Looking for Sleepaway Camp? Come to a Camp Fair

January 7, 2017 by Barb Leave a Comment

When we were growing up , families learned about sleepaway camps and teen summer camps by going to a camp fair and calling a camp advisor. While calling advisors like us has always been a mainstay of a camp search, camp fairs seemed to fall out of favor with the advent of the internet. To some Googling seemed to be a good substitute. But what goes around comes around, and camp fairs are once again gaining popularity. Why attend a fair? THREE top reasons:

One stop shopping. You get to browse through several kinds of camps in one place.
Human contact! You actually get to speak one on one with camps directors, and at our fairs, you get FREE personal advice from an experienced advisor.
Instant feedback. You can tell within minutes of initiating a conversation with a director whether it is a camp you want to learn more about.

In the age of social media, devices and lack of face to face communication, families have realized that a Tips on Trips and Camps Camp Fair is one of the best ways to start a camp search.

To find a fair near you click here: https://tipsontripsandcamps.com/summer-advice/local-camp-fairs/

A New Year’s Message to Kids: Seize the Moment

December 21, 2016 by Jill Pam Leave a Comment

I don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. I gave up on them decades ago. Instead, my kids will tell you that I am constantly lamenting a list of clichés throughout the year. They shake their heads as I yell things like, “Be in the moment” and “Don’t look back unless you want to go there.” As a parent, I feel it’s my role to deliver these friendly reminders. As teenagers, I realize it’s their right of passage to ridicule their mom.

As I reflect on my teenage years, I wish I had taken more opportunities. While we didn’t have the distractions of today’s technology, we certainly had other ways of wasting the day away. Their daily grind is hard so of course they want to take a load off and snapchat about who knows what (I certainly don’t J).

That’s one of the reasons I value the summer camps and teen travel experiences so much. And I know they do too. A lot of thought and research goes into their planning. It’s the chance to navigate without a GPS, explore a new culture and terrain, and engage in a new community. It’s a time to disconnect from technology and connect with the unknown. It’s a chance for them to build memories of a lifetime. I have one child who had the good fortune to travel to Japan last summer and the other will be off to Iceland this summer after 6 years at summer camps.

As they grow into adults, I feel that these will be summer opportunities will help shape them. While their school year, their education, their friends, and their home life carry a lot of weight, the experiences outside their comfort zone can change their trajectory. I hope they celebrate each year, seize every moment and, like me, toss out New Year’s resolutions.

The Perfect Stocking Stuffer for Your Camper or Traveler!

December 9, 2016 by Julie Solot Leave a Comment

Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer? Here are a few suggestions for your camper or traveler to stashin their carry on for loads of fun with their new friends! Perfect for bunk time or late night group activities back at the camp site.

Apples to Apples (To Go Edition) A great card game for 4 kids or more,middle school and older.

The object: To select the card from your hand that you think best describes a card played by the judge.

Bananagrams, a modern take on Scrabble for kids of all ages.

The object: To race against each other to build crossword grids.

Old Fashioned Jacks, remember sitting on the bunk floor and playing with your camp friends? Girls of all ages gravitate to this game.

The object: To use a rubber ball to pick up metal or plastic jacks scattered on the floor. The players in turn bounce the ball off the ground, pick up jacks, and then catch the ball before it bounces for a second time.

Mad Libs never get old. Perfect for all ages.

The object: A fill in the blanks game where the person offers a word to fill in the blanks in a story without knowing what the story is about. The results, when read aloud, are often comical or nonsensical.

Melissa and Doug Camp Bunk Box of Questions or Table Topics. This is perfect for camp age kids and would work in a non-food care package as well.

The object: A box full of conversation starters in a portable case will help kids get to know each other.

These are the answer to “What will I do without my phone?” Let the games begin!

5 THINGS THAT CAMP GIVES KIDS THAT PARENTS CAN’T

December 5, 2016 by Eve Leave a Comment

Confidence! They CAN navigate their life without you rescuing them.
New Friends! A chance to meet kids who are different from their school friends and to discover that everyone doesn’t have to be the same.
Responsibility! Learning to take care of personal stuff and what happens when they don’t.
Cooperation! Sharing living space and how to cope when things don’t go their way.
Advocacy! How to speak up and seek out adults other than mom and dad for guidance and support.

