February 6, 2020
I have always believed that there are two kinds of fun – the exciting yet fleeting kind and the kind that impacts us at our core and leaves a lasting impression.
As I listened to the Towel Ceremony speeches last year – a time for campers to share what camp has meant to them – I was struck by the commonalities between them. Though some campers mentioned their favorite activities, the majority mentioned how camp made them feel. This was the case whether it was their first summer or 11th summer.
A few statements stick out in my memory:
- “Camp feels like family.”
- “This is one of the few places where I can be myself.”
- “I felt proud of myself for rock-climbing even though I was scared.”
Did these campers have fun? I suspect they did. But there was also something more meaningful underneath the fun. Camp is a unique place that creates and causes both kinds of fun – the surface level excitement as well as the deeper sense of being known and belonging to a community.
What’s fun about camp is being encouraged to be yourself and accepted for who you are, persevering through (safe and closely supervised!) challenges, and communication facilitated by warm and engaged adults.
We can’t wait to have fun (both kinds!) with your child this summer!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kelly Jones
Executive Director, Outpost Summer Camps
“We don’t have to do all of it alone. We were never meant to.” Brené Brown
Want to learn more about the meaningful reasons parents send their kids to camp? Click here to read about the way camp leads to discovering oneself, developing grit, and enhancing communication skills with the guidance of positive role models.
