Displaying items by tag: childrenscamps
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One of the best ways to share the outdoors with a child is to go for a hike. There is always so much to see and hiking is the best way to really get out there and reconnect with the great outdoors. at Swift we often have short hikes around camp where we are looking for different flora and fauna. Children just love their time out in nature chasing frogs, pick up sticks and rocks, watching birds or whatever else may interest them. Yet the most exciting hikes are our Adventure Hiking Trips. when campers leave camp for 2 or 3 days. It’s knowing that every thing you need is on your back and you must make it to the pickup point on time. This is how we build self-reliance.
LET’S PLAY
Being a kid is all about having FUN! Yet, many of todays children do not get enough time outside to just play. Unstructured and without parental supervision. That’s right, without adults. Remember when you were a child out with your friends...not only were you having fun but you were practicing how to get along, how to motivate others, how to resolve disagreements and more. A children’s summer camp like Swift Nature camp allows children the opportunity to mot only have structured fun but also some supervised unstructured time. Ourdaily camp schedule includes three times when we teach children different activities. Each day children will be able to select one of the activities that they most want to engage in . However, the most popular time of the day is the unstructured time, FREE TIME. During this time kids can do what they want— Go swimming, canoeing, catch frogs or just read a book. Most campers agree...there is so much to do and so little time.
Why is this FREE TIME so popular? Kids tell us it is a relief from “normal life” where children are the over scheduled, pressured to perform at school and sports. For many childhood has become a stressful job, its all about sports, grades, chores, music lessons and so much more. Residential summer camp provides the place where children can set their own pace, direct their self interests and just have FUN.
When it is all said and one to play is to learn and to learn you have to have the time to play.
Saw this video and when I watched it seemed to be what SNC is all about.
Saw this video and when I watched it seemed to be what SNC is all about.
Look it’s Ashley!
Mid October we happened to be driving by Madison Wi. and decided to stop on in and spend some time with Ashley. It was great fun! She showed us around the downtown area and we even had a bite to eat. (nothing like Michelle’s food :) So we got a talkin about one of Ashleys favorite topics- Arts & Crafts. She was wondering if we could do some more cool activities. “like what?” we wondered. She thought, maybe we could do more age appropriate activities so like older kids could do copper enameling and more clay, even some woodburing or something like that. We thought it was a great idea and so Ashley is busy working on how she can make Arts & Crafts better. If you have any ideas or activities that you feel we should do email Ashley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Look it’s Ashley!
Mid October we happened to be driving by Madison Wi. and decided to stop on in and spend some time with Ashley. It was great fun! She showed us around the downtown area and we even had a bite to eat. (nothing like Michelle’s food :) So we got a talkin about one of Ashleys favorite topics- Arts & Crafts. She was wondering if we could do some more cool activities. “like what?” we wondered. She thought, maybe we could do more age appropriate activities so like older kids could do copper enameling and more clay, even some woodburing or something like that. We thought it was a great idea and so Ashley is busy working on how she can make Arts & Crafts better. If you have any ideas or activities that you feel we should do email Ashley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
When one thinks of summer camp they think Archery. Yet, archery is so much more than just a way of spending time at camp. It provides us the opportunity to teach life skills: patients, following instructions and persistence just to name a few.
Archery is one of the Swift Nature Camps most popular programs. Both beginner and advanced archers will receive high level instruction from experienced teachers. You'll learn a little about the history of archery as well as the safety rules and commands for the sport. You'll also learn how to string a recurve bows, notch and draw arrows, and proper stance, aiming, and firing.
Our goal is for campers to have a positive first experience with archery. So they feel confident about their experience and want to do the sport more often. We often hear from parents that when their child got home they wanted to get a bow and arrow for the back yard. That makes us feel we are teaching archery the right way.
Catching frogs from camps own beaver pond is a huge camp sport at Swift Nature Camp. it is a challenge too. The big Bull Frogs put up a big battle to free them selves. We even have a favorite bull from the biggest meanest frog of them all JIMBO. Yes he is our mascot and is pictured on this page.
Catching frogs is one of favorite things to do at this children’s summer camp. One of the best hunting spots is the lamp poles at night. You see the frogs come up from the pond at night looking for food and all the bugs hanging around the light will do just fine.
One might wonder are you eating all these favorite catches. Nope they gan spend on night up at the Nature Center Zoo where they hang with the other animals anc catches then its back to where they were caught at. Next summer, join us for some serious frog catching..
