Teaching Kids to Love Fishing

Fishing is one sporting activity that encourages kids to get outside and discover the wonders of nature. While it does take time to successfully learn how to fish, all it takes is reeling in a big one for the first time to spark a lifetime interest in outdoor pursuits. Whether your child is begging to cast a line or you want them to develop an interest in one of your greatest passions, use these tips to help them learn how to love fishing just as much as you do.

Choose the Right Location

Avid fishermen all have their favorite spots to head to when they want to catch a fish. Choosing the right location increases your child’s chances of catching a fish, and it also gives you reassurance that your child is safe. For example, learning how to fish at the lake at your child’s summer day camp allows your child to benefit from instructors who emphasize safety and are familiar with where the best fish are caught. Once your child gets the basics there, you can reinforce their day camp lessons by checking out local streams and lakes near your home.

Make Fishing a Social Activity

Adults often welcome the quiet and solitude that fishing provides. However, kids will sometimes find this boring and quickly turn to other activities to satisfy their need for socialization. For this reason, fishing lessons for kids tend to go better when they are in a group. Try to avoid hushing your child as you fish together, and consider providing them with opportunities to fish with other kids their age who get excited about feeling a grab on their line.

Turn Lessons Into a Discovery Opportunity

Children are naturally inquisitive, and those who love science and nature are bound to have tons of questions about their new hobby. Help your child look up the answers to things such as the differences between a trout and a bass. You can also experiment with different types of bait to see which one works best. Talking about the life cycle of fish, where they like to hide and their predators all help to pique your child’s curiosity about fishing while also teaching important science lessons.

Celebrate a Successful Catch

Whether you are planning to eat fish for dinner or just like to fish for sport, it is important to make a big deal when your child reels in a fish. Keep in mind that it does not matter how big the fish is when your child is simply working on learning to make a catch. When your kid pulls in a catch, keep your camera ready for a picture that proves it wasn’t just a fish story. You can even start an album that your child can use to display their future catches. Then, provide them with plenty of praise, and keep up those fishing lessons.

Fishing with your kid is a great bonding opportunity that allows you to enjoy knowing that your child is learning about science and the outdoors. As with any new sport, make sure to keep things interesting by practicing in different locations and involving their friends. With just a little practice and the right environment, your kid will be grinning with excitement as they reel in a successful catch.

Let your kids enjoy summer camp fun at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://maplewoodyearround.com/summer-camp/summer-camp-activities/  to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Crazy-Fun Birthday Party Ideas

Kids look forward to their birthdays all year long, and it is easy to understand why. On top of turning one more year older, they get to enjoy being the center of attention with their family and friends. For parents, however, birthday planning can get complicated when it seems as if everyone has done the usual bounce house and cartoon character parties. This year, give your kid a true surprise by using these crazy-fun birthday party ideas as inspiration for adding some excitement to the special occasion.

Have a Blast With Laser Tag

Kids love futuristic play, and laser tag is one activity that just gets better when kids can play with a huge crowd. As kids divide into teams and devise their strategies, the parents will get a kick out of watching to see who emerges as the leaders. Your guests will also love the adrenaline rush that comes from stepping into a world where every move could make them a target. After running, leaping and rolling to dodge the blasts, your guests will be blissfully tired by the time you are ready for the cake to be served.

Encourage Them to Climb the Walls

Forget throwing a birthday party where your whole goal as the host is to stop the kids from climbing the walls. With a rock climbing party, your guests can be as wild as they please. Since you know that they will be safely harnessed and guided by trained professionals, you can relax as the party literally hits full swing. The best part is that even kids who have climbed before will feel like it is a new experience, since there is always a new challenge to conquer such as scaling to a new height.

Host a Battle of the Boats

Pin-the-tail on the donkey may have kept your kid entertained when they were two, but older kids need a bigger competition than the classic birthday fare. This year, put a new twist on a nautical theme by arranging for your party attendees to go on a boating adventure. If they’ve never left dry land before, then is no need for worries. Bumper boats are safe and easy enough for young kids to operate with supervision. Just make sure to grab your waterproof camera to capture all those bumps and laughter in action.

