1st Timer Camp

Guaranteeing Success Of A Child's 1st Time At Camp

When Is the Right Time for My Child to Go to Overnight Camp While Boosting their Chances of Success?

Best Camps 22 Sending your child to an overnight summer camp can be a tough decision. You want to make sure your child is ready for the experience, and that they will have a successful and enjoyable time away from home. But when is the right time for your child to go to overnight camp? And how can you increase the odds of a successful experience? In this article, we'll explore the benefits of overnight camp and how Swift Nature Camp, with its Discovery Camp session (a seesion only for 1st time campers), can help your child have an amazing summer.

First of all, Summer Kids Camps can provide your child with a range of benefits. They can learn independence, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. They can also build new friendships, gain confidence, and try new things. But when is the right time for your child to attend an overnight camp? The answer varies depending on your child, but generally, children aged 8-10 are ideal candidates for their first overnight camp experience, but some children are ready by age 6 or 7. At this age, they are independent enough to handle being away from home and have the maturity to make new friends and try new things.

Now, let's talk about how you can increase the odds of a successful overnight camp experience for your child. One way is to choose a camp that aligns with your child's interests. If your child loves nature and science, then Swift Nature Camp is the perfect choice. Located just a few hours from Chicago and surrounding suburbs,

At Swift Nature Camp, we understand that sending your child to overnight camp for the first time can be a daunting experience. That's why we specialize in providing a nurturing and child-focused program, especially for new campers. Our exclusive Discovery Camp is designed to ensure that each child receives the additional attention they need to make their time away from home a successful experience. We are so confident in our ability to achieve this that we provide you with a Guaranteed Success.

Our Discovery Camp is open to boys and girls aged 6-12 and has a maximum of only 50 children, ensuring a small and personalized experience. Our program is non-competitive and all-inclusive, ensuring that every child feels welcome and valued. Before the start of the camp, we even provide a Meet & Greet session to help ease any anxiety and answer any questions.

Discovery Camp is 12 days in length and takes place from June 4-June 16, 2023. We are so confident that your child will have a great time and come home with increased self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment that we offer a FUN Guarantee. While some parents may think that 12 days is a long time for a first-time summer camper, the truth is that shorter sessions can make it difficult for campers to overcome homesickness and fully engage in camp life. That's why we have found that a 12-day session gives campers the best opportunity to succeed and transition from a state of homesickness to a position of independence. As Jeff Lorenz, Director of Swift Nature Camp, explains, "We've seen campers get 'stuck' and unable to move past their homesickness when sessions are too short."

Another way to increase the odds of success is to choose a camp with experienced staff who understand the needs of children. At Swift Nature Camp, Lonnie & Jeff have been the Directors at SNC for 28 years and ensure all staff members are carefully selected and trained to provide a safe, fun, and educational environment for campers. .

In conclusion, overnight camp can provide your child with a range of benefits, and the right time to attend depends on the child's maturity and readiness. By choosing a camp like Swift Nature Camp that aligns with your child's interests and has experienced staff, you can increase the odds of a successful and enjoyable experience. Consider enrolling your child in the Discovery Camp session to acclimate them to the overnight camp setting. With Swift Nature Camp, your child can have an unforgettable summer filled with adventure, learning, and fun.

Lonnie Lorenz
630-654-8036
www.SNC.Camp
Discovery Camp

Considering A Overnight Summer Camp For The First Time Camper

faceS Choosing an overnight or sleepaway camp can be a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time sending your child away for an extended period. With so many options available, it’s important to consider a variety of factors when making your decision. Here are some tips to help you choose the right camp for your first time camper.

