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Understanding the Importance of a Summer’s Best Two Weeks Camping Experience

Summer camps offer you the perfect opportunity to familiarize your child with different games, fun sports, and new friends. However, a short camping trip limits the number of activities and amount of fun your child can have. This is where a summer’s best two weeks camping tour comes in. On this post we shall discuss: 

  • Les Elfes summer camps
  • Summer camp activities your child can engage in at Les Elfes
  • Benefits your kid will gain from a summer’s best two weeks camps 
Summer Camping Experience

About Les Elfes Summer Camp 

Les Elfes is an elegant international camp situated in Verbier, the French-speaking region of Switzerland. If you don’t speak French however, you shouldn’t worry because English is the official language spoken at the camp.

All international campers staying at the camp communicate in English both in class and during their free time. One good thing about Les Elfes is campers can enroll in foreign language studies. By adopting a communicative learning approach, foreign campers register speedy progress in their designated groups.

Verbier is characterized by an exclusive atmosphere, scenic landscapes, and glamour. Les Elfes, on the other hand, is the only camp in Switzerland that runs all year long. However, there have been inconveniences lately as the world struggles to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.

The management at Les Elfes is monitoring the situation and plans to open the summer camp on 20th July 2020. Non-English speaking campers can enroll for English lessons as part of their educational program.  

Language Courses at Les Elfes 

There are two types of language courses. The classical program is a spoken French, Spanish, English, and German course that runs for 8 hours per week. Lessons in this program are conducted at the summer camp in Verbier.

The intensive program offers English lessons for 15 hours every week. Lessons are conducted in the morning and follow a five-day model. Campers are free to engage in leisure time in the afternoon.

To make the lessons fun and exciting, the intensive program is structured to ensure students learn in small groups (not exceeding 7 learners.) The Les Elfes summer’s best two weeks camping experience includes fun sporting, creative, and entertaining activities as we shall see later. 

Food and Accommodation

Campers participating at Les Elfes summers best two weeks camping experience live in comfortable, classical alpine chalets. These are built of wood and stone and each comes with a reception area, living room, and roomy recreational areas.

They also have a barbecue area, terrace, music room, fireplace area, kitchen, internet cafe, a private dining area, and a library. Campers looking for a more adventurous experience can opt to camp outside in tents.

Planning a long term camping trip can be a difficult task. What with everything you have to organize? The exercise can be more challenging if your kids are going for their first camping experience. This is because you’ll need to buy camping gear.

By camping at Les Elfes you don’t have to struggle with buying camping gear. You can hire every gear you need at the camp at friendly prices. Campers can choose to cook their food or make arrangements for onsite catering services. 

Activities at the Les Elfes Summer Camp

Summer provides campers with the perfect weather to engage in exciting outdoor-related activities. No parent will want to send their children on a summer’s best two weeks trip only for them to spend endless time indoors. At Les Elfes, there are plenty of exciting activities that your kids will enjoy. These include:

· Bike Riding

Kids and teens alike love bike riding and the camp organizers at Les Elfes understand this well. This is why there are bike riding activities for every age group. Apart from having fun, there are many benefits that your child will get from bike riding at the camp. Campers can hire bikes and riding gear at the camp. 

· Wall Climbing at the Onsite Gym

Wall Climbing At The Onsite Gym

Wall climbing is fast becoming a popular sport for both kids and adults. There’s an onsite gym at Les Elfes that has a climbing wall. Your kids will love engaging in this activity while bonding with their newfound friends.

Further, they’ll enhance their eye, feet, and hand coordination. There’s an onsite trained and experienced coach who will train and monitor the kids. All the gear kids need to engage in wall climbing is available for hire at the camp. However, you should ensure your kid has a proper pair of socks.

· Making Friendship bracelets

Creating friendship bracelets is an easy and fun activity that children of all ages can participate in. Parents should ensure their kids have enough yarn, tape, and colored floss. They’ll also need some lettered beads that they can use to sew in their friend’s name on the finished bracelets.

Remember, your kids will make new friends during their summer best two weeks camping experience. Exchanging bracelets at the end of the trip is a fun way of carrying unforgettable memories from the trip. 

· Afternoon and Evening Activities

Afternoon and evening programs at Les Elfes are designed to meet the needs of each camper. They are divided into groups with each group engaging in a different activity between 2000hrs and 2145hours just in time for bedtime.

These activities include making ice cream from scratch, team challenges, ice skating, disco night, quizzes, telling stories, and campfires. Other activities include: dining in a Swiss restaurant, participating in games competitions, going for a torchlight walk, and mountain barbeque. 

· General Activities

There are various general activities at Les Elfes for campers to choose from. These include arts and crafts where campers join different art clubs that are designed to help broaden their artistic skills.

Other general activities include treasure hunts, hiking, social activities such as playing musical instruments, shopping in Verbier, and going picnicking. Campers will also engage in different ball sports such as football, beach volleyball, minigolf, volleyball, table tennis, basketball, and badminton.

· Certificates and Prize Giving Activity

At the end of the summer’s best two weeks camping trip there’s always a final celebration and prize-giving party. All campers take part in the prize-giving night and the organizers reward campers who achieved specific goals.

During this night, organizers have various entertainment options for campers and parents who may have attended the camping trip. This event offers campers an ideal opportunity to bid their newly acquired friends goodbye.

Apart from the prizes, campers who may have attended language courses are handed language certificates. Every camper receives an activity attendance and progression certificate. 

How Will Your Child benefit from a Long Term Camping experience?

Les Elfes summer camps offer the ideal environment for children to learn and enjoy an intercultural community. At the end of the trip, they’ll have gained numerous benefits such as seen below.

· Develops Lifelong Skills

During a summer’s best two weeks camping trip children get a chance to participate in a wide range of group activities. For instance, when a child takes part in a sport such as bowling or volleyball they learn teamwork. They also learn communication and problem-solving skills.

If the child is appointed to be the hiking group leader they’ll be tasked with guiding the team. This will help them develop leadership skills. When a child is tasked with distributing chores among the team members they’ll develop strong communication skills.

Children develop decision-making skills when faced with challenges or conquer obstacles when engaging in adventurous activities such as zip lining. These skills can be developed in a summer camp.

