I hung out at camper snacks tonight and witnessed a beautiful site.
200 campers, ranging in age from 10 – 15 (the juniors were getting their snacks served in their cabins by cookie fairies) were milling about, just being kids without the distraction of their phones or the micromanagement of adults who don’t want them to get dirty or embarrass them.
Where else can you see a bunch of 14 year old boys garbooning (one holds their feet, another their hands and they swing and toss) 10 year olds into the arms of 18 year olds?
Or a group of 12 year old girls and boys showing off their gymnastics skills to each other on a lawn overlooking a wilderness lake with loons calling in the distance? (I was truly impressed by some of the acrobatics I saw!)
Counsellors challenging their campers to see how many somersaults they can do in a row to tire them out before bed?
An 11 year old collecting 40 Rice Krispie squares (the kitchen decided to experiment with Craisins and coconut in them tonight and kids were not thrilled), smooshing them together into a watermelon-sized ball and playing a giant game of catch with it?
I marvelled yet again at the magic that happens when kids are just allowed to be kids, to play outside with the freedom to get dirty and silly and push boundaries a bit while being watched over by a network of supportive staff who feel like cool big siblings.