You might consider an overnight summer camp that has an exclusive program only for new campers. At Swift Nature Camp, we understand that starting at a new camp can be overwhelming for some campers, which is why we created a special program just for them. Our experienced staff is dedicated to making the transition as smooth and enjoyable as possible, so campers can start their camp journey on the right foot. Success is gurantted at Discovery Camp
Consider your child's interests and personality. Choose a camp that aligns with your child's interests and personality. If your child loves the outdoors and adventure, a nature camp like Swift Nature Camp could be the perfect fit. If they are more interested in sports or the arts, look for a camp that offers those activities.
Check the camp's safety protocols and certifications. Ensure that the camp you choose follows strict safety protocols and is certified by recognized organizations. Swift Nature Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association, which means that we meet or exceed over 300 standards for camper safety and well-being.
Research the camp's staff and their qualifications. The staff is the heart of any camp, so it’s important to ensure that they are well-trained and qualified to work with children. Swift Nature Camp hires staff members who have experience working with kids and who have a passion for outdoor education.
Visit the camp before making a decision. If possible, visit the camp in person to get a feel for the environment and meet the staff. Swift Nature Camp offers tours of our facilities and encourages parents to come and see what we have to offer.
Read reviews and ask for references. Read online reviews and ask for references from parents who have sent their children to the camp before. Swift Nature Camp has a great track record of happy campers and satisfied parents, and we are happy to provide references upon request.

At Swift Nature Camp, we understand that choosing a sleepaway camp is a big decision, and we strive to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible. We offer a variety of programs to fit every child's interests and abilities, and our experienced staff is committed to providing a safe, fun, and enriching experience for all campers.

We invite you to visit us at Swift Nature Camp and see what makes us one of the best overnight camps in the Midwest. We are confident that once you see our beautiful facilities and meet our amazing staff, you'll know that Swift Nature Camp is the right choice for your child.

Please call to learn more 630-654-8036 or visit www.SNC.Camp

Overnight Summer Camp For The First Time Camper

water Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Look no further than Swift Nature Camp's Exclusive Discovery Camp for First Timers!

Our Discovery Camp is the perfect opportunity for those who have never been to camp before to experience all of the fun and excitement that camp has to offer. From swimming and hiking to arts & crafts and archery, there's something for everyone at our camp. Most really enjoy the camp zoo. And with experienced and friendly staff members there to guide you every step of the way, you'll feel safe and supported while trying out new activities. This is because, in a each cabin we have no more than 6 children and 2 counselors and all of our campers are new to SNC

But the fun doesn't stop there! At our Discovery Camp, you'll also have the chance to make lasting friendships with other first-time campers. Our tight-knit community is one of the things that makes Swift Nature Camps so special, and we can't wait for you to be a part of it. One of the best parts is a Motor-coach can take you and the other campers to camp from Chicagoland and all the surrounding suburbs of Chicago.

So why wait? Sign up for our Exclusive Discovery Camp for First Timers today and discover the magic of camp for yourself! With so much to see and do, you won't want to miss out on this amazing opportunity. Registrations are limited to 60 campers. We can't wait to see you there!

Want to learn more? Give us a call, we love to talk about Swift Nature Camp!

Discovery Camp Overview 2024

Discovery Camp 2024
Boys & Girls 6-12
June 2 - June 14
See Camp Video

Meet the Directors
May 5, 2024 in Oak Brook

Discovery Camp is the perfect summer camp for those campers that wish to have a little more support and encouragement for their first time away from home. Our goal at Discovery Camp is Fun along with New Adventures, but more importantly it's to help campers succeed in being away from home. Should homesickness creep in, we use those 12 days to get your child through their homesickness rather than getting stuck, counting the days till they get "saved". To ensure success, we want your child to end on a positive note feeling comfortable with their new independence, this sometimes takes a little extra time. At Swift Nature Camp we do not view ourselves as only child entertainment. No, we are part of your child's personal development and want to be an integral part of their ages & stages for years to come. Maybe that's why nearly 100% of the Children that participate in Discovery Camp want to return. Some even do later that same summer.

