March GATA Webinar
For this month’s Gold Arrow Teacher Academy (GATA) webinar on Wednesday, March 10 at 5pm PT/8pm ET, we are focusing on Growing Grit! Grit, which is another word to describe the important character...
View Article2021 Dance Themes!
One of the highlights of each session is our camp dance. We don’t know exactly what the dance will look like this year, but we do know that it will still be an awesome time! Dances feature favorite...
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Sleepaway Camps Permitted to Open in CA!
We received good news this week. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has included “sleepaway camps” (resident camps like GAC) in businesses that are permitted to open (with COVID...
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What One Week Of Camp Can Do For Your Child
“My shy, quiet nine-year-old went to camp not knowing a soul. She came home transformed. She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved, confident, and happy —...
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The Blessing of the Least Favorite Activity
t/sdcard/DCIM/100GOPRO/GOPR0413 by Audrey “Sunshine” Monke Wendy Mogel’s best selling book, The Blessing of a Skinned Knee, resonated with me. I can relate much of her message to camp and to my own...
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Parking Your Helicopter
Originally published on Sunshine Parenting By Audrey “Sunshine” Monke As parents of this generation, we’ve been told that great parenting means being super-involved with our children and always being...
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Do Camp Experiences Improve Academic Performance?
In all probability, the educationist of the year 2000 AD will look back upon us and wonder why we, the school people of 1938, failed to include the camp as an integral unit of our educational system. –...
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Research Finds Children Learn Social Skills At Camp
A few years ago, I conducted research on the impact camp experiences have on children’s social skills and happiness. This research was through the California State University, Fresno for my master’s...
View ArticleSunshine and Michael Thompson
Episode 62. For this very special episode of the POG-Cast we were joined by long time parenting and camp guru Michael Thompson, Ph.D. to talk about independence, life success, raising children in the...
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What to Say to a Nervous Camper
This post and video is for those of you who have decided that your child is going to camp, and especially for those of you who had a previously excited camper who is now having last-minute camp...
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Why Kids Flourish at Camp
Traditionally, psychologists have focused on studying psychological diseases – depression, anxiety, eating disorders, etc. – and their cures. But led by Martin Seligman (University of Pennsylvania), a...
View ArticleMeet the 2021 Staff
We are so excited to be back at camp for another summer of fun, friends, and growth! Our staff is a big part of what helps make camp the special place that it is! Check out our Meet the Staff page to...
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Why Kids Need to Get Uncomfortable
As parents, we spend a lot of time making our kids comfortable. Feeling cold? I’ll grab you a sweatshirt. Hungry? Let me get you a snack right away! Kid being unkind? I’ll complain to the teacher and...
View ArticlePenguin
Episode 63. Soy is joined on the POG-Cast by longtime camper and brand new staff member Penguin. She and Soy talk about the Junior Counselor program, what it’s like to have a sibling at camp, and how...
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The Gift of Handwritten Letters
Recently, I’ve been going through the many boxes of letters, photos, and memorabilia which I have collected over my first five decades. It’s been a time-consuming task, but I’m trying to organize into...
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Why Kids Make Their Closest Friends at Camp
Excerpt from Camp Secret #9: Coach Kids to Better Friendships (Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults) Why Kids Make Their Closest Friends at Camp The great...
View Article2021 Dance Themes!
One of the highlights of each session is our camp dance. Dances feature favorite group dances, like Footloose and Tragedy. There’s also our photo booth for some pictures with friends, special snacks...
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Homesick and Happy Book Discussion Guide
Every child has to practice being independent and every parent has to practice letting his or her child be independent.-Michael Thompson, Ph.D., Homesick & Happy: How Time Away from Parents Can...
View ArticleEcho
Episode 64 Soy is joined by a woman who talked her mom into sending her to camp at age 6 and has been coming ever since! Echo came to camp on the shirttails of her older sister Nox and has learned...
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Why Camp Pick-Up Deals Don’t Work
“If you’re sad or uncomfortable, I’ll come pick you up right away.” In camp director lingo, we call this kind of pre-camp statement a “pick up deal.” And it’s a terrible idea. In fact, it’s a terrible...
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