There are several things that I miss about being a kid, but one of the things at, or near, the top of my list is going to summer camp every year.
The good news for you parents out there is that you have plenty of options to choose from around Plant City. While not every one is a traditional summer camp, they’ll keep your kids happy and busy, and they sound like a lot of fun. If you’re curious as to what’s available this summer, you may want to hop on our website and look up our Spring Fever Summer Camp Guide from a few weeks ago.
When I was in third grade, in Buffalo, New York, I remember it being the very last day of school before summer vacation. I was sitting in the Starpoint Elementary auditorium listening to several presentations. I couldn’t tell you what most of them were, because I was too antsy to care about anything except starting break. But the last one was a pitch by members of YMCA Buffalo Niagara for Camp Kenan. I don’t know why I chose to pay attention at that moment, but I’m glad I did.
Camp Kenan was about a half-hour drive from my parents’ house, right on the south shore of Lake Ontario and close to the Canadian border. It had everything you could ask for in a summer camp: kayaking and canoeing, an archery range, arts and crafts cabins, gear for most sports, a giant rock-climbing wall with a zip line, outdoor camping areas, wilderness trails and so much more.
I had so much fun my first time that, the following year, I talked my best friend into signing up for the summer after fourth grade. We went every single summer, for one or two weeks at a time, and our last trip was the summer after I finished sixth grade. Some of my favorite memories include climbing the big rock wall, hitting my first bullseye in archery (which got me a coupon for free stuff from the on-site candy “store”), a karaoke competition between the members of every cabin, the days when a fire truck came and gave us a water day, and making new friends every year.
I know the Plant City Family YMCA is hosting a summer camp. As someone who’s seen what the Y can do over the summer, I would encourage parents to look into a Y camp. But there are also plenty of other camps around here which bring experiences to the table that the Y doesn’t. Look into those if they align better with your kids’ interests.
No matter what you do, you can’t go wrong by giving your little ones the summer camp experience.