Camp Advantages:
Only First Timers at SNC
Shorter Time Away From Home
Fewer Campers
Younger Campers
Money Back Guarantee

DISCOVERY CAMP OVERVIEW

Session Length	-12 days
Camp Size	-less than 60 Children. We all start & end at the same time in a effort to build a community.
Arrival to camp	-Parent drop off or Take Camp Motor Coach from Chicago or Minneapolis
Cabin Size	-6 Children with 2-3 camp Counselors
Activities	-Nearly 50 Activities including Land, Water & SNC Specialties - All activities assess a campers skill level then moves forward from that point.
Nature Center	-Animals & Nature are an important part of our days at camp. When kids play outside they see a need to appreciate and protect it.
Overnight Trips	-Campers will spend all nights in their cabin, except for 1 nite sleeping in a tent on an overnight trip on SNC property. .
Schedule	-Our days have 2 planned activities in the morning with a free choice in the afternoon, in the evenings we do all camp activities.
Tech Free	-Send NO electronics with your camper. You can always call the office and talk with the Directors.


	*Please feel free to call with any of your questions or if you would like some references....that's why we are here 630-654-8036

LEARN MORE & SEE A VIDEO

COME TO THE
The Swift Nature Camp - Meet and Greet
Fullersburg Woods, 3609 Spring Rd. Oak Brook, Il
May 5th, 1pm
meet greet SNC

This is an exciting opportunity for parents and campers to learn more about overnight summer camp at Swift Nature Camp, including the First Timer Camp -only for New Younger Campers. Meeting starts at 1pm, please be on time. Atendees will have ample time to ask questions, share their concerns, and gain a better understanding of what to expect from Swift Nature Camp overnight camp experience. Plus the kids will sing songs and play camp games with the counselors.

As guests arrive at Fullersburg Woods Parking Lot, look to the left at the picnic area, there you will be greeted by the Directors Jeff & Lonnie and other friendly staff members. When we start parents will stay with the Directors while campers will head out on a hike with some counselors. Parents and campers will have the opportunity to meet and chat with current campers and counselors, gaining a first-hand perspective on what life at camp is like.

The event is designed to be interactive and informative, with plenty of opportunities for attendees to ask questions and get the information they need before camp starts or even before regestering. Whether it's about the daily routine, meals, activities, or safety measures, the Swift Nature Camp team is eager to answer any and all questions.

Campers can expect to hear more about the various activities that Swift Nature Camp has to offer, including outdoor adventures, nature studies, Lego, arts and crafts, and much more. They can also look forward to making new friends and enjoying a summer of fun and adventure.

Parents, on the other hand, can learn more about the camp's policies, procedures, and safety protocols. They can discuss their child's specific needs with the staff and directors, ensuring that their child's time at camp is comfortable, enjoyable, and safe.

Overall, the Meet and Greet event at Fullersburg Woods in Oak Brook, IL is a wonderful opportunity for parents and campers to connect with the Swift Nature Camp community and learn more about what the camp has to offer. It's an exciting step towards a summer of adventure, friendship, and personal growth. Hope to see you and your family there on May 5th at 1pm.
Learn More about camp at www.SNC.Camp

meet greet SNC

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Looking for a Summer Camp

If you and your youngster have talked and decided that he or she is ready for summer camp, there is a place to begin. A free Summer Campwebsite has been created by experienced directors of a long established camp to help you choose the best one for your child. This article will offer you some basic tips that can help you in making a well...

