Eco-Friendly Camps – Smart Choice!

Summer camps are a rite of passage for most children. In fact, according to the American Camp Association, more than 11 million children and adults take part in summer camps each year. Most parents want to make sure that their kids come home from camp with some valuable lessons and experiences under their belt, and we’re not talking about learning how to glue macaroni noodles to paper or how to be a champion kick ball player. Sure, most summer camps are technically “green” and are full of outdoor activities that will have your kids reconnecting with nature and playing in the dirt, but how many camps actually require kids to put on their environmental thinking caps? This summer, consider sending your precocious kids to a camp that channels their energy towards learning about Mother Earth.Why Green is Good

• Eco-friendly camps are an easy way to acclimate and introduce your kids to earth-friendly living.
• Many schools incorporate green lessons throughout the year. However, with three months off from school, a lot of information can be lost. Green camps will keep their minds fresh!
• If you’re trying to raise an eco-aware child, or maybe they’re already passionate about the environment, a green camp is your best bet. They’ll be surrounded by their peers who are curious about the same things they are. They’ll feel accepted and fit right in.
• Green camps can inspire children to make a change and will teach them the importance of caring for the earth.
• They’re filled with lots of fun, outdoor activities and they make caring for the environment exciting!
• They offer a variety of activities, like learning about watershed systems, forest ecology, gardening, sustainable living, creative arts, nature studies, outdoor living and community action group building (all offered at Tanglewood Summer Camp in Maine) that aren’t available at traditional summer camps.
• Some camps, like Tanglewood, also offer leadership development programs that focus on community building, diversity, service learning and leadership while learning about local ecology and natural history.
• Most importantly, eco-camps teach kids to be more comfortable with the environment and make them feel like they CAN make a difference