centraljersey.com
SPECIAL SECTION 2022
Summer Camp: The Hot Ticket for 2022! Too much screen time over the past decade and its residual effects on young people have been exacerbated by the pandemic response of “educating by isolating.” Relegated to their bedrooms, basements, kitchens, and college dorms, most socially distanced students were FORCED to stare at their screens from March 2020 until May/June 2021. This extended time of keeping students from physically interacting with peers and teachers has resulted in a mental health crisis we will be feeling for a very long time. After 15 months of semi-seclusion, missed social opportunities, and frayed friendships, young people were acting out: antisocial behaviors, fights, emotional breakdowns, defiance, anxiety, and depression. Summer camps, however, offered an oasis of sorts- a reset, an antidote, a social-emotional vaccine. Campers, staff, and even school teachers had a magical and energizing experience being outside, socializing, playing, and interacting again! The past two summers affirmed unequivocally that there’s no better place for children and young adults to learn and regain their social and emotional equilibrium than at Summer Camp. Here’s what we observed: 1. Kids bounce back. Kids are resilient. They roll with the punches, learn from their mistakes, and when the bar is set high, with
the right encouragement- they rise to the occasion! 2. Kids naturally make friends. Thousands of new campers arrived at camps the past two summers, and it was amazing to see how they were drawn towards one another; quickly building friendships, with their saved up love and empathy. 3. Kids love being outdoors. Always have. But after being forced indoors for so long, kids cared less about the bugs, the dirt and mud, the liquid sunshine, and even the heat! At Liberty Lake, we embrace the opportunity to jump into a lake, just like kids have done for thousands of years! 4. Kids don’t need screens to enjoy themselves. Liberty Lake has been a screenfree haven since day one in 2002, from dropoff to pick-up. You’d think that after so much screen time, that kids would be jonesing for their phones/tablets/TVs… Nope. Playing outside with their friends is WAY more engaging. Older campers and staff actually THANK US for providing an electronic-free, stressfree utopia! And there’s more good news. Thousands of parents who never went to camp, and never sent their children to camp before, have reassessed the summer camp cost/benefit analysis and are flooding American Camp Association accredited camps with registrations like never before. The pandemic has suddenly made
Summer Camp as important as it should be. So if you’re interested in Camp for your kids this summer, don’t delay- because many of the best camps out there have already started waiting lists! Andy Pritikn is the Owner/Director of Lib-
erty Lake Day Camp in Mansfield Township, NJ, and partner of Everwood Day Camp in Sharon, MA, and Camp Southwoods in Paradox, NY. He’s the past president of the American Camp Association, NY/NJ, and host of the Day Camp Podcast.
Waldorf School’s Summer Camp is back with new and exciting sessions The Waldorf School of Princeton Summer Camp is back with new and exciting sessions! Our summer camp experience will provide children ages 4-12 with the sense of community and connectedness that they long for, in a safe, outdoor setting. Children will spend their days taking in all that our 20-acre campus has to offer, as well as benefiting from instruction by expert teaching artists who share their specialized skills. This year join us for one or both of our three-week sessions: Festival! June 27 to July 15 (no camp July 4) and Feast!, July 18 to August 5. Festival! feeds children’s need to imagine, tell stories, connect with peers and create together. Led by teaching artist Jenny Sargent, campers will spend a part of every day planning for and building elements of a community celebration, including spectacle, music, and performance. There will be a strong emphasis on collaborative process-
es, and the rich learning that comes about through working together. Activities on offer include story creation and myth telling, giant puppet building and operation,circus arts and physical theater,musical instrument creation, singing and dance, and structure building. Feast!, directed by WSP Gardening teacher Valerie Leone, highlights the joy of growing and preparing food in community from earth to table. Campers will spend a part of every day learning about different culinary traditions, cooking techniques, gathering, farming, gardening and harvesting. Offerings include woodland cooking, clay oven baking, decorative arts for the table, dishes from around the world, vegetable growing, foraging and using herbs, outdoor building projects and land stewardship. Visit www.princetonwaldorf.org to learn more and register.
2A Kids & Camp Special Section
Princeton Photo Workshop
Summer 2022 Photo Camp for Teens
NM-00485062
Friday, February 18, 2022F
www.princetonpacket.com
Register Onlne princetonphotoworkshop.com
Photo Workshop educates photographers of all ages
Photography is a lifelong journey, a prac- week! Year-round, Princeton Photo Workshop tice that's never over. No matter how long you've been taking photos, there are always educates photographers of all ages, starting new things to learn and with the Fundamentals of new photography experiDigital Photography and ences to explore. “Princeton Photo progressing to Photo EditPrinceton Photo Working, Portrait Photography, Workshop’s s h o p ’s P h o t o g r a p h y Macrophotography, Black instructors Classes, Photo Camp for & White Photography, Teens, Private Instruction Sports and Action Photogencourage me and Team Building Workraphy, In-the-Field practito stretch my shops offer photographers, cal experience and much at every age and skill level, more. boundaries and practical concepts, tips and Students recommend my photography techniques that help you Princeton Photo Workhas improved to shoot and process better shop’s Instructors as “Inphotographs. formative, patient, friendly, immensely.” During Summer Photo helpful, and eager to share Camp for Teens, Princeton their knowledge”. - Brian Photo Workshop instrucQuestions? Contact tors and counselors guide Princeton Photo Workshop creative young people from photography ba- at info@princetonphotoworkshop.com and sics through advanced concepts, in just one sign up for your first class.
