Children Learn Self-Confidence and Independence in Summer Camps

It is the natural instinct of parents to want to protect their children. This feeling may extend to all aspects of their child’s life. Many childrearing experts, however, suggest a certain level of detachment for the child to grow more self-confident and independent. And research shows that summer camps are a safe route for parents to slowly wean themselves from their children.

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Children need to learn life lessons without their parents constantly hovering over them. Additionally, experts say that seemingly stressful situations may encourage the child to develop maturity faster. Both of these qualifications can be found in a summer camp. It must be noted that camps only seem stressful but are still relatively safe. By stress, experts mean the feeling that of "newness." Summer camps remove the school environment, and children are heavily exposed to nature and other firsts. The child is "stressed" because she needs to adapt quickly.

This builds self-confidence and independence as children learn that they are capable of doing certain tasks on their own. Reputable camps foster independence through carefully designed programs that teach the children to walk on their own two feet. As the child learns to trust herself, he will naturally learn his own limits. Thus, when he is next complimented on his skill or talent, he accepts it with pride. This builds confidence, not arrogance.

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The beauty of summer camps is that it also is quite open to failure. Children will fail inevitably in some activity, but this will help them discover what they are good at.

Dayna Hardin is the founder of Lake of the Woods Camp, a summer camp for young girls. For more information, visit this website.

Active “Medication” : The Positive Effects of Physical Activities on Children With ADHD

Physical activity is proving a viable alternative to medication in managing attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome (ADHD). Recent findings have shown that exercise and strenuous physical activity have a positive effect on people with ADHD. Both adults and children with the condition show remarkable improvement in attention and memory when incorporating a fitness regimen into their daily lives. 

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The University of Illinois conducted a study on the matter, published in the journal Pediatrics, that has shed light on the role that physical activity has in improving mental outcomes for people with ADHD. Its results indicate that people with ADHD see a remarkable improvement in executive control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility after incorporating a physical program into their daily routines. They are more capable of resisting distraction, maintaining focus, and switching tasks with ease, all within a span of nine months. 

Another earlier study came to a similar conclusion, showing a remarkable improvement of school performance among students on a 12-week exercise program. Improved math and reading test scores were observed among all participating children, with those showing ADHD symptoms seeing a significant improvement in performance.

On the surface, people with ADHD benefit from physical activity by helping them expend the built-up energy they have, thus keeping them from becoming restless. Beyond that, it is theorized that a rise in dopamine levels experienced in exercise improves brain function, especially with regard to attention and memory. In addition, physical activity also stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein that aids in learning and memorization that is often in short supply among people with ADHD. 

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Dayna Hardin is the owner and director of Lake of the Woods camp and is a prominent figure in the summer camp industry. Visit this webpage for more details on her career and background.

Bye-Bye Boredom: Fun Camp Activities For Children

Camping with the family can be a fun and exciting activity. It can help families turn away from the mindless and addicting qualities of technology and focus on spending quality time together as well as enjoying various physical activities. Here are some camping traditions kids will surely enjoy:

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Scavenger hunt

Children will love the thrilling adventure scavenger hunts bring. This is a fun way for children to become familiar with the landscape and explore their environment and learn about nature. When planning such activity, it helps to prepare a list prior to the trip and set boundaries and limitations to avoid any accidents.

Campfire stories

Huddle around the campfire at night and tell scary stories or fun camp memories. Storytelling is a great way to hone children’s creativity and imagination. And the activity becomes extra fun when done besides the flickering campfire while roasting some hot dogs and mugs of old-fashioned hot chocolate passed around.

Cooking at the campfire

Starting the campfire itself is an activity worth learning but the best part about having the fire is cooking. Don't forget the marshmallows because a camping trip isn't complete without piping hot, melting s'mores.

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Dayna Hardin, owner of Lake of the Woods Camp For Girls, just loves the great outdoors. For more camp activities and programs, click here.

