• Decide what you are looking for in a camp. Does your child need academic reinforcement or opportunities for social exchange? Is your child ready for sleep-away camp or is a day camp more appropriate? Identify your child’s needs first, then look for the camp that fits your criteria. The number of available camps can be overwhelming, so choose the one or two of the most important criteria, and then match your needs to what the camps offer. For example, if your child has special needs, finding staff that is trained in supporting those needs will be the most important criteria. If your child is struggling with reading, finding a camp that matches your school’s approach to reading should be high on your list of criteria. Sending your child to a camp just because his friends are attending does not guarantee a positive experience. 
   
• Once you’ve identified what you are looking for in a camp, ask other parents for references.  As specific questions about the camp such as the price, length of day, and staff-to-camper ratio. Also ask questions like “If you could change one thing about this camp, what would it be?” or “Why do you feel comfortable sending your child here?” Ask the camper about her experience as well. Ask who is her favorite staffer and why, what is her favorite activity, and if she would change camps and why or why not. Getting others’ opinions does not ensure your child’s experience will be flawless but it will give you information about the camp not found in the brochure.

• Once you have narrowed down your search, visit the camps that have made your final list. Pay attention to how the counselors interact with the campers and how the children respond. Spend a significant amount of time at the camp (at least 2 hours) so you can observe different types of activities, transitions between activities, and see all of the facilities. Ask to see the cafeteria, the bunks, the nurse’s station, the pool, and any other spaces your child will be using. Ask about important protocols, such as how a child reports an injury and gets treated, the camp’s emergency response plan (for a camp-wide crisis such as fires or responding to an intruder), and how and when your child can contact you. These questions will help you feel more confident in sending your child to someone else’s care and gives you time to discuss the procedures with your child.

• If you choose an academic camp, speak with your child’s current teacher as well as the teacher he will have in the fall. Some camps have forms they will ask you or your child’s teacher to fill out regarding current academic progress and areas that need support. Make sure your child is staying on target by asking for weekly reports from camp and work samples. Ask for activities you can do with your child at home to strengthen the camp-school connection. 

Coming up with unique ideas that don't have to stay cold and won't get too "smushed." Add in some allergies, peer pressure on what other kids might think is weird, and the time it takes to pack things, and you have a recipe for stress.

 

Here are some ideas and tips to help you out...

 

Invest in one of those small ice packs for the lunch box.  Also consider freezing half a bottle of water overnight, then filling with cold water in the morning.  That will help achieve the same result at the ice pack.

 

Sandwich Options  

One twist on the sandwich that some kids love is to use flour tortillas for your bread, cream cheese (instead of mayo), and fillings such as meat, cheese, and veggie combos. Rolling it tight in foil helps keep its shape.

 

In lieu of bread, other options include pita bread, bagels, english muffins, crackers, and tortillas.

 

You can also create your own "Lunchable" by cutting cold cuts, cheese, etc. with cookie cutters. Do up a bunch a week at a time and add crackers.

 

Try cream cheese on celery with raisins for "ants on a log," cut up fruit and veggies, sunflower seeds for snack, small yogurts if you can keep them cool.

Homemade goodies never come back home. If your child doesn't eat them, they make GREAT trades!

 

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Day Camp Checklist

Different day camps ask campers to bring different items.  Here are some things you might want to remember: 

• Registration Form
• Medical Release Form
• Any required Waivers
• Disposable Camera
• Bug Spray
• Sun Block
• Towel
• Swim Suit
• Goggles
• Hat
• Water Bottle
• Snacks/Lunch
• Special equipment, such as soccer ball, baseball mitt, etc.
• Journal or notepad and pencil

Ask your camp for ideas and requirements.

Overnight Camp Checklist

• All of the above
• 2 pairs of comfortable shoes
• Raincoat or Poncho
• Flashlight & extra batteries
• Stationary or Postcards
• Postage Stamps
• Medications
• Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
• Hair Brush
• Contact & Eyeglass Supplies
• Fun stuff:  Frisbees, balls, cards, games
  

• iPod, MP3, Discman
• Video or Electronic Games
• Cell Phones
• Chewing Gum

Again, check with your specific camp when packing.

