The evidence speaks for itself – overnight summer camp is the ideal setting to forge life-long friendships. The opportunities to meet and make new friends at an overnight camp are significant. The potential to turn those strangers into life-long friends is considerable. The fact is, in our technology driven world, making friends has never been more challenging and nerve wracking for today’s tech savvy boys. But at Camp Chikopi, where technology is checked at the gate, communicating face to face establishes tight friendships that grow throughout the summer and thrive long after a boy has outgrown spending his summers at camp.
Boys are easy; they quickly fall back into a comfortable rapport with the friends they made from previous summers. For the boys who are new, to Chikopi or overnight camp, making friends is all part of the experience. Easy for us to say? Trust us! We have 97 years of experience, we know boys can be nervous about interacting with strangers, but Chikopi is a small camp, we make it a priority to spend quality time with each camper, ensuring he is introduced and placed in an environment with boys that suit his personality best, no one is lost in the crowd. Everyone at Camp Chikopi is on a first named basis within days if not hours of arriving.
Summer camp offers unlimited opportunities to connect and communicate. As campers take part in daily activities, working together on a team, or sharing personal stories, they connect. The boys are building friendships, and in many cases that friendship stays with them thru life.
Camp Chikopi is very proud of our diversity; we have a wide variety of nationalities, customs and religions. And while we acknowledge that every boy is different, whether in his life experience or social status, camp friendships are blind to these differences. For some, they turn out to be inseparable friends, while for others their common interests and goals set the stage for fun and enjoyment. Whatever the case, overnight summer camp is the best environment to allow friendships to thrive. Maintaining a camp friendship long after the summer is over also brings rewards for the long term, many of our campers stay in contact with each other during the school year.
Building lasting relationships is about overcoming differences, balancing friendships, and navigating through challenging times. Every experience contributes to personal growth. And throughout the summer, the many shared experiences will strengthen the bonds of friendship in a very positive way. The personal doubts a boy arrived with on day one are replaced with self-confidence. Typically, most boys don’t appreciate the full impact of their summer camp experience until they are grown.
In our opinion, the best summer camps are those without the distraction of cell phones, tablets, or computers – enabling the opportunity to forge real ties with fellow campers teaches an essential life skill. The daily program, meals, and free time offer new opportunities to connect. Children only get one childhood, at Camp Chikopi we strive to make it memorable.
At Camp Chikopi, campers from around the world are involved in competitive sports, special events, and traditional camp activities. It’s a summer full of experiences, adventures, and friendships. For more information on how to give your son a memorable summer, visit the camp website at www.campchikopi.com or call 705-387-3811 (September thru May: 954-566-8235).