Put on a Dramatic Production

Over the years, your kid has become quite the character and their birthday is the perfect place to highlight their creativity. Give your child a birthday that they will always remember by encouraging them and their friends to put on a play. Whether they recreate an old favorite or improvise a completely new production, having an array of props and costumes will set the stage for a memorable dramatic event.

Birthday parties are the one time of the year when you get to show your kid how special they are to your family. Yet, coming up with an awesome theme and activities gets more difficult as your kid gets older. By choosing activities that challenge your guests to use their bodies and minds in new ways, you will keep them interested and ensure that your next celebration leaves a long-lasting impression.

Let your kids experience the a fun birthday celebration at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://maplewoodyearround.com/year-round-programs/birthday-parties/ to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

 

The Attributes of a Great Summer Camp Counselor

Life as a summer camp counselor is exciting since you never know what each new day will bring. Whether you are leading campers on a hiking trail in the wilderness or comforting a homesick child, you will constantly be challenged to develop your leadership skills while enjoying the perks that come with working outdoors. It is important, however, to recognize that it takes a special person to become a summer camp counselor. Following are the top attributes summer camps look for in their counselor candidates that point toward someone who can rise to any challenge while maintaining a friendly demeanor.

Excellent Communication Skills

Team meetings, parent conferences and bunk-side chats all require a summer camp counselor to adjust their communication strategies to fit the situation. For this reason, camp counselors should be just as comfortable talking to a parent about health concerns as they are telling stories around the campfire. Ideal candidates will have empathy, compassion and be able to direct children without losing their temper. In fact, summer camp counselors are also called upon to teach kids positive ways to manage their conflicts, which means that must have excellent problem-solving skills.

Ability to Lead Recreational Activities

Leadership skills are essential for summer camp counselors who are in charge of teaching kids how to safely enjoy their camp activities. During the course of the day, they may instruct students in activities ranging from pottery to archery. As they do so, they will keep an eye out for kids who are struggling and find ways to include them in the group. They can also quickly adapt to changing circumstances such as bringing an outdoor game of basketball into the gym instead of letting the rain ruin the fun.

Highly Aware and Detail-Oriented

As anyone who has ever watched more than two kids at a time can tell you, managing a group of children requires constant vigilance. In addition to leading the fun, camp counselors are responsible for making sure each camper is dressed appropriately for the weather, eating well and getting adequate rest. Camp counselors also stay alert for signs of health problems such as allergies that need to be addressed by the camp’s medical team and they keep a head count of the children during transitions to ensure that no one gets lost in the crowd.

Energetic Personality

Waking up at dawn, leading activities and keeping up with all of the details requires a lot of energy. Therefore, summer camp counselors should possess a high-energy personality that bubbles over with friendliness. Young campers look up to their older leaders and a strong counselor can set a positive tone for the day. Summer camp counselors should also be able to work as a team with other counselors to coordinate large group activities such as competitions and overnight camping trips.

Summer camp counselors gain valuable experience that can transfer to any career field. Yet, it is their dynamic personalities and commitment to excellence that makes them most desirable to potential employers. While many summer camp counselors are alumni of the camps where they work, others are drawn in by the opportunity to work with kids in a fun, outdoor environment. Either way, those who possess the attributes of a quality summer camp counselor are in the right position to enjoy long-term success.

Let your kids experience fun at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://maplewoodyearround.com/about/maplewood-day-camp-history/ to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Bicycle Safety Tips for Kids

Warm weather is coming up, with all the wonderful promise of sunny days spent playing at overnight summer camp, building sand castles at the beach and getting outside to enjoy the magical freedom of bicycle riding.

While everyone can agree that bikes and kids go together like peas and carrots, as Forrest Gump would say, it’s vitally important that kids of all ages learn and adhere to basic cycling safety rules. 

Injuries incurred while riding a bike account for more injuries in youngsters between five and 15 than any other sport. Don’t let your child be a statistic; teach him the rules of the road and have a safe, fun-filled summer.

Always Wear a Helmet

Not even the shortest little cruise around the driveway should taken without a properly fitting bike helmet. You can buy them at discount stores, sports outlets or bike shops; however, at a cycling shop you’re more likely to get some help with proper fit. If a helmet’s too tight, your child may just sling it over the handle bars once you’re out of sight, and if it’s too loose, it won’t provide proper protection.

