Going away to Summer Camp will change your life – for the better. You go away for your first overnight camp experience and you’re probably a mixture of excited and nervous. Maybe you’ve never been away from home for more than a couple of nights before… what will the people be like? Will you make new friends? What about the counselors? Will the food be okay? You’ll have so many questions you want answered. Yet when you come back all of that nervousness will seem like a lifetime ago and you’ll wonder what you were worrying about. You’ll be staying in touch with your new friends and you’ll have learned so much about yourself and your environment while you’re away that you’ll feel like a different person.
So what happens at overnight camp?
Every camp is different and every camp has a different feel, but all of them are designed with the camper in mind, and campers keep on coming back year after year because they have so much fun, and a positive camp experience. The three main types of camp are traditional camps, with a mix of activity, specialty camps where you focus in on a particular area of interest, such as computer programming, performing arts or soccer, and Special Needs Camps. While we’re mostly focused on traditional type camps here, you’ll find that the layout of the day is similar in all of them.
When you arrive at camp you’ll be given a warm welcome, and will meet your counselor and the other young people in your cabin, these are your family for the duration of the camp and you’ll spend time together at activities and during free time. If you need anything while you’re away, your counselor and your cabin-mates will be your first port of call. Friends you make in your cabin at summer camp can last a life-time as you play and rest together. You’ll all have a chance to explore and find your way around the camp, and you’ll meet the other camp staff and find out more about the program and any rules.
Each morning you wake up pretty early, buzzing with excitement for the day ahead. You and your cabin-mates get ready for the day, make your beds and clean up the cabin before heading off for a good breakfast. All the menus at camp are designed with you in mind. There are lots of options so there’s always something you’ll want to eat, healthy choices and great nutrition to give you energy for all the activities you’ll be doing.
After breakfast everybody gets together ready for the days activity program. Different overnight summer camps offer varied programs, and you’ll usually be able to select a program of activities that interests you. The kinds of activities on offer usually include outdoor activities like horse riding, hiking, climbing, canoeing, swimming, nature lore and fishing; creative activities like arts and crafts, making gifts to take home, drama, dance and music; team building activities; and sports activities like soccer, athletics or baseball. Sometimes you’ll be doing activities with others in your cabin, and other times you’ll be mixing with new friends from other cabins.
Lunchtime might be out on the trail if you’re signed up for an all day activity, or back in the dining hall if you’ve just had a half-day program, then you’ll be off again for the afternoon activities.
Later in the afternoon you’ll get some valuable down-time. Campers usually spend this time just hanging out with their new friends in or around the cabin, or showering, writing letters or visiting the camp shop. Evening activities are an important part of a positive overnight camp experience. After dinner you might all be singing around the campfire, playing games, taking part in a star-gazing expedition or going for an exciting night-hike. By the time you get back to your cabin at the end of a wonderful day you’ll murmur a satisfied “‘Night everybody” before falling into a deep and refreshing sleep, dreaming about the activities from the day, or what you’re looking forward to the next day.
Overnight camp is a unique and wonderful experience. The counselors and other camp staff take good care of every camper, and the campers, part of a big new family, all take care of one another. You’ll spend the rest of the year talking about your camp, and planning your next one.
