Unplugging at Camp

Earlier this week, we wrote about Learning Life Skills at Camp.  At Meadowbrook, this is a significant and intentional focus of our program.  We also provided a link to the p21.org website for additional information on 21st Century Skills.

Today we have the pleasure of sharing with you a great 11 minute Tedx video from our friend and colleague Steve Baskin talking about "Unplugging our Kids" and how these 21st Century Skills relate to all that we do at Camp.

Unplugging at Camp

Enjoy....and let us know what you think!

Summer 2013 Weekly Themes

LAST SUMMER'S SPECIAL EVENTS CALENDAR

A hallmark at Meadowbrook is the amazing level of excitement that we create for our Campers.  Parents tell us all the time that their children get up early for Camp, get dressed by themselves, run down the driveway to meet the bus, etc.  They are EXCITED to go to Camp!

One of the ways we intentionally create this excitement is with our weekly themes that change each and every year!  Each theme is supported by Special Events, Activities on our Buses to and from Camp, and projects in our Creative Arts areas.



We have already shared that the theme the first week of Camp will be AMERICAN STARS AND TIGER STRIPES (see prior post).  Jumping to the last week of the Summer, our Week 8 theme will be AROUND THE WORLD IN 5 DAYS.  Special thanks to All-Star Counselor Audrey S. who suggested it on our facebook page in the fall. The highlight of the week will be our full Camp Carnival on Wednesday with the theme "MCDC WORLD'S FAIR."  Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to another amazing Summer at Meadowbrook!

Learning Life Skills at Camp

This past Sunday, we held our first Open House of 2013.  It was a great day with lots of families coming to learn all about Meadowbrook and meet many members of our fantastic Leadership Team.

One of the things we spoke about extensively during the day was the role Meadowbrook plays in teaching Campers what we call LIFE SKILLS.

So what are life skills?  They are the"soft skills" that unfortunately have been lost in a world where schools are pressed harder to teach to standardized tests and technology has usurped 'free play" with children spending more and more time in front of computers and television sets, playing video games, using social media, and communicating via texting and messages with a maximum of 140 characters.

This is where Meadowbrook comes in!  At Camp, we are very focused on teaching our Campers the skills that are necessary to succeed in the 21st Century.  These include (but are not limited to): Decision Making, Independence,  Problem Solving, Resilience, Leadership, Teamwork, Patience, Perseverance, Self Confidence,  Goal Setting, Communication, and many more.  We do this in all areas of Camp...from our Athletics Program to Creative Arts;  from our Lake Activities to our Challenge Course; from Lunch to Swimming to Special Events to our T.I.G.E.R. program.

The beauty of it all is that our Campers are learning these important life skills in an incredibly safe and fun environment.

For more information on 21st Century Skills, check out the website p21.org.  For more information on how Meadowbrook teaches these skills, call us in the office anytime!

Special Events

The most popular question we are asked as Camp Professionals is:  "What do you do the rest of the year?"  This is followed in popularity by: "You must be starting to gear up now" which we usually hear in April or May.  The truth is, every day of the year is packed solid with planning to make every Meadowbrook Summer the Best Summer Ever!

Today we spent four hours working with Melissa, one of our 2 amazing Special Events Directors.  We worked on all of our bus activities and our weekly themes for the even weeks (weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8).  We will work on the odd weeks when we meet with Jill later in the week.

So, what are this year's themes???  Well, we are not prepared to share them all yet...but, we will start by sharing Week #1.  This is an idea that was created years ago, but we needed this year's calender to make it a reality.  In honor of the Meadowbrook TIGER Program and the 4th of July, we will start this Summer with AMERICAN STARS AND TIGER STRIPES!

It will be a great start to the Summer as we celebrate America's Stars and Stripes and everyone learns about the 5 elements of TIGER: Teamwork, Integrity, Generosity, Enthusiasm and Respect!

Make sure to follow us on facebook and subscribe to this blog so you are the first to learn about the rest of this Summer's great weekly themes!

Only 168 days 'til Camp!

Last Blog Post of the Year

It just doesn't seem right to write a last blog when there have been so few.  But this is a week of resolutions, so this is a resolution to change.

Resolutions come in 3 forms: thoughts, written, and shared.  As one progresses through the three, the likelihood of commitment increases.

So, here it is, written and shared, a resolution to blog more in the coming year.  There is so much that happens every single day at Meadowbrook, as part of the Meadowbrook family, you should know about it:  staffing, training, facility improvements, program development, and on and on and on.

We resolve to keep you posted.  Please do the same.  And Best Wishes to everyone in our Meadowbrook Family for a Healthy and Happy 2013! 

All our Best - Roz, Jed, Rich, Marty & Everyone at Meadowbrook Country Day Camp! 

Working at Camp

Next Sunday, I will have the privilege of presenting at the NY/NJ American Camp Association's (ACA)  Teen LEADership Conference in New York City.   As I was researching information for my presentation, I came across this article at Suite101.  It was published last May, but it is as applicable today as it was last year and it will be for years to come!

Top 10 Summer Jobs for Teens

No less than 4 of these Top 10 Jobs are taking place at Meadowbrook each and every day of the Summer:

- Camp Counselor
- Sports Camp Counselor
- Lifeguarding
- Child Care

Most importantly, Teens (and other Young Adults) who work at Meadowbrook gain the valuable life skills that Susan Carney points out in her article:

Communication Skills
Problem Solving Skills
Ability to Work as Part of a Team

And that is just the start!

Do not underestimate the benefits of working at Camp...just ask anyone who has done it!!

See you at Camp!

Summer Camp is More Than Fun!!

We tell parents all the time that Meadowbrook is amazing fun....but it is really much more than that!

This article from New Jersey Family Magazine points out some of the important benefits of attending an ACA Accredited Summer Camp like Meadowbrook!

• Children who participate in summer programs...are less likely to have a significant summer learning slide and lose the academic gains they made the previous year in school.
• Camp also enhances a child’s physical and emotional well-being. Activities build social skills, teamwork, and independence, which contribute to stronger self-confidence and leadership abilities.
• Kids who go to camp with friends they already know feel comfortable from the get-go and can launch into activities right away. For other kids, the joy of making new friends and developing social relationships might be more rewarding than the activities.
• Nearly 75% of campers try new activities they were initially afraid to do.

Check it out and let us know what you think:  Summer Camp is More Than Fun!

Summer will be here before you know it...if you haven't registered your Children for Camp this Summer, now is the time!

See you at Camp!!