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Why Camp?

By: Andy Pritikin

Good camps and good camp directors create controlled, ideal communities with an alternative- more traditional - vision of what it means to grow up.

     Have you ever met anyone who has gone to summer camp? Ever listen to them go on and on about that amazing counselor, or their close “camp friends” that they still speak to years later? For those of you without this experience, it must sound quite strange- I mean, isn’t “camp” just a bunch of kids and counselors running around playing games? Well, not quite…

     First of all, it has nothing to do with RVs parks, or any movies made by Bill Murray or that Ernest guy. Talk to any camper, camp parent, camp director, etc.- and you’ll be told wonderful stories, filled with magical memories and positive life-altering experiences. But although we can describe the positive effects of camp for hours, camp is just one of those things in life, that unless you’ve been there- it’s hard to appreciate how truly amazing it can be.

     Like many first time campers, I was forced to go to camp. So while the majority of my friends went to the local “Rec” program or the Jersey Shore, I was sent packing up to the Berkshires for what was to become two of the best summers of my life. What I thought was a unique experience is actually enjoyed by over 10 million campers each summer at over 12,000 camps (2300 of the finest accredited by the American Camping Association). For these young people, Camp is not about tennis courts, pools, lakes, art projects, etc. - It’s about the relationships they make, while finding out who they really they are, in an supportive setting of… Wait a second- We’re getting too intangible- Back to the nitty gritty!

     Why Camp? Because besides being premium childcare, Camp offers educational programs, health & fitness, and a place to develop social skills. Many camps offer just as many creative activities as athletic ones, keeping the brain and the body working at peak performance straight through the summer. In today’s society, technological advances coupled with fears for safety have influenced us in raising the most out-of-shape, sedentary generation of children ever. Most kids do not play in the streets/backyards with their friends like we used to. Instead they have one-on-one PlayStation play-dates, or 3-hour instant messaging sessions. The inherent set up of camp requires interaction as well as activity (two swims per day at most camps). Groups of like-age children eat together, explore nature, function as teammates, and deal with the ins and outs of social relations- all under the supervision of trained staff, within the safe guidelines of some serious, (totally wacky at times) unadulterated FUN!

     Why Camp? Because the average American child idolizes celebrities like Eminem and Britney Spears. While they may be excellent musicians- they’re certainly not great role models. Good camps and good camp directors create controlled, ideal communities with an alternative- more traditional- vision of what it means to grow up. A camp can control it’s value system, maintaining a magical environment that can inspire children to imagine that anything is possible, and that their potential is limitless. Many of my American Camping Association colleagues pride themselves in creating a camp climate that reinforces the virtues and traits that most parents strive for, and which fine colleges and future employers look for: personal responsibility, independence, self-confidence, respect, social ease, and cheerfulness. We are talking about the life skills needed to become a happy, successful adult.

     Why Camp? Because Camp teaches the important stuff that school doesn’t teach. While the average IQ is 24 points higher now than in 1918 (better nutrition, schools, smaller family size, etc.), kids are lonelier, more depressed, angry and unruly, nervous, more prone to worry, more impulsive and more aggressive. A recent study found that EQ- Emotional Intelligence (empathy, handling relationships, self-motivation, self-awareness, managing emotions) is three times more the predictor of success than IQ. Leadership (self-confidence, team skills, social awareness) is estimated as being 90% emotional intelligence. Ask any human resource person- without the ability to truly relate to others, you can throw the “Three R’s” out the window. The various group settings and activities of camp provide a virtual classroom for social development, teaching children and young adults the important skill of making and keeping friends.

     Why Camp? Because 70% of American families cannot recite the names of their connecting neighbors, 50% of marriages end up in divorce, 35% of school age children are being raised by single parents, the average American parents spend only 15 quality minutes with their children each day… I could go on, but you get the idea. Great Camps manage to create something many of today’s children have never known: a safe, richly personalized, stable community. Remember the theme song- “Sometimes you want to go, where everybody knows your name…”? All humans desire a sense of belonging and worth. Camp gives children and staff constant opportunities to feel good about themselves, as a valued member of the bunk, group, team, or even the entire camp!

     Why Camp? Because life (especially childhood) is a series of new experiences with inherent risks. Camp provides a safe environment for children to attempt risks, fail, try again, and succeed! I personally must have taken twenty (embarrassing) belly-flopping attempts before I stood up on water-skis at camp - and I would never have accomplished it without the fanatical support of the counselors and campers on the back of the boat convincing me that I could do it.

     Why Camp? Because Camp is vital to those who live it. Just ask anyone who has been there- even someone who didn’t want to go, but was forced to- and be prepared for a very long, enthusiastic answer.

     Andy Pritikin is the Owner/Director of Liberty Lake Day Camp, located in Columbus, NJ (Northern Burlington County), as well as an Executive Board Member of the American Camping Association- New York Section, and a semi-professional musician. Andy opened Liberty Lake last year in an area new to the Camping Experience.

For more information on camps visit our camp directory at www.curiousparents.com.