Alsever, Jennifer. (8 May, 2005). “What We (and Our Parents) Did at Summer Camp.” The New York Times.

OVERVIEW

The traditional model of summer camp-going for children and teenagers is undergoing something of a paradigm shift – why not bring the whole family? Citing a need felt by many parents to reconnect with their children in an inviting outdoor environment, Alsever observes that the number of camps offering family programs has doubled in the last fifteen years. Whether it is the mountains of Colorado, the ranches of California, or the canyons of New Mexico, many parents are taking advantage of this growing opportunity to “spend one-on-one time with [their] children.”

Part of the rise in family-friendly camp programs is motivated by a decrease in children attending traditional summer camps. “Parents are very leery about where their kids are going,” says Jennifer Coe of Camp Timbercrest in N.Y. Youths also tend to occupy themselves with busy summer activities, leaving little space for camp. The effort to accommodate families has such camps increasing their property, renovating lodges, offering babysitting, and tailoring adventure programs to children and adults alike. Even grandparents are welcome. 

Though costs and destinations may vary, there is a consistent sense that if families are willing to rough it in the outdoors for a week or two of reconnecting, summer camps are ready to help them.

The article provides the following sampling of family-friendly adventure camps:

·        Bar 717 Ranch. Hayfork, CA. Bar717.com

·        Blue Star Camps. Hendersonville, NC

. Bluestarcamps.com

·        Cheley Colorado

Camps. Estes Park, CO. Cheley.com

·        CampTecumseh

. Brookstone, IN. Camptecumseh.org

·        Concordia Language Villages. Bemidji, MN. Concordialanguagevillages.org

·        U.S. Space and RocketCenter. Huntsville

, AL. Spacecamp.com

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1.      Have you or families you know considered taking a family-camp vacation?

2.      Are your children wary of going to camp on their own?

3.      Would taking time away from the normal routine be a positive opportunity for your family?

IMPLICATIONS

Families today often need creative outlets for breaking away from the normal routine and learning to connect with one another. Environment can play a big role in this. But the decision to attend a family-oriented wilderness camp needs to be supported by the whole family.