Let’s go camping

Every year, thousands of students enjoy a two-month long vacation from classes, and parents find themselves seeking proper activities to keep their young ones occupied. Sometimes this task may be difficult, considering the number of vacation camps, offering numerous activities, that are currently being advertised around the country.

Children from as young as three can enjoy recreational swimming and karate whilst their teenage counterparts learn the art of swordsmanship and kayaking. The Trini Camp under the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) has promised to cater for children aged three to 13. The camp, which will open from 7.30 am daily, will offer activities such as, recreational swimming, dance, karate and indoor/outdoor games.

Tanya Roberts, after-school programme co-ordinator at the YMCA, told Newsday, at the age of three children are independent enough to use the bathroom on their own and are beginning to explore and learn new things, hence the reason the YMCA has decided to enroll campers from the pre-school age.

For those 12 to 20, the Relevant Theatre Productions has offered a camp entitled “Under the Silk Cotton Tree”, designed to give young people a taste of the performing arts, through the eyes of culture. The month long camp will run daily from July 17 through August 18 and feature professionals in the performing arts including, writer Joanne Haynes, who was recently commissioned by London publisher, McMillan and won the Derek Walcott, short story competition last year and Chantal, musical extraordinaire and co-founder of the Jazz Band, Moyenne.

However, the camp for adventure-lovers would be The Nature Camp offered by Chaguaramas Development Authority, for children aged eight to 13. The totally outdoor camp will provide a variety of outdoor activities including, kayaking, nature trail hiking, visits to Gasparee caves and drumming lessons.

The Chaguaramas Military History and Aerospace Museum will be hosting a camp with several exciting areas. Among the many activities, would be swordsmanship — the art of fencing and traditional war games, where the camp would be placed into two teams and compete for prizes.

Linda Kelshall, camp manager said two new features were added, pvc pipe craft and furniture making. She said the camp which also offers karate, fishing, swimming and art and craft would be under the direction of qualified instructors, lifeguards and specialists in the respective fields.

In addition to Spanish, origami and stilt walking, Camp Trinity will offer lessons on life’s skills, which will focus on teaching teenagers about relationships, communication and guidance on dealing with adolescence.

Finally, the National Institute for Higher Education, Research and Technology (NIHERST) in collaboration with the NGC National Science Centre will be hosting over 20 one-day vacation camps in both Port-of-Spain and San Fernando. Some of the exciting activities include puppetry, making musical instruments, math blaster, animal masks and creature feature.

With so many different camps to choose from, finding the right camp, that suits both your budget and schedule can be achieved with just a few guidelines.

Anna Maria Mora, counselling psychologist and facilitator of Camp Trinity said camps should have proper supervision and a staff trained in dealing with children of different age groups. The camp should have a history of existence and a track record of providing a successful vacation camp and be stimulating, especially for teenagers who, she said, “should not be left idle.”

She added, however, if the camp is just beginning, the facilitators/counsellors should have training in child care and have at least one supervisor for every ten children.

Choosing the right activity should depend on what parents want their children to become proficient in. Some parents may have children who are sports-oriented, therefore a camp offering sport activities may be a good choice, whereas, for the parent who would prefer a child good at acting or script writing, a camp in the performing arts may be best.

Mora advised that camps which enlists medical doctors or nurses on their staff and are additionally outfitted with a first aid kit on hand, would be better equipped to deal with medical emergencies.

This is especially advised for children who suffer from allergies, asthma, epilepsy or other illnesses.

Parents, she added, should take the initiative to walk around the camp facilities, to ensure that the premises are free from flammable material which may pose a fire hazard, in addition to poisonous substances, young children may be tempted to use as experiments. Parents should also look out for large pieces of wood, iron or other garbage which may attract flies or vermin and pose a health hazard.

Be sure to check the restrooms, lunch rooms or sleeping quarters (if available) to ensure they are clean and sanitary, and do not be afraid to call or drop in the camp during the day to see how children are doing.