(2.2) Fred has big plans for his end of summer camping trip before he starts kindergarten, and looks forward to auditioning for the school play! IT’S HACKIN HERE!! FredFigglehorn.com !!

In case you are looking to research for a best summer camp for your child, you would soon figure out that the options are irresistible. Not only are there all kinds of goings-on options, but as well length of stay, price, and lots of other restrictions. Here is a fast general idea of the various types of summer camp and things to be considered before choosing a summer camp for your child.

This may be your child’s first summer camp, if that is so then you require starting by making a choice about how much he or she could manage when it comes to separation. Resident camps, well-known as overnight camps, need the child to spend nights away from resident, and many have a minimum of about 5-7 days that you need to sign in for. Resident camps are an amazing option for sovereign or older kids who desire the full understanding of summer camp.

Additionally, Day camps are simpler choice for parents and kid, as everyone returns home every by end of the day. Specialty summer camps could either be resident or day camps, but they are generally focused only on one single event, such as horse riding, soccer, or any other water sports. Specialty camps are a grand option for kids who take pleasure in a specific activity and are uncertain about getting involved in other things.

Before choosing a summer camp, ask yourself the following questions:

Decide on how much you are willing to pay for the camp. Day camps may cost you about $40 US dollars per day whereas resident summer camps would be double of that amount. On the other hand, specialty summer camps would be even more expensive, as the people working there are hypothetical to be professionals.

Next match upon the best type of summer camp your kid would be comfortable with. Would he enjoy sharing a week with the people that is unknown or would he want an alternative? Do you desire your child to have liberty with her schedule or do you prefer an agenda with more structure? One more important when choosing a summer camp, ensure you confirm safety standards.

Many parents joke that they are going to have to take out a second mortgage to pay for college, but what about for overnight camps? What are the costs and is it worth the benefit? We help send our kids to college because we know that this investment will help them secure better-paying jobs and a brighter future. For a camping experience, however, is it worth it?

For some of us, camp was one of the most cherished growth experiences in our childhood and we feel the gift of camp is one that we will bestow upon our kids no matter what the cost. For those of us who did not grow up as campers, we have to decide what all the buzz is about and make a determination if we can afford it or not.

As a former camper, counselor and teen tour leader, I believe that camp is a priceless gift that you can give your child (of course, as long as you find the right fit). Camp experiences pay off in all sorts of “emotional intelligence” dividends: self-esteem; self-reliance; self-awareness; empathy; the ability to listen, cooperate and share; self-control; the ability to wait in line (delayed gratification). Research shows that developing these skills leads to greater success in school and deeper and healthier relationships. And these early, positive growth experiences are fairly good indicators about our success as adults. So, now that you are convinced that camp is all it is cracked up to be, how much does it cost and how are you going to pay for it?

Types of camps. There are two types of camps: agency camps and private camps. There is a pretty big price differential between the two. If cost is a concern, agency camps – like YMCA, JCC – make camping much more affordable. They can do this because they are subsidized by agencies, therefore making your summer tuition less. You can expect to pay about $500 – 650 a week.

Private camps are not subsidized, so the camper is paying for all of the costs to run a camp: insurance, staff, equipment, capital improvements. In the Midwest, you can expect to pay between $750 – $1000 a week for a private camp. In Missouri and Southern Illinois, private camps are a little cheaper because they do not offer the extensive water sports, like sailing and water-skiing, like camps in the Upper Midwest (Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan).

Discounts. There are other ways to save, as well. At most camps, early enrollment discounts are offered. So, if you do your homework early enough, you can take advantage of this discount. In addition, if you are trying to provide a camping experience for more than one child, be sure to ask for a sibling discount (assuming that one camp can suit the needs of all of your children). Lastly, if you are looking at camps on the East or West Coast, be sure to ask for a “Midwesterner’s discount.” Our camps in the Midwest are traditionally less expensive (if you can believe that after looking at the costs of camps).

Extras. When budgeting for camp, you should also ask the program director about extra costs such as optional activities, spending money, special clothing and equipment, or trip insurance. A camp may offer horseback riding, but is there an additional cost for participating in this activity? When your son or daughter goes to the camp store, do they have an open-ended account or is there a set amount? If it is open-ended, you will be the one responsible for that bill at the end of the summer so you should have a conversation with your child about proper spending. If there are out-of-camp trips, you should find out whether or not those are included with your tuition.

Scholarships. Almost every camp – private or agency – offers some amount of need-based “camperships.” Jewish Federations, church groups and YMCAs give out scholarships for camp. Many private camps have foundations to send needy kids to camp which, besides being a good thing for those kids, help to diversify their population. Most camp directors are altruistic, giving individuals that would like to see every child in a camp. Some camps even give “scholarships for life.” So, once a child qualifies, they are promised that scholarship for however long they attend that camp. For older kids, there are programs like Summer Search (www.summersearch.org) whose aim it is to send at-risk youth to leadership development programs like wilderness trips.

Camp is a wonderfully enriching gift you can give your child. If you want to send your child, there is probably a camp out there to welcome them. Happy camping!