Informed decision

Choose a camp taking into account the requirements and desires of your youngster beyond your own preferences. Include your child in the search process and have an ongoing discussion about the important things that you and your kid want from attending the camp. A child is going to want to do what he or she thinks will be fun, and that really IS important. As a parent do you want your child to enhance particular skills, learn independence in a safe envoronment, or develop self-confidence? Together, take note of his or her special interests and find out if your child has any intellectual, social or physical issues that require consideration. Summer camp populations may be all girls, all boys, brother and sister or co-ed. At co-ed summer camps, boys and girls do participate in many supervised camp activities together. They share use of amenities such as dining halls and swimming and waterfront areas. Brother and sister camps provide structured opportunities for social interaction but most of the time facilities and activities are separate for girls and boys. Private summer camps are more expensive than nonprofit summer camps, but price does not always equate with the quality of a young camper's experience at that camp. It is recommended to anticipate extra expenses involved in choosing and going to summer camp such as extra canoe trip or activity charges and the cost of your visit to the camp. When you contact a camp you are considering, the director should be happy to give you complete information about the true cost of that camp. Keep in mind as you discuss this or other topics that the attitude of a camp's directors and staff will have more bearing on your child's experience than the cost. Typically the duration of a camp can range from one to eight weeks. Consider your child's readiness to be away from home, for days or overnight. Ongoing discussion with your child will be helpful, especially for balancing fear with anticipation and excitement. A first time camper will often face an adjustment and that may be temporarily challenging for some kids. Find out how the camp accommodates and deals with a first time camper's homesickness and the initial adjustment to camp life. A conversation about this area with a camp's director can also show you if the attitude so important to a good experience of camp is going to be there when your child arrives. Your child may want to join a camp with friends. Although it is natural for a youngster to want to go to camp with his or her friends, there are times when there is value in time away from accustomed peer pressures. When it comes to learning independence and developing self confidence there can be an advantage to starting fresh in an unfamiliar environment. Children usually have boundaries and achievement pressures when in school and at home, but at summer camp they are free to try different things with new friends. With the help of knowledgeable staff and counselors in the camp, campers of all ages can safely find out what works best and what doesn't in terms of interpersonal relationships. You can find out more about how to bring these opportunities to your child's life by visiting www.summercampadvice.com.

Benefits of Summer Camp

Summer camp can be a bridge to the world over which a child can carry the seeds of attributes already planted at home and in school. The right summer camp can be the ideal first step away from home and family, because a good summer camp is still a safe environment for learning independence. Summer camp is a place for fun and the joy and passion of growth free from the stress of modern fascination for achievement. Camp is a respite from the technology that can rule a child’s life and distract from human attributes rather than being a tool to implement them. A camper can discover and develop attributes like these over the course of every summer and have a great deal of fun doing so.........