While children learn and develop social skills in school, camp brings together children from diverse cultures and communities. Such an environment encourages a sense of recognition for individual differences. This is different from the school environment which encourages academic achievement.

· Boosts Independence

While on a summer’s best two weeks camping trip a child will have some time away from their parents. This gives them a chance to grow a sense of personal individuality. Children learn how to be self-reliant as they evaluate their interests and identify their weaknesses and strengths.

With time they learn how to listen to and trust their inner voice rather than relying on their elder siblings, teachers, and parents. Independence plays a huge role in the journey to becoming a self-reliant individual.

Is your child afraid of going out or sleeping alone? If they are, summer camp will give them a different perception of the world and help them convert to independence. Independence plays a huge role in enhancing your child’s self-esteem. An independent child will not only be responsible, but they’ll also be good decision-makers.  

· Creates the Right Environment and Time to Play

Right Environment And Time To Play

During the school year, children are accustomed to going to school, completing their homework, and preparing for examinations. This leaves them with no time to play. While some may engage in extracurricular activities, these are often executed within a regulated environment.

Summer camp, on the other hand, offers a relaxed environment, and enough freedom and time to engage in play. Unlimited play helps children to enhance imagination and creative thinking skills. It provides children with the right environment to express their emotions and thoughts. In the end, your child will come back happier and more refreshed.  

Other summer camp benefits include:

boating

  • Encourages teamwork and resilience
  • Helps children to connect with nature
  • Encourages children to get out of their comfort zone and try new things
  • Boosts confidence, and 
  • Promotes growth within a secure environment

Finally

Long term summer camping trips provide your child with an opportunity to explore nature, relax, and benefit from the experience. 

Book your child’s summer camp trip today and get a 10% discount. 

Summer Camp Activities

There are many summer camp activities that people from different age groups can try. Did you know you can enjoy summer camp activities at home? Read on to find out.

Summer Camp Activities

Summer is an ideal time for children to go camping since school break falls around this time. If you have children you may have difficulties choosing the best activities to keep them occupied. One of the best ways to keep kids active and away from their mobile gadgets is through summer camp activities.

Summer camps allow children to meet and make new friends, participate in new challenges, and learn skills. Further, children are introduced to interactive, fun, and educational activities away from the school setup.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hearing more and more of the parents contacting our camp thinking and saying the same thing.

Oh no, not another summer like last year, where your child sat inside all day complaining that there was nothing to do, while you fought as hard as you could just to get them off of their iPad.

Nope, not this year. We are going to give you a list of summer camp activities so engaging that your child will be bounding out of bed every morning, eagerly awaiting to hear what is on for the day. Well, that’s the hope at least…

Here are some of the best summer camp activities that your child should try this summer.

·         Outdoor Word Game for Children

fun-game-hands-leisure

This is a perfect educational and fun activity for kids. To set it up you need some type of scrabble game with big, easy to move letters. These will help kids get better at spelling specific words. This game is perfect for teenagers since it gives them a chance to learn new words.

·         Outdoor Twister game

This is a perfect game for both children and the youth. All you need is to cut the bottom part of a cardboard box into a circle. With this as your base, use different colored spray paint to draw circles outside.

One person will be tasked with controlling the game. They’ll shout colors and the participants will be tasked with identifying and stepping on the same color. This is an exciting and fun summer camp activity that develops hand-eye coordination. 

·         Spray Painting

Spray Color Painting

Spray painting activities are great for helping children exercise their creativity. An easy and cheap way of doing it would be through painting T-shirts. The children only need white plain t-shirts and different cans of colored spray paint. At the end of this activity, you’ll be surprised at what your children are capable of doing. This will not only keep them busy but it gives them a chance to practice and boost their reasoning skills.

·         The Minute to Win It Game

There are different “the minute to win-it-games” for you to choose from. These games are designed to help children learn time management skills. Here, children are tasked with completing a task within one minute. The child who manages to complete their activities within that time becomes the winner.

Some of these tasks include: stacking 25 or more plastic cups and unstacking them, stacking coins, or the ping pong toss (where players have a minute to throw ping pong balls inside a container on a table.) The person who manages to secure the most balls in their container becomes the winner.

·         The Hallway Maze Game

Here, a maze is created from various materials such as strings of pepper. The participant is then tasked with finding their way through the maze within a specific time. During this time they shouldn’t touch the paper. Up to 5 individuals can participate in competition before a winner is announced. This is one of the best summer camp activities for children and adults.

·         Art and Craft

Art and craft summer camp activities

Art and craft summer camp activities are a good way to keep children occupied. They can exercise their creativity by painting, making cards, designing pencil holders, or practicing tie and dye. Apart from enhancing creativity, art, and craft activities can be a great brain memory booster for kids. These activities will help bring out hidden skills in your children.

·         Mini Olympics for Kids

Planning a mini Olympics for the children on a summer camp is a great way of keeping them active and occupied. These games may include cycling, running, or relay races. These are some of the summer camp activities you can use to keep children healthy. What’s more, they could help them discover some of their hidden talents.

·         Hats made From Paper Plates

Both young and older children can exercise their creativity by creating hats from paper plates while on camp. They can even paint them with their favorite colors.

·         Chalk Twister

Chalk Twister

Apart from the chalk twister game, there are various other chalk games. These include chalk maze, sidewalk twister, and alphabet hop. Chalk twister is among the best summer camp activities that your children will enjoy.

This game is similar to the outdoor twister game we discussed before. Both boys and girls will have lots of fun playing this game. You’ll need to create a surface or board on the ground using chalk dust. The rest of the game involves hopping, skipping, and jumping.

·         Parachute Games for Kids

There’s a wide range of parachute games for kids. This particular one is fun and interesting, and ideal for young children and teenagers. A massive parachute is held up by a group of around 5 or 6 children. The children then balance balls on the parachute. This is one of the best summer camp activities that encourages and develops the ability to work in a team.

·         Pool Noodle Javelin

This is one of the safest and popular summer camp activities. Children love engaging in this activity too. Here a participant throws a long material that’s similar to a balloon through a ring made of the same material. This is a cheap easy to play this game that kids can play during summer camp or at home on the weekends.

·         Field Day

Nearly all summer camps will have a field day for the campers. Here, children can participate in various activities such as field trips, hiking, or going for nature hunts. If your child loves adventure this will be their best summer camp activity.