I’m going camping this weekend, and I need to plan a couple of meals that will be easy to prepair, and with ingrediants that will hold up well in a cooler chest. Any ideas?

Choosing a summer camp Europe for your child may be a daunting task. There are thousands of summer camps to choose from and each camp has its own individuality. Unlike any traditional summer camps, the contemporary summer camps are not limited to certain sports or religious options. Summer camps are designed to provide an enriching and enjoyable experience for your children where they are exposed to the modern world of activities such as language learning, adventurous activities and many more. Hence, you should keep in mind to select one of the best summer camp Europe that can help the participants to spend their vacation in a constructive way. For that you need to gather maximum information about the summer camp by visiting the website of the camps, from the brochures, or by contacting them through emails and phone calls.

While looking for the information regarding the summer camps Europe, you need to create a list of “questions to ask” that can help you make an informed decision.

Is the camp licensed?

Most of the states require license to organize residential summer camp, especially from the health department.

The organization that the camp is related to

There are many organizations providing same quality assurance. But the academic summer camps in Europe run by an established school or organization will ensure quality and security.

History of the camp

Running a summer camp Europe is not a cake walk as there are numerous minute details to be taken care of. Hence, select the camp that has successfully been in the business for a long time and have a good historical background. The organizers of the summer camps should have precise experience of management in organizing international summer camps.

Philosophy of the camp

Your expectation from the summer camps Europe is to enable your child to face the competitive world and learn things that are rare in the school curriculum. It is better if you can check programs structures. Before making your decision, make sure that the discipline majors of the camp are up to satisfaction.

Staff members

Well, any selection advice of the summer camp Europe will emphasize on the trained staff. Some of the schools recruit their staff internally. Make sure that your children are under the guidance of educated and experienced staff for their overall improvement. Schools offering special programs on language or any other activities should ensure specially trained teachers for that.

Facilities

For the residential summer camps Europe you need to check the available facilities like the Internet and telephone so as to keep in contact with the children.

Certificate

As the summer camps add to the resume of the participants as a dynamic personality, a valid certificate from the organizers of the summer camps Europe is an essential after the completion of the camp.

The role of summer camps can not be ignored in the field complete education. However, selection of the right summer camps Europe can form a healthy decision to shape up the educational and professional career of a child.

Los Angeles is rich with a host of summer camp opportunities for your child. An increasing trend among Los Angeles families is to send their kids to several summer camps over the course of the summer, versus the traditional way of picking a single camp alone.

A confluence of factors — principally, kids’ diverse interests plus an increasing array of available specialty camps and flexible enrollment packages offered by Los Angeles area camps — has fueled this trend. And for your son or daughter, it’s a pretty good deal!

By attending a variety of summer camps rather than just one, your child can enjoy many different experiences which would otherwise be unavailable to them. And there’s definitely no shortage among available camps in Los Angeles!

A recent online search revealed the following types of summer camps (among others) in metropolitan L.A. alone: Surf camps, beach camps, science camps, technology camps, music camps, acting camps, Jewish camps, cooking camps, space camps, horseback riding camps, academic camps, rock star camps, nature camps, entrepreneurship camps and traditional camps.

Remember, this is just a partial list!

If you’re considering a Los Angeles summer camp for your child this summer — or if you’re considering more than one — here’s how to discover what’s available.

A great place to start is by asking your friends for recommendations. Assuming they’ve got kids of their own, your friends can usually direct you to some of the more popular Los Angeles summer camps. The internet is also a wonderful resource, because it offers numerous camp-specific Web sites that allow you to filter your camp search by geography, camp type, and other criteria to suit your needs.

For example, LA Summer Camps.com and LA Surf Camps.com are two great places to start.

Here’s hoping your child enjoys many safe and fun camp experiences this year. With so many available opportunities, there is surely a multitude of Los Angeles summer camp options designed to meet your needs!

Copyright Eric Naftulin and Aloha Beach Camp. All rights reserved.

Here is the music video cartoon of the song The Camping Trip the video is from his new DVD Cartoon Carnival VOL 2 and the song can be found on his albums Surely You Joust and Hurricane

Im going a 1 week camping trip in colorado in the mountains. Everyday we will be hiking for a constant 8 hours a day. What food should i supply myself to take advantage of burning fat on this trip?

Twenty-five years ago weight-loss camp campers were mostly teenage girls who were at least 100 pounds or more overweight. The menu usually consisted of food such as beef liver, fish and alfalfa sprouts and the only form of exercise was running and doing sit-ups. The ultimate goal at these overnight summer camps is to lose as much weight as possible in as little time as possible. They were often considered special needs camps. There are also many teen and adult weight loss camps.

Today things are a lot less extreme than they were in those days – approximately 39 percent of the campers are boys, the kids usually need to lose between 21 and 41 pounds, the menus offer a much broader range of food, and the exercise is a lot of fun, with activities that include fun sports like tennis and kayaking. The weight loss camps today emphasize very healthy lifestyles and long-lasting skills that the kids can take home with them and actually put into use.

To summarize, these so-called “fat camps” usually resemble regular overnight summer camps and just happen to specialize in teaching excellent decision-making techniques as they relates to food.

