A resource for families in Santa Cruz County
Please forward this email to friends,
and invite them to sign up for our weekly newsletters: https://conta.cc/3wrLPKr
Summer Camp 2023
"Mama, Going to camp makes my heart sing!" said my daughter. "Mine too," I replied, with joy in my heart and a whiff of nostalgia.

I hope you have fond memories of summer camps; I do! I started with day camps, then Girl Scout week-long overnight camps. It was magical: making new friends from other towns, walking on paths through the woods to our tent home, winning a red swimming cap which put me in the group with raft privileges, learning how to shoot an arrow at a target, eating in the dining room in a big log cabin, being surprised by a secret night foray in our pajamas with our flashlights to a campfire in a woodland circle, admiring the older girls who mentored us young ones --and wishing it wouldn't end. When we have wonderful camp memories, we want the same for our children.

Read Suki's take on the How to Handle the "I'm booooooooored" Whine. It's IMPORTANT!

Enjoy making the summer magical for the children! Parmalee

P.S. Check out and download our annual 2023 CAMPS pdf!
Research and Choose
2023 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CAMPS PDF
Here's a Santa Cruz Parent list of almost ALL camps in our county. 2023 SANTA CRUZ COUNTY CAMPS PDF. If you know of a camp not listed, tell them about us. We are glad to include them. info@santacruzparent.com
Selecting the Camp
Best Suited for Each Child
It's great that your good friends rave about their children's comp experiences. Think about the kind of camp that will provide the most fun and personal growth for your child's unique needs, interests and personality. Talk, share, look at options with the children. Help them dare to try something new.

If you find that your first choice(s) are full, get on a wait list and keep searching. There is something for everyone! Family plans change and an opening occurs. Children switch interests and another opening happens!
Image: Kennolyn Camp
"Benefits and Anticipated Outcomes
of the Camp Experience" (ACA)
Surely these are the same goals we seek in our family and schools. What is it about camps that develop these skills and core values so successfully? Just ask a child and the answer will be, "Camp is FUN!" What more could we want for our children than to be playing all day while absorbing some of life's important values and lessons.
Social Skills Development
  • Leadership
  • Communication
  • Participation
Self-Respect and Character Building
  • Responsibility
  • Resourcefulness
  • Resilience
Community Living- Service Skills
  • Caring
  • Fairness
  • Citizenship
  • Trustworthiness
Getting Off in the Morning
*Eat a big hearty breakfast
*Pack a large lunch.
*Prepare a snack in a separate container.
*Pack or wear a warm layer and shorts & short sleeves for warmer afternoons.
*Include a change of clothes in case of accident.
*Pack water play clothes and a towel.
Wear/pack a hat.
*Put on sun lotion before leaving home.
*Pack sun lotion.
*Wear shoes suitable for hiking: tennis shoes, hiking shoes, or closed toed (NO open toe shoes).
*Remember the water bottle.
*Label everything!
When They Come Home
Downtime! A light snack before supper; one small chore (empty back pack and repack); play with the dog, cuddle with the cat, and read . . .
Visit our library Summer Reading Program >
Introduce Camp Fire Stories at Home
17 Not-So-Scary Spooky Stories for Kids
While most of the camps we share with you are local day camps, you may find it fun to introduce your own home campfire stories with a slightly scary flavor. Preview these kid-friendly, spooky campfire stories collected by KOA in order to decide if/when you are ready to share them around a home campfire.