and the start of summer. In any normal year, that summer would include days spent running and playing with friends at various summer programs and maybe even a week or more packed into a cabin with other kids at sleep-away camp.
"With over 800 acres at the end of a dead-end road and our own private lake, we know we can continue to create life-shaping experiences for all our campers right on our property," Blanck says."We are extremely confident that we will be prepared to go above and beyond all recommendations and will create a safe and healthy environment for all campers and staff this summer.
Blanck believes it's possible, though. And that kids need this normalcy right now."Camp is a place where kids can be kids. With the isolation over the past several months, kids need the chance to see friends in a safe environment, enjoy the outdoors, and partake in all the wonderful experiences that camps have to offer."
If they pay a large deposit on camp, what happens if a second wave hits and everything is shut down again? Or what if they simply change their minds and decide camp isn't worth the risk? Would they just be out that money? Dr. Natterson says it's ideal for camps that are opening to test counselors and childcare workers as frequently as possible. And even then, there are challenges to consider."Unless they are living on site, they would have to be tested daily in order to guarantee that they don't have the virus — both impractical and misleading given that a significant number of tests come back falsely negative.
No matter what option you choose, this summer is going to include some stark differences from what your kids are used to. The high-fives and hugs they've come to expect at camps will no longer be available. Physical activities will have to include distance. And mask wearing is now going to be the expectation, not the exception.