Affirmation: Sometimes one simple word of affirmation can change an entire life. Recognition from outside can turn into recognition from the inside. also known as confidence.
Art: Everyone who wants to create… can. The world just needs more people who want to, and a child who is free from the pressure of competitive achievement is free to be creative.
Challenge: Encourage a child to dream big dreams. In turn, they will accomplish more than they thought possible… and probably even more than you thought possible.
Compassion/Justice:  Life isn’t fair. It never will be – there are just too many variables. But when a wrong has been committed or a playing field can be leveled, we want our children to be active in helping to level it.
Contentment:  The need for more material things can be contagious. Therefore, one of the greatest gifts we can give children is a genuinely content appreciation for with what they have… leaving them to find out who they are.
Curiosity:  Children need a safe place outside the home to ask questions about who, what, where, how, why, and why not. “Stop asking so many questions” are words that need never be heard.
Determination: One of the greatest determining factors of success is the exercise of will. Children flourish when they are given independent opportunities to learn how to find the source of determination within themselves and exercise that determination.
Discipline: Discipline is really a form of concentration learned from the ground up, in arenas that include appropriate behaviors, how to get along with others, how to get results, and how to achieve dreams. Properly encouraged, self discipline can come to be developed into an self sustaining habit.
Encouragement: Words are powerful. They can create or they can destroy. The simple words that a counselor or mentor might choose to speak can offer encouragement and create positive thoughts for a child to build from.
Finding Beauty: Beauty surrounds us. A natural environment can inspire our children find beauty in everything they see and in everyone they meet there.
Generosity: The experience of generosity is a great way for a child to learn it. Generosity is a consistent quality of heart regardless of whether the medium that reflects it is time, energy or material things.
Honesty/Integrity:  Children who learn the value and importance of honesty at a young age have a far greater opportunity to become honest adults. And honest adults who deal truthfully with others tend to feel better about themselves, enjoy their lives more, and sleep better at night.
Hope: Hope means knowing that things will get better and improve and believing it. Hope is the source of strength, endurance, and resolve. And in the desperately difficult times of life, it calls us to press onward.
Imagination: If we’ve learned anything in recent years, it’s that life is changing faster and faster with every passing day. The world of tomorrow will look nothing like the world today. And the people with imagination are the ones not just living it, they are creating it.
Intentionality: This word means the habit of pausing to find the intent behind each of the ongoing choices that comprise our lives. It is the moment of reflection toward one’s own source: slow down, consider who you are, your environment, where you are going and how to get there.
Lifelong Learning: A passion for learning is different from just studying to earn a grade or please teachers. It begins in the home and school but can be splendidly expanded at summer camp. A camper has fun being safely exposed, asking questions, analyzing the answers that expose more and having more fun doing it all again. In other words, learn to love learning itself.
Meals Together: Meals together provide an unparalleled opportunity for relationships to grow, the likes of which can not be found anywhere else.
Nature: Children who learn to appreciate the world around them take care of the world around them.
Opportunity: Kids need opportunities to experience new things so they can find out what they enjoy and what they are good at.
Optimism: Pessimists don’t change the world. Optimists do.
Pride: Celebrate the little things in life. After all, it is the little accomplishments in life that become the big accomplishments. Pride in the process is as important as pride in the results.
Room to make mistakes: Kids are kids. That’s what makes them so much fun… and so desperately in need of our patience. We need to give them room to experiment, explore, and make mistakes early, when consequences are so much less severe.
Self-Esteem: People who learn to value themselves are more likely to have self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. As a result, they are more likely to become adults who respect their own values and stick to them… even when no one else does.
Sense of Humor: We need to provoke laughter with children and laugh with them everyday… for our sake and theirs.
Spirituality: Faith elevates our view of the universe, our world, and our lives. We would be wise to instill into our kids that they are more than just flesh and blood taking up space. They are also made of mind, heart, soul, and will. And decisions in their life should be based on more than just what everyone else with flesh and blood is doing.
Stability: A stable environment becomes the foundation on which children build the rest of their lives. Just as they need to know their place in the family, children need an opportunity to learn how to make their place amongst their peers. Children benefit from having a safe place to learn how stability is made and maintained outside the home.
Time: Time is the only real currency.Children can learn to believe to respect the value of time long before they come to realize how quickly it can pass.
Undivided Attention: There is no substitute for undivided attention, whether it comes from a parent, a teacher, a mentor, or a camp counselor.
Uniqueness: What makes us different is what makes us special. Uniqueness should not be hidden. It should be proudly displayed for the world to see, appreciate, and enjoy.
A Welcoming Place: To know that you are always welcome in a place is among the sweetest and most life-giving assurances in the world.
Along with lifelong friendships, the recognition and development of these attributes is the lasting gift of a child’s experience at summer camp. A summer at camp is the most fun possible way a child gets to experience what it is to be human.
Summer camp is usually thought of in terms of all the traditional activities and facilities that come to our mind, and those elements are indeed part of what makes the experience memorable. But the true essence of the experience of summer camp is human connection. The attributes in this article are qualities that are rediscovered and expanded by interaction with counselors, staff and other campers in a natural setting. The best summer camps are carefully staffed and creatively programmed by directors with this concept in mind. As one director put it, “Our hope is to give the world better people one camper at a time.”

Top Ten Medication Tips For Summer Camp

Many Parents, who have their children on medication are concerned about sending their children to summer camp. This is understandable and here is a top ten list composed by camp advocate Dr. Christopher Thurber.

1. Have your son or daughter stay on any medications they take during the school year. If it’s helpful at home or school, it will be helpful at camp.
2. Don’t make major medication changes just prior to camp. The transition to camp is...