Light It Up

Lights and reflective gear are another important part of bike safety, especially at the dangerous times of like dusk and after dark. Bikes should be equipped with reflectors and both white front and red rear lights. Estimated to reduce the risk of being hit by a car by roughly 85 percent, reflectors are cheap and easy to install. A pulsating rear light is a great safety feature, as it’s immediately visible to cars approaching from the rear. A headlamp will help your child avoid obstacles; even a tiny bump can unseat a rider.

See and Be Seen

Even if your child’s bike is properly equipped with lights and reflectors, bike clothing itself should be highly visible. Contrary to popular wisdom, white hasn’t been found to make a rider more visible; bright, neon or fluorescent colors are much better options whether riding in daylight or darkness. Clothing should also have light reflecting components like reflective markings, tape or even flashing lights.

Make Adjustments

Make sure your child’s bike is property adjusted to height and arm length. Have your youngster stand over the bike; there should be one to two inches between child and top bar on a road bike and three to four inches on a mountain bike. Seat should be level and the knee should be slightly bent when the leg is extended, and the handlebars should be at the same level as the bike seat.

Tune It Up

Especially before the first ride of the year, make a safety check of your child’s bike, or teach him how to do so. It’s a great idea to take the bike into your local bike shop for a spring-time tune-up; mechanics will make sure everything’s in working order so there won’t be any unpleasant surprises on that first trip down the hill to the playground. Make sure tires are properly inflated and brakes are working.

Take a Class

As spring approaches, many police departments, fire districts, schools and community centers conduct bike safety classes, so keep an eye on the local papers for a class in your neighborhood. Most are held in spring, so you can squeeze it in before your youngster heads off to sleepaway camp. Kids bring their own bikes and instructors go over rules of the road and other safety guidelines.

Follow the Rules of the Road

Kids should know to ride in the same direction as other vehicles, following the flow of traffic, and obey all traffic roads, including traffic signs and signals. At least one hand should be on the handlebars at all times. Teach your youngster to use signals, look before turning and watch for parked cars. Happy cycling!

Let your kids enjoy the experience of summer day camp at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

How Drama Classes Positively Affect Kids

One of the favorite activities for kids at day camp, drama classes aren’t just a ton of fun; they help kids grow, gain self-confidence and learn to function as a team. Although drama classes are offered in after school programs, at magnet schools and at community theaters, many kids find it especially fun and laid back to take the classes at summer day camp.

Let your kids enjoy the experience of summer day camp at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Questions to Consider In Selecting a Summer Day Camp

Are you considering on enrolling your child to a summer day camp? There are many factors to consider when choosing the ideal camp for your kids. Essentially, word of mouth and recommendations are the best meaningful resources when looking for a camp for your children. The camp’s reputation is another thing to consider. But when all factors are taken into account, your kids’ interest should be the paramount consideration when choosing a summertime campsite.

Summer day camps offer more than just hiking, trekking, or canoeing. They provide a good starting point for life-long friendships, awesome experiences, fun-filled activities, and a lifetime’s worth of joyful memories. Wouldn’t you want that for your kids? Ask your kids: would they want to experience that kind of fun and laughter? It’s highly probable that they would love to do that.

One of the most important questions to raise when choosing the ideal summertime campsite for your kids is what are its advantages or benefits?

Day camp during summer is a good starting point for teaching kids the important life lessons. The experience imparts them with wisdom that they can use for the rest of their lives. With these camps, they get to meet other people, they get to roam and play around, and more importantly, they become disconnected from their computer games or TV. It is a great environment where they can swap stories, engage in conversation, participate in games, and just enjoy with other people’s company. It’s fun in a natural setting.

Perhaps the biggest factor to the delight of these kids is that these camps are usually a no-parent zone. Imagine the freedom they will enjoy for the next couple of days or weeks that they are in these camps.

But being away from the parents is not a bad thing. In fact, it can be a wonderful learning experience for them. When these kids are separate from their homes, they tend to become more independent and resilient. They learn how to do things on their own. And this is where summer camp administrators step in; they can guide and supervise these kids as they do about their way independently in these campsites.