 

 

 

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Remember: Camp Starts With the Journey

Don’t Indulge in P.D.A.
“My mom embarrasses me by waving too much. I wave back the first two times, but after that, Okay, you can stop. Also, she’s always taking pictures. My friends think my mom is a picture maniac.”
—Katy Mayerson, 10, Usdan Center

“At closing ceremony, when I’m dancing onstage, my mother shouts out my name and tells everyone around her, ‘That’s my baby. That’s my baby.’ That’s the worst.”
—Chelsi Thomas, 12, Mariner’s Educational Center

Do Write, at Length
“Parents should always make letters at least a page long. Short letters mean they don’t care.”
—Katie Schwartz, 13, Tranquillity Camp

“It’s great when parents encourage friends and family to send mail. We want to hear from other people, too.”
—Chloe Olewitz, 14, Island Lake Camp

Don’t Share Personal Details
“Please don’t call me by a little baby nickname in front of everyone. Also, don’t tell the bus driver private things, like ‘She had a lot of trouble getting ready this morning because she’s tired.’ ”
—Ava Marie Hunt

“My mom will tell a story about when I was 3 years old, and no one thinks it’s funny but her.”
—Chloe Olewitz

Do Send Stuff
“The best thing is to get a package at camp. Everyone wants to know what’s in there. My mom sends the most random, hilarious things, like spy glasses.”
—Chloe Olewitz

“My parents send plastic drawers already set up with underwear, socks, etc., so all I have to do is put the drawers in my cubby.”
—Katie Schwartz, 13, Tranquillity Camp

But Make Sure It’s Cool Stuff
“Don’t send a favorite blankie or a stuffed animal. That would be really embarrassing.”
—Raphael Wolf, 10, Surprise Lake Camp, Sleepaway

“One girl got a fifteen-pound bar of cooking chocolate. That was really embarrassing.”
—Chloe Olewitz

Do Supply Barter Material
“It’s a good idea to put two Gogurts in my lunch so I can trade one.”
—Ava Marie Hunt

Don’t Fuss on Visiting Day
“Parents should not make their kids eat food like asparagus or pickles or broccoli.”
—Raphael Wolf, 10, Surprise Lake Camp

“My parents always clean my cubbies and remake my bed. All the other kids are showing the parents where they sleep.”
—Henry Schwartz, 8, Tranquillity Camp

But Do Get There Early
“The good thing is my parents are always first to arrive on visiting day, which shows how much they love me. The kid whose parents arrive last is the most embarrassed.”

  

 

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What could be worse than a rainy summer day, when your children are cooped up inside and you have nothing planned? For parents, even sunny days that seem filled with endless opportunities, still yield the inevitable “I’m bored!” Undoubtedly, your children will utter those words at least once during the upcoming summer months.

Studies show that without stimulation, children can lose up to 60 percent of what they learned during the school year. Primrose Schools, a family of 200 accredited private preschools, suggests the key to overcoming summertime boredom and the “brain drain” effect is to encourage imaginative play and have a plan in place to keep children engaged during the summer months.

“It’s important to keep children’s minds active during the summer, but it doesn’t take an expensive activity or big vacation to capture their attention,” said Dr. Mary Zurn, Vice President of Education for Primrose. “After all, imagination is free.”

Summer is a great time to encourage children to let their imaginations soar.  School schedules can sometimes be demanding and time for less structured, imaginative activities is often scarce. The freedom of summer gives children large blocks of uninterrupted time to create projects of their own choosing that can last several days or even longer.

Here are 10 ideas parents can use to keep young minds active during the summer months:
    
Beat the Boredom Jar: At the beginning of the summer, sit down with your family and brainstorm a list of activities that can be done alone or that you can enjoy doing together. Encourage your children to share their own ideas and help you decorate and label a simple jar as the family “Boredom Buster Jar.”  They’ll feel more involved in the project and more likely to think this is a “neat” idea, if they participate in the creation and idea generation. Next, write everyone’s ideas down on slips of paper and as a group decide which ones should go in the jar. Anyone in the family can pull any idea out of the jar to fight the summertime boredom blues.