Top Ten Medication Management Tips at Camp

By Dr. Christopher Thurber

1.       Have your son or daughter stay on any medications they take during the school year. If it’s helpful at home or school, it will be helpful at camp.
2.       Don’t make major medication changes just prior to camp. The transition to camp is enough of an adjustment without further complications from medication discontinuance or prescription switches. Make any adjustments a few months before opening day.
3.       Discuss dosing and the camp’s daily schedule with your child’s prescribing physician to ensure smooth administration of all medications. The timing of doses at home or school may have to be adjusted at camp because of how the camp’s daily schedule works.
4.       Clearly label everything with your child’s name. Prescription bottles are already labeled, but be sure inhalers, nebulizers, Advair discs, and everything elseyour child brings to camp is clearly labeled with his or her name.
5.       Openly discuss any medication your child takes with him or her. A surprising number of children don’t understand why they take certain medications and/or why their dosing schedule is designed the way it’s designed. Campers’ adherence to prescription directions will be much better—and any shame will be greatly reduced—if the prescriber and parents have had honest discussions with the child about the medication’s purpose and dosing.
6.       Share your child’s medication history with the camp’s health care providers, both on the camp’s health form and in person. Each detail about a child’s assessment, diagnosis, and treatment that parents provide to the camp’s health care providers puts those professionals in a better position to care for that child. Leaving the camp nurse or doctor in the dark about some medical or psychological condition greatly compromises the quality of care they can provide. Trust that the information you provide will be treated confidentially.
7.       Meet the camp nurses and doctors on opening day. It’s nice to put a face with a name in case you need to be in contact during the session.
8.       Meet your child’s cabin leader on opening day. Share helpful information with him or her about your child and his treatment. (or, if your child travels to camp on a bus, be sure to write a personal letter to the cabin leader about your child and his or her treatment.)
9.       Provide the camp with all your contact information (cell, home, work, vacation home, etc.)
10.   Relax…camp will take good care of your child.

Dr. Thurber also offered ACA attendees a terrific medication resource he created with the help of his colleague, Joshua Gear, M.D.: “Psychotropic Medication Rapid Reference: A Guide for Camping Professionals.” The Guide is a list of the most common psychotropic medications prescribed to campers along with their generic names, information about what conditions they are intended to treat, common side effects, and (perhaps most importantly) what your health staff should do if a camper on one of these medications misses a dose for some reason. I encourage you and your health staff to visit Dr. Thurber’s excellent website,www.campspirit.com to request a copy of the Guide.

Looking for a Summer Camp

If you and your youngster have talked and decided that he or she is ready for summer camp, there is a place to begin. A free Summer Campwebsite has been created by experienced directors of a long established camp to help you choose the best one for your child. This article will offer you some basic tips that can help you in making a well...

Informed decision

Choose a camp taking into account the requirements and desires of your youngster beyond your own preferences. Include your child in the search process and have an ongoing discussion about the important things that you and your kid want from attending the camp. A child is going to want to do what he or she thinks will be fun, and that really IS important. As a parent do you want your child to enhance particular skills, learn independence in a safe envoronment, or develop self-confidence? Together, take note of his or her special interests and find out if your child has any intellectual, social or physical issues that require consideration. Summer camp populations may be all girls, all boys, brother and sister or co-ed. At co-ed summer camps, boys and girls do participate in many supervised camp activities together. They share use of amenities such as dining halls and swimming and waterfront areas. Brother and sister camps provide structured opportunities for social interaction but most of the time facilities and activities are separate for girls and boys. Private summer camps are more expensive than nonprofit summer camps, but price does not always equate with the quality of a young camper's experience at that camp. It is recommended to anticipate extra expenses involved in choosing and going to summer camp such as extra canoe trip or activity charges and the cost of your visit to the camp. When you contact a camp you are considering, the director should be happy to give you complete information about the true cost of that camp. Keep in mind as you discuss this or other topics that the attitude of a camp's directors and staff will have more bearing on your child's experience than the cost. Typically the duration of a camp can range from one to eight weeks. Consider your child's readiness to be away from home, for days or overnight. Ongoing discussion with your child will be helpful, especially for balancing fear with anticipation and excitement. A first time camper will often face an adjustment and that may be temporarily challenging for some kids. Find out how the camp accommodates and deals with a first time camper's homesickness and the initial adjustment to camp life. A conversation about this area with a camp's director can also show you if the attitude so important to a good experience of camp is going to be there when your child arrives. Your child may want to join a camp with friends. Although it is natural for a youngster to want to go to camp with his or her friends, there are times when there is value in time away from accustomed peer pressures. When it comes to learning independence and developing self confidence there can be an advantage to starting fresh in an unfamiliar environment. Children usually have boundaries and achievement pressures when in school and at home, but at summer camp they are free to try different things with new friends. With the help of knowledgeable staff and counselors in the camp, campers of all ages can safely find out what works best and what doesn't in terms of interpersonal relationships. You can find out more about how to bring these opportunities to your child's life by visiting www.summercampadvice.com.

