Keeping Summer Camp Magic Alive Through COVID-19
At the end of summer camp 2019, as we all said goodbye to SNC for the year and started to make plans of returning in 2020, we did not anticipate an obstacle quite like COVID-19. As the pandemic started to grip the nation, life as we knew it was about to change. It didn’t take long for my college to shut down, originally only being an extended spring break, which quickly turned into remote learning from my hometown for the rest of the year. Friendships made at school were suddenly taken away, plans that were made for the end of the school year, all gone thanks to a pandemic. Yet, despite all of this, SNC 2020 still happened as planned, with a few adjustments of course.
Coming to camp wearing a face mask would be the first noticeable change that took place in the summer. As I showed up, the bright smiles I was used to seeing on the first day back were replaced with a piece of fabric that made breathing more difficult. Usually during staff training, all the male counselors would sleep in one cabin and all the female counselors would sleep in another cabin. This year, we were split up, having to open multiple cabins so that we could minimize the risk of spreading the virus if one of us had it. Despite this, some things didn’t change. We still created strong bonds with each other and grew from strangers to friends, we still laughed and joked, it still felt like we were at camp. With camp set up and ready to go, there was only one crucial piece missing, the kids.
Our first session is always the shorter Discovery session. It is designed for campers who have never been to Swift to feel out if this camp will become their new summer home. In previous years, our biggest worry was homesick kids, as many of them had never been away from home for two weeks. This year, we had the unique obstacle of COVID, which would test our abilities as a team, communicating with each other if we were worried about a possible case of COVID, enforcing children to wear face masks in hot and humid weather, having a UV light in the cabins, and having a reworked schedule. With all of these changes, some of the returning counselors wondered if it was even the same camp we had come to love. As it would turn out, it was. It became clear quickly that there did not appear to be any cases in camp, and as no one could leave and come back, all worries of spreading the virus were gone and we got to enjoy camp as we knew it. After the first week, we relaxed COVID restrictions, the masks we once wore over our faces were no longer present, instead replaced by the beaming smiles of kids. 3rd activity and Free Time came back, which was fantastic, because even counselors love Free Time. Camp was back to normal, and there was no greater feeling. As the second week came to a close, so too did the session, and we sent home all of our new friends happy, dirty, tired, and most importantly, COVID free. For them, it was the end. For us, it was merely the beginning.
While Discovery felt difficult with COVID policies, the first Explorer session would present a new issue. Many kids in these sessions have been coming here for years, and they knew how the schedule worked and what camp felt like, so when that was all changed due to a virus, they faced a similar problem the returning counselors had. Was this the camp that they had grown to love and call home in the summer? The hardest part about this session was not being able to hug all the kids you remembered from years prior as they got dropped off. We had hit the reset button, our guards were up, and we were ready to beat our invisible virus enemy again. As a counselor, I am always shocked by how much the kids change over a year of time. In the months we aren’t at camp, little boys and girls turn into young men and women. Some kids feel like they’ve grown a foot since you’ve last seen them. Seeing these changes is one of the most exciting parts of this job, because even though they’ve changed on the outside, they are still the same kids on the inside. There were several returning campers I didn’t recognize at first glance due to their growth and the face mask over their mouth. After settling back into our COVID scheduling, it again became clear that the chances of the virus being present here were quite low, and a bit into the second week of camp, we relaxed restrictions. All of a sudden, it was back to normal, the bell woke us up, we stood shoulder to shoulder in the bathroom all trying to brush our teeth, and we high fived and sang on our way into the dining hall. Camp was back, and for a longer time during this session. Free Time and 3rd activity allowed us all to meet new people and make new friends, whether they had been coming for years or this was their first year here, camp was in full swing. Smiles, laughter, and singing filled the dining hall, and the returning campers remembered why they come back every summer. The second week quickly came to a close and the third week flew by, bringing us to the end of another session. Again, we sent the kids home happy, dirty, tired, and COVID free.
When the final session of the summer came around, we knew COVID cases were rising, and some of us began to worry about having the virus at camp. As the final group of campers arrived, we all had to put masks back on and completely restart, which was very difficult for both staff and campers who stayed for 6 weeks. We had just enjoyed living mask free at camp, and for one last time, we started all over again. However, the first week flew by and we once again began to relax COVID policies more and more, until we were able to return all the way back to normal camp. The last session always feels the fastest, and this one was no exception, and felt like it ended as quickly as it started and the summer was coming to a close. Due to our strict policies, and possibly a little bit of camp magic, we were very fortunate not to have a single case of COVID amongst campers or staff.
