Sewing is a useful life skill but also a limitless and inexpensive creative outlet. Campers will:
No prior experience necessary!
Ron and I took a drive yesterday to look at a few examples of one of the types of yurt we are considering for our new facility in 2015. These are photographs of a model very similar to what we are considering (keep in mind, this model is over 17 years old – we’d be getting a new one!)
28′ Diameter Yurt – 615 square foot interior with French Doors
View of the log rafters from inside – the dome skylight in the middle has a screen and can be opened for ventilation.
With the combination of the dome, French doors, second door with window, and 4 side windows this thing is FULL of natural light!
Click here for more updates on our countdown to 2015!
I remember a conversation I had with my mother during my university years. I was lamenting all the many directions I wanted my life to go and she told me, “Honey, you can’t do everything. You need to pick something and stick to it.”
But I was barely out of highschool and wasn’t interested in listening to my mother… and it’s probably one of the few instances when I’m glad I DIDN’T (at least not right away). I proceeded to take a whole bunch of university courses in a variety of interesting things that had nothing to do with each other: my music courses, but also environmental geography, English, even computer programming. I kept up with dance, even though it was never something I could be capable of doing professionally. I just dabbled in stuff.
Perhaps obviously, as I got older and my career evolved, I eventually let some things drop. I don’t take dance classes regularly anymore but I do still perform in local musical theatre (sometimes I even do the choreography). Those skills I picked up through my dabbling though seem to pop up in interesting ways – that computer programming course is what has allowed me to create our own dynamic camp schedules. While my mom was right – I couldn’t do everything (at least not forever), keeping my range of experiences open early on has had a lasting impact on the things I’ve been able to do, and it’s contributed HUGELY to the development of camp.
When I’m hiring my staff, I find myself looking for the same range of experiences – not that I need my staff to have the same interests and credentials that I do, but that they have DONE THINGS to amass a range of skills. Camp staff who have no skills to pass on to their campers have very little to offer our programming. They also don’t model the importance of life-long learning.
The more experience I have with the education system, the more I recognize how we seem to be churning out kids who haven’t had much exposure to variety. I hear about campers who don’t have time to attend March Break camp because they have too much homework. (Why are kids who are still camper age being given so much work for their holiday?) By grade 9, kids are forced to choose only ONE arts course – either music, drama, or visual arts (which, if you are a kid like I was, is akin to being forced to cut off one of your arms). Even if parents are willing and able to enroll their children in extracurricular sports, chances are they’ll only have the time and the resources to participate (ie specialize) in just one. What are the chances they’ll happen to pick “the” sport on the first try?
Kids should not be brought up to be one-trick ponies (or worse, kids who only pursue academic courses). Kids should have the freedom to explore a range of experiences, to try out a wide variety of things – whether they’re “useful” or not. Not just to make them more well-rounded, but also to develop hobbies and interests that will provide stress relief and enjoyment later in life. When it DOES come time for them to grow up and stop doing everything, they’ll have the prior knowledge to make an informed decision about what it is they’d really like to do.
That’s one of the things I love about camp – we let kids dabble. Just look at the huge list of activities they get to try out.
The word “camp” seems to be one that is thrown around a fair bit in reference to a variety of different things. Looking through the newspaper recently I’ve seen many events that claim to be a “camp” for children… but what exactly does that mean? Is a camp simply any place or event that will take your kids off your hands when they aren’t at school?
Of course we can start with the dictionary definitions:
noun: a place where an army or other group of persons or an individual is lodged in a tent or tents or other temporary means of shelter.
verb: to establish or pitch a camp: The army camped in the valley.
verb: Also, camp it up. to speak or behave in a coquettishly playful or extravagantly theatrical manner.
Not really quite right… except maybe for the “theatrical manner” part. 🙂 If we look up specififically “summer camp” in the dictionary we do a little better:
noun: a camp, especially one for children during the summer, providing facilities for sleeping and eating, and usually for handicrafts, sports, etc.
“Community living in a place and time set apart”“An authentic community leveraging intentional relationships to create hands on learning opportunities.” (LOVE THIS ONE!)“An inclusive environment where kids and leaders play, learn and lead together.”
What is your definition?