Camp is full of intangible opportunities for personal growth. What better gift could there be than that!

THANKSGIVING CAMP STYLE

November 21, 2016 by Michele Leave a Comment

There are so many things I love about Thanksgiving. I love searching for new recipes, I love the cooking and the smells in the kitchen. I love watching my boys play football and watch football with their dad, uncles and cousins.

This year I am experiencing a new tradition. My oldest son is returning from college for his Thanksgiving break. The excitement in the house is at a new level. For any moms out there who have had their home change when a child leaves for school, you know how I feel.

It’s also an exciting time for my work – I help families find summer camps and teen programs. This is the time of the year when all new programs are finalized. New destinations, classes and adventures. So even though it may be cold outside, summer is never too far away.

One of most popular camp activities is cooking – kids of all ages love to go to cooking. Sometimes it is for a reprieve from the sun and sometimes it is just the thought of having a yummy treat in the middle of the day.

So in the spirit of keeping a little summer in your life all year long, here is one of my favorite dessert recipes – it’s easy and delicious. Enjoy it with your kids this holiday.

Smores dip:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread a bag of chocolate chips in the bottom of a glass baking dish.
Arrange 1 bag of large marshmallows on top.
Bake in the preheated oven until chocolate softens and marshmallows are golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Let dip cool, about 5 minutes.

Serve with graham crackers for dipping

Fall: A New Beginning

October 6, 2016 by Jill Leave a Comment

Fall is my favorite time of year, with the darker mornings, the crisper air, and the nighttime that comes earlier. Fall is also about the start of something new – setting new goals for the “school year” and, for me, reorganizing my life to ready the new Tips on Trips and Camps season.

With school in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about Summer 2017 – not only for parents, but for me, too! As a Tips on Trips Advisor, fall is the time to start planning. This means getting ready for the Annual Tips on Trips and Camps meeting held over a 3-day period at the end of October.

These three days are when we advisors gear up for the new season! We hear from teen trip directors about what’s new in their programming for the coming summer. My colleagues and I exchange information about the camps and programs we visited during the past summer. We share our on-site reports, so that we can benefit from each others’ visits. Finally, we receive loads of evaluations from families whose children participated in all types of adventures this past summer.

For much of the three days while directors are presenting their new and exciting summer programs, I sit in awe wishing I could attend some of these programs myself! Needless to say, I return to my hometown of Los Angeles energized, with exciting and the most up-to-date information to share with families! I say it again, “fall is my favorite time of year!”

TIPS ON TRIPS AND CAMPS: 2016 VISITING DAY SHOPPING GUIDE

July 11, 2016 by Lisa Leave a Comment

2016 VISITING DAY SHOPPING GUIDE

OUR CAMP “GIFT LIST” PICKS

The Team here at Tips On Trips and Camps strongly recommends that you follow the rules of your camp. Many camps prohibit items with peanuts, soda, bunk gifts, excessive gifts, and even tipping. Know your camps rules and be sure to follow them.

GIFTS WE LOVE (not the food)

THE SUMMERS HOTTEST DELECTABLES

A Great Reason to Choose a Camp in Maine: LOBSTER

July 10, 2016 by Lisa 1 Comment

A Great Reason to Pick a Camp in Maine: The Ultimate Lobster Rolls

Maine is legendary for several things: sleep-away camps, moose sightings, L. L. Bean, state parks, blueberries, and, of course, the beautiful lakes and coastlines. However, the most famous aspect of Maine is, by far, lobster. They’re shipped far and wide, but they don’t get any fresher than the coasts and inlets of Maine.

Eating a full lobster, for an individual that has never done so, can be an intimidating task. The hard shell and sharp edges may very well turn away diners from one of the most enjoyable culinary experiences. Luckily, there is an easier way to eat this Maine delicacy.

Maine lobster rolls are made with a large helping of lobster and a light covering of mayonnaise on a toasted bun. There’s no fuss, no shell – just an enjoyable dining experience.