Scholarships, Nonprofits, and Day Camps: Tips For More Affordable Summer Camp Experience

Summer camp can be a wonderful learning opportunity for children, but it's a reality that not all parents will be able to send their young ones to camp on their own steam, especially if they need to be prudent about their family budget. 

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That said, there are still several ways families can do to give their children the summer camp experience – all they need is to know where to look.

Scholarships - Though it's not always announced, some traditional, private camps do offer financial aid or "camperships" to needy children. Parents should apply early, however, as these can be quite competitive owing to the number of kids who want to go camping yearly.

Discounts - Some camps offer incentives like reduced rates to families who register early or enroll multiple children. Promos and discounts like these aren't always advertised, however, so it's always worth inquiring about the possibility!

Day camp - Day camp is generally cheaper than sleepaway camp as the attendees return home in the evenings. According to the IRS, parents may also claim a childcare credit if they send their child (aged 12 or younger) to day care or day camp, provided that the circumstances meet certain conditions.

That said, there are also some day camps, like the ones run by the New York-based Fresh Air Fund and select public offices like the San Francisco Police Department (which has a fishing program) that are completely free.

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Nonprofit organizations and camps -There are a number of nonprofit camps in America, typically run by groups like the YMCA or 4-H, that host campers from the lower socio-economic bracket. Most programs are shorter than the typical summer camp but offer the same fun and educational opportunities to less fortunate kids. The children's tuitions are covered by charitable organizations such as Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education (SCOPE), churches, or businesses.

Volunteering - Programs where parents or the campers themselves can offer their time, energy, and talents in exchange for a discounted rate are also an option. Certain camps even offer parents who volunteer as camp nurses (provided they're registered nurses) a full tuition discount for one of their children.

With all those options, families shouldn't give up easily that they can't send their kids to summer camp. It might take a little creativity, patience, and research, but there may be a way they can be sure their kids aren't left out of the fun and learning found in summer camp.

Lake of the Woods Camp director Dayna Hardin is also the co-founder of the aforementioned SCOPE. Subscribe to this blog to learn more about the summer camp experience and how it helps enrich children's lives.

Tent, sweet tent: Tips for a happy family camping trip

Always being cooped up indoors, under fluorescent lights, wired to gadgets and computers, and breathing A/C-supplied air can be somewhat fatiguing. For a change of pace, it can be fun to go camping with the family and experience fresh air, open spaces, and starry skies. Still, fun as the idea is, it can be rather overwhelming for beginners.

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But making a memorable happy camping trip doesn't need to be complicated as long as it's planned out carefully. For starters, it's best to book a campsite way ahead of time, especially if it's around long weekends or holidays, as they tend to fill up early. Involving all members of the family in choosing the camping location and as well as the stops along the way can ensure that each one has an activity to look forward to during the trip.

Before heading out it's imperative to have an accomplished checklist of things to bring such as tents, an ice chest, a first aid kit, headlamps, clothes, and sleeping bags, among others. To keep things organized, everything can be placed in plastic storage bins, so they're not strewn about in the car or campsite. Also, taking along a few garbage bags for trash or wet clothes can prove very useful.

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Food is a given, and it's imperative to make sure that all allergies and preferences are given attention to, to avoid any health or sharing problems along the way. Aside from food to eat on the campsite, keep some snacks and water for the drive and hikes.

Each task should be divided among family members to make the process quicker and easier to make sure that the trip is fun for everyone. Additionally, everyone should agree with activities beforehand. Some members might want "me time," and that should be okay as long as there's also time to spend with each other, especially mealtimes.

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Camping is great for bonding with the family and de-stressing between work and school. Spending time together and learning about each other away from home, school, and work may deepen the relationships. At the very least, it can be an interesting experience, being under the clear skies and within nature.

And, of course, no family outing is complete without a few photographs, so make sure there's at least one camera along on the trip!  

Dayna Hardin is glad she gets to experience the great outdoors often as owner of Lake of the Woods Camp in Decatur, Michigan. Visit this website to learn more about the perfect place for children to spend their summers communing with nature.

