Character Development

For sure, life during a pandemic is rough for so many (and for so long). Nonetheless, even when times are tough…or maybe because times are tough, there are still important lessons to be learned that can enhance your life. At our Midwest summer camp, we have endured not summer camp, communicating with families and kiddos who have been missing so much–especially, and including the important jobs of being a kid–i.e. socializing, bonding, playing, singing, exercising, being in nature, etc.  Even while we miss those, we can focus on positive growth. […]

Camp Kupugani is our sleepaway Midwest summer camp, located close to both Chicago, IL and Madison, WI. Our mission is to help our campers become the best versions of themselves. This article from Barking Up The Wrong Tree discusses ways to maximize emotional intelligence. Check out our takeaways below and/or read the full article here. More Than A Feeling Don’t take good feelings for granted. Don’t shy away from “scary” or “bad” feelings. Feelings have an impact on your health. Recognize Check-in with yourself often. Connect it to something you […]

Camp Kupugani is our Midwest summer camp near Chicago, IL and Madison, WI. We want all our campers to have mental strength. Check out a recent article from Barking Up the Wrong Tree here and read our bullet points about mental strength below.  Ask “What’s The Worst That Could Happen?” “Own” what can go wrong in your day. We all know difficult people…don’t try and control them. Allow yourself to experience the negative with the positive. Use A “Reserve Clause” Acknowledge that part of the outcome may not be in […]

Camp Kupugani is our Midwest overnight summer camp offering girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally coed) two-week sessions for children 7-15. We try to empower our campers to stay resilient. Especially, when times are challenging, these tips from the folks at Barking up The Wrong Tree can help with persevering. Read our take below and the full article about resilient campers here.  Positive Self-Talk Find the silver lining in all things. Estimated self-talk words: 300-1000 per day. Physical Fitness Exercise is key. Feeling physically fit helps the brain. Make It A […]

Here at Camp Kupugani, our midwest overnight summer camp nestled in the heart of nature, and yet only two hours outside of Chicago and Madison, WI, we are mindful of the impact that challenging times have on our larger community. A recent article from The New York Times has some good tips to help us all get through difficult times. Read on for our summary below, with the full article about cheer and community at this link.  Music and art can do the body good Find a drawing/painting tutorial online […]

Camp Kupugani is our Illinois overnight summer camp that offers two-week sessions for girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally co-ed) children ages 7-15. We want every person who steps on the amazing grounds of Camp Kupugani to live their best life! Even when (or especially when) times are their most challenging, it is important to influence others positively. We found this article from Barking Up The Wrong Tree with some good tips on doing so. The summary below and the full article about challenging times here.  Spread Connection Talk with people […]

CONNECT. Connect with others. We are in this (however we define what this is!) together, and it’s critical to wellness that we feel connected to each other.  Divisions based on fear are common in times of crisis. Asian Americans in the US are being targeted and discriminated against in hateful ways that we all need to pay attention to. Take a few minutes to become more aware of what’s happening (USA Today, NY Times, CNN, Washington Post, etc.) and step up as an ally whenever and however you can (forward […]

Camp Kupugani is our overnight summer camp that offers two-week sessions for girls-only, boys-only, and blended (intentionally co-ed) children from ages 7-15 (16 for returning campers interested in being counselors-in-training).  Although we are mostly electronics-free at camp, we appreciate how different media can have a profound role in shaping our minds and those of children. A recent blog from Greater Good Magazine culled 13 films that highlight the best of human nature.  See our summary below or read the full blog at this link here.  The Curiosity Award: Annihilation Awe […]

Our Midwest overnight summer camp located near Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois offers girls-only, boys-only and blended (intentionally co-ed) sessions. We embrace and seek out challenges so that we can make the most personal growth. We encourage and support our campers (and staff) to maximize conflict resolution techniques. Our staff is trained in how to provide the camper with age and maturity level based support. A recent article by the folks at Barking up the Wrong Tree has a good take on 4 Secrets to Grit When Life Gets Hard. […]

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 […]

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 […]