Maine is not only known for top lobster but also houses some of the top sleep-away camps in the USA. Get in touch with us for free information on camps. We can help you set up visiting for first time campers who wish to look early.

While visiting camps the Tips ladies love eating lobster 2 to 3 times a day. It never gets old!

TIPS ON TRIPS AND CAMPS

1-866-222-TIPS

Here are some of the best places to get Lobster in Maine (Tips ladies favorites)

Fisherman’s Catch Wells, Maine

The Lobster Pound Naples Maine – Lobster Pound Naples Maine

The Portland Lobster Company– Portland, Maine

Here are some of the best places to get LOBSTER ROLLS (Suggestions from one of our camp Directors, Jon Deren)

MC Perkins Cove– Ogunquit, ME

Red’s Eats – Wiscasset, ME

The Clam Shack – Kennebunkport, ME

Bob’s Clam Hut– Kittery, ME

Bite Into Maine– Cape Elizabeth, ME

Thurstons Lobster Pound – Bernard, ME

Gurnet Trading Co.– Brunswick, ME (Bowdoin College recommended!)

JACKS: Not Only Your Grandmother’s Game- Jacks is Still a Summertime Camp Fav!

July 9, 2016 by Lisa Leave a Comment

JACKS

Basic VIDEO Instructions click here

Equipment needed to play Game of Jacks:

You can play yourself but the more the merrier.

A small rubber ball

A set of jacks (most sets contain ten jacks)

How to play JACKS:

To decide who goes first, use a method of “flipping”; place the jacks in cupped hands, flip them to the back of the hands, then back to cupped hands. The player who holds the most jacks goes first.
The first player scatters the jacks into the playing area with a throw from one hand. A game is divided into rounds of ascending numbers, which are based on the number of jacks each player must pick up per throw.
The first round, “Onesies,” means that the player throws the ball in the air and picks up one jack then grabs the ball after it bounces once. The player must pick up all jacks this way without missing the jack or letting the ball bounce more than once.
If that happens, it becomes the other player’s turn and the first player is back to the beginning of Onesies.
If all the jacks are picked up successfully, the player moves on to Twosies (pick up 2 jacks per throw), then Threesies, and so on.

objective:

The winning player is the one to pick up the largest number of jacks at once to get to the highest round.

Fun but scary fact about JACKS:

In some Southern African countries, there is a variation of this fun childhood game, called Death Jacks. Instead of playing with nubby metallic jacks, the pieces are sharp spikes that seriously injure the participants. The winner is not the person who reaches the highest level — rather it is he who lasts the longest before forfeiting. This game has been known to carry with it unusually high stakes; it is often used to determine the next tribe leader.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR RULE VARIATIONS…

What better way to spend your summer then playing a simple game at camp during rest hour!

Find your perfect camp through our free service, discover the right camp for you. To find the right camp please contact us. We have 1 week to 8 week sleep-away camp options all over the USA and Abroad! We are a free service and provide you with an easy way to find the perfect match. Call 1-866-222-TIPS or Lisa@tipsontripsandcamps.com to locate the advisor nearest you!

From the Mouths and Hearts of Campers……

April 30, 2016 by Helene Leave a Comment

As Tips on Trips and Camps consultants, each summer we travel and visit camps around the United States. Seeing camps in action, campers engaged in wonderful activities and having so much fun. We often have the opportunity to speak with campers and ask them about camp. One summer I asked campers to tell me the best thing about camp! Here is what they said!

“Tradition”

“The fun!”

“You get to pick your own schedule.”

“You can be yourself.”

“Stronger friendships that at home.”

“Evening programs.”

“Making friends from all over the world.”

“Nobody judges you at camp.”

“No pressure.”

“I love when it rains, because you can slide in the mud!”

“We’re too busy to miss our parents.”

“No clicks.”

“A good bubble.”

“Shaving cream fights!”

“S’mores”

“This is my second home.”

“The video is for REAL!”

From the mouths and hearts of campers. What an awesome experience to see camp life in action first hand! Needless to say, it touched our hearts.

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