Benefits of Summer Camp

Summer camp can be a bridge to the world over which a child can carry the seeds of attributes already planted at home and in school. The right summer camp can be the ideal first step away from home and family, because a good summer camp is still a safe environment for learning independence. Summer camp is a place for fun and the joy and passion of growth free from the stress of modern fascination for achievement. Camp is a respite from the technology that can rule a child’s life and distract from human attributes rather than being a tool to implement them. A camper can discover and develop attributes like these over the course of every summer and have a great deal of fun doing so...

Affirmation: Sometimes one simple word of affirmation can change an entire life. Recognition from outside can turn into recognition from the inside. also known as confidence.
Art: Everyone who wants to create… can. The world just needs more people who want to, and a child who is free from the pressure of competitive achievement is free to be creative.
Challenge: Encourage a child to dream big dreams. In turn, they will accomplish more than they thought possible… and probably even more than you thought possible.
Compassion/Justice:  Life isn’t fair. It never will be – there are just too many variables. But when a wrong has been committed or a playing field can be leveled, we want our children to be active in helping to level it.
Contentment:  The need for more material things can be contagious. Therefore, one of the greatest gifts we can give children is a genuinely content appreciation for with what they have… leaving them to find out who they are.
Curiosity:  Children need a safe place outside the home to ask questions about who, what, where, how, why, and why not. “Stop asking so many questions” are words that need never be heard.
Determination: One of the greatest determining factors of success is the exercise of will. Children flourish when they are given independent opportunities to learn how to find the source of determination within themselves and exercise that determination.
Discipline: Discipline is really a form of concentration learned from the ground up, in arenas that include appropriate behaviors, how to get along with others, how to get results, and how to achieve dreams. Properly encouraged, self discipline can come to be developed into an self sustaining habit.
Encouragement: Words are powerful. They can create or they can destroy. The simple words that a counselor or mentor might choose to speak can offer encouragement and create positive thoughts for a child to build from.
Finding Beauty: Beauty surrounds us. A natural environment can inspire our children find beauty in everything they see and in everyone they meet there.
Generosity: The experience of generosity is a great way for a child to learn it. Generosity is a consistent quality of heart regardless of whether the medium that reflects it is time, energy or material things.
Honesty/Integrity:  Children who learn the value and importance of honesty at a young age have a far greater opportunity to become honest adults. And honest adults who deal truthfully with others tend to feel better about themselves, enjoy their lives more, and sleep better at night.
Hope: Hope means knowing that things will get better and improve and believing it. Hope is the source of strength, endurance, and resolve. And in the desperately difficult times of life, it calls us to press onward.
Imagination: If we’ve learned anything in recent years, it’s that life is changing faster and faster with every passing day. The world of tomorrow will look nothing like the world today. And the people with imagination are the ones not just living it, they are creating it.
Intentionality: This word means the habit of pausing to find the intent behind each of the ongoing choices that comprise our lives. It is the moment of reflection toward one’s own source: slow down, consider who you are, your environment, where you are going and how to get there.
Lifelong Learning: A passion for learning is different from just studying to earn a grade or please teachers. It begins in the home and school but can be splendidly expanded at summer camp. A camper has fun being safely exposed, asking questions, analyzing the answers that expose more and having more fun doing it all again. In other words, learn to love learning itself.
Meals Together: Meals together provide an unparalleled opportunity for relationships to grow, the likes of which can not be found anywhere else.
Nature: Children who learn to appreciate the world around them take care of the world around them.
Opportunity: Kids need opportunities to experience new things so they can find out what they enjoy and what they are good at.
Optimism: Pessimists don’t change the world. Optimists do.
Pride: Celebrate the little things in life. After all, it is the little accomplishments in life that become the big accomplishments. Pride in the process is as important as pride in the results.
Room to make mistakes: Kids are kids. That’s what makes them so much fun… and so desperately in need of our patience. We need to give them room to experiment, explore, and make mistakes early, when consequences are so much less severe.
Self-Esteem: People who learn to value themselves are more likely to have self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth. As a result, they are more likely to become adults who respect their own values and stick to them… even when no one else does.
Sense of Humor: We need to provoke laughter with children and laugh with them everyday… for our sake and theirs.
Spirituality: Faith elevates our view of the universe, our world, and our lives. We would be wise to instill into our kids that they are more than just flesh and blood taking up space. They are also made of mind, heart, soul, and will. And decisions in their life should be based on more than just what everyone else with flesh and blood is doing.
Stability: A stable environment becomes the foundation on which children build the rest of their lives. Just as they need to know their place in the family, children need an opportunity to learn how to make their place amongst their peers. Children benefit from having a safe place to learn how stability is made and maintained outside the home.
Time: Time is the only real currency.Children can learn to believe to respect the value of time long before they come to realize how quickly it can pass.
Undivided Attention: There is no substitute for undivided attention, whether it comes from a parent, a teacher, a mentor, or a camp counselor.
Uniqueness: What makes us different is what makes us special. Uniqueness should not be hidden. It should be proudly displayed for the world to see, appreciate, and enjoy.
A Welcoming Place: To know that you are always welcome in a place is among the sweetest and most life-giving assurances in the world.
Along with lifelong friendships, the recognition and development of these attributes is the lasting gift of a child’s experience at summer camp. A summer at camp is the most fun possible way a child gets to experience what it is to be human.
Summer camp is usually thought of in terms of all the traditional activities and facilities that come to our mind, and those elements are indeed part of what makes the experience memorable. But the true essence of the experience of summer camp is human connection. The attributes in this article are qualities that are rediscovered and expanded by interaction with counselors, staff and other campers in a natural setting. The best summer camps are carefully staffed and creatively programmed by directors with this concept in mind. As one director put it, “Our hope is to give the world better people one camper at a time.”

