Camp for the whole family |
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By Imagine the fun of summer camp – horseback riding, archery, canoeing, swimming, tennis, hiking, arts and crafts, and campfires. Now imagine yourself enjoying all of those fun activities with your children instead of just hearing about them. At
summer camps across the country “family camps” – week-long sessions
dedicated
to intergenerational programming – are growing in popularity and
families, like
the DePaola-Crowninshield family, of A visit from family friends
who had just
completed their first week of family camp at “When they came to visit us they were brimming over with stories and excitement about their time there and we immediately wanted to try it,” Lindsey Crowninshield said. “The camp puts out a wildly illustrated map and you can see all the fun spots, activities and the cabins. We started picking out our activities and a cabin right then.” Eight-year old Charlotte DePaola smiled as her mom described some of the activities the family has experienced at camp, including taking a turn on Kitchen Patrol or “KP.” “That was a lot of fun,” Chrlotte said, as Lindsey explained that each group on “KP” creates a theme for the night complete with music, decorations and costumes. Lindsey said that when their family first attended family camp four years ago, they tended to do activities all together. Now, as her children are older, they enjoy participating in activities with their peers, giving Lindsey and her husband, Chris DaPaola, time to pursue their own interests. At family camp, Lindsey said the camp counselors act as facilitators, helping each family to create the experience desire. Something for Everyone Across the country specialty family camps are growing in popularity. At
the
Common Ground Center in In September, following a full summer of family camp, Common Ground hosts Home School Week. In
In September they offer a special family camp week for “empty nesters” – parents with grown children. In addition to summer camp favorites, many family camps offer additional services like on-site massage and daily yoga. Some serve weekly lobster dinners and nightly wine and cheese, and all seek to create a fun and relaxing atmosphere for families to escape day-to-day business and play together. Please
note: This is not a complete list – just what I was able to find online
and via
word-of-mouth. www.windsormountain.org An international summer camp drawing staff and campers from over 35 countries. . Common Ground, VT www.cgcvt.org Common Ground celebrates family diversity and offers programs focused on music and the arts, the healing arts and outdoor exploration. Organic, vegetarian meals served. www.medomakcamp.com Multiple family camp sessions offered throughout the summer. Additional programs include: Astronomy Week, knitting retreats, women’s wellness week and rowing/skulling week.
www.ferrybeach.org Unitarian-Universalist
camp and conference center located on the southern coast of www.fandw.org A
Quaker-based organization that focuses on adventure in a community of
simplicity, honesty, and respect. back to my writing | back to my blog |