Camp Kupugani Blog
10 Great Ways to Prepare for Camp
Even though winter is fully upon is in the Midwest, we are busy preparing for this summer’s great versions of our girls-only and boys-only camp programs! As we’ve been visiting with potential camp families at camp fairs, a common question is how they should prepare for a first-time camp experience. To help your child maximize a camp experience, here are ten ways to help that happen! Talk with other parents and friends to learn from their camp experience. Ask the camp director to tell you about other camp families in […]
Should we focus on achievement or caring?
At our multicultural summer camp, we try to be intentional to foster an environment encouraging children to be their best selves to and with each other. You’d think that most parents would share that goal right? Unfortunately, a recent study shows otherwise–that children believe their parents are more concerned with the kids’ achievement than whether they cared for others. Richard Weissbourd–a Harvard psychologits with its graduate school of education–and his colleagues have some good recommendations about how to raise kids to become caring, respectful and responsible adults. It’s something that […]
Why Your Child Can Go to Camp for the 1st Time
Parents, especially those of first-time campers, often tell me that their child is looking forward to attending camp, but that they’re comfortable doing so only if they go with a friend. At first blush, this seems like a good idea—what better way than to enjoy a fantastic new camp experience than to do so with a good buddy? However, often what that child might really be saying is that they’re not sure of what to expect from their camp experience, and, like a security blanket, the friend will offer them […]
Why Parents Appreciate Summer Camp
As the new year picks up pace, resolution makers ponder how to come through on the self-promises made. As parents resolving to enhance the experiences of their children and themselves in the coming year, finding a great summer camp program offers many great growth opportunities. In a recent blog article, camp directors Stephanie and Mitch Reiter explore what children develop at summer camp and how families and parents appreciate those developments. Bullets below, with the full article available at this link. 1. A willingness to try new things. When […]
Good Family Dinner Table Conversation Starters
As the new year gets underway, it’s a good time to start new family habits or reinforce good ones that you’re already doing. At our dinner table, it can sometimes help to have some tricks up our sleeve to facilitate easy conversations and bonding with our child. A recent article by Casey Seidenberg has some good additional ideas—some highlighted below—to add to your go-to list! In her words, “Parenting books tell me to develop a tight bond with my children now so it will withstand the teen years and beyond. […]
Striving for Daily Peace and Harmony
I’m not one for writing reviews, but Rachel’s recently published book Not Quite Nirvana drove me to do an Amazon review. In addition to offering stories cute, pithy, and funny, the book also offers practical tips and easy suggestions for bringing more peace and harmony into one’s daily life. One of my favorite passages reads: “I want to act as if I’m in a world where compassion, kindness, and the awareness of our mutual dependence is the status quo. There is no need to wait.” The Amazon description: “With honest and vivid […]
Why Businesses Should Hire Former Camp Counselors
Now’s the time of year when our earlier applicants start to think about applying for summer jobs. We know firsthand the difficult task of being camp counselors — someone who serves as an amazing mentor, big sibling, facilitator, manager, and all-around go-to person for a group of young people. A recent post by Anne Archer Yetsko, associate director of Camp Merri-Mac in Black Mountain, North Carolina recognizes how great these counselors are and how important their skill set is as they pursue jobs in other venues. Snippets are below, with […]
8 Ways to Help Children Become Better Problem-Solvers
In this podcast, sociologist Christine Carter discusses how to encourage creativity and help kids become better problem-solvers. To do so, we should foster creativity, which is the number one skill needed for success and creating good problem-solvers. Some other takeaways from the podcast: Creativity is not just in terms of arts. Creativity is a skill we can practice and develop. Creativity development should focus on the process, not the outcome. We should create and problem-solve and limit goal-orientation. To provide opportunities for creativity, we should: Provide resources for creative expression […]
5 Reasons Camp Makes the Perfect Gift for the Holidays
It’s never too early to think about gifts that can enrich children’s lives. If you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, big sister, big brother, cousin, or family friend, looking to find just the right holiday gift for the children in your life, camp makes a perfect gift – and here are five reasons why! For young athletes, camp lets children play their favorite sports. Camps offer physical activities and sports that enhance health and teach self-confidence. Children can do a wide array of activities–from kayaking and swimming to archery, soccer, […]
3 Tips to Help Manage Stress During the Holiday Season
As we approach winter and the holiday season, amidst commitments that can sometimes tax families and parents, a blog by sociologist Christine Carter has some good tips on how to minimize stress. A quick summary of her tips on how to prevent burnout and breakdown during the holiday season are below, with the whole article at this link. 1. Get enough rest. You will not fulfill your potential unless you get the sleep your body, brain, and spirit need. We also need to rest during the day. After about 90 to […]
Limiting Smartphones Can Enhance Social Intelligence
At our intentionally empowering summer camp near Chicago, we have always recognized the importance of unplugging. Because the whole point of our camp is to enjoy nature, facilitate communication, and empower children by developing those skills, we don’t allow cell phones or Ipods, which diminish interpersonal interaction. A recent survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that children today are plugged into some kind of electronic medium almost eight hours a day–“more than many full-time jobs, and more time than they spend doing anything else besides sleeping.” Recent research […]
Complimenting without Bring in Beauty
I recently read a blog post by Chicago Tribune staffer Heidi Stevens, emphasizing some of what we try to do at our girls summer camp to focus on character development. Please see below for excerpts from her piece, “Can we compliment each other without bringing beauty into it?” “Your hair looks beautiful and so do you,” reads the first Facebook comment beneath a photo [a friend] posted of herself at the Roman Colosseum. We bring [Facebook comments] around to appearance an awful lot of the time, particularly when the photos […]
