Competition at Camp – Join our Conversation! When it comes to kids and competition, it seems that there are about as many opinions as there are people willing to discuss it. For some, competition is the necessary ingredient for improvement and so success – and for others, it’s just a source of unnecessary stress that can take away from the fun. Often parents are looking for the perfect amount of it. “We’re looking for sporty, but not too competitive,” is something that we hear frequently at Camp Specialists from prospective camp parents. What makes “competition” such a hot topic? What in fact ..read more

Camp Friends are Forever Most families send their campers off with the hope that they will return having made “life-long” friends. While gaining new skills, learning sportsmanship and having fun at camp are expected, there is also the strong desire for your kid to make deeper connections amid the closeness of bunk life and the long summer days. But what does this really mean in practice? One Camp Specialist, Laura Crumley, gives us a glimpse into what “camp friends are forever” can look like. When we are asked at Camp Specialists about the benefits of summer camp, stories like Laura’s come to ..read more

Summer may be over, but camp memories live forever! Here at Camp Specialists we continue to explore what it means to send them off to their very first summer away in our ongoing blog series. Each story is different, but the power of camp connects them all. Stacy’s Story Camp was always something that I wanted for my kids. Camp has been in my blood since I was a camper, counselor, group head, and then Assistant Director of an overnight camp. My kids went to camp this summer for the first time. Both of my kids were reluctant as they were anxious about the unknown. Every night before camp I ..read more

All around outside spring is finally happening and the happy buzz of camp is in the air. For first-time camp parents this anticipation can often be accompanied by a certain level of stress over  “camp stuff”. The packing list can seem long and daunting, and what about the things that aren’t on it – do you need more “stuff”? The team at Camp Specialists has over 100 years of combined camp experience. We’ve all been there as parents with our own kids, and most of us as campers as well. We love sharing our insights and answering your questions, so let’s talk about the packing list and the “s ..read more

Is every camp for everyone? Camp is not “One Size Fits All” Every family has their interpretation of the “perfect summer”. For some, this means traditional sleep away camp that lasts for seven weeks, full of bunk friends, Color War and s’mores. For other families, perfection is the right mix of the family vacation and just a couple weeks of summer camp. And for another group, the ideal is several camp experiences in one summer, fulfilling a child’s various and specific interests. There is no one answer to the perfect summer – camp these days is not “one size fits all” – but with the proper gui ..read more

CAMP CAN TEACH STRONG VALUES Stacy Fleischman knows EVERY reason why you should send your child to sleep away camp. So this time she asked Brain Krug from Camp Canadensis to name one reason why: Brian: Sleep away camp is sure to be a place where your child makes some of their best friends in the world.  It will also be a place where they are introduced to new activities.  And, it will be a place that is a whole lot of fun!  And while all of this is super great, we have learned that parents nowadays are finding it more and more important to find a camp that has a strong ..read more

The Importance of Being Disconnected at Camp! Camp Specialists asked Mark Newfield, Owner and Director of Iroquois Springs Camp, why being disconnected at Camp is so important…. This is what he had to say……. We all know having the world at your fingertips has its incredible advantages.  The internet has provided us access to so much information we were in years past unable to get so quickly.  Unfortunately, it has some drawbacks like scrolling through news feeds flooded with images and updates of everyone’s lives on social media.  Kids today know one another’s every mo ..read more

Is every camp for everyone? Camp is not “One Size Fits All” Every family has their interpretation of the “perfect summer”. For some, this means traditional sleep away camp that lasts for seven weeks, full of bunk friends, Color War and s’mores. For other families, perfection is the right mix of the family vacation and just a couple weeks of summer camp. And for another group, the ideal is several camp experiences in one summer, fulfilling a child’s various and specific interests. There is no one answer to the perfect summer – camp these days is not “one size fits all” – but with the proper gui ..read more

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