Kupugani Blog
6 Ways to Help Kids Minimize Screen Time
Camp Kupugani is a multicultural overnight summer camp in northwest Illinois, just a stone's throw away from Chicago (that is if you can throw a stone about 90 miles). Although Kupugani is a technology-free camp, most homes are not, and with many schools using online-based homework, it increasingly challenging to strike a balance between technology and the actual tactile world. Bullets below, with the full Washington Post article here. Keep playing with your kids. Even as they become more independent, keep playing! Play cards Shoot hoops Don’t give up when they say no onc...
More Details3 Mindfulness Tips to Maximize Contentment
Here at Camp Kupugani (in northwest Illinois about 2 hours west of Chicago and 90 minutes south of Madison, Wisconsin) our overnight summer camp is all about helping our campers to be the best version of themselves. A recent article from Barking up the Wrong Tree explores some good mindfulness tips. Bullets below; click here to read the full article. Discount these four happiness myths Myth 1: “Happiness Is the Natural State for All Human Beings” Our brains are not programmed at birth for bliss. Ups and downs are normal; embrace them! Myth 2: “If You’re Not Happ...
More DetailsWhy You Should Embrace Conflict
At Camp Kupugani, our summer camp near Chicago and Madison, we don't run from conflict, seeing it as a productive and important part of personal interaction. A recent article from fastcompany.com also elucidates this message. Bullets below, with the whole article available at this link: The importance of conflict You need to be able to work through opposing sides of an issue and come to a resolution Conflict is part of strategic planning, resource allocation, product design and talent management Conflict debt Sum of all the contentious issues we need to address in or...
More Details3 Ways to “Selfishly” Be a Better Parent
At Camp Kupugani, our multicultural overnight summer camp in Northwest Illinois, we’re all about helping our campers to be the best version of themselves. We’ve recently finished up our Mother Daughter and Parent Child Weekends, where many of our parents shared the struggle of being an intentional parent and managing the multiple responsibilities of being a good parent. One important theme is that as parents, we need to more often recognize taking care of ourselves (period...and also so that we can be good for and to others). Check out this article to see what She Knows has to say about ...
More Details4 Ways to Make Your Kids Successful
At Camp Kupugani, our overnight summer camp in Northwest Illinois (near Chicago and Madison), we're all about maximizing the development for our campers. The good folks from Barking Up the Wrong Tree have some good tips on maximizing their development at home. Bullets below, with the whole article available here. Children need a sampling period Let them explore a variety of different activities (sports, instruments) and not force them into one Real learning is slow and frustrating To really learn, studying must be hard Obstacles that make learning more challeng...
More Details!Yad Sdrawkcab
We started off the day with our goodnight song. Then we had chicken and waffles for dinner. After dinner, we did our camp chores. Then we did some team building activities: some modules and then initiatives. After lunch, we had a siesta before camptivities. For the first camptivity, we had Untalent Show prep and canoeing/paddle boarding. Then we had La Tienda. Then a second camptivity with archery and biking. We returned to the cabins to clean-up for breakfast. Then had a breakfast of pancakes and sausages. We then had a morning activity of the Untalent Show (with many great performances and su...
More DetailsEconomic Literacy Day
We started our day with a smaller morning circle because the 14 and 15 year olds were still out on their trips. Then we went inside for a breakfast of bacon, eggs and muffins (all the way from England!). After breakfast, we did our camp chores before heading off for some team activities. In teams, we did lifts and then some economic literacy activities. We then headed to lunch; mac and cheese. After lunch, we headed back to the cabins for siesta before an afternoon full of camptivities. For camptivity one we had rock climbing and a challenge hike. Then we had our La Tienda time before having g...
More DetailsAnother Good Day
We started our day with a community gathering. Then we ate a breakfast of pancakes and sausage. After breakfast, we did our camp chores then we dismissed into our team for team time. After team time, we went down to Walnut Grove for Free-to-Learn. We then headed back up to top camp for some lunch: barbecue beef. After lunch, we had a siesta followed by an afternoon full of camptivities. For camptivity one, we had frisbee golf and horseback riding. After that we had our La Tienda time, then we did our camptivity 2. The offerings for camptivity 2 were canoeing and lake play. We then headed up to...
More DetailsA Nice Cabin Sunday
We woke up Sunday morning on top field after spending a gorgeous night under the stars. We went to the dining hall and had a "lazy breakfast" before heading back up to the cabins to switch our bunks. After switching beds we had our community gathering circle. Then we took group photos. We then went on a short hike to arrive at our picnic lunch location. After we ate, we worked on our cabin skits and songs. Then we headed to our cabins to have a little cabin time/dance party. After that we had La Tienda then we headed down to the flats for some mud volleyball, dam jumping, and waterfall play. We t...
More DetailsA Scintillating Saturday
We started the day with a community gathering, then we went into the dining hall for some coffee cake, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and strawberries. After that we did our camp chores then we dismissed into teams. Today we had two separate teams. After teams we had an AM camptivity of gaga and bench building. Then we had lunch--Tash's chili and grilled cheese sandwiches. After lunch we had a short siesta. After that we had camptivity one. For camptivity one, we had fishing and a counselor specialty of Music with Dan. After that we had La Tienda. Then an all-camp game of soccer, with the staff narr...
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