Camp is Over, What Now?

We know that camp is a brief and intense experience for both our campers and staff. We adjust to this new place and way of living rapidly, build powerful relationships with our peers, and learn so much about how to be our best selves. Then with a snap of the fingers we are home again and looking forward to doing it all again next summer. For many campers they return home filled with stories, new hobbies, and ideas for how their family or school can adopt new practices like composting. With this energy can sometimes come periods of melancholy that present as though the camper is homesick…for camp! As with homesickness at camp, there are a number of strategies you can use as a family to support your camper. Ask questions about their experience at camp and help them think about how to apply what they’ve learned to their daily lives – Is there a meal they learned how to make on their trip? Are there opportunities to go camping near your home? Can they make gifts for friends and family using skills they learned at camp? Connecting these camp experiences to things you can do at home with loved ones will help the camper transfer their knowledge to the rest of their life. Finding ways to stay connected to camp friends can also ease the transition home. Try to schedule in-person or remote get-togethers with other Chewonki campers. Set up a pen pal routine so that your camper is sending and receiving letters throughout the year. If possible, plan a meet up during a family vacation. There are many ways to stay in touch and we are happy to help! Lastly, make your plans for next summer early. If your camper is worried about whether they will see their best camp friend again, putting plans in place for next summer can ease those anxieties and give your camper something to look forward to when they are missing camp.