Parents always like to hear from their camper and are often disappointed if they do not receive a letter. Your child can send home letters or postcards if you send them with stamped, pre-addressed postcards or envelopes (Cedarkirk does not sell stamps). Please remind them that they have letter-writing materials and to actually write! Campers will hand any mail to their counselors to be sent back home. Summer campers can also send emails home to their families. You will receive an email sheet template attached to one of the emails you'll get prior to your camper's program starting. You may print [...]

Whether it is a piece of mail or an email, campers love to receive word from home! All mail  is distributed to campers after lunch, typically at the beginning of rest time. The first full day of camp is an excellent time for mail because many campers are just starting to get comfortable and settled within their groups – and camp itself – and it’s nice to hear encouraging words from home. Letters may need to be mailed the week prior or discreetly passed to a staff member during Check-In if you would like to ensure your camper receives it during [...]

Work together with your child in selecting clothes and packing the items on the “What To Bring” list. The staff at Cedarkirk have compiled this list for you… PLEASE READ IT; far too many children arrive at camp unprepared. Many parents remember their own summer camp experiences as sunny afternoons by the pool or lake and have forgotten the chill of overnight camping (yes, chill… even in Florida sometimes!) or the occasional rains. By packing together, your child will be aware of what they have brought for use throughout the week. Packing together also provides an excellent opportunity to speak with your camper about what [...]

Homesickness is the distress caused by actual or anticipated separation from home or beloved objects.  During their time at camp, nearly all campers will experience some kind of feelings related to this separation; even our staff experience these feelings to some degree.  The good news is that most campers have a wonderful time at summer camp and Cedarkirk counselors are well-trained to respond to homesick campers. There are a number of ways parents can help prevent homesickness: Include your child in preparing, packing, and planning for camp. Use a wall calendar to chart how many days until camp starts and note [...]

One of the best ways to prepare your child for camp is to pack for camp with him/her.  Packing together provides an excellent opportunity to speak with your camper about what they can expect at camp and any fears or concerns they might have. As you pack specific items, you can also ask them what they’re excited about doing and accomplishing at camp and get them excited for their time away from home. It is often helpful to share your own positive experiences at summer camp and what you hope they will get to experience during their stay at Cedarkirk. Don’t [...]

We believe that a quality, well-trained staff is critical to a successful and safe camping experience. All of the transformation, all of the fun, all of the community-building that happens during a week of camp is due to the thoughtful intention these folks put into everything they do. Our training equips our staff with skills that enable them to create a physically and emotionally safe environment for all campers. More detailed information about our summer staff, the training they receive, and their background screenings can be found on our Parents' Page.

While at Cedarkirk, your child will be part of a “family group”, typically comprised of a group of boys (with a male counselor) and a group of girls (with a female counselor). It is with this family unit that the camper will experience most of Cedarkirk’s activities. In the evenings, these small groups come together for worship, snacks, and an evening activity (such as a campfire, night swim, field games, or line dancing). We believe this small group camping model provides a nurturing and safe environment and fosters meaningful relationships among campers and between campers and counselors. Camp days are filled [...]

This is an excellent question, and one that many parents often don’t consider before signing their child up for camp.  The answers to this question are many and varied, so the most commonly cited benefits of camp are listed here. Camps offer opportunities for fun – both in unstructured recreation and structured activities and games. Camp provides an environment for children that frees them from technological distractions and asserts the importance of interpersonal relationships and cooperation. Camps are excellent places for children and youth to improve athletic, artistic, and intellectual skills in a supportive and non-competitive setting. The community-oriented nature of [...]