·         Tug Of War for Children

Tug Of War For Children

This game is different from its intense counterpart that’s usually played by adults, especially men. Unlike in the adult tug of war where a thick rope is used, the kid’s tug of war involves the use of a thin rope made of child-friendly and safe material.

Children enjoy playing this game while others use it as a fun physical activity. Supervisors should ensure that children maintain a safe distance between each other for safety reasons. Children engaging in this game will be tested for their strategy and strength. 

·         Leaf Crown

This fun and interesting summer camp activity involve creating crowns from leaves. This is a great idea that helps children become innovative.

·         Nature Hike Project

This summer camp activity is similar to a scavenger field program. The children look for materials they can use to make various items such as interactive bracelets. The materials should be naturally occurring items such as tree barks, leaves, and shells.

·         Making a Compass

Making A Compass

This is one of the easy summer camp activities that children can engage in. children can make them using readily available materials which the camp organizers often provide. Children can also bring them from home. These include a sewing needle or pin, a bowl of water, a magnet, and a small piece of paper, cork, or craft foam. Children enjoy making compasses and the activity is innovative and brain-boosting.

·         Bike Riding (with the family):

Bike Riding

I know this one sounds obvious, and maybe you’ve tried it before but how about trying to tie something more relaxing into the activity to give it more appeal. For example, instead of saying let’s go for a family bike ride, how about burying the biking aspect in with

How about we go on a family picnic where I make your favorite lunch dish, and we go for a swim in the cool lake?” When asked how you’ll get there, then you slide in the, Well, by bikes of course.

It’s been known that children and teens of this day don’t get nearly enough exercise during the summer. Because not every child has the option for summer sports activities during the summer months, you’ll have to get creative ways to get children off of the couch at home, and out into the glorious summer sunshine. What better way to do this than by good old fashioned bike power.

·         Rock climbing wall at the local gym

Rock Climbing Wall

Many gyms these days have a climbing wall right inside the gym. How about taking your child to the local gym? You’ll first need to call them to find out if they have a climbing wall, but I bet you’ll be surprised that they do.

Then the outing could be down to the local gym, where they often give you a free pass to check out and try the climbing wall. This is a great activity, and you may surprise yourself by finding your child has a knack for climbing that they never knew about. This happened to my son’s friend last summer, and now he’s hooked.

Many of the rock walls have a free session for children where the children can train with a trained coach or expert, and they’ll lend you the shoes, harness and the ropes are already there. Just make sure to bring your socks!

·         Friendship bracelets

Friendship Bracelets

Friendship bracelets are really easy and fun to make. All you will need is some yarn, or colored floss to weave together, some tape, and some fun doodads to hang off the bracelets.

I’ve seen children use beads, and other trinkets to make them more fun or personal. Some use beads with letters, so they could put their friend’s name on the bracelet.

·         Homemade Ice Cream

Homemade Ice Cream

Now, what other thing reminds us more of summer than ice cream? And making your ice cream, or even better, having your child or teen make ice cream is an age-old summer activity that will be sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

You would be surprised at how easy it is to make, and even with only a few common household ingredients that you likely already have on hand.

·         Ingredients

  • 2 -3 cups (16oz/450ml ) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 14 ounces (1 Can/ 400ml) sweetened condensed milk (fat-free or regular), cold
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)

For additional flavors, you can go as crazy as you want. Think mango puree, strawberries, salted caramel, kiwi, the list goes on and on, and who can forget about the chocolate sauce.

Instructions

  • Place sweetened condensed milk in the fridge to keep cold.
  • Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold cream on medium/high speed until soft peaks form.
  • Pour the cold condensed milk into the whipped cream.
  • Whisk until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Then mix in your vanilla or other flavors that you like. How about some fresh blueberries that you might have picked from a nature hike that morning?

In case you didn’t know, this is what stiff peaks look like. I was always confused by this term myself until I tried making ice cream and later a tiramisu. You’ll need to whip your ice cream mix until it reaches the consistency of the below.  

Then, just stick in the freezer, wait a few hours and enjoy!

·         Ring Toss

A few years ago, we went on a family vacation to Jamaica with a few other families. There was a simple game that was a ring, tied to an old piece of fishing line that you had to stand a few meters away from and swing it onto a spike stuck in a tree.

Believe it or not, this simple game provided hours of entertainment for children and adults alike. The adults turned the activity into more of a frat party drinking game but it was still fun.

Be creative and tie in some tricks or prizes into the mix, and you’ll have an instant and nearly free activity that can entertain children for a few hours the rest of the summer.

·         Giant Bubbles

Giant Bubbles

OK, this might be for the younger ones, but I’ve even seen the street performers standing at the stoplights trying to earn a few dollars with this one. It’s pretty fun to watch. The recipe is you’ll need is 6 cups water, 1 cup corn syrup, and 2 cups regular strength dish soap. The corn syrup as you might have guessed is the key to allowing the bubbles to get big.

Stir mixture into a shallow tub. Dip blower into solution, lift out, and blow. Or even run with the soapy mixture into the breeze and let a huge bubble fly. You can get some sticks and some string to make the area for the mixture to cling to. Then just add the breeze by running, and let those giant bubbles fly.

·         A Makeshift Puppet Show

This activity is as easy as it sounds. Grab some old socks, paint some faces on them, and let your creativity run wild. You can even cut out some yarn and glue on a wig, or get as crazy as you want for the puppets themselves.

Just do like you see in the movies and have your child hide behind a box or table that is turned on its side and reenact Shakespeare or be their silly selves. It may sound corny, but this one has brought our family and friend to tears as the children make up funny stories and enjoy bringing out the hidden thespian.

·         A Family Visit to A nearby Historical Site or Museum

Oh, the horror, a museum, and learning in the summer? But wait, it’s not as bad as it sounds. There are plenty of museums or historical sites that are a lot of fun to visit in the summer. Many museums these days have fun science experiments or educational how-tos to illustrate fun activities and lessons to children and teens.

·         Your Own Ropes Labyrinth Adventure Park

Own Ropes Labyrinth Adventure Park

You or your child/teen can make a labyrinth park. What’s a labyrinth park you ask?

