Camp Kupugani Blog
7 Ways We Can Help Protect Our Earth
At Camp Kupugani, our summer camp with girls-only, boys-only, and blended sessions–located near Chicago and Madison Wisconsin, we’re nestled on 125 acres of nature’s finest, including forest, a river, and a lake. As such, we’re reminded daily of the beauty that nature offers, and the importance of preserving that beauty for current generations and those beyond. We take pride in helping our campers understand and learn what they can do to help protect our earth. In our mission (core value) and programming, we foster respect for Mother Nature, so we […]
5 Ways to Maximize Your Child’s Mental Health
At our Midwest summer camp in northwest Illinois, we know how important mental health is to the growth of our children. A recent article had some good tips on how we can maximize our kiddos’ mental development. See below for our bullets. Acknowledge Your Child’s Feelings …even if they don’t match how you feel. Acknowledging feelings helps your child stay open to speaking to you. Help Your Child Process Her/His Feelings Ask open-ended questions. Provide insight specific to your child. Monitor What Your Child Watches on TV/YouTube Don’t allow technology […]
Nine Powerful & Simple Ways to Reduce Racism
At our Midwest summer camp, our mission is to bring together kids from varied backgrounds, and help them develop tools to deal with difference. Especially given the evolution (devolution?) of our societal interactions of late, it is increasingly important to figure out how to treat each other better. Here are nine powerful and simple ways to reduce racism. Apologies for this blog being heartfelt, yet without attribution to various sources from which notes were culled before writing it. Discover your culture. Consider your interests/beliefs. Where did you grow up? What […]
Social Awareness Tactics That Help You Be A Better Leader
At Camp Kupugani, we operate our Midwest summer camp (near Chicago and Madison) and focus on helping our campers maximize their social awareness. We want our parents to be the best they can be as well. Here is an article on maximizing one’s impact on others. Read our take below and check out the full article here about social awareness. Understand what it means to listen Actively listen to the speaker Avoid making assumptions before hearing the person’s full story Repeat what was said Repeat it back to help the […]
Prevent Kids from Developing Entitlement Syndrome
At our Midwest summer camp, we strive to empower our campers to be their best selves. It can be a challenge as a parent to spoil our children even while intending only to have a positive influence. Good intentions can sometimes lead to negative outcomes though; entitlement develops when a child is given too much, too soon. It’s a function of giving our kids too much stuff, and not necessarily what they really need: parental guidance, wisdom, and direction. Here are five ways to maximize that you won’t accidentally be […]
You May Be a Helicopter (or Lawnmower) Parent
As director of a kids Midwest summer camp (within easy driving distance from Chicago and Madison), I see the ramifications of varied parenting styles in how the kid recipient of those parenting styles navigate the world. As a parent of a young teen, I get to see firsthand how our parental successes and mistakes have shaped the development of our own child. A good way to evaluate whether our parental actions are harming our kids is to examine their behavior. Therefore, consider four results of an enabling parent. 1. Your […]
Takeaways from Stamped from the Beginning
Kevin Gordon, Director of Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, IL–located two hours west of Chicago–recently read Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning (Nation Books, 2016). Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand racism in the United States. In shedding much-needed light on the murky history of racist ideas, this book offers tools we need to expose them—and in the process, gives us reason to hope. Check out the book here. See below for some excerpts. What is racism? Racism is…any concept that regards one racial group as inferior […]
5 Ways to Establish Rituals That Will Make You Happy
At Camp Kupugani, our overnight summer camp that offers girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally co-ed) programming, we want everyone to be reaching their happiness quotient every day. We strive each day to offer activities at camp that every camper will like. A recent article describes five rituals that will make you happy. Check out our bullets below and read the full article here about establishing rituals that will increase happiness. Challenge Unhelpful Thoughts Is the thought you are having helpful? Happiness is not determined by money, family, or being famous; […]
10 Tips to Raise Environmentally-Conscious Children
At Camp Kupugani, our overnight summer camp that offers girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally co-ed) programming, we try our best to be “green” or environmentally-conscious. We recycle, minimize water usage, and try to be cognizant of energy use. Especially as the results of our global unfriendliness to Mother Nature become increasingly apparent, it becomes more critical to have our children treat our world kindly. A recent article has some good tips on how to raise an environmentally-conscious child; check out our bullets below, with the full article here. Environment Tips […]
8 Ways to Empower Your Girl
In 2007, Camp Kupugani, our Midwest overnight summer camp (near Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin) started with a single two-week girls-only camp focused on the empowerment of young ladies. Although we now offer boys-only, blended (intentionally co-ed), and a girls-only session, we are continually mindful to empower your girl(s). We want every family to feel powerfully connected with their girl(s). A recent article described eight things you should do to empower your girl; check out our bullets below. Empower Girls By: Believing in her. Be her biggest fan. If she doesn’t […]
If You Want Your Kids to Get Along, Avoid This
Camp Kupugani is our residential summer camp located about two hours from downtown Chicago and 90 minutes away from Madison, Wisconsin. We are all about helping our campers get along, via practical models to conflict resolution models like “I Statements” and the “Clean-up”. Outside of camp, we also recognize that getting siblings or other children in the same household to get along can be challenging. A recent article lists some things to avoid doing to facilitate good connections. Bullets below, with the full article here. Suggesting they race to do […]
8 Ways to Address Your Child’s Challenging Behavior
Camp Kupugani, our overnight summer camp located on 125 acres in Northwest Illinois (near Chicago and Madison, Wisconsin), is a camp where everyone is accepted for who they are, while still being challenged to become a better person. As a parent (and camp director), I can appreciate how it can be a challenge to maximize your child’s behavior and choices. Indeed, children (as do we as adults) sometimes exhibit behaviors that are not ideal for their development. Read below for a few ways to help your child learn more positive […]