Camp Kupugani Blog
Love in the Air at Camp
Love is in the air at Kupugani! Congratulations to Meg and Ryan, who were married today in the beautiful Walnut Grove. Prior to the wedding, wedding guests enjoyed hanging out on the beautiful Kupugani grounds. Canoeing, archery, and swimming in the pool were all available for guests to try. It was almost as fun as Kupugani for the campers! (And Mico of course got in on the canoeing action…) It’s been so much fun hosting guests at camp this weekend – we can hardly wait for all the campers to […]
Camp Adventure at Camp Kupugani
Today we got to finally start filling the mud volleyball court for some mudtastic fun. Afterward, we went on a suntastic adventure through the camp looking at all the funtastic activities that we will get to take wonderful children of the Earth when they arrive at our warm welcoming site up here at camp Kupugani/White Eagle. Keep Up to Date Have access to incredible articles and keep up to date with all Camp Kupugani life here!
19 Days and Counting…
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was a beautiful day here at Kupugani! Armed with brooms, dusters, and cleaning spray, the staff took on the task of cleaning out the old schoolhouse. Ever wondered what a classroom looked like in the 1800s? You’ll get to check it out this summer! Our day’s effort also included servicing the camp bikes and weeding the grounds. Cabins, sand volleyball, and biking are all ready for you! Only 19 days until camp! Keep Up to Date Have access to incredible […]
Camp is Where Well-Rounded People Are Made
Good parents send their children to camp so they can become better, more well-rounded people. Good camps exist to provide a safe, challenging environment to accomplish that same goal. If you drill down into the benefits camps offer, these include or center around having campers gain a sense of independence, strengthen problem-solving skills, and create lifelong bonds of friendship. In an age where academics are sometimes overvalued, while the benefits of interpersonal interaction are sometimes minimized, what can sometimes get forgotten is how the interpersonal benefits of camp are actually […]
You Know You’re a Summer Camp Lifer When…
At our summer camp in Illinois, we realize how the experience can be addictive–the excitement of the different activities, the smell of the fresh air and nature all around, and especially at our camp, the food also generates much excitement. So, how do you know if you’re a summer camp lifer? Here are some of the signs: The day before camp starts feels like the longest day ever. You wear multiple friendship bracelets—all of which were made at camp. Although camp is months away, you already have a pile of […]
10 Tips to Help Your Child Prepare for Camp
Have them sleep over at a friends house for a night or two so they can get used to not being around you. Make sure that they have stationery and stamps so they can write home (and help reduce your “childsickness”!) If they have cell phones or other electronic devices, have them practice not using them for periods of time; at camp, they won’t be able to use them. Let your child help pack their luggage for camp, so they know where everything is and what they are bringing. Discuss […]
Saving Our Earth Starts Now
April 22 is Earth Day. It seems that with each passing year, it becomes more important not to just participate in events on that day, but to incorporate into our own lives critical practices that will allow our Earth to sustain itself for our children and their children. (For more on Earth Day generally, here’s one good link). At our multicultural camp, environmental awareness and respect for the natural environment is one of the core values that we emphasize at camp. We take seriously our relationship withtheenvironment and convey that […]
10 Things a First-Time Camper Should Know
At our intentional summer camp program near Chicago, Illinois, we recognize that it’s natural for a child to be nervous about attending summer camp. To ease a child’s mind, here are ten things that every camper should know before enjoying their first sleepaway camp experience. 1. After the first day or two of camp, you will have made new friends. 2. If you ever have a time that you become homesick (which is normal, and 95% of campers get it at some point…including many returning campers), you can talk to […]
3 Ways to Foster Independence in your Child
At our summer camp outside of Chicago, we recognize how we contribute to the growth and independence of our campers. We also recognize that is every (okay, most) parents’ dream to have a self-reliant, successful child! However;, it’s also becoming more common for parents to dread the day their child leaves the nest. What parents forget is that self-sufficiency can help a child grow tremendously. One way to kick-start a child’s feelings of independence is to foster their independence. Here are three ways from psychologist Christine Carter explaining how. Excerpts below, […]
5 Ways Music Can Help You Live a Happier Life
Jill Suttie wrote a recent article detailing five ways that music can help you live a happier and healthier life. Click here for the full article, with bulleted takeaways below to a happier life. Reducing stress and anxiety. Listening to music can slow down your heart rate when it’s increased during an anxiety attack. Music lowers elevated cortisol levels that happen with stress and anxiety. It helps people sync breathing with heart rates which also makes it easier to breathe when stressed. Help decrease pain. Music can help release dopamine […]
100 Great Lessons to Teach Your Daughter
At our girls-only summer camp, we try to facilitate an environment where girls can maximize their growth and development through lessons. Author Lisa-Jo Baker created a fantastic list of things she would like to teach her daughter and shared it online. This list of values, concepts, and fun stuff can help you facilitate your own daughter’s solid foundation for her development as she undertakes her life’s journey. From body image to relationship advice, Baker covers it all in this list of 100 notable lessons. See the whole list at this […]
Help Kids Develop Money Management Habits
At our Illinois summer camp, we focus on intentionally empowering campers during our girls-only and boys-only camp sessions. We help them with the concept of economic literacy both with direct activities that help them learn the concepts, and also with their awareness and management of their limited camp store budgets—their spending money for their time at camp. We recognize, and try to help our campers recognize concepts like waiting to make purchases and choosing wisely whether to spend or save (or donate to worthy causes). I recently checked out a […]