Children's Summer Camp

Feelings About Camp

Saw this video and when I watched it seemed to be what SNC is all about.

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Summer Camp Reunion

Yep, Now is the time to see your camp friends! Please come join us at the Oak Brook Park District Pool for some

fun and smiles. Don’t forget your suit.Here is the link to learn moreREUNION of 2012

In mid-September just a few weeks after camp we found ourselves traveling through Tennessee. So we thought we stop in and see Zack. It was great spending time with him at his local malt shop. We laughed at many camp stories, that know one seems to get unless they are at SNC for the summer. The most exciting thing that came from our time together is that Zach plans on spending his 2011 summer back at SNC in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Yea!

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Camp Counselor Training

We know how important it is to be a camp counselor. We work with them everyday for 3 months each summer. Yet the best counselors do not just show up to camp and say, “let’s have fun”. No, they take working with children as a career. They not only take classes but look for ways to better themselves in dealing with children. The American Camp association has a wonderful offer for all counselors....I hope the SNC staff take advantage of this.
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Become one of the leaders of tomorrow. This is about your career.
You are here because we value your role as a camp professional! We believe you deserve the career-building opportunities offered through ACA membership.
As an ACA member, you receive enhanced professional development resources, including:

Access to ACA’s Professional Development Center
ACA’s virtual learning community includes diverse tools, services, resources, and courses to help propel your work and your career along the path that you choose.
Camping Magazine and The CampLine
ACA’s premier publications of the industry offer expert perspectives. View digitally.
Discounts on books and educational events, and access to current research.
ACA’s Bookstore is a one-stop shop for counselor resources: activities, leading groups, your responsibilities to camper safety, dealing with difficult campers, youth development, and more.
Student members receive FREE registration to ACA’s national conference.
ACA’s annual national conference offers seminars, keynote addresses from experts in the field, a research symposium, and networking events with emerging professionals in camp.
Access to an online personal portfolio for tracking your professional development

Take advantage of this limited-time opportunity for your professional development!

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Why My Child Can Not Have A Cell Phone At Camp

So here it is a few days into summer camp and you miss your child. That’s normal. So you pick up tyour cell phone and start to call your child’s cell phone. Then it hits you, summer camp has a NO contact policy! Why would such a thing exist? To make the parents suffer? Well, maybe its much more than this.

Here is the secret, a large part of the magic of an overnight summer camp experience is being in a closed community that is conscious. Summer camp if done well totally immerses a child. They live camp with their camp friends, and become part of the story of camp. So how does a cell phone ruin this adventure. It butts into the “life of camp” and brings children the reality of back home. For this reason many directors discourage parents from calling their campers and seem even discourage visiting . Camp Directors want to provide “creative separation” which allow the children to develop a healthy sense of independence, in turn leading to a healthy sense of adventure. For many children this is their first time away from home and it is in a protected child centered environment that only leeds to good results. Most camp directors want parents to see everything that happens at camp but that is not possible if you buy into the giving your child a secure freedom. So some have gone to daily publishing photos on their websites, newsletters, periodic Tweets , or videos. Some Directors have tossed off technology and encouraged each parent to call the office and ask about their child. Remember most camp Directors want to help you after all we are parents too.
This cult we call summer camp has its positive impact soon children forget about the cliques at school, their concerns about grades, and what their friends are doing and wearing.Summer Camp will replace these things with campfires, caring for others, singing in the dining hall, trying new things and increase their growth as a paddler, a rider, a gymnast, and a climber. Even more, they will be replaced by a community of friends

Okay So you don’t buy it! You need to be in touch with your child. You know you are a helicopter parent. No need to fret.? There are a huge variety in the ways different camps help parents and campers stay in touch. Some camps allow campers to carry cell phones, some allow access to email. Many camps have visiting days. Every camp is different so be sure you ask the director how communication happens before you enroll in camp. This may also be a growing time for you ... getting you ready for those not to far off college days.

Summer-Camp Food Has Changed

Summer camp is a long tradition. In this video Lucile Ball plays a camp cook.
Fortunately, for all of us our cook Michelle never has days like these.

This day and age no longer does camp food mean junky food. Some of the best camps have Chiefs that work dilligently with fresh foods, vegetables and fruits. Lobster is even on the menu at some some camps... But not at Swift.
Watch more of this Lucy Show Here

Pottery at Camp

This year we are so excited that our pottery program will get a blast at camp. Our new Arts & Crafts Director Laura has years of experience in pottery and working with clay. So this year more than ever before we hope to see campers sculpting, and working on the wheel and kiln firing all those projects. All this means that there are going to be wonderful projects coming out of the ARTS & CRAFTS CASTLE this summer. Stuff like sculpted animals, multi-colored tiles, giant coil pots, and delicate wheel-thrown cups and bowls.
Let nature be a part of your clay work by taking a smooth slab of clay and press natural forms into it so that they leave intricate textures. You know, acorns, twigs, leaves, and tree bark, they all leave amazing patterns. then this can be turned in to a vase or some other vessel or just a fired the way it is.
Swift Nature Camp’s summer pottery program is going to be one of our most exciting programs in the summer of 2009. There’s almost an endless variety of pottery projects to make which you can take back to home your family and friends.

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Animal Camp

When Swift Campers think of camp they think of playing outdoors in Nature but they automatically think of the animals in our camp zoo and Nature Center. Our campers are crazy for critters and nature and critters. Not only do we have animals at camp we have guest speakers bring in some animals to camp that we all can appreciate. We have lots of animal related activities and offer the opportunity to interact with animals. Plus, you can even bring your own pet from home. How cool is that? An animal camp that lets you bring your own pets!

Fishing at Camp

The lake that camp is situated on is known for its good fishing. Just ask a few of the campers that used their skills this summer to get a few of the pike, bass or pan fish in the lake. However, winter is another time to go fishing, for some they say its the best. They build a little house put it on skis and take it out on to the lake. Look closely and you will see a fishing shack pictured out near picnic island.. Then drill a hole in the ice and wait for the fish to come. On the day we were there, fishing was taking place but we saw no whoppers leave this shack...better luck next time!

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Eagles at Camp

Swift Nature Camp is known for our eagles. Daily we see eagles in the air, in nests and even swooping down to catch a fish in the lake. But how many knew that once it started to get a little colder and the lake freezes over these eagles migrate south in search of food. They as a pair fly south often along the Mississippi River and finally settle on a winter home in Florida.. Cant say that these birds are dumb! Well after we had a camp show in Minneapolis last week we saw plenty of eagles beginning their flight Northbound. So i can surely tell you we will have American Bald Eagles again this summer at Swift Nature Camp. And that is a wonderful opportunity for all of us at Swift.