SatilAtlit
diaries (older children can actually record their
thoughts, while younger ones can decorate with
stampers) and planting, which is educational, as
well, because "it lets children be part of the project
from start to finish."
Parents looking for a good day-camp experience
for their child should make certain their camp pro-
vides plenty of such opportunities, the directors
agree.
Through art, boys and girls of every age "learn to
express themselves," Bergstein says. Art at school
will be different — more structured, more defined.
Art projects at school usually focus on a certain
story-or theme.
At a good day camp, things are much more
relaxed.You don't have to
worry if you write "its"
when you mean "it's" or
spell "caterpillar" as "cat-
apiller." Your butterfly can
have one pink wing and one
red one, and the counselors
will still say, "That's per-
fect."
Art projects also provide
boys and girls with some-
thing tangible from their
day-camp experience, some-
thing they can hold and
remember, "I made this last
summer."
Parents may see that tiled
plaque bearing a star design
or a clay vase as just another
object they're going to have
to find a place for in their
home. But children will
refer to them time and
again, Bergstein and
Rosenthal say. They'll look
at the wooden tray they
painted and have fond
memories of camp.
Sports are an integral part of most day camps,
and they're a good way to have fun and release ten-
sion. Bergstein sites swimming and baseball as pop-
ular camp activities for children of all ages. The
best camps, though, recognize that younger chil-
dren have short attention spans, so unless your son
or daughter is the next Sandy Koufax, don't
demand that a tiny tyke spend too much time on
the game.
"Younger kids do not have long attention spans,"
Bergstein says. "They just can't play a long baseball
game."
Successful day camps will happily
acknowledge smaller children's short
attention spans, Bergstein says. "It's
important to move quickly and have
lots of things to do."
At Ganeinu, Bergstein provides
younger children with 10-minute
spots at the sand table, then the
water table, then with play dough,
then with dolls or trucks or blocks.
She calls them "centers of interest"
and they entertain children for just
the right amount of time and allow
them to socialize. As with school,
Above:
Campers prepare for a All session
of activities at Akiva.
Left:
Jason Jubas, David Zwick and
Betzalel Spolter cool off in the pool.
Below:
Yirmi Goldman checks out the sprinkler.
camp gives boys and girls the chance to learn
to "use interpersonal skills, how to share and
work things out with other children,"
Bergstein says.
A parent might be dazzled by a day camp
filled to the brim with toys — boxes of games,
bright and wondrous balls and toy figures and
doll houses and bendable action guys.
Bergstein and Rosenthal, though, say toys
SPECIAL. PLACES on page 38
The outside: A healthy dose
of fresh air
... and wonder.
IN
3/3
2005
37