Camp Life

A couple of generations ago, most children attended residential camp for four weeks and sometimes all summer. Nowadays, a three- or four-week stay is a "hard sell" to many parents. However, for the camper, a longer stay brings numerous benefits.

Sense of independence and accomplishment Homesickness, often a concern with parents when children go to residential camps, is addressed and overcome. Being away from home and successfully adapting gives the child a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence in his or her ability to manage independently. The time to visitors' day is the biggest challenge for new campers, but virtually ALL homesickness dissipates after that weekend.

Learning interpersonal and character-building skills Meaningful relationships with peers and staff take time to develop. Living in close quarters teaches children how to get along, to share, to be patient and understanding. At camp, children develop skills in the arts of compromise and effective communication, learning how to deal with frustration and challenges--important skills that will help them succeed as adults. Getting along for a few days is easy--getting along for several weeks presents more learning opportunities!

Self-confidence Learning and honing skills fosters self-confidence. Earning awards in swimming or archery, developing the skills to throw a pot, mastering a fear of heights on the ropes course, travelling by canoe and camping under the stars . . . The more time a child has, the greater his or her chance of completion and subsequent sense of accomplishment.

Camp is a "home away from home," a community of support offering opportunities for tremendous inner growth. Our goal is to return to parents, happy, self-confident, self-aware and self-reliant young people. Camps need the time to do just that!

Invest some time discovering all that Camp Ponacka has to offer