Just finished reading this awesome article on the ACA website entitled: 10 Reasons Why Businesses Should Hire Former Camp Counselors. This could just as easily have been titled “Why Being A Camp Counselor Is Awesome For Your Resume” or even “How To Know You Are Cut Out To Be A Counselor”. An excellent description of what a camp counselor should be!
We are super excited about the new major selections we have added to our Heartwood program for Summer 2014. We are also very encouraged by the positive feedback we have received, but also understand that sometimes changes can be hard to wrap our heads around! Here are some frequently asked questions (and answers!) about the changes we’ve made to our Heartwood program this year.
Q: What happened to the old “Sports” and “Arts” model?
A: Our campers, staff, and experienced parents know that while the sports and arts distinctions may have been the same for the whole summer, our actual programming from week to week was NOT. We had lots of different things going on each session – however, this may not have been obvious to others who are new to MKDC.
We wanted to make sure that it was clear to prospective campers and parents that they could sign up for the whole summer and be confident in knowing that there would be something new for them to experience each week.
We also wanted to offer more variety in our programming for older campers (not everyone fits into the “sports” or “arts” groupings) so now there’s something available for those kids who are really interested in technology and culinary arts, as well as the “traditional” options.
Q: If my son/daughter wants to participate in sports (or arts), can he/she still do that?
If you take a look at our Majors list you will see that many of our majors are still very much sports or arts based, it’s just that they are now put in a more specific format. If you are looking for recommendations about which week(s) might be the best for your son/daughter to attend based on their interests, please email or call us and we’ll be happy to help.
Q: Can we enroll in a major only in the weeks it is listed?
A: Yes. We are only offering two different majors per week so that our staff and resources can be used most effectively to keep the quality of our programming at its highest. We have done our very best to make sure that the two options available each week will appeal to a range of interests.
Q: How will this effect camper groupings?
It is extremely important to us that our campers feel both comfortable with their peer group, but also free to pursue their own interests. Under our “old” system, we sometimes worried that campers were choosing their major based on their peer group rather than their favorite activities. With our new format for majors, Heartwood campers will be grouped with their peers during all standard camp activities, and split according to their majors ONLY for that portion of the schedule.
Q: Can we register for the same major in more than one week, if it is offered in multiple weeks?
A: YES! A major that occurs more than once will have different programming, so you can do the same major multiple times and still experience something new.
Did I miss your question? E-mail us or comment below!
Friday, March 7 – Duct Tape Mania
Have you seen all the fancy duct tapes you can buy? Now you’ll know what to do with it! Learn to make flowers, bags, wallets, & more! PA Day registration fee: $45 includes theme activities, a pizza lunch, & snacks. Hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.
March 10 – 14 – “Holiday Cruise” March Break Camp
Join us on a special vacation cruise! We’ll say “bon voyage” with a toast as we celebrate the start of our trip. Each day you’ll visit a different exotic port with lots of surprises in store. March Break registration fee: $160 for the week. Optional lunch program and daily rates available. Hours are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm with free extended care (7:30 am – 5:30 pm) available upon request.
Leather has played an important role in the development of civilisation. In recorded history, pieces of leather dating as far back as 1300 B.C. have been found in Egypt.
Now Maple Key is bringing back this traditional but often forgotten art form! Campers will learn techniques such as dyeing, tooling, molding, sewing/lacing, and leather stamping to create a variety of projects such as bookmarks, key fobs, coasters, and wristbands.
The Leatherwork Arts Major will be offered Week 6 only (Aug 5 – 8). Register Now to save your spot.
In 2012 we started a new tradition for our staff… the Camp Secret Friend program. During staff training all of our staff are assigned a secret friend anonymously (I get my wonderful hubby to set it up for us so even I don’t know who has who!). Over the course of the summer the staff make sure that their secret friend receives little treats and pick-me-ups every so often in their mailbox (it also helps to make sure that staff check their messages!) It can be anything from a funny note or a baggie of gummies, to a scavenger hunt to the freezer to find a little tub of Ben & Jerry’s, but it’s amazing how those treats can give you new energy on a hard day.
The real fun comes at the end of the summer, though. At our special staff banquet, the secret friends are revealed with a special homemade gift. Many of our staff work on their gifts for weeks beforehand, and it’s always exciting and emotional to see those final products (many of which become lasting momentos) and finally know who’s been your little guardian angel over the course of the summer. CSF is just one of those little things we do to make things special for the staff. We’re here for the campers… but it’s our camp too!
