality and support to families and their children including but not limited to individuals of varying abilities, cultures, genders, races and religions.