We always tell the campers that camp is a magical place, and some choose to believe it, and some don’t. After this summer I can say, without a doubt, this is the most magical place to exist. Despite there being a pandemic, we still had camp. Even with COVID restrictions, we still had fun. And even though case numbers grew as the summer went on, no one here ever got the virus. Against all odds, we had another successful summer, filled with laughter, singing, and a ridiculous amount of sand in everything we owned. We would wake up every morning, feeling thankful that we were at camp, having fun, and being safe, even if it meant wearing a face mask. But the days where the masks came off, there were screams and cheers of joy, because it meant that we were finally back home for the summer, the way we wanted it to be all year. And it made leaving even more bittersweet than it usually is, because we overcame an invisible enemy, by working together, by using patience, knowing the best days were ahead of us, and by uniting as a community to ensure we could all get the experience that we wanted to have. If that isn’t the very magic of camp at work, I have no idea what is. This summer exemplified what camp is about, adapting to change, working together, and overcoming any challenges that come along. With summer 2020 behind, we are already looking forward to summer at SNC 2021. Until then, keep smiling, respect one another, and when it’s summertime again, we will be up here waiting for you to return.
Fall Camp at SNC!
As the summer of 2020 came to a close, we had many reasons to be grateful here at Swift Nature Camp. We were grateful for the families who sent their children to camp, and the faith they had in us to take care of them in uncertain times. We were grateful that we were able to send every one of the kiddos back home healthy and virus-free. And, of course, we were grateful for the opportunity to open Swift for our first ever Fall Camp!
Getting to spend extra time at camp is always a blessing, but there is something about being here in the fall that makes it so special. A lot of the great parts of summer camp are still present: we do fun activities like boating and arts & crafts, play classic games like capture-the-flag and zookeeper, and make memories with friends old and new. But the changing of the seasons brought new and exciting changes to camp, as well. We have new clubs to choose from every week, like kayaking, reading, ukulele, camp choir and more. Our wonderful camp cook has made more kinds of soup than we can count, as well as all the hot chocolate we'd ever need! We even carved pumpkins and had an all-camp snowball war! Think it was too cold to swim? Think again! We all took part in what I'm certain was the coldest "Polar Bear Swim" this camp has ever seen! But the cherry on top of our Fall Camp sundae? The natural beauty of northern Wisconsin. It's no secret how picturesque this area is in the summer, but living amongst the trees as they change colors and shed their leaves is truly a sight to behold.
Thank you again to all of the families who made fall camp possible. To those families who couldn't make it this fall, we hope you all stayed healthy and enjoyed your fall as much as we did, and we'll see you all next summer!
Online schooling has long been an option for children - and it is the best choice for some children. When schools began to go online-only in the spring, a few children even found that things were less stressful for them - there are children that thrive in a school-from-home environment.
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Please take this flyer and share on public buletine boards at grocerie stores, Social Media or even handed it to your school Principal. JUST DRAG TO YOUR DESKTOP
Dear Fellow Parents,
There is no doubt that this is a challenging time to be a parent. How do we make the best decisions about what is best for our kids, in an unprecedented time in history? If there were ever a time that we are called to pay attention to our kids’ needs, and to find a balance between our logical brain, parent’s heart, and gut instinct, that time is upon us right now. And new situations call for new solutions.
I am the parent of a bright, creative, artistic, insightful, funny, and social 13-year-old daughter. She is an only child in a two-household family. Her dad and I have each been working from home since March.
Although I am sharing this from my perspective and experience as a parent, I also come from a background in education and psychology. I have taught and counseled middle school, high school, and college students, taught Child & Adolescent Counseling at the graduate level, and as of this year have been in private practice as a psychotherapist for twenty years. Naturally, that colors my view.
Last Spring when school went online, I watched my daughter try to connect to middle school life through the only avenue available, the computer. We expanded her screen-time so that she could at least see her friends virtually. As the weeks went on, so did the monotony, and the absence of normal interactions with friends, classmates, and teachers became – especially for an only child – a heavy burden. It was painful to see a once lively kid now sitting at the dining room table with her head in her hands, trying to make the best of a bad situation, and feel, as a parent, that I had no options to offer.
We hoped that by summer, the virus would be tamed and she could go to the summer day camp she’d attended for the past few years. That was not to be.
We live in a community that has made the national news for anti-mask protests. Under the circumstances, I do not feel comfortable sending her to an environment where the population reshuffles daily. The prospects for her summer looked quite bleak.
