Technology and the media have replaced community, and no longer reinforce the information, values, and skills that parents want to teach their children. Interview explains how camps build community to foster a sense of shared purpose, values, and skills; model positive behaviors and relationships; and develop children's responsibility,…

A study examined features of camps and camp staff that might affect the personal and social benefits of organized camping for children. Questionnaires were completed by 29 camp directors and 270 campers aged 8-14 from 33 residential camps across the United States. Results indicate that higher personal and social outcomes were associated with…

Stresses the importance of communicating to parents how camping meets the developmental needs of youth through encouraging positive social interaction with adults and peers, providing a structured environment, promoting physical activity, encouraging creativity, empowering campers to achieve success, providing meaningful participation in the camp…

The word "summer" brings to mind images of a relaxed, unstructured season--a time markedly different from other seasons of the year. In the United States, we have a particularly entrenched notion that summer is different--a notion reflected in popular assumptions about summer as a "break" and reinforced by carefree depictions…