Posts Tagged ‘teens’

Is Summer Camp Safe

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Shortly, nearly 10 million children be going to Summer Camps. But before they go, health experts are issuing strong new advice to both parents and camp directors, and recommending new precautions to protect campers’ health.

Recent guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the ACA (American Camp Association.) suggest parents be aware of their camps health and safety policies. Dr. Walton, is lead author of the paper and official policy statements.

the key to this policy is parents need to thoroughly determine whether a camp is right for their child’. Don’t just assume its great because your childs friends are going. One need to assess if it meets their childs mental, emotional and physical well-being, as well as their interests and skills.

Walton says, “camps should provide parents with a complete picture of what their programs involve”. Look at the total package and be sure it is safe an healthy for your child.

Long before camp starts parents need to be talking about homesickness with their child. Parents need to use their resources like with the doctor who does the child’s pre-camp health assessment and fills out the health form.

Parents should also avoid making pre-arranged plans with their children about picking them up if they get homesick. This only gets kids thinking about the way out of camp. Only should parents discuss camp positively, avoid expressing doubts about a child’s ability to avoid homesickness.

The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines say the pediatricians need to be involved with camps in their local have up to date protocols and help as medical backups for camp health personnel.

Asthma and allergies also bring new challenges for camps. Parents need to teach their children how to use rescue inhalers or EpiPens (allergy-calming epinephrine injection devices). With or with out the summer camp. Camps need to help children have them nearby at all times.

“The delay that can occur when another camper or counselor has to run to the camp nurse’s office to grab an inhaler for a child who is having an asthma attack or an EpiPen for a child who has been stung by a bee can have real health consequences,” says Walton.

The new guideline do not give recommendations for summer camps that serve of children with special needs. However, it suggest that local pediatricians take part in such camps, and help establish programs specific to them.

Selecting the best Summer Camp for your child is easier with a FREE resource Summer Camp Advice Find a Summer Camp

Swift Nature Camp is a Illinois Summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend traditional outdoors summer camp activities with that of a Science Summer Camp. that promotes an appreciation for nature.

categories: health care, summer camp, doctors, parenting, recreation, outdoors, travel, kids, teens, summer camp nurse,special needs camp,summer camp

What Animals Teach Kids

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Summer camp is the place for kids and animals to meet, whether the camp includes animals as a part of traditional camp programs or makes a more formal approach . Either way Animal Camps have alot to offer.

Connecting with animals in a natural setting can put a child at the beginning of a lifelong sense of relationship with nature. A deep respect for nature as an adult often starts with experience as a camper.

Swift Nature Camp’s pond aquarium offers a unique way to see the world from the perspective of another animal: pond life from a frog’s point of view. The Wisconsin camp also maintains a live animal collection they call Nature’s Neighbors. Campers can bring their own small animals to camp with them where the animals can live in the camp’s Nature Center and be available to all the children.

Working in conjunction with the Wisconsin DNR and the U.S. Park Service, Swift Nature Camp has also developed a hands-on environmental learning program which includes field trips, such as visits to a fish hatchery and state parks; hands-on field projects, like goose banding and butterfly counts; and exciting camp presentations, including visits with live owls.

Campers are individuals, and Swift Nature Camp has created a voluntary merit program that allows each child to mix skill development and play in ways that suit his or her personality. Experience with animals can be refined into skills in areas like pet care, insects, bird watching and horseback riding.

The joy of discovering nature is the joy of discovering the world we live in. Living in a natural environment with access to animals is a perfect invitation for expansive play. Camp is a place where children can learn about animals as a participant rather than just receiving information. Camp is more fun and less stressful than school, and the world becomes the classroom.

Still looking for the Best Children’s Camp Se SummerCampAdvice.com

Swift Nature Camp is a Summer Youth Camp in Wisconsin. Boys and girls ages 6-15 enjoy traditional summer camp activities while while learning about nature and the environment. at this Summer Science Camp

The Most Critical Strategies To Keep In Mind When Playing On Clay Tennis Courts

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

If you’re an active tennis player and you’ve never played on red clay, this is a surface that you’ll surely appreciate. There’s a ton of history behind red clay, and playing on it is a truly magical experience.

Playing on clay can be an extremely enjoyable experience, though anyone living in North America may have a hard time finding a court. Regardless, it’s a surface that many lovers of the sport truly cherish.

If you’ve never played on red clay courts before, I’d like to share a few pieces of knowledge that you may find informative about them.

First of all, the most effective strategy on this surface has always been one from the baseline. Players traditionally rely on powerful ground strokes as a means of winning their matches.

Unfortunately, players with big serves and proficient net games simply won’t find as much success on clay courts. The impact of a hard hit serve or a quick rush to the net simply doesn’t have the same effectiveness.

Why is this the case? Well, it all has to do with the surface that the matches are being played on. You see, clay is a thick surface and one that slows the ball down as a result.

