Cedar Ridge Camp: Parent Interview with Emily

Watch our Parent interview with Emily to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at Cedar Ridge Camp.

Transcript of the interview

What's unique about the program at Cedar Ridge Camp that made you want to enroll your child there?

What we fell in love with about Cedar Ridge Camp, and what makes it stand out from other traditional camp models in Ontario, is its size. Cedar Ridge has about 120 campers in a session, and that's small for an Ontario camp, and that's what we loved about it. We knew when we sent our kids that they would get to know all of the other campers, and the staff, and the director, Grayson. And we were correct in making that choice. It was one of the best decisions we made.

Grayson is an exceptional director, and he gets to know every camper firsthand and their family as well. So it feels like we're sending our kids to extended family every summer. It really is a great family environment.

What would you highlight about Cedar Ridge Camp?

I'd like to highlight Cedar Ridge Camp's activities. They are a traditional camp with a full breadth of traditional camp activities, but specifically, they have an exceptional whitewater trip program. So the kids get to canoe whitewater, and it's just one of the things my kids talk nonstop about.

They have a high ropes course as well that's great for building trust and team building, and my littlest one just loves to hang off the high ropes. And they also have horseback riding, and that is, of course, for city kids, a massive hit. They just love to get on the back of a horse and try out horseback riding, as well as all of the regular skill-building, swimming lessons, canoeing, archery, and outdoor skills. I mean, they have it all.

How and when did you know that Cedar Ridge Camp was the right fit for your child?

When I was researching the camps, most of the research I did was online, and that wasn't enough for me. So the camp provided a phone number, and I thought I was going to get a general mailbox number when I called, but instead it was a cell phone directly to the camp director, Grayson. And I had a long conversation with him, and he made me feel so comfortable in the decision that pretty much by that point I'd already decided that it was going to be a good choice for us.

I sent the two oldest children for the first two-week session. And the minute they came home, they were crying because all they wanted to do was go back. And so at that point, I knew it was an exceptional decision, and I patted myself on the back because Cedar Ridge has been in our family ever since.

Can you describe any change or noticeable growth you saw in your child after time at Cedar Ridge Camp?

It's probably the best investment we've made in our children, sending them to Cedar Ridge. I'm a mom of five children. My oldest is now a camp counselor at Cedar Ridge. My second oldest is an LIT. Our third child spent actually six weeks this summer at the age of seven. She was having such a good time; she didn't want to come home, so we kept re-enrolling her. And our youngest two, when they're old enough, they'll join as well.

The skills that I saw include steering a canoe, building a fire, climbing a rock wall, and learning how to care for a horse. But then there's the emotional skills that are involved in making friends, solving problems on your own, and taking risks. Just a tremendous amount of growth.

How can parents overcome hesitancy to send their children away for a week or longer?

I would say do your research. There are lots of platforms that you can use to find out what camps are good for your children. And then trust yourself. Trust that you're capable of making a good decision for your children and for your family, and expect that the children have some challenges. They're going to get some bug bites, and they may have to take a risk at an activity that's new to them, but that provides them with such a feeling of being capable that it's a gift.

It's a gift for children to be able to learn some independence and to feel good about themselves and what they can accomplish. And it's all packaged in a wonderful camp experience with great activities and exceptional staff. It's so much fun and there's so much joy that you have to work hard to not have a good time.

What would you tell other parents about the overall value of sending kids to Cedar Ridge Camp?

The value is really in the friendships, the skill set, the nature, being able to have the kids out in a beautiful setting full of forest and trees and fields and lake. I've had the pleasure to spend some time up at Cedar Ridge Camp myself, and it's a stunning, stunning setting.

The value for me is that the children really become their best selves, and they tap into that without distraction, with the support and guidance of caring staff. They learn to trust themselves, to take risks, and that really they're capable of anything they set their minds to.

Do you have any final thoughts about Cedar Ridge Camp?

All of the parents out there, I want to reassure you about Cedar Ridge Camp. A lot of times the kids are worried that they're not going to make a friend or that the food is terrible, and I just want to say right off the bat, the food is exceptional. My kids love it. The salad bar in particular is a big hit in my house, and ice cream every Sunday. I mean, how can you go wrong with that?

The staff works hard to build friendships with the children to build friendships. They are inclusive and fun and silly, and they bring the kids right along with them. We wouldn't have been able to have our seven-year-old there for six weeks, meeting new friends every two weeks, had the staff not known exactly how to help support children and encourage them to make good, strong friendships. Our oldest daughter actually has a friend from Spain who came to our camp. They met a few years back, and they still message all of the time.