Then a parent friend mentioned something about the safety bubble that some sleep-away camps had been able to create. I quickly began researching. Long story short, my daughter ended up spending three weeks at Swift Nature Camp in Northern Wisconsin, and happily did two weeks of full quarantine and daily temperature taking to be able to go.
To say this was a drastic departure for all of us is an enormous understatement! She had never been to overnight camp, and in fact, was never big on going to sleepovers at all. Yet, I put her on a bus, alone, to a place I’d never seen, to be supervised by people I’d never met, for three weeks! It was a chance for her to have the freedom to be a kid.
New situations call for new solutions.
Research shows that the social aspect of these childhood years is critical in the formation of self-esteem and self-mastery. For a kid, it’s the feeling that I can learn and grow, I know what I can do, and I can be trusted to do it. How kids come to see themselves is connected to how they are seen and acknowledged by others. They learn who they are and who they want to be during these years. This is the time of life when they begin to move away from us in increments that help them grow. What will become of this generation of kids who cannot even leave the house? This worries me, for my child, and for all children.
I was not ready to send her back to the school building this fall for the same reason I couldn’t send her to the day camp. But the thought of her—again—spending months glued to a screen and calling that “school” is terrible too.
So, when Swift Nature Camp offered a Fall Camp option, it felt like a brilliant relief!
Here is a chance to do online school, yet be outdoors having fun with other kids, and rather than suffering with monotony and loneliness, to have an extraordinary experience!
Yes it is expensive. But, here is how I see it. There are times when it cost more money to take care of our kids. Our family used to spend about $1,000 per month on day care and diapers. And that was over ten years ago!
The Fall Camp offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience, to have a “normal” kid experience, life free from many stressors, and an exceptional adventure, rather than being limited and constricted. This is a chance to be free and adventurous and learn new things, a chance to be outdoors soaking up all the wonderful aspects of nature, instead of being stuck inside alone. In my logical mind, parent’s heart, and trusty gut, a “once in a lifetime experience” is worth maxing out the credit card for.
And I know that the 8-week time period seems like a long time. I’ve heard parents say that they can’t imagine having their child gone so long. I understand this, and I will definitely miss my daughter a LOT – but, if I can provide her an opportunity to have an exceptional experience, that feels to me like part of my responsibility as a parent.
In other words, I do feel it is my job to “suck it up,” so to speak, and let her go have the freedom to run and yell and hike and kayak and canoe and play Capture the Flag and fall into bed exhausted from fresh air. I can’t give her that right now. But Swift Nature Camp CAN.
My parents grew up during the Great Depression, and it was a point of reference for them for their entire lives, and for me too, as it affected how they saw the world. Covid-19 will always be a point of reference for our kids in the same way. What will that mean for them? For us, as parents, I believe it means that new situations call for new solutions, and it is our job to use absolutely everything we have to help them through this time.
Sincerely,
Dianne
Dianne Frances, MFA, MS, LPC, NCC
Board Certified Psychotherapist
Welcome to Fall Educational Camp High School Students
We are currently looking for High School Students who are willing to lead during our Educational Camp. You will not only be in-charge of staying current with your own schooling and keeping your grades up but helping the children in your cabin. Qualities required include maturity, self motivation, child friendliness and being prepared to lead students in a professional manner. Fall Camp Jr Counselors will require less drama, more responsibility, leadership and motivation than a summer LIT because they will be working directly with one counselor. If you believe you can do the above, Please complete the below questions and email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jr. Counselors Cost is $600 per week with Jr. Counselors making $500 for their time at camp. Tuition is payable over 4months beginning Sept 1st at $1200 per month.
QUESTIONS FOR JR. COUNSELORS
Junior Counselor Application: SNC Fall Camp 2020
- 1) Why do you want to be a Junior Counselor at Fall Camp?
- 2) Because you will still be a student, schoolwork will still be your primary responsibility. How much time do you think you will need for schoolwork daily? What kind of grades do you expect to receive this year? How confident are you in your ability to complete all your schoolwork on time and with minimal oversight?
- 3) Which subjects would you be most comfortable assisting campers with?
- 4) What 3 words do you think your former counselors would use to describe you? Please give examples?
- 5) A Junior Counselor should be a leader and role model for everyone at camp. What are the top leadership skill you already have? How are you going to show it?
- 6) Describe an instance at SNC in which you positively impacted a younger camper’s life.
