Month: May 2018

NEW WEBSITE

We are excited that you have come to visit our BRAND NEW WEBSITE! Please look at it on your computers, tablets and phones and let us know what you think!

SPRING FLING- SUNDAY, 6/10

We hope you are available to join us for the RESCHEDULED Spring Fling on Sunday, June 10 from 1pm-4pm. Enjoy air bungee, Green Giant, face painting, games & light refreshments with your family and friends. Sylvan Learning of Port Washington will demonstrate some of the robotics and coding activities we have in store for campers this summer. This event is for current Shibley families and prospective families that wish to learn more about camp for 2018 or 2019.

PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES

We are also available for camp tours 7 days-a-week if you are not available on 6/10.

REMINDERS FOR ENROLLED FAMILIES

Don’t forget to send in a completed medical form for each camper attending Shibley ASAP if you have not already done so! The form can be found in your CampMinder account. The form must be completed by your child’s pediatrician.

Please also let us know the exact dates of camp your child(ren) will attend this summer if you have not already.

The other day, in my capacity as a standards visitor for the American Camp Association (ACA), I visited the day camp that I attended when I was a child. I love being a part of the accreditation process for local day camps. This is my 7^th year as a visitor and I hope to stay involved for years to come. For me, there aren’t many feelings that are better than stepping into a camp, especially on a beautiful spring day like it happened to be last week. This time it was even more meaningful, having spent summers at this day camp at an early age. Even with all of the updated amenities and facilities it was very recognizable. Walking through certain parts of the camp gave me the chills.

The first thing we (myself, an associate visitor and a camp director) do is sit down at this time of year and review…wait for it…paperwork. It doesn’t sound exciting, but It is very interesting to see how so many successful accredited camps and summer programs meet the standards set forth by the ACA in their own unique ways. Handbooks, charts, forms, digital documents, orientation outlines, etc., etc. How, when, what and to whom we communicate has become one of the most important parts of running any program that involves children. We looked at all sorts of certifications and written policies.

We took a quick walk around camp which was interesting because there were several projects in progress that we will get to observe the children enjoying in just a few weeks. During the summer we visit the camp up for accreditation while it is in action. We observe arrival, instructional swim, lunch procedures and many of the activities as they take place while we tour around camp checking for standard compliance. We review any paperwork not seen in the previous visit or timely items like current health forms and nurse logs. We document it all and if the timing works out, we eat lunch with the campers before we part.

In essence we have the opportunity to experience a few hours of another camp which means we watch children participating in valuable activities with interest and excitement. And in case you didn’t know, creating a camp program where children feel this way for 39 days straight is my passion. The goal of the ACA accreditation process is EDUCATION, EDUCATION & ECUATION. If we do it right, the camp being accredited, and the visitors should each walk away with ideas on how to make their respective camps even safer. I am so excited for this summer’s visit, I’m sure I will follow this up with some details when it’s complete.

If anyone out there is a camp professional and looking for a way to volunteer, I recommend becoming a standards visitor! You can share your camp knowledge and experience, keep children at all camps and summer programs safe and improve your own camp by learning from others! I can point you in the right direction- heath@shibleydaycamp.com.

It is May 17 and I am starting to feel the anticipation because there are less than 40 days left until the start of camp.  For me the most exciting day of my year is and has always been the first day of camp. Even though I have experienced it over 40 times, the newness of it is always the same. One of our favorite sayings in the camp industry is 10 4 2. It means it takes 10 months of very hard work to get ready 4 the 2 months of camp. After extra-long hours of preparation in May and June, it will all come to fruition on June 25.

I know I will wake up that morning at 5:00AM with no alarm clock needed.  My body knows it is time. I get to camp at 6:00AM and the adrenaline is rushing. At 7:00AM the early morning staff starts arriving and there is a buzz in the air. I think about our staff members and campers starting to awaken in their homes and the excitement they are feeling as they get ready for the first day of camp.  I can imagine the parents kissing their children goodbye and wishing them a great day as they board the Shibley bus.  As the time approaches 9:00AM, the buses start to arrive at camp and ready or not here they come! And boy are we ready!

This is the moment that I wait 364 days for and it never disappoints. There is a special energy in the air on the Shibley campus on this day and the 38 days that follow.  And then we cry when it ends on August 17 and start all over again…10 4 2.

Sylvan Learning of Port Washington will be at Shibley for a few special days summer providing special coding and robotics classes for our campers and we are extremely happy to have them on board! Here is a brief description of what our campers can expect this summer:

Summer Camp

Build robots. Build friendships. Build confidence! Sylvan robotics will give your child a lively introduction to building and programming robots.  The students will build cool models out of LEGOs® and animate them with award-winning WeDo™ software — while they learn basic programming skills.

They will also be here on 5/19 from 1-4pm at our Spring Fling:

Please come and join us for a few hours of Robotics, Enginering, and Coding!  You will have the opportunity to work on projects in which you become bold builders and cool coders!  Raffle and prizes will also be given out that day!

     

Hey Met fans…….there was no joy in Mudville (Citifield in our case) last Sunday, as the Colorado Rockies made it a bumpy road for the home team.  However, Shibley was there in full force supporting the Mets and our Shibley community.  For many of the campers that attended it was their first experience at a major league ballpark and we were honored to be a part of their special day.  There were so many highlights from Sunday including meeting in front of the Big Apple and enjoying the carnival-like activities to walking through the hallowed halls of Citifield where the players train and practice. As we reached the end of the hall, we felt the excitement and electricity of stepping out onto the warning track in left field where Cespedes makes amazing catches and laserbeam throws towards home plate.  And of course, as we arrived at our seats, it was time to taste the delights of Citifield. Some of us stuck with good old fashioned hot dogs while others went for the noveau cuisine that has given Citified a special flavor.

For me, there is nothing like spending a Sunday afternoon at the ballpark with friends and family. Last Sunday, I spent the day with my Shibley family and nothing is better than that!

 

While the home team may not always win, enjoying this shared experience is really what it’s all about.  As our bonds deepened every inning, many of our campers met new friends for the first time who they will share their summer adventures with.  Parents engaged with each other and the Shibley staff members who attended.  So……the Mets lost….but it was a win-win for all of us.  Spending time with each other and creating lasting memories is what Shibley is all about. Make sure to mark May 19th on your calendars for the Shibley Spring Fling where more great memories will be made! See you there!

I love to travel – whether it’s by car, boat or flight…I’ve been fortunate enough to see some pretty cool places. I like my vacations to incorporate a mix of adventure and relaxation!

You ask why I’m telling you about this…Well, as you might have heard Shibley has some pretty cool adventure additions to camp this year.

We added a Zip Line to our famous Adventure Park in the trees. Our adventure park is for campers who are 6 years old and older. Check out these photos:

We didn’t want our 3 – 5 year old campers to feel left out, so new for Summer 2018 – our Junior Camp Adventure Park! It looks awesome and we can’t wait for you to try it out this summer.

While we won’t do this at Shibley, I wanted to include a picture of one of the most exciting Zip Line tours I did. This is from Nicaragua in 2012.

In addition to our two Adventure Parks, our adventure program also includes our Climbing Wall and Go-Karts. The summer will be here before we know it – can’t wait to see you all on our Zip Line and Adventure Parks this summer! Please email me – rachel@shibleydaycamp.com – Tell me what adventure activity you are most excited about!