Well, it’s like a maze but labyrinths are designed so that you can’t take a wrong turn to get out. You walk through the labyrinth, and of course, making it is the most fun part. The even better part is that this is likely a multi-day project and one that you can turn into a garden centerpiece if you want.

The first step is to draw out your design. To give you an idea, here is what a labyrinth could look like. Once you have a design you like, you’ll need to buy some rope and steel to construct the labyrinth.

I told you this was a multi-day project, but it doesn’t mean you need to construct in consecutive days, it could be done throughout the summer if you wanted. Once you have the rope and stakes, measure it out according to your diagram and hammer the stakes into the ground to attach the ropes. A more detailed explanation with all of the steps can be found on this excellent labyrinth making post.

·         Neighbourhood Football/Soccer Match or Capture the Flag

When we were growing up, we used to put together football/soccer matches all the time at the local school ground, or park that could accommodate the size needed. I’ve been doing this nearly my whole life.

Even during beach vacations. We would just grab anything that could make a goal post (a shoe, a coconut, a stick stuck into the ground) whatever we could find. And voila, you have an instant impromptu football pitch.

Now, start inviting the neighbors or your friends to come and play. You can make it more organized and create flyers, even game shirts for teams, and with Moms bringing over a different snack for the children to have during the match.

The other really fun thing to do for all ages is captured the flag. With capture the flag you don’t even need a field its better without a field. You can designate a loose area in the local forest or wooded section near your house. Organize into two teams, separate by age differences, boys, girls, and create the boundary and general rules.

In case you don’t know the rules, they are quite simple. There is a flag that usually a person or persons stand near to guard. This is usually away from the front neutral area towards the front of the game area.

Then there will be some offensive aspect of the team that will try and sneaks into the other team’s area to try and capture the flag without being tagged. To get out or caught, you just need to be tagged by a member of the opposite team, while you are in “enemy territory”.

If a member of the opposite team tags you while trying to get the flag, you are put into “prison”. Usually, a team of the defense then needs to guard the prisoners, because if a member of the offensive team tags a prisoner, all prisoners are released.

We have found both football/soccer matches and capture the flag to be equally as fun with adults and children of all ages playing together.

·         A nature treasure hunt

A lot of children and teens likely have done treasure hunts, but a natural treasure hunt is done with a natural twist. Examples of hints or clues are below, but you can make it more natural by having the hunt is articles of nature. Examples could be pine cones, moss from trees, types of rocks, or different types of leaves.

Likely, your teen will be rolling their eyes at this one, but you can make it more fun by having a prize that you know they will enjoy.

A family hike

family activity

Being from the Swiss Alps, this is a hugely important family activity. It helps when you have some of the most stunning alpine and mountainous scenery in the world, but hikes are a great way to get outside and enjoy any type of environment.

No matter where you live. There are many apps in the Apple app store or Google play store that will give you great information on where the best hiking areas are in your area. The app will tell you based on your physical fitness ability what is most appropriate, the length of the hike, what features you may want to visit (fishing, swimming in a lake, reaching a mountain peak).

Plus, tell you where to park to find the trailhead. You don’t need to live in Switzerland to enjoy a family hike, so go out and do some hiking or walking today.

·         Talent show

Talent shows are great fun for the family. They can be as elaborate as you want them to be, by inviting your friends to take part, and even other families to put on competitions. Children and teens love the opportunity to show off their hidden talents, be they in singing, telling stories, playing instruments, or acting out a play that they wrote.

Maybe you have a comedian in your family, and this will give them a chance to shine. Jim Carrey used to put on stand-up every day after school; you’ll never know what you may find out about your child’s talents until you let them show them off.

·         Make tapas

Make Tapas

Tapas, in case you’re not familiar with them, are small, sometimes even bite-sized snacks with origins from Spain. In the Basque country, the area around the border of Spain and France, tapas are a way of life, and nearly all local restaurants serve them from lunch through to dinner. The idea of having several small dishes with a wide variety of choices has become so popular, tapas restaurants are opening up around the globe. Chances are you have even had them yourself while never having visited Spain.

At our camp, we make tapas and the campers love the idea of having many options to choose to eat.

Here is a list of some of our favorites. And the good news is that most of them are quite easy to make.

·         Spanish Omelet

This is an egg dish with potatoes, olive oil, and other spices. If you want the exact recipe to make this one, you can check out this comprehensive tapas recipe.

·         Calamari

Any way you cut it, people love calamari or fried squid. It may be a bit difficult to get if you’re located in a landlocked area but the idea is some type of chewy white meat, cooked in light tempura or batter, then complemented with some lemon zest. Be careful to make enough of this one, because it’s very popular.

·         A mix of local cheeses and hams

No matter where you live, you likely have access to cheese, try and go to the local butcher or gourmet shop to get some good ones. Traditionally, the cheeses that are used for this are Manchego or Mahon but you can make it with some different types that you like.

Stiltons, goat cheese, strong cheddar cheese complement with some good bread, and some ham’s (Iberian cured ham is great if you can find it). Add some walnuts and some grapes, and you’ll have a real tapas dish.

·         Olives

That’s right, just plain olives and I usually find the ones that still have the pits inside them have the best flavor. If you take the pit out, for some reason some of the strong salty flavors is lost. Usually, it’s best to have a mix of olives, black and green, and with different sizes.

·         Patatas Bravas

These are just potatoes baked with a bit of paprika and spice sprinkled on before you place them in the oven. To make it traditionally the Basque way, use some aioli sauce, which is made from mostly garlic and olive oil. Who doesn’t love those?

Well, these are just a few ideas that we think might be enough to motivate your child or teen up off of the couch, off of their iPad, and out into the bright beautiful summer sun. We hope that you’ll find some inspiration from these ideas.

In case you are wondering where these ideas came from, many of them are what we recommend for our campers. We are an international summer camp located in the heart of the Swiss Alps.

It attracts children and communities from around the world. We have been entertaining children for more than 30 years. So we know a thing or two about how to keep children busy. Our camp runs from December through August too.

If you’d like to learn more about what we do, or more about the ideas we wrote about, just hit the button below to get more information. We’d love to chat with you about these ideas, or even to hear some of your own.Register today and be the first to know about summer camp offers.

