First Time Campers
What To Expect From Your Child's Camping Experience
Attending summer camp for the first time is a very exciting event for both campers and parents. It is natural for both you and your child to be anxious about your child leaving the comforts of home, adopting new routines of daily activities, and meeting many new friends. We want to familiarize you and your camper with our procedures to minimize those "first day anxieties." The Whispering Pines staff will make every effort to make campers feel welcome and at home.
A typical day at camp begins with breakfast at 8:00 am. Mornings and afternoons are filled with activities such as crafts, games, swimming, canoeing, riding horses (for horse camps), and more. Special themed camps (such as discovery and adventure) will have daily activities related to that theme. Each day after lunch there is a quiet time for campers. A part of their daily activities will be a daily Bible study related to the theme. After supper, most campers will participate in an all-camp activity. This is usually followed with a trip to the camp store and some informal time recreation time. As the sun sets, we gather around the campfire to worship and praise God for all our daily blessings.
Questions about registration and payment are to be addressed to the Camping Office in Sun Prairie at 877-947-2267. For questions about the camp program and/or our facilities, contact us at 866-257-3994.
Meals
Meals are served "family style." That means we all sit down together and pass around the serving dishes after the blessing. This gives campers a chance to have discussions at the table with their counselor. Campers also participate in setting the table, serving the food, and help with clearing the tables. When possible, we make an effort to bake from scratch. We can accommodate special diets within reason. Things such as food allergies should be noted on the health form. Campers get plenty of food, so please do not send any food along to camp. Food in the cabins can attract unwanted pests. Contact us with any questions you have about our meals.
Medications
All prescription medication brought to camp must be in the original bottle or container with the camper's name, dosage, time when the medication is administered and the doctor's name on the label. If you bring medications not in the original container, they need to be accompanied by written orders, signed by a physician, which includes camper's name, dosage and time. All medications, including over-the-counter stuff (vitamins, creams, lotions, cold remedies, etc.), are required by Wisconsin law to be turned into our camp health supervisor. A handy way to bring medications to camp is to put all of them in a zip lock bag with the camper's name on the outside. DO NOT PACK MEDICATION IN THE LUGGAGE.
We have many common over the counter medications on hand and will administer them to a camper following written guidelines approved by our camp doctor. All medication, both prescribed and over the counter, are to be given to the camp health supervisor at registration. Contact the camp director with further questions and concerns about our camp health care procedures.
An insurance contract is provided and the cost is included in the camp fee. This is a supplement to your personal health/medical insurance. Coverage is subject to the terms and conditions of the Master Contract held by the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church. Call our Sun Prairie office at 877-947-2267 if you have questions about our insurance policy.
Accidents
In the event of an emergency, Whispering Pines staff will take appropriate immediate action, and attempt to contact parents, or other emergency contacts as listed on the camp health form. Please be sure to fill out contact information completely. Should no one be available, we will act according to the Parent's Authorization statement located on the health form. We have found that, from time to time, it is helpful and necessary to talk directly with the parents or legal guardian, so please, if you are going to be out of town, leave word with your emergency contacts as to where you can be reached.
Emotional and Physical Needs of Campers
Parents are encouraged to share any special concerns about your child, emotionally, behaviorally, or physically. You can indicate this on the health form. We will only share the information with those staff who we feel need knowledge of this special circumstance to ensure the safety of your child and the other campers. While we try to be as inclusive as possible with campers who have special needs, we cannot expect our staff to deal with problems outside the normal range. We cannot accept a child who requires a large amount of individual attention. Feel free to call and discuss any concerns you have with the camp director.
The Do's and Don'ts of Camper Mail and Email
Do:
- Emails are printed and distributed to the campers at mail time. Campers do not have access to a computer. We will not print photos, etc.; just plain text.
- Take the time to write a thoughtful letter. One or two sentence emails are not viewed as worthwhile by most camper and are quickly discarded
- Have a grandparent, aunt, or uncle write a letter.
- Have your minister or church send a note.