SCOPE Midwest event hosts over 320 local supporter

Annual Benefit Raises Camp Scholarships For Children In Need

May 4, 2015, Glencoe, IL – SCOPE Midwest, Summer Camp Opportunities Promote Education, held its Annual Benefit Dinner “All You Need is Camp” on Friday, April 24th at Viper Alley in Lincolnshire, IL.

The event was co-chaired by Dayna Hardin (Glencoe resident) and Dana Kite (Highland Park resident) who are the directors at Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods Camps. Other committee members included local camp owners/directors from Camp Marimeta, Tamarak Day Camp, Camp Birch Trail, Finish Strong Athletics and Camp Ojibwa.


Committee members Traci Capp, Tracey Sachs, Dayna Hardin and Dana Kite |
Photo courtesy of Spot My Photo

The event raised over $130,000 to help send low-income, Chicago area public school children to not-for-profit overnight camps throughout the Midwest this summer.

“Camp is one of the greatest gifts of childhood, providing youth and teens with a foundation for life and the opportunity to further develop skills that they will need to succeed in the 21st century”. We are fortunate to have supporters who share our passion and belief that every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, deserves a quality summer camp experience. Since 2007, we have provided funding to over 1300 children and will continue to open the door to summer camp for as many youth as possible,” says SCOPE Midwest Board Chair, Dayna Hardin.

Over 320 guests attended the event that featured cocktails, dinner, live music by Robbie Gold, and silent auction. Dennis Rosen, Owner/Director of Camp Ojibwa and Highland Park resident, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to youth and the summer camp profession. Also honored at the dinner was Mawi Asgedom, recipient of the Advocate for Youth Award, presented annually at the dinner. Oprah Winfrey called her television interview with Mawi “one of her top twenty moments”.

SCOPE Midwest believes summer camp is part of the year-round education continuum, supplementing academic curriculum through active learning. Children living in poverty experience 2.5 years of summer learning loss by third grade compared with their middle to upper class peers. With funds raised from events and individual contributions throughout the year, they can help bridge the education gap in the Chicagoland area by affording more children in need with the documented benefits of high quality summer camp experiences.

About SCOPE:

SCOPE’s mission is to provide children in need the edge to succeed in life through the summer camp experience. This is accomplished by funding camp scholarships at nonprofit, resident camps where children will benefit from a positive, safe and healthy environment led by excellent adult role models, who will help them develop their full potential. The national organization, founded in 1991, has provided camp scholarships for more than 25,000 children from low-income communities in the New York metropolitan area, the Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. Each year, hundreds of children receive the benefits of summer camp through SCOPE from funds raised from foundation and corporate partners, individual gifts and fundraising events.

Dayna Hardin is the director and owner of Lake of the Woods Camp, an outdoor recreation facility that teaches young campers the value of friendship, concern for others, self-reliance, courage, and discipline. Visit this website to know more about the camp’s services.

Happy, healthy campers: Meeting children's need for physical activity through summer camps

Children in the United States are among those most vulnerable to childhood obesity and its associated diseases. Parents should cultivating an interest in physical activity early on in their children's lives to prevent the malaise that affects childhood and beyond.

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Summer camps offer some of the best ways to introduce children and adolescents to physically engaging outdoor activities. Summer camps and their activities can help fill the void of required physical activity that children lack during the summer months when they are off school. Research shows that by attending summer camps, children meet their daily recommended levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

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Summer camps are most effective in keeping children and teens active when they encourage group activities between friends and when they provide a host of amenities such as swimming areas and trails. The approach to each activity is also important; while friendly competition is very engaging, it is just as important to encourage as many campers to participate as it is to get them motivated to win.
Variety is also important. Each child has different preferences and may want to experiment with new activities. Camps with a wide array of programs and activities can keep a camper active by providing them with an assortment of new things to try.

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The owner and director of Lake of the Woods and Greenwoods family of camps, Dayna Hardin is a well-known figure in the industry and serves as the vice president of the American Camp Association's national board. Visit this website for more updates on her camps and its programs.