The Ultimate Summer Camp List for your Child’s Summer Camp Trip

While going for summer camps triggers a wave of excitement in children, preparing the summer camp list and knowing what to pack can be a daunting task for their parents. Read on to find out how you can make the task easier. We have also included some of the cool stuff for a sleepaway camp that your child may need for a successful camping experience. 

Remember;

Do not begin the packing process at the last minute. Devise a game plan early in advance before you start perusing through your child’s belongings. First, you may want to get in touch with the camping facility and establish their policies. Chances are high that they could have a list of essentials they give to each camper which means your child will not need those.

Still, the camp can supply you with the ultimate summer camp packing list complete with prohibited things and what the campers will need depending on the scheduled summer camp activities. Consider how long the summer camp will last to figure out the number of toiletries and clothing your child will require. If the camp is scheduled to last for more than a week, you may want to establish from the camp organizers whether or not they provide laundry services.

To make the packing process easy, involve your child as well. Allow them to air their ideas and views and let them choose their preferred items. Remember, there are numerous summer camp activities to engage in such as hiking, cycling, or even swimming. To participate in these activities effectively, your child will need the ideal gear. Ensure they have proper clothing to fit the activities. 

Tips to Ease the Sleepaway Summer Camp Packing Process

The following tips will not only ease the packing process, adopting them is the best way of ensuring you don’t forget any essential item that your child may need while on camp.

Choose the Ideal Bag

Before you begin the packing process, choose the ideal bag depending on where the child is going, how many days they’ll be away, and the summer sleepaway camp packing list you have. Contact the camp organizers and ask them to recommend the best bag. While some organizers recommend duffle bags, others prefer trunk bags. Your child will, of course, need a backpack especially if they’ll be engaging in other activities away from the camping site. 

Save on Space 

While many people prefer folding clothes, sometimes it’s not a great method of packing. What’s more, it may not be ideal if your child is to remain organized throughout the camping period. Opt for Ziploc bags or packing cubes to keep everything well contained. This will also help you save more space in the traveling bag. Have different cubes for every clothing category. Pack more Ziploc bags which your child can use to store damp or dirty clothes.

Label all Your Child’s Belongings

Ensure every item you pack is well labeled. Involve your child in the labeling process and make sure they know where the labels are. This will make identification easy should they lose their belongings. 

Avoid Filling up the Bag to the Brim 

You don’t expect your child to come back with a well-arranged suitcase. Chances are, they will just stuff their belongings away in the bag in a disorganized manner. You, therefore, want to leave enough room in the bag to ensure they can still close the zipper with minimal struggle.  

Pack Enough Snacks

Your child will get hungry more when they are away from home. Remember, their eating schedules will not be the same as is the case at home. You’ll not want your child to suffer hunger pangs while on the camp which is why you should at least include non-perishable snacks in the summer camp list. Include extra snacks so that they can share with their friends. 

 Note Down Everything Your Child Needs 

Remembering everything your child needs can be an arduous task. It is therefore important to write everything they need in your notebook. For instance, if your child suffers from allergies you want to pack all the medication they need to get relieve.

If some foods cause them reactions, you want to communicate this with their supervisor early in advance. Sort out all your child’s essentials according to priority. For instance, store the items they will need more often close to the top to ease access. Keep smaller items such as trinkets and writing materials in the inner compartments of their bags.

Make sure your child knows where everything is. Often, items will get lost at the time you need them most and you don’t want this to happen to your child. This is why you should involve them in the packing process as much as possible.

Essentials You Should Pack for a Sleepaway Camp 

Here are must-pack essentials for sleepaway camp.

Alarm Clock 

Sending your child to summer camp comes with various benefits such as learning how to be independent. How many times does your child wake up by themselves at home? Chances are, they hardly wake up unless you wake them up. When they go for summer camp however, they will need to wake up on time and this is why they will need an alarm clock.

A Portable Fan

While various camping accommodations come with air conditioning, campers hardly have any control over them. Include a small portable and where possible a battery-operated fan in their bags to ensure they are comfortable during their stay. 

Pajamas or Robes

During the packing process, parents will pay more attention to packing clothes to wear during the day and forget to include pajamas or comfortable clothing for the children to sleep in at night. This is where the summer sleepaway camp packing list comes in. You want to include every item your child will need for the camp and cross-check everything as you pack them in the bag to ensure your child has everything they require. 

Pack Extra Undergarments and Various Pairs of Socks

 Undergarments are some of the most essential items that your child cannot live without. You not only want to pack enough pieces to last them the entire camping session, but you should also include extra pieces just to be on the safe side. Teach your child how to separate clean underwear from dirty ones. Remember the extra Ziploc bags included in this post? Your child will use them to keep their dirty pieces together.

 Special activity Equipment and Clothes

Find out from the camp organizers what equipment your child will need during the camp. For instance, they will need swimming costumes for their swimming sessions. Depending on your child’s swimming expertise, you may want to include floaters or lifesavers in their bags. If they will participate in horse riding, they could need specially designed gear for horse riding.

If the camping facility offers sporting activities, music or dancing lessons, find out whether your child will need to bring anything along. To make your work easier, ask the organizers for the program of activities. That way, you will know what to and what not to buy. 

 An Extra Pair of Cozy Shoes 

Pack an extra pair of comfortable shoes. Your child will need to change their shoes in case they become wet or dirty. If hiking is among the summer camp activities, the extra pair will come in handy if the camper develops blisters along the way. You may want to include flip flops, especially if the child will get into contact with pool water. 

Extra Sheets or a Sleeping Bag

Remember, temperatures are likely to drop tremendously during the night even in summer. You don’t want your child to be freezing while on camp. Of course, the camping facility could provide these items. However, you want to pack them to keep your child as comfortable as possible. 

 Washing Kit

The washing kit is essential as it will ensure your child is clean and smelling fresh. The kit should include: a toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, washing soap or shower gel, hair bands, clips, and a hairbrush, bathing towels and beach towels if your child will be swimming during the summer camp.

Perhaps you are always reminding your child to take a shower or brush their teeth. Since you will not be with them at summer camp, you want to pack and keep their hygiene essentials closer to the top. This way, they will notice them when they open their bags and this will help them take care of their cleanliness.  

