2023 Camp Guide

Summer Theatre Camps: Students from 4 years old through high school can join us for various weekly camps throughout the summer. Each camp culminates with a performance ON STAGE for family and friends to enjoy!

719-331-2434 | www.ACTcolorado.net

Homesickness: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

BY NINA K. GLASER, THE GAZETTE

Would anyone reading this article be surprised to learn that most sleepaway campers experience homesickness (especially first-time campers)? Probably not, as camp puts children in a new environment with new challenges, surrounded by new people, missing family members, pets, and the rituals of everyday life as they know it for most of the year.

The sadness and anxiety brought on by homesickness can be mitigated if you talk about it before they leave for camp. Start the conversation by acknowledging that going away to camp is a big step to take, and their going fills you with parental pride. Then, reassure them that it is okay to miss home and that there is nothing to be embarrassed about (even camp counselors have a pang of homesickness every now and then!). If you were a camper, share your experiences with homesickness: Did you hug a stuffed animal? Read a book? Write in a journal? Go for a

INSPIRE CREATIVITY

walk? Maybe you ”talked it out” or participated in an activity. Family represents acceptance and security. The family dynamic features strong bonds. The relationships established inside the home will be established outside the home during the camp experience.

Counselors and camp directors are trained to support campers, keeping struggles to a minimum. They will keep your child actively engaged. You can assist with their adjustment to camp life as well, sending emails that positively reinforce the advantages of their summer away and focus on what they are doing and learning.

Homesickness is a temporary state, and your child will soon be participating in group activities and camp traditions as part of a camp clique. (They might even enjoy the new foods and sharing a bathroom with bunk mates!)

Home may be where the heart is, but sleepaway camp will become your child’s home away from home.

FAC THEATRE SCHOOL

ages 5–18 | one and two-week workshops June–July

Offering innovative and comprehensive professional theatre training from award-winning instructors.

SUMMER DAY CAMPS AT LA FORET

ages 6–11 | five one-week sessions June–July

Experience a variety of artistic styles and techniques, including painting and printmaking. Explore your acting skills with theatre games, improvisation, and more.

Details & registration: fac.coloradocollege.edu

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Parents can help kids overcome SHYNESS

METRO SERVICES

Children who tend to stay on the sidelines at parties or hug tightly to their mom’s or dad’s legs may be shy. Even though shyness is not a bad thing and introverted children have wonderful qualities to contribute to the world, being overly shy can prevent kids from having their voices heard — especially if they are being bullied or someone has violated boundaries. Parents can help shy

children come out of their shells with a few simple strategies. Discuss new places and people. Prepare children for new situations, which can be overwhelming for children who are shy. Talk about what is expected in a new classroom, moving to a bigger school or even a party with a lot of people. Touring a place in advance can make it more familiar to a shy child, helping him or her feel less anxious.

Parents typically discover if their kids are outgoing or introverted around the time the child is three or four.

Buddy up with other shy kids. Parents of shy children can seek out others in similar situations. A friend to hang around with in new situations can make it much easier, as these two children can rely on one another.

Try not to label the behavior. It is one thing for you to understand that your child is shy but sharing that classification with others could lead to unwanted labeling that further exacerbates the problem. A child who constantly hears he or she is shy may not try to change.

Empathize with your child. Give examples of when you were feeling shy in certain situations. Explain the emotions and how you overcame them with time, suggests the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Model confident behavior.

Whenever you can, be outgoing in front of your children when meeting new teachers or other children’s parents for the first time.

Provide opportunities for children to express their feelings. Whether children can voice their feelings or can express themselves through play or artistic endeavors, Corner’s One Learning Center suggests making it safe and comfortable for kids to share with you.

Offer praise as often as you can. When a child acts bravely, tell him or her about how proud you were when you get home or to a private place. Doing so in private may help the child feel more comfortable and less embarrassed.

Speak of different clubs or activities they could try. Suggest your child participate in various group activities so that interests are explored, and new friends can be made.

Shyness is something many children grow out of over time. In the interim, parents can provide support to their kids.

A friend to hang around with in new situations can make it much easier, as these two children can rely on one another.

can benefit kids

Modern amenities and indoor comforts have made life easier in many ways, but they have also helped to fashion a generation of people who spend much of their time inside. A 2018 report from the international research firm YouGov found that around 90% of study respondents from North America and Europe spend close to 22 hours inside every day. Children may get a little more time outdoors than adults, particularly if they participate in outdoor sports.

There are distinct advantages to engaging in more outdoor activities. Here is a look at some of them.

Improved mood and reduced risk of depression

The YouGov report notes that around 15% of the world’s population is affected by different levels of seasonal affective disorder, which is believed to be a direct result of lack of daylight. Symptoms go away when days are longer and individuals can enjoy more sunshine. Children who go outside and get ample exposure to sunlight may experience a more positive mood and renewed energy.

Lower risk of obesity

Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg from the American Academy of Pediatrics says outdoor play can help reduce obesity in today’s youth. Children can enjoy self-directed physical activity that also stimulates awareness of one’s surroundings.

Improved vitamin D levels

Vitamin D has been dubbed the “sunshine vitamin” because sunlight hitting the skin prompts the liver and kidneys to create vitamin D in the body. A deficiency in vitamin D can lead to depression and heart failure and may compromise the immune system. Children can improve current and future health by maintaining adequate vitamin D levels through healthy exposure to sunlight.

Lower stress levels

Students of all ages are faced with stressful situations that come at them from every angle. The arrival of the global pandemic has been an added stressor that continues to affect children and adults. According to research by the University of

Essex, outdoor exercise offers mental health benefits that exceed those gleaned from indoor exercise. Spending time in a green space can result in improved mood and selfesteem. A 2017 study of Japanese students found those who spent time in the forest for two nights returned home with lower levels of cortisol, a hormone used as a marker of stress, than students who remained in the city. The practice of de-stressing outdoors is often referred to as “forest bathing” or “nature therapy.”

Better focus

A dose of nature may help children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder improve their concentration levels. A 2008 study from researchers at the University of Illinois found that children with ADHD demonstrated greater attention performance following a 20-minute walk in a park as compared to a residential neighborhood or downtown area.

Getting outside and engaging in any activity has a variety of benefits for children.

COMPILED BY NINA K. GLASER, THE GAZETTE

Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August.

— Jenny Han

“

Sleep under a blanket of stars, and your heart will forever be kept warm by your love of life.

— Unknown

— Edward Abbey

“ “ “ “ “

The outside is the only place we can truly be inside the world.

— Daniel J. Rice

“ “

SUMMER CAMP FOR ANIMAL LOVERS

We can never have enough of nature.

— Henry David Thoreau

REGISTER AT HSPPR.ORG/CAMP

There’s no Wi-Fi in the mountains but you’ll find a better connection.

Wilderness is not a luxury but necessity of the human spirit.

Good things come to those who camp.

And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling.

Camp makes summer more exciting!

Here are some quotes for you to relax and reminisce with, that may make your child fall in love with the idea of sleepaway camp. Consider them conversation starters, allowing an open honest dialogue about the experience — from both your points of view! —