A day-by-day account describes Camp Greentop's first 5-day adventure camping trip, which was attended by five individuals with disabilities and their counselors. The first day was spent in games and initiatives designed to develop communication, teamwork, and dependability. Other days were devoted to hiking, rock climbing, and whitewater rafting.…

A former counselor at a summer camp in Hampshire County (West Virginia) recalls his experiences with his campers and Jack Schaffenaker, an Appalachian "mountain man" and guitar picker. Through Jack, the campers engaged in fishing, storytelling, hiking, and folk singing, and shed some negative stereotypes about Appalachian people. (KS)

A British educator discusses the summer he spent as an American camp counselor. Discovers that in combining the roles of activity center, holiday resort, and place of learning, over 8,000 summer camps are an important part of educational process and significant formative influence on a large proportion of this nation's young. (NEC)

This handbook contains information designed to help develop campcraft skills. This basic guide to outdoor living contains the following chapters: (1) Come On Out; (2) On the Trail; (3) Your Own Outdoor Equipment; (4) Campcraft Skills; (5) Fire Building and Fireplaces; (6) Outdoor Food; (7) Knotcraft; (8) Lashing; (9) Toolcraft; (10) Finding Your…

A combination of experiential education and residential camping can have positive effects on preschool children with emotional, behavioral, and learning problems. Preschool Prep at Ramapo Anchorage Camp (Rhinebeck, New York) was developed to meet the specific needs of high-risk children aged 4-6. Many of the children come from unsafe urban…

The wilderness school is integral to outdoor therapeutic programming (OTP). By combining research from educational psychology with experiential education practices within the context of environmental relevance, an ideal composition of educational excellence emerges as a positive standard in therapeutic wilderness camps. Serving northeast Tennessee…

Two participant observers evaluated the week-long camp experience of adult women in order to assess the appropriateness of participant observation research methods in the camp setting, to identify strengths and weaknesses of this method, and to develop guidelines for its use. The study was part of a larger evaluation of the 9th annual Women's Week…

Blue Star Camps (Hendersonville, North Carolina) used talents of an internationally known architectural artist to emphasize a world peace dimension in their 1985 eight-week coed summer program. Past creative programs have included mock United Nations sessions, mock presidential conventions/elections, lunar landing salute, bicentennial celebration,…

In the late 19th century, camps in the Adirondacks responded to concerns that the American character was softening. Much camping philosophy came from the progressive movement in education. Aspects of Indian culture were adopted because they seemed to fit naturally in the Adirondacks, and children loved them. Adirondack camps have always been…

Resident outdoor environmental education (ROEE) is a camp-based extension of the classroom for two to five days, promoting student independence, interpersonal skills, and ecological awareness. Advantages and disadvantages of the "camp as innkeeper" and full program-provider models are given. Program development guidelines cover expenses,…

This book describes acclimatization, an approach to nature education that actively involves participants in the environment during a 1-week summer camping experience. The goal is to stimulate awareness of nature, increase appreciation of nature, and motivate further involvement with nature. An outcome of this process is that participants…

Camp Kingsmont, a weight reduction and fitness facility for boys and girls located near West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, traditionally celebrates International Day each July. Campers design costumes, prepare native dances and songs, enjoy an outdoor feast, stage an "International Beautyless Contest," and gather around a bonfire to view a…

During nine days of camping and canoe travel, games were used to promote teamwork and forge cohesive groups out of previously unacquainted college seniors. Types of games included icebreakers, gathering, change of pace, small group closure, large group closure. Eleven games are described. Includes the program's nine-day schedule. (SAS)

Overviews the philosophy and theory of camp experiences and discusses the special benefits of camps, including experiences that can lead to significant life-changing outcomes, sound educational goals, a sense of psychological and physical safety, and helping children to deal with social problems such as the degradation of the environment and human…

This directory lists organizations actively involved in outdoor experiential education. Outdoor experiential education includes some or all of the following elements: (1) active involvement in solving outdoor problems; (2) verbal reflection following the experience; (3) introduction of a level of stress or challenge in completing the outdoor…