Don’t Forget to Howl at the Fireworks
It’s 4th of July and I sit on my favorite porch at camp and listen to my 40 teenagers howl at fireworks and laugh whole-heartedly. Then it hit me. For many of them this is the most they have acted like a kid in ages. I see it every year - teenagers forgetting that they still ARE kids and still allowed to BE kids. They don’t have to rush to that scary unknown territory of adulthood yet. There are hundreds of articles about how camp is good for kids of all ages and I agree with them. I am[...]
Stories From Camp: The Topley Five
Often times we see camping at El Tesoro become a family tradition. In fact, we have some campers who are the fourth-generation member of their family to walk on El Tesoro grounds. The story begins the same for the Topley cousins – Abbie, Caden, Adelynn, Cohen and Carter – ranging in ages from seven to 13. Their grandmother came to camp as a child and loved it so much, she decided to work at El Tesoro. Coming to camp isn’t the only thing that has been passed down in the Topley family. The magic of El Tesoro is[...]
Stories From Camp: Meet Randy
Randy Keeley was no stranger to the name ‘El Tesoro’ – his sister was a camper and is now in the counselor in training program, and his two brothers (one older, one younger) are both campers. In fact, Randy’s whole family has loved El Tesoro. But when Randy’s mom told him he was going to camp, admittedly in hopes that he would become more social, he was pretty nervous about the experience. Now, starting his second year of camp, Randy is a confident archer who shot a perfect score half-way through his week at camp – and he’s[...]
Finding My Way
When I was six, my sister, our mom, two cousins and I headed out to a local camp. As soon as we drove through the entrance I was mesmerized. I wanted to stay there - to play in the trees and to be away from home. To my dismay, I soon found out we were just dropping off my cousins and my sister. I wasn’t old enough. What do you mean I had to be seven and wait another year?!The next year felt like the longest of my life. The days slowly crept by and all I could think[...]
How to Write a Letter to Your Camper
Sending mail to your campers while they are away is something we strongly encourage parents to do. Sometimes a letter from home can be just what your child needs to kick that little bit of homesickness, and go on enjoying their day. But often, we talk to parents that aren’t quite sure what to write in their letters. Here's step-by-step guide on how to write the best camp letters ever. So, let’s start with what not to do: Dear Johnny, How is camp? I miss you more than words can describe. Yesterday, I sat around and thought about[...]
Planning for Summer Child Care; When to start, and what are my options?
Ahh Summer. Did it sneak up on you again? Don’t worry, you are not alone. In my role supporting families in North Texas, I can tell you the calls I get this time of year are similar. Summer sneaks up on all of us. It usually hits in May and families look at the calendar and realize (eek!) the kids will be out of school soon. (What happened to March?) You’ll be at work and want to be sure they get the best summer experience possible. With so many options (STEM camp, babysitter, grandma, day camp, sports, music and[...]
What Your Kids Bring Home From Camp
There is something so joyful about observing a group of kids solving life’s problems. It doesn’t seem to matter if they are babies, toddlers, or tweens. It often makes me giggle from the simplicity in their solutions. It makes me reflect back on my childhood memories, and my desire to make a stage for my impromptu dance performances. I bet my parents never imagined the living room table and the bed sheet, relegated to the garage, would ever come together to be a pillar of entertainment. But never did it occur to me to not use these items[...]
Camp Alphabet
I went to Camp El Tesoro as a child and have continued to be involved with camp ever since. Now, in my job at Camp Fire, I help parents register their children for camp and – more often than you would think – I help a parent feel at ease about sending their children away from home for the first time. I always get questions about what to pack and what kinds of activities we offer, but it’s the questions about the benefits of camp that I love the most. Camp is great for children – we know[...]
Fostering Creativity with Loose Parts
I’ve been intrigued with children’s creative use of natural and man-made materials since my first years as an early childhood educator. Children count, sort and classify rocks, shells, seeds, buttons and other objects. They build intricate structures with blocks, boxes, twigs and tubes. Scraps of cloth become doll clothes, capes, flags and headdresses. The Theory of Loose Parts is a term coined by Simon Nicholson, an architect who is often quoted, ‘In any environment, both the degree of inventiveness and creativity, and the possibility of discovery, are directly proportional to the number and kind of variables in it.’ This idea[...]
The Steady Beat of the Drum
The steady beat of the drum, the thrice answered Wo – He – Lo Call, voices joining in the Processional “We come, we come to our council fire…” CAMP FIRE PROCESSIONAL We come, we come to our council fire With measured tread and slow To light the fire of our desire To light the fire of Wohelo Wohelo Wohelo The little twinkling stars on high Are whispering nature’s lore While all about us the soft winds sigh and Great Wokanda watches o’er Wohelo Wohelo It’s amazing how the sounds and songs of camp can so[...]
New Study: Day camp is good for a child’s health
A new study has proved what we’ve known for years - going to camp is a necessity.The American Journal of Preventative Medicine conducted a report “Children's Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Attending Summer Day Camps” which provides evidence that children who attend a summer day camp (aged 5-12) are getting over the recommended amount of 60 minutes per day of vigorous physical activity. Why is this so important?It’s that little phrase called Summer Slide. Reports show that lack of organized summer enrichment programs result in:Spending three to four weeks re-teaching students material at the beginning of the school year,Spending at least five to six weeks re-teaching material[...]
The Life and Legacy of a Camp Fire Girl: A Daughter’s Tale
My mother died in December.This may sound like a really sad way to start a blog, but my mother was anything BUT sad.Living until she was 94, Jean Marie Albrecht Lochtrog enjoyed an incredible life that was shaped by her participation in Camp Fire Girls with the First Texas Council in the 1930s. My sister and I found an entire box of Camp Fire memorabilia last year while downsizing her home of 55 years. What a special memory I will always cherish getting to sit with her and hear her life stories.I’d like to share a little of her[...]
