I was listening to a syndicated radio show as the host said how awful it is to send your kids away to summer camp. I agree. “Sending kids to camp” against their wishes is not the right way to begin a positive and enriching camp experience. When you choose a summer camp, include your child in the decision. Picking... Read More
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Campers Unplugged: Trading in Cell Phones for Unlimited Minutes of Real Time Social Skills
Help Kids go Cell Phone-FREE Have you ever gone anywhere without your cell phone? It can be a very freeing experience. The trouble is that we have come to depend on our phones as lifelines. If you’re an adult, you can probably remember what it was like before cell phones populated the world. If you’re a child, chances are... Read More
How Parents Can Use Summer Camp Programs to Foster Independence
Parents want to believe that when their children step into the real world, they can go forth safely with their health, personal integrity, and confidence intact. Spending summer at camp is a great bridge into that world, fortifying a child’s character and giving them the freedom to explore and experiment in a safe environment. Tips for Parents Letting a... Read More
Why Technology and Computer Summer Camps Are Increasingly Valuable to the Next Generation
You can see the metamorphosis in your own home. Whereas you grew up with maps, record players, and telescopes, your kids punch a destination into their GPS, download music from the internet and point an app at the stars. Grandma’s pumpkin pie recipe was passed to you in an old hand-written index card; they Pin it to some cyber... Read More
Summer Camp gets Kids Moving!
Parents of teens may have noticed a point when their kids stop bouncing off of the walls upon returning home and prefer instead to watch television or drink a cup o’ joe and read The Economist. A 2014 study published by the American Medical Association found that kids’ movement drops dramatically once they hit puberty. While this is all... Read More
Things to Consider When Choosing an Academic Camp
Author: Audrey Van Norman works for iD Tech Camps and iD Teen Academies. When choosing an academic summer camp for your child, there are a range of factors to consider. Think about the following points, and use the questions to start a discussion with your child – after all, it’s their summer experience, and involving them in the decision... Read More
Summer Camps for the Academic Achiever
Language Summer Camps They say that learning languages staves off degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. They also say that it is much easier to learn languages as a youth than it is as an adult. No one has ever been able to figure out exactly who “they” are, but the consensus is clear – language education is intellectually and socially... Read More
USNews.com Reports on How Summer Vacation can be a Time for Self Discovery
USNews.com published a June article emphasizing the importance of high schoolers using summer vacation as a time for self-discovery and pursuit of academic and professional interests. According to the article, summer offers a framework for low-stress exploration of activities, colleges, and careers through a couple of different avenues: Experts support educational camps and college prep programs as beneficial summer... Read More
Contributions Parents Can Make Towards Their Children’s Well-Being
In part of her series on “Parenting for Success,” Forbes Magazine author Kathy Caprino recently published an article on nine key contributions parents can make towards their children’s personal and social well-being. The article itself is quite informative, and many of the values she outlines can be supported by the activities, staff, and environment unique to summer camp. Find... Read More
Summer Camp Counselors Can Provide Guidance for Life’s Next Leap
A recent article on Kidshealth.org details how parents can support kids as they transition out of high school and into the next phase of adulthood. But parents aren’t the only ones who can help with this. As the article suggests, your teen can reach out to people within his or her network for informational interviews and professional guidance. Summer... Read More