Finally 

These tips should ease the packing process for you and your child. It’s important to know that many camping facilities do not allow some personal items such as electronic gadgets. Avoid these and let your child go out there and explore the world with minimal distractions. Next time your child is going on summer camp, you want to prepare your summer sleepaway camp packing list early in advance to avoid the hassles that come with packing late. Involve your child in the packing process and ensure they know where everything is. This will help them enjoy their camping experience to the maximum.

How to Maximize Your Child’s Summer Camp Experience in Switzerland

Nearly every child looks forward to going on summer vacation. Not only do they get the opportunity to relax away from their books, but many of them get the opportunity to go for exciting summer camps in various parts of the world.

For years, Switzerland has been one of the preferred summer camp places and the country has hosted many young children and teenagers from different parts of the world. As a parent, you should prepare your child adequately to maximize their camping experience. The following tips can come in handy to ease the process.

View the Camp as a Learning Experience

Going for summer camps in Switzerland allows your child the opportunity to explore the world at large outside the locality they are used to. Further, the experience will teach your child how to be independent. They will learn how to nurture new social skills, how to make new friends, and understand the importance of teamwork. Your child will also develop his or her creative skills. On your part as a parent, you can leverage on this opportunity to focus your energy on taking care of yourself, relaxing, exercising, or reading that book you’ve always wanted to read before your child finally comes back.

Involve Your Child in the Camp Planning

Collaborate with your child to make decisions regarding the camp. For instance, you can choose the ideal summer camp location together, choose what to pack, and discuss the perfect activities your child is comfortable engaging in. Give your child a chance to participate in the decision making and you’ll maximize their chances of enjoying it

Discuss any Concerns you may have

As the camping day approaches, your child is likely to become more anxious and perhaps afraid of leaving. This is where you need to encourage them to speak their fears or concerns out. This way, you can understand what’s bothering them. Assure them that everything will work out well and express your confidence in their potential to cope with being far from home.

Set Practical Expectations

Just like any other part of life, a summer camp will have its highs and lows. Some moments will be exciting while others will be low key. It’s important to let your child know this and have a practical and reasonable view of the camp. Talk about some of the highs and lows your child is likely to experience while on camp.

Encourage them to be themselves and avoid feeling pressed for success while on camp. After all, camps should be an opportunity to have fun, relax, and achieve their best depending on their potential without feeling the urge to compete with their peers.

Exciting Child-Friendly Summer Camp Activities in Switzerland

Depending on your career, you may not get summer off in time to either take your children on holiday or take care of them during their summer school break. Still, parents who have their off during summer can get overwhelmed by having active children at home throughout the day.

Luckily, you can send your children to summer camps in Switzerland and still be contented that they will not only be safe, but they will also enjoy their time at camp. Switzerland is a beautiful country which offers numerous child-friendly activities to engage in ranging from educational and fun. Here are some exciting things for your child to do while on Switzerland summer camp.

Sports

If your child is a sports enthusiast, attending football camps can be one of the most exciting activities. Many of the football camp service providers in Switzerland accommodate football activities for both girls and boys of different ages. Your child can participate in the camp from the age of three years.

The camps are spread across various regions in the country such as Geneva, Zurich, Zug, Versoix, Aubonne, Vevey, Lausanne, Basel, and Montreux. All the coaches are fluent in English which is an advantage to many of the foreign students attending the camps during the summer holiday. If you are looking for girls-only camps, you will find them in Versoix and Basel.

Water-Related Activities

Children love swimming and playing with water. What’s more, various locations in Zurich and Geneva offer sailing lessons which your child will be delighted to participate in. Your children will have fun and entertainment engaging in various water-related activities during summer camps Switzerland such as kayaking, and waterskiing.

If your child is going for their summer camp in Zurich, they will enjoy a wide range of outdoor swimming areas which include: rivers, lakes, and pools. The Strandbad Mythenquai, for instance, is ideal for children of different ages. The facility features shallow swimming places ideal for younger children and beautiful sandy beaches. There is also a park and a playing ground with lots of grass where children will enjoy running and playing their favorite games. There is also a grilling area where children can learn how to grill.

Hiking

Hiking is a tedious activity that many children may be reluctant to engage in. However, summer camp organizers can make them exciting for the sake of the children. One way of doing so is by creating a nature trail. Involve a section of the children right from scratch to make the activity more exciting, and to ensure that the remaining section can participate in the activity as the nature hunters.

To create a nature trail, the children with the help of camp organizers will need to plan their route. They will need a notepad, a pen, a camera or a phone to take photos, and search for exciting things to incorporate in the trail such as unique trees with special characteristics, large stones or logs, an animal home, exotic flowers, or shrubs.

After the children have identified these items, they should proceed to design the nature trail by sketching down a map of the trail and writing down instructions for the nature hunters to follow. The organizing group will need to come up with a treasure hunt or a nature trail quiz for the hunters.

This can include things to do during the hunt such as naming the trees they encounter along the way. The final step for the organizing group involves making copies of their map, spotter sheets, and instructions and handing them to the hunters. This activity can be exciting and fun for both groups. What’s more, it can also be used as a learning experience.

Arts and Crafts Related Activities

Children can engage in creative activities while at Switzerland summer camps depending on their ages. The younger children can practice doodle art where they will need drawing materials such as crayons, markers, and pencils, and paper. The children will then use their drawing materials to fill the blank paper with colors and drawings of different shapes. The older children can create bead jewelry.

Seeing that many children are fascinated by beads, this activity will be ideal for both girls and boys. All they will need is a container filled with beads and pipe cleaners or yarn. This activity is simple and children get an opportunity to demonstrate how creative they can get. Make sure to include the beads in varying colors and shapes and you’ll be surprised at the beautiful pieces the children will create.

Visiting Adventure Parks

Children, especially teenagers are energetic and many of them will be excited to try any adventurous activity they can come across. The Adventure Park Davos Färich, for instance, lies beside the Flüela mountain pass foot. It’s a high wire cycle park where your children will enjoy exciting times. It features a mountain bike course and five rope courses with varying difficulties, all of which are suitable for both children and adults.

There are assistants at the wire courses ready to offer the necessary assistance and guarantee safety. Parents, therefore, don’t have to worry. If your child loves biking, then this summer camp Switzerland activity is a must-do for them. The bike trails at this camp come with a pump track, tables, north shore structures, and jumps.

The younger children can also enjoy their child-related activities at the available playgrounds. There’s a restaurant on site too where children can enjoy their favorite snacks after an event filled afternoon.

