Category Archives: Uncategorized
Worried Your Little One Might Get Homesick at Overnight Camp?
Learn why that’s ok!
Not only are our staff trained vigorously in helping kids transition and deal with natural feelings of homesickness, we also know that most every kid grows by leaps and bounds by overcoming homesickness and experiencing camp.
Check out this article to learn why being away from home can help build self-esteem and independence! http://www.acacamps.org/media/story-ideas/being-away-from-home
Also, Michael Thompson, Ph.D, Has a book coming out on May 1st titled Homesick and Happy. Pre-order it for a good read!
Sensitive and knowledgeable staff care for our youth participants at Camp Hantesa.
The Case for Camp — Why Kids Need It Now More Than Ever
The Case for Camp — Why Kids Need It Now More Than Ever
By Peg L. Smith
Change is a part of life. It is often directly related to survival and can enrich one’s life in ways unexpected. Childhood is in essence a time of profound change and development. It is exciting and disquieting at the same time. When it comes to our children, we need to be sure that change is made for the better.
We’ve been so concentrated on the brain, we forget about the rest of our bodies. This change in focus has lead to an obesity rate that is unacceptable. Our kids are not as healthy as the generation before.
Families used to live in a community. We’ve lost that, keeping kids inside and losing a sense of neighborhood.
Add to that the fact that our kids stand to inherit all the economic, social, and environmental challenges we’ve created, and the legacy we have left our children and youth begins to look bleak.
So, how do we prepare our children with the skills and more importantly, the competencies they will need to tackle changes in our world? We could start with a positive camp experience. A quality camp experience provides our children with the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — a meaningful, engaged, and participatory environment.
Camp promotes community. It creates this great space that shows kids how to live together and care for one another. There are norms and negotiation of boundaries; there are rules. Camp is a place where kids can “practice” growing up stretching their social, emotional, physical, and cognitive muscles outside the context of their immediate family. This is what childhood is supposed to provide.
Camp teaches critical thinking. We need to remember how important it is to be actively involved in the learning process, and camp affords that. We’re going to need really strong problem solvers in the next century. We need the science, math, and biology, but without the ability to relate, connect, empathize, or inspire innovation, how will our kids be able to make a difference in the challenges now facing us?
The camp experience embraces the natural environment. While children have fewer and fewer opportunities to be outdoors, the camp experience advances the outdoor learning environment. As we become more concerned about saving the planet, we run out and make DVDs and videos about it. But the environment needs to be experienced to be appreciated. Kids need to catch tadpoles in the creek, wander among the trees, and feel the sun on their faces to understand the importance of those things. What happens to a generation that may grow up not seeing stars in the dark of the night?
Camp creates future leaders. The camp experience offers kids a close-up look at compassionate leadership through the camp director, counselors, resident nutritionist, and other camp personnel. And kids get loads of opportunities to practice being a leader themselves — song leader, lunch table leader, team captain, the list goes on and on.
What happens to a generation that may grow up not seeing stars in the dark of the night?
Camp is an equal opportunity life changer. It addresses universal childhood needs not specific to a particular racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic group. Nobody is left out. It’s all about childhood development.
Camp has a lasting impact. One of the greatest gifts you can give a child is a sense of success and achievement. Camp teaches kids how to be active participants, ask questions, ask for help, and try new things. They leave understanding that it’s okay to feel a little uncomfortable sometimes, because that’s generally what happens when you’re getting ready to learn something. The camp experience translates back in real-world experience — in an “I can” attitude.
We need to advocate for our young people. We should promote opportunities for kids — give them camp experiences that serve as an antidote for the world’s challenges. We need to recognize this is not a series of frivolous activities. We often think if it looks like fun it must be unimportant, but “fun” is a young person’s “work” — to learn, to grow, to be productive, creative, and happy. If they don’t do that work, they won’t turn into healthy adults.
Peg L. Smith is the chief executive officer of the American Camp Association.
For more information on Camp Hantesa’s summer overnight resident camps, visit www.hantesa.com
Springtime is coming to Hantesa!
I found my first flower of the season on the adventure trail today! Spring is coming!
Hantesa Candyland
The Camp Fire candy sale is in full swing. To kick off the sale, multiple groups came to our candy sculpture contest at Merle Hay Mall in Des Moines last weekend.
The Hantesa team built a replica of camp. How does it compare to your memories of camp?
Climbing Tower, Swinging Bridge, Pool, Horse Pasture, Campfire, GaGa... HANTESA!
GaGa Ball
Climbing tower
We can’t wait to see campers back at our facilities this spring and summer!
For more coverage of our candy sculpture event, check us out on channel 13!
http://www.whotv.com/videobeta/?watchId=0d87fa2c-6ea6-4972-8af7-60db724126d5
Winter Resident Camp is the Best!
Winter Overnight Camp
Many Hantesa campers joined in on our winter resident camp. These girls and boys had the ultimate camp experience as they spent 4 days and 3 nights at Hantesa. Swimming, bowling, hiking, and crafting rounded out their experience. It was a great 4 days with these campers. We can’t wait to see them back at Hantesa for our Summer Resident Camps!
On Friday evening, we headed to the bowling alley for strikes, pizza, and lots of giggles!
Some of our boys at the bowling alley
We made foil packs during a camp fire cookout. However, since the weather was so blustery, we cooked our foil packs inside over the fire.
We learned how to do copper enameling!
Copper ready to go into the kiln for the enameling process.
One of our campers turned 12 during resident camp. Happy Birthday!!!
All the kids were out of school, and down in the camp…
December 23rd was the first day that we welcomed campers from all of our possible drop sites. We had campers from Ames, Boone, and Des Moines!
Dear Santa
Dear Santa,
The following items would really help us keep up with our awesome programs here at Camp!
Kickballs (4)
Tempera Paint (all colors)
Washable Markers
1 Ball Pump
Tape (masking, duct, clear packing)
Tye Dye (Dharma Trading Co)
Ping Pong Balls
Children’s Scissors
Basic Crockpots (4)
Epson Stylus Photo R300 Ink for Photography Classes
Weed Whacker
Lumber
Volunteers
We’ll leave you some milk and cookies!
Love,
Camp Hantesa
If you’d like to help Santa, donations are always welcome!
*Large item donations are also needed. Please contact camp if you feel you can help in this regard.