- 7) Fall Camp will still be camp, but with some big differences (school-first environment, daily screen time, smaller cabin groups, etc.). How will you adjust to these changes and help campers do the same?
- 8) Which part of Fall Camp are you most excited for? What are you most apprehensive about?
- 9) What does the phrase “Child-appropriate” mean to you?
- 10) What will you do to stop the spread of gossip and negativity?
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Fall Educational Camp
Please read in total this page to better understand what Fall Camp is all about - More Info
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The Best way to do distance learning is in a Pandemic Pod at a School/Camp
Spots for males only
Please Call 630-654-8036
With the reality of most children being at home for part or all of the coming school year, students will be isolated once more from friends and social situations, leaving them without the many joys of childhood.
We believe that children can complete thier E-learning school work in a fun camp environment with the support of caring staff and counselors. This will give students much-needed socialization and access to a variety of outdoor recreational activities, inturn allowing the freedom for kids to be kids.
What is Swift Nature Camp?
We are a small science and nature-based summer camp located in the Northwoods of Wisconsin that is becoming a micro-school for students with online/remote learning options. Camp provides a 
social community with a dedicated staff of counselors, a nurse, and a cook all with a “for-the-kids” mindset. Swift Nature Camp is the perfect Learning Pod that gives students social interaction while completing their remote schooling and keeping students in a safe bubble away from COVID. After 25 years as youth development professionals, we understand that children learn best in a safe place with their peers, while having fun and building connections.
Benefits of Fall Educational Camp:
We believe that we can no longer let isolation and quarantine rob children of their childhood. At SNC, we provide:
*Much-needed socialization,
*A schoolwork-first environment,
*Less Fortnite/Youtube & Screentime,
*More time outdoors,
*Live COVID Free,
*A fun camp atmosphere,
*50 recreational activities,
*Healthier lifestyle,
*More freedom to be a kid,
*Increased flexibility for working parents.
The Concept:
What is Fall Educational Camp? The idea is simple: students will come to camp just like in the summer, but at fall camp their first priority will be to complete their online school programming. We will keep kids safe, help them learn effectively and be in a fun and supportive environment. The first half of the day will be spent in their cabin/classroom doing their schoolwork. Then in the afternoons, evenings, and weekends, they will be surrounded by their friends and counselors and have a more traditional camp experience: activities, special events, camping trips, and more. This will enhance their social and emotional growth by providing activities and experiences not available at home because of COVID-19 cancellations, closings, & isolation.
MOM TALKS ABOUT CAMP & COVID
Students Wanted:
It is important for families to understand Fall camp is more like school than camp and not for every child. We are looking for children who are reasonably independent, like to learn, are well 
behaved and will be kind to others. We will not have the supervision available to deal with reacurring behavioral issues. Students need to want to be here rather than be back at home in a quarantine situation. We understand that every child is different and some need reasonable accomodations, and if you are unsure your child meets these standards, please reach out to us and we can discuss in more detail.
Kids Need Interaction!
This summer, after months of isolation, we heard from campers of all ages that "camp was exactly what we needed". Camp provided them a chance to fully be kids - play outside, learn new things, make new friends, as well as create new memories without spending all day in front of a screen or quarantined at home. Believe it or not, we even had one camper say "I got tired of Fortnite!" As the school year comes closer, many families wonder what the fall looks like. Despite many schools doing their best to hold in-person classes, there is good chance your child will end up in another remote-learning situation, resulting in more isolation and reductions in social development, not to mention more difficult scheduling for working parents. Fall Educational Camp is a solution to today's COVID school world.
Keeping Students Safe:
After a summer of hard work, amazing support from families, persistent health reminders, and a bit of good fortune, we were able to give 200 campers a safe, happy, social and COVID free summer. We were able to create a "Safe Bubble" at camp which allowed campers to return to a sense of normalcy in the uncertainty of 2020. The CDC now says Schools can learn for Overnight Camps, watch GMA Report or read Washington Journal Report. With your continued support, we are confident in our ability to replicate out success with Fall Educational Camp. READ MORE
Capacity:
40 -campers from 3rd-8th grade.
8 Cabins with 5 students in each cabin. Students should require little encouragement to do their studies and are willing to do school work first and then have fun.
10 -High School Students, from 9rd-12th grade.
2 Cabins with 5 students in each cabin. We know that HS Students have heavier study schedules, so it is important that these High Schoolers are willing to study and are responsible enough to put school work first.
