by Marla Coleman
Like everyone else, I keep reading the
cascading articles predicting what we might
need to trim from our budgets in the face
of this recession. But I bristle when I
see stories that suggest we tighten our
belts when it comes to camp or another "gift
of life" for our children. One thing
I know for sure is the last place we would
and should reduce our spending is on the
future of our children and the nation.
I believe that President Obama's educational "pillars" need
to be adjusted to reflect the valuable
component of a camp experience: lengthening
the school day and year will not actually
promote "innovation and excellence
in America's schools" if they preclude
opportunities for play and closeness with
nature. This is not about politics but
about preserving childhood. To those who
might not fully recognize the immeasurable
value of the camp experience, I confidently
assert:
Camp is not a privilege but a prerequisite
for success. In order to achieve
the outcomes identified by the President's "pillars
of education," we must include ample
time in that educational arena for the
camp community's "three pillars of
hope:"
- closeness with nature
- connections with others
- human-powered activities
Perhaps the President should include a
sixth pillar promoting the importance of
camp, so that on the path to success our
children can glean the benefits of first-hand
discovery, intergenerational relationships,
and creative play.
A child without these supports and opportunities
risks failure to thrive, not as an infant
but as an adolescent – regardless
of the amount of hours spent in school.
Camp is essential for all children. Research
continues to provide evidence that, of
all the different youth development opportunities,
camp should not be discretionary. The
camp experience helps children develop
critical skills, such as leadership, independence,
decision-making, resilience, and the ability
to make authentic human connections.
Peg Smith, the CEO of the American
Camp Association®, talks about
camp as "a field guide to preserving
childhood." She explains that "for
generations, children grew up outside.
They walked to school, rode their bikes,
and walked barefoot through the grass.
Childhood was characterized by innocence,
imagination, wonder, and laughter." In
contrast, today's children spend over
five hours each day plugged in to some
kind of electronic medium.
As I stated in a recent post on my blog, "Bedtime
Stories for Parents," camp is
a powerful learning laboratory – safe,
collaborative, empathic, meaningful,
supportive environments, created exclusively
for children to practice growing up.
There they learn to connect with nature,
with others, and with themselves. There
is no substitute for play as the vehicle
for learning; there is no way to circumvent
nature without stifling one's ability
to understand his or her place in the
universe, not to mention the preservation
of our natural world.
Fred Rogers of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood
used to say, "Play is the work of
childhood." And connection to nature
frees a child to explore and to discover
the world around him, to invent and even
re-invent himself.
Anyone who has witnessed the magic of
the forest or has felt the magical influence
of the camp environment knows that we have
to advocate in every way possible to preserve
these experiences for our children.
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