Imagine if Hogwarts had a day camp for aspiring young wizards. That thought wasn’t too far a stretch one afternoon this past summer at Horizons. It was “choice” period at Horizons, the only non-residential camp of The Aloha Foundation. On a broad grassy playing field, Chipmunks to Falcons — campers ranging in age from kindergarten graduates to nearly-out-of-middle-schoolers — were preparing for an important match. They wriggled into green or yellow pinneys and chose carefully among a pile of brightly colored swim noodles. Some of the children taped big letters — B, C, K — to their pinneys. At the ends of the playing field, three tall wooden stakes held hula hoops aloft — yellow, pale green, and, higher than the other two, pink. Together, the stakes and the upended hoops looked like enormous bubble wands — but were actually goals for the quaffle. The lettered pinneys stood for Bludgers, Chasers and Keepers. And the field was set for an all-out, campers against counselors, game of Quidditch. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Camp’
How wizards spend a hot summer’s day at Horizons Day Camp
Monday, December 12th, 2011A Hive Mother Answers Frequently-Asked Questions
Monday, September 5th, 2011
Each day at Hive is filled with adventures AND hugs
“Who sends a seven year-old to camp?”
I start with this question because I got it a lot when I made the decision to send my daughter for her Elfin summer — and I repeatedly asked it of myself when I was packing her trunk. “Who sends a seven year-old off to camp?”
But the decision to do it was actually very easy: my daughter has always had a daring spirit and when she heard that there were places for kids to go adventuring by themselves away from their families, she was thrilled. My husband and I could have said, “No, wait until you are older,” but we wanted to encourage her. We were frank with her about the challenges — yes, she would probably have moments of wanting to go home. That was normal. How was she going to handle it? we asked. She would talk to her counselor, she said, and find something to keep her busy. Good plan, we said. At worst, we told her, you’ll have ten days that were harder than you expected but you will come home proud that you tried something new.
Behind the Scenes of an Aloha Tradition
Friday, July 22nd, 2011
Director Downey watches Friday night's performance.
Anne Downey, Department Head of Aloha’s Performing Arts Department, had just called a short break from rehearsals for this year’s show, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” and the Hale, Aloha’s music building was quiet and almost empty. In two days, families and friends would arrive for Show Weekend and the back-to-back musical performances that have become a much anticipated and grand Aloha tradition. Downey gave the confident, matter-of-fact sense that she’d been through this nervous period before and that this year’s cast would be just fine. Still, she was now counting the remaining preparation in hours.
Some girls shuffled off to the main building to refill water bottles. Others retreated to shade under trees or on the porch. A heat wave was cresting over New England, spreading even as far north as Fairlee. Every door in the building stood wide open to welcome small gusts coming off Lake Morey or slight forest breezes. Downey waved her copy of the script like a thick fan and explained that after the break, the cast would do a complete run-through of the show. “We want them to see what they can do,” Downey said. “We have girls on lights, backstage, on stage. This is big-girl camp. Every girl plays an important role.” (more…)
The Nature Principle Applies at the Camps & Programs of The Aloha Foundation
Saturday, May 7th, 2011
Children gain immense self-esteem conquering challenges outdoors
Richard Louv is back, and this time, he’s telling us that not only should children be spending more time in the woods, but that his advice goes for plugged-in adults too. That means you, reading this post on your laptop, and for me as well, writing inside on a beautiful spring day in Vermont. The bestselling author of 2005′s Last Child in the Woods has written The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder, which will be in bookstores on May 10th. Like his previous book, The Nature Principle is likely to make a big splash in the media, and in our collective consciousness, as Louv argues that the success of future generations will belong not to people who focus solely on technology and the digital world, nor to those who eschew the progress made by technological advances and improvements, but to those who Louv would claim, have a “hybrid mind,” able to enjoy and harness the powers of both worlds. (more…)
Vermont Summer Camp: Packing the Trunk ~ Top Ten List
Monday, June 14th, 2010
Top Ten List of Items to Be Sure to Pack in Your Camp Trunk
With just a few days left to pack your trunk before heading to Vermont for opening day at the Aloha Camps, here’s our list of what you might include that isn’t on an official camp packing list. In addition to the camp’s list, it is easy to find articles online that give packing guidance, and also make great suggestions on what to leave at home.
- It is easy to pack fun accessories to be used for themed costume parties; items like colorful scarves, silly hats and sunglasses can be the perfect finishing touch to an ensemble pulled from the camp costume room.
- A flashlight is the go-to item for most campers navigating after dark, but a headlamp can provide excellent hands-free illumination on foot and also for reading in bed after dark.
- Disposable cameras allow kids to enjoy picture taking without the worry of losing or damaging a valuable camera. While a digital camera sometimes pulls a child out of the moment to inspect photo results, a disposable film camera means that the focus remains on the event at hand with the results and memories to be revealed and enjoyed after camp. (more…)