AKE L Y RT LIBE MP A C Y E DA
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KIDS ™
w Friends e N g n i k a •M elors s n u o ™ C S e PA R E N T ssfully in • Awesomivities on 60 e 0+ Act 6 • • Ran Succ s + ‘21 0 2 ‘ s r e Shady Acre m Sum
ortation p s n a r T s u •B Snacks + h c n u L •
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OUTDOORS + SCREEN F
LibertyLakeDayCamp.com • 609.499.7820 NM-00483349
2Friday, February 18, 2022
Kids & Camp Special Section 3A
www.princetonpacket.com
YMCA welcomes campers For more than 120 years, YMCA Camp Mason has welcomed campers to be a part of our caring, inclusive community where they can learn, grow and thrive. We strive for excellence, relevance and innovation and believe that every child deserves the opportunity to discover who they are and what they can achieve. Our proven programs and caring, trained counselors engage and encourage young people and deliver meaningful and memorable experiences. We could go on and on about the benefits of YMCA Camp Mason, but our campers say it best! “I made so many new friends and now I know I can do anything!” – 14 year old Our schedule allows campers to try new things and improve their skills while developing confidence, gaining a sense of independence, having fun and making lifelong friends. “I come to camp for all of the great activities.” – 13 year old We offer archery, swimming, boating, arts and crafts, drama, music, a climbing tower, zipline, dance, digital photography and movie making, basketball and court sports, a skate boarding park, mountain biking, hiking, aerial
silks and countless other activities. Campers can even sign up for FREE off-site trips to explore our fantastic natural surroundings. There is something for everyone! “Camp Mason is my home away from home!” – 10 year old Campers stay in comfortable cabins with each cabin determined by age and overseen by a minimum of two counselors. Our staff, from around the globe, are chosen with care and by treating each child with dignity, they teach and live our values of caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, integrity and inclusion. “At camp I can be myself.” – 9 year old 98% of parents report that their child felt a sense of belonging at camp, and 93% indicated their child’s self-image improved. We connect youth with positive role models and encourage the development of independence and strong values. If you are ready for your child to thrive, develop a positive sense of self and have THE BEST SUMMER EVER, go to our website at www.campmason.org, call 908-362-8217 or email information@campmason.org for more information or to register.
READY. SET. YMCA SUMMER DAY CAMPS • Mix & match camp options • Traditional multi-activity & specialty day camps • Financial assistance available gscymca.org/camp SCAN ME
HILLSBOROUGH YMCA 908 369 0490
A branch of Greater Somerset County YMCA
REGISTER TODAY NM-00483287
4A Kids & Camp Special Section
www.princetonpacket.com
Princeton area’s premier summer day camp!
Open House March 5, 2022 1– 3pm
PROGRAMS
SCAN the QR Code to register for sessions and review our PDS Together safety protocols.
Full- and half-day programs for campers from PreK through high school
pds.org/summer-programs summerprograms@pds.org 609.279.2700 x1342
At Princeton Day School
Friday, February 18, 2022
NM-00484702
Welcome to another exciting summer at Princeton Day School Summer Programs, the Princeton area’s premier summer day camp! We are happy to offer an impressive roster of half-day, full-day, oneweek and two-week academics, sports, art and adventure programs. Built-in scheduling flexibility allows parents to create summer camp experiences ‘a la carte,’ with an academic program in the morning and an athletics program in the afternoon, for example. We are located on Princeton Day School’s beautiful 106-acre campus in Princeton, NJ, and follow the CDC- and NJDOH-informed health and safety protocols used to safely operate the school and found on pds.org in PDS Together. Our state-of-the-art facilities include multiple air-conditioned STEAM Centers, art studios and classrooms, along with our new 30,000-square-foot Athletic Center, Plus a series of spectacular playing fields, open
YMCA CAMP MASON
space, our famed organic garden and nature trails! At PDS Summer Programs, you will be encouraged to share your talents, learn from each other and explore your potential with our talented academic and athletic instructors, many of whom are PDS faculty and longtime Summer Programs team members, who are committed to facilitating an exciting journey of discovery and exploration for each child in a safe and nurturing environment. Our counselors, 90% of whom are Princeton Day School students or alumni, will foster creativity and plain old fun with our campers. We are licensed by the state of New Jersey and accredited by the American Camp Association, whose standards cover all aspects of summer camp operations. Everyone is welcome to attend PDS Summer Programs; campers do not have to be PDS student! Register here: pds.org/ summer-programs
Located in NW New Jersey, adjacent to the spectacular Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area
CONNECT WITH...
FUN
COMMUNITY
NEW SKILLS
ADVENTURE
RESILIENCE
FRIENDS
NATURE
CONFIDENCE
Outdoor Pool - Skatepark - Archery - Boating - FREE Day Trip Options - Ropes Courses - Arts & Crafts - Mountain Biking Horseback Riding - Climbing Wall - Hiking - Campers & Staff from Around the Globe - Financial Assistance Program - Much More! NM-00484737
Register today at campmason.org
information@campmason.org 908-362-8217