Now according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 16 percent or so of children from ages 6-19 are overweight or obese and this number that has tripled since 1981.

The number of overnight or sleepaway weight loss camps has remained about the same. There are about 16 to 20 of these camps out of 10,000 sleep away camps in the United States alone with some of these having offshoots in other locations. There are many other weight loss camps in other countries.

In most of the overnight summer camps the children will be between the ages of 7 and 12. This age group tends to be most successful because parents have more to say about the child’s eating and exercise habits. Usually bad eating habits are less instilled in the younger children.

All sleepaway fat loss camps work at building good habits, not just dealing out quick fixes. You will find these camps have classes on good nutrition, proper portion control, emotional eating, handling situations like pizza parties, birthday parties and ice cream parties.

You’ll find they teach by example. In the old days weight loss camps offered 1,250 to 1,350 calories each day. Today they’re more realistic, usually about 1,800 to 2,000 calories daily. On the menu along with healthier foods you’ll also find there are hamburgers, pita pizzas, baked potato chips and low-fat baked goods.

It’s long been a misconception that overnight weight loss camps don’t offer enough food and they overwork the kids. It’s actually the opposite. The right amount of food is served and they provide workouts for the kids at the right level. Campers never find they are hungry.

Changing the camper’s behavior is the key to sustaining weight loss. Many campers learn to cook, shop for groceries, order out at restaurants, and work with camp psychologists on managing stress, frustration tolerance, and identifying emotional eating.

Generally the campers want to be there. Years ago when their parents made them go they didn’t want to. Kids are happier that they’re making a change and develop confidence and independence as a result of the experience. They learn to make healthier choices also. Kids learn to feel better, breathe better, run faster and become more active as a result.

Some overnight weight loss camps can cost about $1,000 a week. Many of the camps offer scholarships and that’s worth exploring. Your health insurance may cover some of it because of the weight loss therapy. And some churches run free weight loss camps, but may be harder to find.

Choosing the right summer camp for your child may mean doing a lot of research and checking out reviews of weight loss camps. Talking to parents who have sent their kids to those camps would give you some idea as to the successful experience the child has had. Ask the director of the camp you’re considering if they will give you some names of previous campers’ parents so you can contact them. Cost may be a factor too. There is a wide range when it comes to cost and be sure to compare weight loss summer camp ratings online and offline. Check the public library for Consumer Reports magazine’s ratings.

Any overnight summer camp is great because it will force the child to have structured time in the summer and even traditional overnight camps focus on kid’s fitness and health, serve healthier food and encourage a lot of exercise. If you can’t find or afford a weight loss camp, you should choose a camp anyway even if it’s a special camp like arts or science that has some activity. The important thing is to keep overweight kids active in the summer.

Before you actually set out for a camping activity, you should always make a plan. A plan helps you prepare for the actual night outdoor. In preparing for a camping activity, the first thing that you should do is to choose a perfect camp site. The camp site is a primary factor that you will consider in planning your activities for the whole camping activity. It is also an important consideration in determining which tools and gears you will bring and use. A great campsite will eventually make your camping experience fun and fruitful without the need to suffer from unexpected circumstances. Below are some of the basic factors that you should consider when looking for the best camp site:

Accessibility to the location

The actual campsite should be in an area that people can easily locate and drive to. Make sure that you won’t have to struggle in driving just to reach your camp site. In case you cannot drive to the actual location, make sure that there is a foot trail and that you find it easy to go to from your camp site. Even the foot trail should not be very far. The maximum length of the trail should be about half a mile.

Attractions around the site

Pick a camp site that is very appealing and engaging. Keep in mind that you will stay in the camp site for several hours so you have to make sure that the place is actually interesting enough for you. The place should be a spot for recreation, exploration and relaxation. It should not be dull and boring for you and your fellow campers. Make sure that you know the nearest points of attraction that you can visit. Also, check if the actual places of attraction matches your chosen activities.

Water source

If you are planning to camp out for several days or even weeks, it will be impractical if you have to store and bring water from your home. As such, it will be better if you pick a camp site that is near a reliable water source. Fresh water sites should be prioritized. Before your actual camping activity, make sure that your prospect water source is clean. If you have some doubts, you may either reduce your camping days or you should consider bringing beverages with you.

Collection of wood

One of the most awaited activities in a camp night out is the creation of a camp fire. In order to make a perfect camp fire, you need a good source of wood. Keep in mind that although you might be camping in the forest, there are many places where you cannot collect woods. Note that you cannot cut wood to make a camp fire because such is illegal in many places. Also, bear in mind that live wood will not burn easily and make fire. Instead, you will need dry wood. So, you have to pick a camp site that is near an area that’s abundant of dry woods.

Site recognition

Make sure that your camp site was used by other campers before. This will ensure you that the place is somehow safe and secure. If you camp in a new place, you will have to prepare the place for camping and that might take a lot of time. Also, make sure that your camping site is recognized by the respective authorities in that area. In case of disaster and or accidents, you can be sure that local officials will alert you and extend their help to you primarily because they recognize their territorial jurisdiction and responsibility over your camping area.