Horse Riding and Mountain Biking Activities

The idea of going for summer camps in Switzerland is to get children out of their comfort zones and allow them to participate in activities they hardly engage in back home  such as mountain biking and horse riding. One ideal place that offers these activities in Switzerland is the Graubünden campsite.

Nestled beside a lake and surrounded by picturesque pine trees, the campsite comes complete with modern facilities, pitches, a restaurant, and a recreational room beside the lake. Your children will not only enjoy the beautiful views and cool breeze in their Switzerland summer camp, but they will also go horse riding and make new friends while biking around the mountain. Sports lovers will also enjoy playing various sports such as tennis, mini-golf, and golf

Summer Camp Activities

What would you do if you could come up with a list of summer camp activities, that would make any camp director swoon?

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been hearing more and more of the parents contacting our camp thinking and saying the same thing.

Oh no, not another summer like last year, where your child sat inside all day complaining that there was nothing to do, while you fought as hard as you could just to get them off of their iPad.

Nope, not this year. We are going to give you a list of summer camp activities so engaging that your child will be bounding out of bed every morning, eagerly awaiting to hear what is on for the day.

Well, that’s the hope at least…

Bike Riding (with the family):

I know this one sounds obvious, and maybe you’ve tried it before but how about trying to tie something more relaxing into the activity to give it more appeal. For example, instead of saying let’s go for a family bike ride, how about burying the biking aspect in with “How about we go on a family picnic where I make your favourite lunch dish, and we go for a swim in the cool lake?”. When asked how you’ll get there, then you slide in the, Well, by bikes of course.

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It’s been known that children, and teens of this day don’t get nearly enough exercise during the summer. Because not every child has the option for summer sports activities during the summer months, you’ll have to get creative ways to get children off of the couch at home, and out into the glorious summer sunshine. What better way to do this than by good old fashioned bike power.

Rock climbing wall at the local gym

Many gyms these days have a climbing wall right inside the gym. How about taking your child to the local gym? You’ll first need call them to find out if they have a climbing wall, but I bet you’ll be surprised that they do. Then the outing could be down to the local gym, where they often give you a free pass to check out and try the climbing wall. This is a great activity, and you may surprise yourself by finding your child has a knack for climbing that they never knew about. This happened to my sons friend last summer, and now he’s hooked.

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Many of the rock walls have a free session for children where the children can train with a trained coach or expert, and they’ll lend you the shoes, harness and the ropes are already there. Just make sure to bring your own socks!

Friendship bracelets

Friendship bracelets are really easy and fun to make. All you will need is some yarn, or coloured floss to weave together, some tape, and some fun doo dads to hang off the bracelets. I’ve seen children use beads, and other trinkets to make them more fun or personal. Even beads with letters, so they could put their friends name on the bracelet.

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If you want to see a more detailed description of how to make these check out this site.

Homemade Ice Cream

Now what other thing reminds us more of summer than ice cream? And making your own ice cream, or even better, having your child or teen make ice cream is an age old summer activity that will be sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face. You would be surprised at how easy it is to make, and even with only a few common household ingredients that you likely already have on hand.

Ingredients

2 -3 cups (16oz/450ml ) heavy whipping cream, cold

14 ounces (1 Can/ 400ml) sweetened condensed milk (fat-free or regular), cold

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)

For additional flavours, you can go as crazy as you want. Think mango puree, strawberries, salted caramel, kiwi, the list goes on and on, and who can forget about chocolate sauce.

Instructions

  1. Place sweetened condensed milk in the fridge to keep cold.
  2. Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold cream on medium/high speed until soft peaks form.
  3. Pour the cold condensed milk into the whipped cream.
  4. Whisk until the mixture is thick and stiff peaks form. Then mix in your vanilla or other flavours that you like. How about some fresh blueberries that you might have picked from a nature hike that morning?

In case you didn’t know, this is what stiff peaks looks like. I was always confused by this term myself until I tried making ice cream and later a tiramisu. You’ll need to whip your ice cream mix until it reaches the consistency of the below.  

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Then, just stick in the freezer, wait a few hours and enjoy!

Ring Toss

A few years ago, we went on a family vacation to Jamaica with a few other families. There was a simple game that was a ring, tied to an old piece of fishing line that you had to stand a few meters away from and swing it onto a spike stuck in a tree. Believe it or not, this simple game provided hours of entertainment for children and adults alike. Nevermind that the adults turned the activity into more of a frat party drinking game, it was still fun. Be creative and tie in some tricks or prizes into the mix, and you’ll have an instant and nearly free activity that can entertain children for a few hours the rest of the summer.

Giant Bubbles

OK, this might be for the younger ones, but I’ve even seen the street performers standing at the stop lights trying to earn a few dollars with this one. It’s pretty fun to watch. The recipe is you’ll need is: 6 cups water, 1 cup corn syrup, and 2 cups regular strength dish soap. The corn syrup as you might have guessed is the key to allowing the bubbles to get really big.

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Stir mixture into a shallow tub. Dip blower into solution, lift out, and blow. Or even run with the soapy mixture into the breeze and let a huge bubble fly.  As you can see from this image, you can get some sticks and some string to make the area for the mixture to cling to. Then just add the breeze by running, and let those giant bubbles fly.

A makeshift puppet show

This activity is as easy as it sounds. Grab some old socks, paint some faces on them, and let your creativity run wild. You can even cut out some yarn and glue on a wig, or get as crazy as you want for the puppets themselves. Just do like you see in the movies and have your child hide behind a box or table that is turned on its side and reenact Shakespeare or be their silly selves. It may sound corny, but this one has brought our family and friend to tears as the children make up funny stories and enjoying bringing out the hidden thespian.

A family visit to a nearby historical site or museum

Oh, the horror, a museum and learning in the summer? But wait, it’s not as bad as it sounds. There are plenty of museums or historical sites that are a lot of fun to visit in the summer. Many museums these days have fun science experiments or educational how-tos to illustrate fun activities and lessons to children and teens.

Your own ropes labyrinth adventure park

You or your child / teen can make a labyrinth park.

What’s a labyrinth park you ask?