This is very different from what you’d observe on grass and even hard tennis courts, as the ball almost skids off the ground on these other surfaces. These are faster courts, unlike clay ones.

The ball bounces very slowly off the ground on a clay court, as the surface literally slows down its speed. This is a good thing if you’re a baseline player, as you’ll have more time to prepare for each shot.

Rallies are typically longer, and what you’d normally never be able to get to on a hard or grass court may be well within reach when it comes to clay.

If you’re a fast runner, you’ll certainly enjoy this aspect of the courts. It should come as no surprise that some of the best clay court players are the fastest ones.

Aside from clay courts, this writer additionally frequently writes on car window cleaner as well as car carpet cleaning.

categories: tennis,exercise,fitness,sports,recreation,entertainment,travel,leisure,hobbies,teens,advice,education

Bear Life Lessons

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010

Black Bear, Loon & Walleye: A Fable from the Northwoods a story by Sara Button holds a special place in our hearts. As Directors of Swift Nature Camp an Nature Summer Camp in the Northwoods of Wisconsin,our campers can see this story unfolding right in front of their eyes. It is so special we keep a copy in our camp library for all to read.

Black Bear, Loon & Walleye tells the story of three friends–one furry, one feathered, one sporting fish scales–and each wishes for the gifts of another. Black Bear longs for shiny scales to look flashy and impress his friends; Loon wants to sport and enviable fur coat; and Walleye wants to fly. But when their wishes mysteriously come true, each realizes a disadvantage: Bear’s scales can’t keep him warm, Loon can’t fly with fur weighing her down, and Walleye has bad eyesight and is no good at flying even with feathers.

Black Bear, Loon and Walleye take a wild adventure that teaches them lessons that are timeless universal truths. The friends learned a valuable lesson that day, to appreciate each others gifts, but most of all to value their own. Trying new things is important, because you might find something that you really enjoy. But if it doesn’t work out, you still get to know yourself better. So each characters learned that they each have special gifts and that they need to always appreciate the others gifts, while valuing their own.

This is a story for all generations and a reminder of the importance of trying new things, understanding our own true nature, and having faith that we are all perfectly designed to fulfill our own unique purposes in life. Know yourself well! Value your gifts!

At our summer camp a wonderful opportunity arises to promote each child’s personal development by providing fun, friendship and leadership in a supportive and noncompetitive environment away from the daily life of a child’s home. Camp provides children an opportunity to act on their own, be self-reliant and try things for themselves, always knowing that if it doesn’t work out they can start over with little consequences after all it’s camp. This is like the books’ stars Black Bear, Loon and Walleye.

Ech night as our camp counselors read stories to the children a familiar call is heard in the background. As the loon calls it brings this story to life and makes it a special evening. If coming to the Northwoods is not as easy for you use the CD that comes with the book has loon sounds along with a guitar and the story read aloud.

If you are looking for a summer camp for your child try Summer Camp Advice a free reference for parents looking for the perfect Children’s Summer Camp.

Swift Nature Camp is a Wisconsin Minnesota Summer Camp for boys and girls ages 6-15. Our focus is to blend traditional Overnight Summer Camp activities with an appreciation for nature, animals and the environment.

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Advice For Tennis On Hard Courts

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

There are a handful of different tennis court surfaces. Each one has its own unique set of attributes, adding an interesting element to this already exciting sport.

More tennis courts these days have a hard surface than any other kind. This wasn’t always the case, as the origins of the sport trace back to grass and clay courts. Still, there are many reasons that many choose to build hard courts, most notably the fact that they’re low maintenance.

Let’s go into a few of the details about this type of court to see what makes it unique. If you’ve ever played on one, I’m sure you’ll be able to relate to some of the things that I point out here.

This is a fast type of surface to play on, and this may work for or against you when it comes to playing a match. If you have a big serve, you’ll thrive here as your serve will skid once it bounces, making it fast and difficult for your opponent to return.

When it comes to ground strokes, you can do some damage here too by hitting the ball hard and with heavy spin. This will keep the pressure on your opponent, especially if the ball is kept deep. Beware though, your opponent could do the same to you, giving you a hard time in the process.

If you’re a fast runner, you won’t be as well off as you will be when playing on clay. Since the ball moves quickly, you’ll have a harder time tracking down balls.

Still, this isn’t to say that your speed won’t be an asset during a match, because it absolutely can and will. You’re far better off as a fast runner playing here than you would be on grass, and a speedy player is certainly difficult to defeat if there are other weapons that player possesses as well.

If you enjoy volleying, you’ll like the perks that come with volleying on hard courts. Since the surface is fast, some hard hit volleys to the corners of the court will be extremely difficult for your opponent to return.

In light of the above, develop a strategy on these courts that lends itself well to your game. Most of all, have some fun in the process.

The writer also frequently blogs on commercial walk in freezers and the commercial refrigerator and freezer combo.

categories: tennis,exercise,advice,education,recreation,fitness,sports,hobbies,teens,kids,men,women,travel,leisure