- Send favorite comic strips, stickers, jokes, etc. (postal letters only)
- Letters should focus on the camper's activities and be encouraging.
- Detailed information about emailing your camper will be handed out at registration
Don't:
- Encourage homesickness by emphasizing how much you miss your child.
- Write how much fun you are having on vacation while your child is at camp.
- Dwell on negative happenings. You can discuss real problems with your camper when he/she returns home.
- the time you receive it, your child will have adjust to camp life and will be having a lot of fun.
Homesickness
Temporary homesickness is a normal reaction, particularly to new campers. Our staff makes an effort to help campers overcome homesickness by helping them learn to accept the natural feelings of missing family and friends. We welcome this opportunity to help our campers grow in this area and we train our staff to handle homesickness in constructive and loving ways. There are a couple of things you can do to help your camper adjust better to camp life. One way is to talk about the differences in the routines, and in camp life itself. (No television, air conditioning, no phone calls, no electronic games, meals are on a schedule, shared living quarters, etc.) Let the child know that you, while you will miss him/her when they are at camp, you have confidence in his/her ability to cope with the differences.
Telling a child that you can call or will come and pick them up if they are homesick communicates to the child that you do not believe they can last the week. Another way to help with the adjustment is to count out the days (day by day) the child will be at camp, so the child has a better understanding of the length of the event. If you child has never slept away from home, having the child go to grandparents or to a friends house for a sleep over is a great way to have the child learn what it is like to be away from you for a period of time. Finally, encourage your child to share his/her feelings with his/her counselor if they become homesick. It is OK for them to tell their counselor they miss their family. Telling their counselor something general like "my tummy hurts" doesn't help.
Discipline
Whispering Pines provides a nurturing environment where children can feel free to express themselves. Our underlying principle that "every child is a child of God," is displayed through our counselors and staff who genuinely care for campers in a small group, as well as on an individual basis. Parents, please encourage your child to follow the instructions of their counselor and other Whispering Pines staff. Camp life is structured and many of the rules we have are necessary to ensure the safety of all our campers. We may not let your child do the things (canoe without a lifejacket, climb a tree, snack at any time, etc.) that they may do under your supervision.
What Not to Bring
- Radios, stereos, MP3 players, iPods, Nintendo-type games, toys, etc.
- Cell phones and pagers
- Knives, hatchets, cigarettes, tobacco products, illegal substances, liquor, fireworks, pornography.
- Any type of revealing or suggestive articles of clothing.
- Clothing with designs, messages, slogans, etc., that are vulgar, suggestive, or promote improper behavior (i.e. smoking or drinking).
- Immodestly cut swimwear or two-piece suite (campers with revealing swimwear will be asked to wear a t-shirt)
- New clothes, designer clothes, expensive jewelry, or any item which the child can't live without if lost.
We're Here For You And Your Child
We believe almost every child can benefit from a Christian camping experience. Like you, we want your child to have a good first camping experience, and will make every effort towards that goal.
Feel free to contact the camp staff with any questions or concerns you have about your child's upcoming camping experience. We are here to help.
Take it With You
Download a printable PDF version of this info:
Info for parents of first time campers
28KB PDF - Right click to download.
It was a terrific experience for a first time camper. She would love to come back for Saddle Up II." Camper parent
Suggestions From "Experienced Parents"
- Invite one of your child's friends to come along to camp.
- Send pre-addressed envelopes with campers, addressed to family and friends and put on the necessary postage.
- Leave letters to campers at the registration desk that can be distributed during the camper's stay.
- Send old clothes that your child will recognize as their own. There is no need to buy new clothes for camp. Do not send designer clothing or other valuable items.
- Label everything and pack light.
- Make sure you have all the necessary forms for check in. It will save time.
- Your child will probably come home tired and may need additional rest after their stay at camp.
- Talk with your child ahead of time about how you expect them to behave. Explain to them that they will not be able to call home. And tell them that if they have questions or concerns about anything, talk with their counselor or another staff person.