Well, it’s like a maze but labyrinths are designed so that you can’t take a wrong turn to get out. You walk through the labyrinth, and of course making it is the most fun part. The even better part is that this is likely a multi day project, and one that you can actually turn into a garden centerpiece if you want.

The first step is to draw out your design. To give you an idea, here is what a labyrinth could look like. Once you have a design you like, you’ll need to buy some rope and steel to construct the labyrinth. I told you this was a multi day project, but it doesn’t mean you need to construct in consecutive days, it could be done throughout the summer if you wanted. Once you have the rope and stakes, measure it out according to your diagram and hammer the stakes into the ground to attach the ropes. A more detailed explanation with all of the steps can be found on this excellent labyrinth making post.

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Here’s what it could look like at the end of the creation.

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Neighbourhood Football/Soccer match OR capture the flag

When we were growing up, we used to put together football/soccer matches all the time at the local school ground, or park that could accommodate the size needed. In fact, I’ve been doing this nearly my whole life. Even during beach vacations. We would just grab anything that could make a goal post (a shoe, a coconut, a stick stuck into the ground) whatever we could find. And voila, you have an instant impromptu football pitch. Now, start inviting the neighbours or your friends to come and play. You can make it more organised and create flyers, even game shirts for teams and with Moms bringing over a different snack for the children to have during the match.

The other really fun thing to do for all ages is capture the flag. With capture the flag you don’t even need a field, in fact, it’s better without a field. You can designate a loose area in the local forest or wooded section near your house. Organise into two teams, separate by age differences, boys, girls and create the boundary and general rules.

In case you don’t know the rules, they are quite simple. There is a flag that usually a person or persons stand near to guard. This is usually away from the front neutral area towards the front of the game area. Then there will be some offensive aspect of the team that will try and sneak into the other team’s area to try and capture the flag without being tagged. To get out or caught, you just need to be tagged by a member of the opposite team, while you are in “enemy territory”.

If a member of the opposite team tags you while trying to get the flag, you are put into “prison”. Usually a team of the defence then needs to guard the prisoners, because if a member of the offensive team tags a prisoner, all prisoners are released.

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We have found both football/soccer matches and capture the flag to be equally as fun with adults and children of all ages playing together.

A nature treasure hunt

A lot of children and teens likely have done treasure hunts, but a natural treasure hunt is done with a natural twist. Examples of hints, or clues are below, but you can make it more natural by having the hunt be articles of nature. Examples could be pine cones, moss from trees, types of rocks, or different types of leaves.

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Likely, your teen will be rolling their eyes at this one, but you can make it more fun by having a prize that you know they will enjoy.

A family hike

Being from the Swiss Alps, this is a hugely important family activity. It helps when you have some of the most stunning alpine and mountainous scenery in the world, but hikes are a great way to get outside and enjoy any type of environment. No matter where you live. There are many apps in the Apple app store or Google play store that will give you great information on where the best hiking areas are in your area. The app will tell you based on your physical fitness ability what is most appropriate, the length of the hike, what features you may want to visit (fishing, swim in a lake, reach a mountain peak).

Here’s picture of my sons and dog on a local hike near where we live. Not bad, eh?

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Plus, tell you where to park to find the trailhead. You don’t need to live in Switzerland to enjoy a family hike, so go out and do some hiking or walking today.

Talent show

Talent shows are great fun for the family. They can be as elaborate as you want them to be, by inviting your friends to take part, and even other families to put on competitions. Children and teens love the opportunity to show off their hidden talents, be they in singing, telling stories, playing instruments or acting out a play that they wrote. Maybe you have a comedian in your family, and this will give them a chance to shine. Jim Carrey used to put on stand-up every day after school, you’ll never know what you may find out about your child’s talents until you let them show them off.

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Make tapas

Tapas, in case you’re not familiar with them, are small, sometimes even bite sized snacks with origins from Spain. In the Basque country, the area around the border of Spain and France, tapas are a way of life, and nearly all local restaurants serve them from lunch through to dinner. The idea of having a number of small dishes with a wide variety of choices has become so popular, tapas restaurants are opening up around the globe. Chances are you have even had them yourself while never having visited Spain.

At our camp, we make tapas and the campers love the idea having many options to choose to eat.

Here are a list of some of our favourites. And the good news, is that most of them are quite easy to make.

Spanish omelette – This is an egg dish with potatoes, olive oil, and other spices. If you want the exact recipe to make this one, you can check out this comprehensive tapas recipes.

Calamari – Any way you cut it, people love calamari, or fried squid. It may be a bit difficult to get if you’re located in a land locked area but the idea is some type of chewy white meat, cooked in a light tempura or batter, then complement with some lemon zest. Careful to make enough of this one, because it’s very popular.

A mix of local cheeses and hams – No matter where you live, you likely have access to cheese, try and go to the local butcher or gourmet shop to get some good ones. Traditionally, the cheeses that are used for this are Manchego or Mahon but you can make it with some different types that you like. Stiltons, goat cheese, strong cheddar cheese. Then compliment with some good bread, and some ham’s (Iberian cured ham is great if you can find it). Add some walnuts and some grapes, and you’ll have a real tapas dish.

Olives – That’s right, just plain olives and I usually find the ones that still have the pits inside them have the best flavour. If you take the pit out, for some reason some of the strong salty flavour is lost. Usually, it’s best to have a mix of olives, black and green and with different sizes.

Patatas Bravas – This just potatoes baked with a bit of paprika and spice sprinkled on before you place in the oven. To make it traditionally the Basque way, use some aioli sauce, which is made from mostly garlic and olive oil. Who doesn’t love those?

To get your creative juices flowing, here’s a shot of a plate that might get you inspired.

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Well, this is just a few ideas that we think might be enough to motivate your child or teen up off of the couch, off of their iPad and out into the bright beautiful summer sun. We hope that you’ll find some inspiration from these ideas.

In case you are wondering where these ideas came from, many of these ideas are ones that we encourage or use with our own campers. We are an international summer camp located in the heart of the Swiss Alps. With children and communities from around the world, we have been entertaining children for more than 30 years. So we know a thing or two about how to keep children busy. Our camp actually runs from December through August too. If you’d like to learn more about what we do, or more about the ideas we wrote about, just hit the button below to get more information. We’d love to chat with you about these ideas, or even to hear some of your own.

Now go out and enjoy some summer sun!