As we prepared for the National Dialogue on Children and Nature last summer, we felt it was important to find representation of summer camps, so we sought out The American Camp Association and reps for individual camps, for instance Kingswood Camp in NH.
Here's some camp kids on NH's Mt. Jefferson a few days ago:
The National Dialogue, held in September 2006 in Shepherdstown WV succeeded in connecting Rich Louv to these camp groups, and the Boston Globe has a great article today on how summer camps are becoming more popular again.
Traditional camps may be acquiring a new appeal, as an antidote to the trend described two years ago by writer Richard Louv in his book "Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder." The book linked the move to indoor play to other problems, such as childhood obesity and attention deficit disorder, and set off a national movement to reconnect children with nature, known as the "No Child Left Inside" campaign.
The American Camp Association, which accredits and promotes camps, recently announced plans to use Louv's message for recruitment, said Bette Bussel , director of the camp association's New England office in Lexington, Mass.