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Discovery Camp 2024Boys & Girls 6-12 June 2 - June 14See Camp Video

Camp Advantages:Only First Timers at SNCShorter Time Away From HomeFewer Campers Younger Campers Money Back Guarantee

Session Length

-12 days

Camp Size

-less than 60 Children. We all start & end at the same time in a effort to build a community.

Arrival to camp

-Parent drop off or Take Camp Motor Coach from Chicago or Minneapolis

Cabin Size

-6 Children with 2-3 camp Counselors

-Nearly 50 Activities including Land, Water & SNC Specialties - All activities assess a campers skill level then moves forward from that point.

-Animals & Nature are an important part of our days at camp. When kids play outside they see a need to appreciate and protect it.

Overnight Trips

-Campers will spend all nights in their cabin, except for 1 nite sleeping in a tent on an overnight trip on SNC property.

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-Our days have 2 planned activities in the morning with a free choice in the afternoon, in the evenings we do all camp activities.

Tech Free

-Send NO electronics with your camper. You can always call the office and talk with the Directors.

*Please feel free to call with any of your questions or if you would like some references....that's why we are here 630-654-8036

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Discovery Camp 2024
Boys & Girls 6-12
June 2 - June 14
See Camp Video

Camp Advantages:
Only First Timers at SNC
Shorter Time Away From Home
Fewer Campers
Younger Campers
Money Back Guarantee