Stories Alive: It sounds too simple, but reading is one of the most important ways to keep young minds engaged during the summer. Make reading even more fun by finding ways to bring the stories to life. For example, in the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran, children create a make-believe town in the desert out of rocks, boxes, and their imaginations. Read the book with your children and then challenge them to create their own town with materials they find in the backyard.

Art Treasure Chest: You’ll need to gather basic art supplies–child safe scissors, glue, markers, tape, and construction paper. Put them in a special box along with empty oatmeal boxes and paper towel rolls, colorful magazines, and bits of aluminum foil. Occasionally add a special surprise like chalk, stickers, or stamp pads so there’s always something new for the children to find. Even if you normally have these supplies around the house, it‘s fun for children to know that the Art Treasure Chest is just for them. They’ll probably have some good ideas of other household items that can be recycled to fuel their creative energies.

Family Performances: Break out old clothes or costumes and encourage children to make up characters and create a play to act out.  They are the directors, actors, and producers.  They can also make musical instruments out of pots/pans, wooden spoons, empty canisters and have a parade; or everyone can play along to your family’s favorite songs. Record or video the performances, and enjoy the replay.  You’ll also be capturing a bit of family history everyone will enjoy for years to come.

Fort Building: Children love to build all kinds of structures--from small towns to large towers. Constructing forts or tents is an activity that can keep children focused and problem solving for hours. All the items you need can be found around the house–some chairs, cushions, blankets… and of course adult supervision.

Cookbook Fun: Have you ever shared your favorite cookbook with your children?  Take it out and ask your children to choose a recipe to try. Measuring can be a fun and easy way to keep math skills fresh.

Summer Scrapbook: All you need for this project is a spiral notebook. Encourage everyone in the family to draw pictures of favorite activities and collect mementos from special events throughout the summer.   Children love to go back through scrapbooks and albums and tell about what happened at each occasion.  They will also be building their storytelling skills at the same time.

Listening Game: Lie down in the backyard, in the den or at the park and listen.  What do you hear? Do you hear what I hear? Can you imitate the sound? This is similar to watching the clouds and naming the shapes, and it encourages everyone to slow down and focus on listening.

Camping Out: Pretend to campout in the backyard. Plan a meal, pack a backpack and set up a campsite.  You might even decide to spend the night!

Scavenger Hunt: Make a list or picture cards of common household items and have your children find the items on the list. Invite friends or neighbors to join in the fun to make it a competition.

Parents can use this list of ideas as a starting point for summer activities that offer a balance between the freedom of child-initiated play time and more structured activities.

“Keeping children engaged with open-ended activities that stretch their imaginations during the summer months helps them develop their independence, creativity, and thinking,” said Dr. Zurn. “We want to help parents keep the “brain drain” at bay while their children play.”

When preparing for a brain-drain-free summer, remember to suggest or provide age appropriate activities.  Many times, children say they are bored because the activity they were doing was either too simple or too advanced to keep them occupied for long.  Activities should be fun and challenge what they know, but should keep in line with the interests and developmental levels of your children.  

Ultimately, we know every child is different, with different interests and learning styles so having a variety of ideas is a great way to be prepared during the summer months. Involving children in the planning of ideas gives them an opportunity to express their individuality and creativity.

So with these tips in mind, sit down with your family and make a plan for an engaging, imaginative and fun summer.

 

info@primroseoldorchard.com 

Flower Mound CAC offers a number of summer camps for kids age 4 - 14.  Timeframes include camps that are an hour a day to full-day camps with extended hours available.  Full-time, week-long camps include fun “fields trips” to places like Six Flags and Hurricane Harbor. 

Website       

 

Lewisville’s Summer Camp Guide will not be be available until the week of May 15th.  Visit website link above to download.

The City of Lewisville offers morning, afternoon, and full-day.  Camps vary from traditional summer-fun and sports activities to hula hoop, movie making, martial arts, and Xtreme (emergency) Response Camp.

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