If you or your kids have some concerns or apprehensions regarding life in these camps, that is normal. But for your peace of mind and comfort, it is highly recommended that you speak with the camp administrators. Perhaps you have some questions in mind that you would like to raise. Here are some of the commonly raised questions when selecting a summertime day camp for kids:

Camp Schedule

• What dates to summer camp start and end?
• When is the closing date for submission of applications for prospective attendees?
• Is there a flexible schedule available?

Camp Fees

• How much does it usually cost to attend a summer day camp?
• What does the tuition fee include? Does it cover for meals, transportation, etc.?
• What is the manner of payment?
• Are scholarships available?
• Will the camp refund in case the child is not able to attend the camp?

Camp Safety and Health Concerns

• Are there enough camp personnel to watch over the kids?
• Are counselors trained in CPR or first-aid?
• Can the camp handle emergencies?

Camp Personnel and Staff

• What is the ratio between the camping kids and the staff?
• Does the camp administrators perform background check on all its personnel and staff?

Other Questions

• Will adequate housing, bedding, and food be provided?
• Is there adequate assistance available for kids with special medical needs?

Let your kids enjoy the experience of summer day camp at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.

Encouraging Children to Learn About Science and Nature

We often hear about how the United States lags behind other countries in science education, but kids have always had an inborn curiosity about the natural world, and all it takes to get them on the right track is a bit of encouragement. 

For example, kids at day camp have long enjoyed fun-filled hands-on activities centered on learning about wildlife, plants, stars and marine critters, getting an invaluable education while making magical camp memories. As parents, you too can help inspire your youngsters to a lifelong interest in science and nature.

Wonders of Wildlife

Kids who are encouraged early to follow their innate curiosity about the natural world often develop science related hobbies and even jobs as they mature. Observation is an important part of teaching kids about nature, and summer day camp counselors have been helping kids identify animal tracks, plants and constellations for generations. Encourage your child to watch a spider spin its web, listen to different bird songs or watch as a caterpillar spins a cocoon and turns into a butterfly; then follow up observations with a visit to the library or an on-line search to learn more.

Growing Things

Kids love to watch things grow, from a simple avocado seed sprouting in a glass on the windowsill to vegetables in the garden. Buy some packaged seeds and watch track their growth with your youngster; it’s even more fun when you’re growing something you’ll actually eat like tomatoes or cucumbers. You can take a simple walk in the woods or neighborhood and identifying different trees and flowers and talking about the seasons of growth. Any of kids myriad questions can start an interesting conversation. Why do the leaves fall in autumn? Do carrots really grow underground? Plant a tree; blow on a dandelion head or make a compost pile.

Exploring

What better way to fall in love with nature than taking an adventurous tromp through the woods with a group of fellow campers and a knowledgeable counselor? At summer camp, kids have amazing opportunities to learn, explore and get up close and personal with the natural world. Lifting up rocks to find what’s living underneath, catching frogs (and letting them go of course!) at the water’s edge or standing still as a statue to watch a deer in a clearing all provide unforgettable encounters with the natural world and its amazing inhabitants.

Weather

Endlessly changing and fun to track, weather is fascinating and delightfully dramatic. Watch the weather report with your kids; observe the sky and clouds at different times of day; look up locations on a map and see how their weather differs; keep a diary of the weather in your own yard with a thermometer or device for measuring rain water; try to figure out how far away lightning is through the sound of thunder. There are so many ways to foster a love of the magic and mystery of weather.

Energy

We live in a world powered by energy, and there are so many ways to teach kids the importance of being environmentally aware. From recycling glass, metal and paper around the house to watching how the electric meter changes as you turn things on and off, there are so many ways to observe how we use and how we can conserve energy. You and your youngster can figure out mileage for a family road trip or compute the differences in time involved in going to the store or library on foot, by bike or in the car. Encouraging your child to be environmentally aware can help develop a lifelong interest in science and nature.

Let your kids enjoy the experience of summer day camp at Maplewood Summer Day Camp. Experienced staff will keep your child both safe and busy with arts and crafts, games, water sports, gymnastics and more. Visit the site at http://www.maplewoodyearround.com to see the fun your child will have at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.