Come Explore the World of Overnight Camp

If you have not already heard this from your child, you may be hearing it soon... I WANT TO GO TO OVERNIGHT CAMP!!!  


As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, kids are starting to talk about their summer plans.  On the school bus, the soccer field, at the neighborhood pool club, and at family barbecues, overnight camp is a much talked about topic.  Kids that are currently enrolled in day camp may be starting to express interest in looking at overnight camps for next summer.  It may even be the parents who feel it is time to initiate an overnight camp search.  So how does a family prepare for this exciting transition?  The gathering of camp information through word of mouth and camp referral agencies is the easy part.  In the blink of an eye, you can have a stack of camp packets complete with DVD’s on your coffee table to watch and enjoy.  With some planning, you can tour the camps that you are interested in and get a firsthand look at the camps in action.  But how do you know if your child is really ready?   They have an entire year to grow, mature and prepare; so the likelihood is that when the following summer arrives they will make a smooth transition to camp life.  But what if you need something more concrete….an actual sneak preview into the world of the camp you are considering.  Why not try a minicamp experience?  Camps may have different names for this experience, but they are all meant to accomplish the same goal….to introduce the wonderful world of overnight camp to first time campers.

At Camp Iroquois Springs, we refer to this experience as “Explorers”.  Future campers get a chance to explore what an Iroquois Springs camper enjoys each day throughout the summer.  Campers entering the 2nd through 5th grades for the coming school year are eligible to participate in our 2 day overnight camping experience, and get instantly transformed into an Iroquois Springs camper for life.  This program has been such a huge success because it gives campers and their parents a sense of security and confidence in both the camp and their child’s readiness for an overnight camp experience.  We love seeing how quickly our Explorers campers get right into camp life with enthusiasm for all the activities and making new friends.

When we started this program back in 2009, we knew what a great addition it would be to families searching for a overnight camp.  For the past three summers, we have had 90% of our Explorers campers enroll as full time Iroquois Springs campers.  We have noticed that Explorers campers have a quick adjustment to camp life, having had the minicamp experience the previous summer.  As one of our Explorers families from last summer puts it, “it’s a great window into the world of overnight camp without having to make a long term commitment.  It helped my son, who was on the fence about going to camp, see that he was ready for this experience and can’t wait for this summer when he returns as a full time camper”.

To learn more about Explorers 2012 check out our online flyer for all the exciting details.  This program is limited to 24 girls and 24 boys, so sign up today.  We can’t wait to introduce you and your family to the world of camping at Iroquois Springs!