*Jr Counselors ages 15-17
High School students may choose to be a Jr Counselor. This will require a special application to ensure HS students are self motivated, child-friendly and are prepared to lead students in a professional manner. Fall Camp Jr Counselors will have more responsibility giving leadership and guidance of campers in daily living skills, with special attention to: Personal hygiene and safety, Camper participation in camp activities, Camper personal growth, self-confidence and independence through group living
Jr. Counselors will also have the responsibility of completing their schooling. This requires a commitment to creating a drama-free, schoolwork-first, and child-friendly environment. Please complete the application here.
Dates for Fall Camp:
Sept 27th - Nov 7th
Registration will close September 14th. Just like during the summer, we will require the campers to isolate at home before camp beginning September 14sth for roughly 2 weeks.
Don't be alone this fall. Have fun while doing your school work
Cost:
Camper Cost is $650 per week, for a total of $3900. Payable over 4 months beginning Sept 1st at $975 per month
Jr. Counselors Cost is $600 per week, for a total of $3600.Payable over 4 months beginning Sept 1st at $900 per month. Jr Counselors will also receive $300 for thier time at camp.
Learn More about SNC
School Schedule & Classrooms:
School First, then Fun is our motto.
Our Counselors goal is to assist your child with their virtual E-learning as part tutor, part guide, and part motivator. Each week (or as soon as possible) parents will send us their child's schedule. From this, cabin counselors will create a cabin master schedule that will highlight when campers need to be online and what needs to be accomplished during the week. Our flexible daily cabin schedule (8am-3pm) will allow students to complete their online school work as required allowing for synchronous learning and live online classes as necessary (Zoom, Google Classroom, etc.). Other school work can be fit in around the mandatory times students must be at e-learning. This flexibility will also provide various breaks and lunches during the week, keeping it fresh for the students. Cabin groups will have the benefit of different learning environments and styles. Counselors will also be able to take their cabin to different areas to complete their work during the day, indoor areas like our nature center as well as our beautiful outdoor locations. How about doing your work on an island or from a pontoon boat? The main school room will be the back half of the cabin equipped with a school table and chairs as well as a table for schoolwork outside on the back porch. We believe with a small cabin size of 5 students along with daily structure it will be easier to get every student to participate in classwork. Yet, Counselors will have flexibility to select the learning environment and locations that are best for their students while monitoring work requirements and assuring success.
Camp is After School & Weekends:
After campers have met their educational requirements for the day, they will be able to take part in organized free time, group games and other outdoor activities to keep them engaged and involved in healthy lifestyles. On school holidays and weekends we will be able to provide full days of camp activities - things like hiking, canoeing, fishing, arts and crafts, campfires, special events and overnight camping trips on camp property. See website for activities. In addition, we will also be introducing new clubs (chess, drama, yoga, etc.) that bring some of the fun aspects of school to camp!
Weekday Flexible Schedule:
7:00 AM Wakeup
7:30 AM Breakfast
8:00 Am Chores & Clean up or Class starts
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Flexible Remote Learning, lunch and breaks scheduled by each cabin as school schedule allows
3:00 – 4:00 PM Free Time*
4:00 – 5:00 PM Flexible Club Time*
5:00 – 6:00 PM Dinner
6:00 – 7:30 PM Games & Store*
7:30 – 8:00 PM Electronic Free Time*
8:00 - Cabin Time*
9:00 - 10:00pm Bed Time
* Our Schedule is flexible to meet everyones school needs,
these times may be used as additional study or homework time as needed
Transportation:
A motorcoach will be available from the Chicagoland area for a $100 fee each way, with stops in Rockford, Il and Madison, WI. Parents are also welcome to drop campers off directly at camp.
Music:
Students are encouraged to bring thier instrument to practice. If online classes are needed we will do our best to allocate time and space.
Electronics:
Unlike regular camp, each student will need to bring their own laptop and a WiFi hotspot device - this can be a cell phone or a hotspot device. Devices served by Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile can provide sufficient internet speeds - if you want to use another carrier you would need to consult them about availability. Campers will be able to use electronics to complete all of their schoolwork. Every evening campers will have 30 minutes of supervised electronic free-time, where they will have the option use their devise to talk to family, friends, or play online. 
Housing:
Five campers will be housed in a heated cabin with one Counselor and a Jr. Counselor. Cabin groups will mostly be students in the same grade level, though some may have two grades.
