Wednesday 21 June 2017

Camp Braids & Bling

When campers arrive for their first day of camp, one of the first things they will be doing is making their camp braid. Braids are made out of long strips of fabric, each camper is able to choose the three colours that best represent them.

The braid each camper makes is a physical symbol of their development, progress, and enjoyment throughout their time at camp. Campers wear their braids at the end of each day of camp when the "bling" is distributed and attached to the braid.




Bling consists of buttons, badges and other small trinkets that represent their accomplishments throughout the camp. Bling is given to campers for many different accomplishments including making friends, trying something new, helping others, problem-solving, helping counselors, being polite, and many other positive actions.

Campers also add tokens of their camp experience to their braids. This type of bling symbolizes events and field trips such as Calaway Park or the Polar Bear dip (morning swim) at overnight camp.

The purpose of braids and bling is to provide campers with tangible and lasting evidence of all the wonderful accomplishments they make throughout camp. The intent is for campers to keep their braids and bring them back to camp each year to continue to add to them.

We want campers to feel proud of themselves by acknowledging their progress at camp. We invite parents to ask their campers about the bling that is attached to their braids. We encourage campers to be able to recognize what their bling means and articulate the meaning to their family and friends so that they be part of celebrating that camper's accomplishments.





2 comments:

  1. We have loved the Amicus year-round programs and day camp, and our son cannot wait for overnight camp this year. Thank you for providing an inclusive and accepting environment that focuses on the positives. This is the one place I can send my son where I don't ever feel worried. I could go on forever about how great the program is, and even more so, how amazing the people who make up the program are. We are so lucky to have found you. You give our kids a place where their value, worth, and unique wonderfulness gets noticed and celebrated.

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    1. We are very glad to hear that camp and recreation has been so successful for your son. We can't wait to see him at camp again this summer. Thank you!

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