Camp Arowhon
Skills Building
Camp Kids and Success
Parents want kids to be successful in life. Some of us indulge, sometimes, in the little white lie that says we just want them to be happy. Sure, and I resemble Angelina Jolie. We want our kids to be successful because we want them to have good lives, not hard lives. We want them to […]
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Why Camp?
Over the years we’ve shared dozens of articles with our community espousing the value of summer camp for kids, staff, and even sometimes parents. We’re thrilled that so much research is being done proving what we already knew, but we’re probably starting to sound like a broken record (and preaching to the choir) when we […]
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Why We Don’t Post Pictures of Kids During the Summer
We’ve been reading the post-camp feedback from parents and are so pleased that for the most part our hard work paid off to create a safe and positive experience for all of our campers and their families. One of the few complaints we are getting, however, is that many parents wish we would post pictures […]
Continue15 years at Arowhon, by Jonathan Newman, Program Director
Two nights ago, at the first campfire of 2016, where the entire camp gathered to sing songs and listen to each other perform songs and skits both soulful and funny, Jonathan Newman was honoured with the gift of a half an Arowhon canoe made into a bookshelf. He made a speech about his 15 years […]
ContinueWhy young adults should be camp counsellors
My oldest and dearest friend was my counselor at camp when I was 14. And not an easy 14. I was deep in the slough of my parents’ acrimonious divorce. Our cabin was not easy, we liked to rebel, and we didn’t make anything easy on her. This young woman, who didn’t ask to work […]
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Why Overnight Camp?
We hear more and more about the pressure on kids (and accordingly parents) to get a head start on university and career-building activities instead of good old fashioned outdoor play. Although there is actually a lot of compelling evidence coming out that camp in fact DOES provide kids with the skills they’ll need to survive […]
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What We REALLY Learn from Activities at Camp
By Jonathan Newman In August of 2011, I stood in the middle of the Main Lodge and looked out at the crowd of around 500 campers and staff. My heart was pounding through my chest and my palms were drenched in sweat. It was […]
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Homesick AND Happy
Now is the moment of the great Canadian camp jitters. Kids who’ve signed up for camp for the first time are having their oh no, this is REAL moment. Their stomachs plummet like an elevator in free-fall, as the warm weather and the deluge of camp emails make the reality of camp sink in. Some […]
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Defining “Bullying”
By: Mara Kates, Assistant Director “Bully” has been the buzz word amongst parents and people who work with young people for the past few years now. And it’s great that we are so aware of our kids’ social and emotional well-being. And it’s great that we’re teaching kids that it’s ok to reach out and […]
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Dear Justin
Joanne’s article from Friday’s Globe and Mail: Will a former camp counsellor make a good Prime Minister? You bet Dear Justin, I’m guessing that as you face the biggest challenge of your life, you’re thinking back on similar mountains you’ve scaled. Let’s face it, your resume is meagre. But your time as a camp counsellor […]
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