Tag: benefits of camp

This World is Pine Forest Camp

Posted on by PineForest

Imagine a world with no TVs, no cell phones and no internet access, where…

– “Mail” is simply on a piece of paper, hand written, with a pen.

– The only “gaming’ is on a field or a court.

– “Chatting” is done verbally: in a cabin, on a walk, over a meal or around a  campfire, the purest form of “FaceTime.”

– You can only “like” something or someone by giving a real compliment, a smile or a hug.

– A ‘wink’ is done with eye contact and a grin, and ‘laughing so hard you cry’ is not an emoji but rather the funniest late-night bunk conversation that will live on for decades.

– The biggest news of the day is whose birthday it is, what evening activity will be or what’s for dinner.

– You don’t need to have hundreds of “friends,” instead you strive for a quality handful of the best, truest friends you could ever imagine.

– A “snap” is simply a hand gesture.

– Silly costumes are homemade or brought up in trunks not created with apps or filters.

– The only “tweet” comes from birds and being one with nature.

– A “house party” is getting to hang out in your cabin with your favorite people, bunk mates.

– The latest songs and videos come out of a bunk skit, song or cheer rather than top 40 radio hits.

– And, the only photos you take during the day are ones that live in your mind, providing you with lifelong memories.

This world is Pine Forest Camp. It was this way for me as a camper at PFC, and it’s the same for my own children. Kids need camp, now more than ever. I am tremendously thankful that my children get to turn off, unplug and disconnect every summer. Where else in the world can that truly happen? And, although they may not always admit it, I know that my kids wouldn’t have it any other way.

What Your Child Will Get Out of Camp

Posted on by PineForest

In addition to mastering the zip line and perfecting the butterfly stroke, the intangible lessons of camp know no bounds. In fact, it’s these more abstract takeaways that make the biggest impact on our campers. When we talk to families about camp in their living rooms, when we walk touring families around our grounds, we tend to focus on schedules and special programs; the most important thing about camp, though, is its people, the community, and the gifts we take from it.

We often say that camp teaches you to be the best version of yourself, but that doesn’t always come easily. Nothing great does! It takes work to practice living away from your parents! It takes work to live with people from different neighborhoods or even countries who might have different views! It’s not easy to have face-to-face conversations instead of sending a text or email in camp’s tech-free zone!

So, what will your child get out of camp? We hope team-sport skills are perfected and yoga is given a real chance, but it’s so much bigger that. Your child will come home more confident for having stood up for a friend, happier for having spontaneously burst into song and cheer, more comfortable in his or her skin for having navigated both big and small tasks independently. Oh, and your child will have a group of friends and community for life that are sacred, that are all his or her own, that they can always come back to and rely upon.

Camp takes a sense of adventure and grit and stick-to-it-ness and empathy and goofiness and a zest for life that we all wish for our kids! Those are the true gifts of camp, and what gifts could be more important?

How Camp Prepares You For College

Posted on by PineForest

As high school seniors are making their final college decisions, we’re reminded of how grateful we are for camp; there’s just nothing like camp in preparing kids for college! After all, embarking on a new adventure by yourself, without the comfort of familiar faces, is something you will have already experienced, survived, and become good at once you’ve been to camp! You’ll be great wherever you go!

College is all about new experiences and breaking out of your comfort zone. We do this every day at camp: on the zip line, on the tennis courts, performing in a play, in our bunks.

Sharing a room with a roommate in college? No problem! We know all about building a community! Our campers have shared a bunk with many more and for many years already! Living in a bunk with others strengthens social and communication skills and teaches campers effective strategies for conflict resolution with people who are both similar to and different from themselves!

Both camp and college require adaptability. Sure, the schedule is a little different than you’re used to. The food is a little different than you’re used to. The people are a little different than the ones at home. But that’s what makes it an adventure!

For many, college is a first real taste of independence. Not for you, campers! During the summer, you’ve solved problems that arise without your parents. You’ve formed meaningful bonds with peers and mentors. You’ve pursued interests on your own, straying from the beaten path.

In short, you’re ahead of the curve! So, PFC 12th graders, rest assured. This whole college thing is going to be a BREEZE! We wish we could take credit for those A’s in Advanced Calculus, but we’ll settle for the rest!

Good luck and best from camp!

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Character

Posted on by PineForest

“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

We can give our children many things, send them to excellent schools, take them on trips around the world, buy them books to read. But, as parents, we cannot give them character. Independence, grit, empathy, self-control, optimism, enthusiasm – these are qualities that children have to discover or develop on their own. And that, is the true gift of camp. It provides a safe environment to find adventure, friendship and ultimately to find oneself, to find one’s true character.

And that can make all the difference in the world.