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Meals:
SNC will provide 3 delicious meals and additional snacks per day. Lunches will be a "bag lunch" to provide flexibility to the cabin to eat where and when they like. Special diets can be accommodated
Camp Store:
SNC camp store will be open weekly. Campers will get a weekly allowance and be able to buy neccesities. Additional fee of $150.00 the unused amount will be returned
Health Care:
Our wonderful camp nurse Melissa will remain at Fall Educational Camp to provide the same health care as during our summer camp.
COVID-19 Plan:
We will be using our same plan that worked during the summer. After a brief period of isolation, we were able to be mask and distance free because we created a safe bubble. Read More.
Counselors
We are excited that many of our experienced counselors from this summer will be returning for Fall Educational Camp. In regards to schooling, over 1/2 of our counselors are studying to be teachers and will assist students at the same level as a parent would help. Counselors will provide social and emotional support and make sure that the children are meeting their educational commitments, but they will leave the teaching to the students' school teachers. Our counselors have agreed to spend the entire Fall Educational Camp session, as well as a two week quarantine at camp before campers arrive to ensure that camp stays COVID free.
We look forward to sharing the beautiful changing colors of the Northwoods with your child this fall. If you have any questions Please give us a call at 630-654-8036 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Please read the Parent Section on our website to understand the philosophy of SNC
If you know any other families that may be interested, please send them the link above. We are first opening up our Fall Educational Camp to the Swift family, however we know that we will also have new families joining us.
SIGN UP TODAY
This summer we created a COVID Free SAFE BUBBLE - Over 200 campers were able to participate in camp. Thanks to self isolation before camp, along with masks and distancing for the first weeks and continual hand washing we were COVID FREE this summer. We can do it again for Fall Educational Camp.
Learning Pods
Student E-Learning is making it difficult for families to schedule Work & Studies In an effort to find a solution many parents are investing ray supplementing their children’s virtual education this fall.
Learning Pods or “pandemic pods” are popping up all over and are a new business They tend to be small, in-person groups of students learning together with the help of an in-person tutor or teacher. Others, create their own pod, from a small group of family or friends and then the pod will move from place to place with each family taking responsibility for the students 2 or 3 times week.
One of these might just be the perfect solution for your family during this difficult time or you might try the Educational Overnight Camp at SNC.
It is summer 2020 and most Moms don’t usually plan summer camps the week of June 1st. No most parents are actively searching for Open Summer Camps in January and February, Today, many parents are frantically searching for overnight summer camp. With Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois severly limiting summer camps for kids it is very difficult creating a dilemma about what to do.
Sure you can look on line and do more of the same with a virtual camp and this is just a way for camps to make lemonade out of lemons while helping parent provide some programing for thier child over the summer months. Having a program that is safe is important and online is one way to do that.
Other camps have gone the route of sending boxes each week to famillies and then the camper will open the box and have a virtual camp session so the child will get some instruction and then do the activities in the box.
Yet to Director Jeff Lorenz of Swift Nature Camp says "In 25 years as a camp Director I have never seen such a situation with parents starting so late to look for camp. COVID-19 has had a terrible effect on childhood and summer camp. So this summer camp in Wisconsin is OPEN"
At Swift Nature Camp in Wi, We are thinking out of the box. Everything we’ve known and done for the past 25 years is out the window, it is time to start over. Our goal is to offer the same activities. But we have to look at how we do that even safely with COVID.
Parents will need that reassurance to feel comfortable sending their kids to an in-person camp or activity. First, we we looked for safety protocols and gudlines from the state, county and the CDC even the American Camp Association has new guidlines. things we explored: What are the screening options? How are they checking temperatures? How are they identifying if kids are becoming sick at camp? Those things are more important to me than what the actual camp is about. We believe our families want clarity upfront about our camps COVID plans. we want to make sure parents feel comfortable putting their kids in an environment around other people and at the same time reavizing COVID could happen at summer camp, so that is another plan.
One thing we know about COVID is children fair much better than adults and they tend to spread it less, that is a bonus. Also we are changing our schedules to do even more outside because UV, Heat & Humidity seem to have a negative effect on the virus. Camp can definitely be able to practice social distancing and keep the kids active and outdoors. Masks will be a big part and washing our hands, not touching our face and sanitation areas around camp. Sleepaway summer camps have a very unique opportunity to create a virus free environment. We will be creating a SAFE BUBBLE where we know what comes in and what goes out. We have total control of our environment.
Yes, Swift Nature Camp is going to be different in the summer of 2020. However, having an open summer camp is so important for children personal growth and development. Overnight summer camps have always provided an important part of a Childs life but after the months of being at home, now more than ever children and parents need Open Summer Camps in the Midwest.
