Camp pioneers relate how camping has grown to become more diverse, environmentally aware, safe, and conscious of its responsibility to promote healthy development of children. Changing trends in clothing, transportation, and food preparation at camp are described. The joys, discoveries, and teachable moments that camp offers children have endured.…

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…

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,…

The purpose of this paper is to trace the development of camping and outdoor education in the United States. The early beginnings of camping are described along with the development of organized camps and the influences of urbanization on camping. The basic idea of education through camping is presented for each of the various types of organized…

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…

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…

A study assessed social skills development in children aged 8-13 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder after they attended a residential summer camp. Questionnaires returned by parents of 12 such campers reported increases in age-appropriate behavior, independence, self-esteem, connection with peers, and participation in group activities.…

Homesickness is a normal response of campers to the stress of being separated from their families. Suggestions for interventions include preparing children and parents for the camp experience, educating staff concerning child development and homesickness, developing a plan for the child who has adjustment problems, and following-up with campers at…

Trends in staff development for camp counselors include using experiential training activities, inviting outside speakers to address staff on topics of concern, and teaching staff about child-related issues. Addresses problems in working with staff and provides suggestions for increasing the effectiveness of staff training programs. (LP)

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…

A study of 74 female campers aged 10-13, primarily from middle to upper income families, determined if creativity of campers changed during a seven-week residential summer camp. Findings indicated camp environment and counselor abilities nurtured creativity. Ten ways camp directors can establish a camping environment to support creative growth…

Discusses sex role stereotyping in camping and in society. Suggests ways camp administrators and counselors can use activity programs, group living, housekeeping, and management functions to encourage development of androgynous traits and lifestyles free from culturally imposed definitions of masculinity and femininity. (LFL)

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…