One of the first programs
to return as part of Phase 3 of the State of Illinois-Restore Illinois Plan was
our day camp program back on June 22. It looked a little bit different than our
traditional summer day camp “Camp Alotta Fun.” As camp ended the week of August
3, it was clear that kids enjoyed their summer.
Camp saw nearly 300 kids
come through. Even though kids couldn’t venture to Pelican Harbor Aquatic Park
or the other trips that make Camp Alotta Fun so enjoyable, the team was
successful at creating the best possible experience for the campers. Activities
included:
- Outside play – old school games with a twist like touchless relay and
touchless tag
- Had an Ice Cream Day where they created their own treats
- Individual Finger Painting
- Mat Musical Chairs
“We really wanted to give
kids an opportunity to forget about Coronavirus for a little bit and enjoy what
camp really is: being outside most of the day and playing games,” said Jeremy
White, Day Camp Coordinator.
Jeremy has worked with the
Bolingbrook Park District Day Camp for eight years now and is a teacher at
Plainfield South High School during the school year. Camp looked different, but
kids returned with the same enthusiasm and energy as previous years.
“Most
of them have been stuck inside since March. Everyone was just excited to be
around one another. The kids really seemed focus on this being their time to
run around and have fun.” A lot of times parents have told me when they pick up
their kids that they were worn out, which is a good sign,” said Jeremy.
Jenna Pape is in her fourth
year as a Day Camp Counselor and will be returning to Illinois State University
as senior this fall to complete her Elementary Education degree. She echoed
that the kids were very excited to come back and handled the social distancing
and mask wearing guidelines without many issues.
“I think that the hardest
parts were keeping the kids 6-feet apart because they do get really excited about
being around their friends,” said Jenna. “I think they handled it really well.
At the beginning of camp, we just said how important it was to keep ourselves
safe and our friends safe.”
Some safety procedures that
were put in place included:
- Regular cleaning and disinfection of equipment will take place
throughout the day.
- Masks will be required when social distancing is not possible.
- A 9:1 camper-to-counselor ratio (may be smaller for younger age
groups)
Even though camp was
structured differently and had new guidelines, being with the kids, getting
outside, and having fun didn’t change.
“It was kind of nice to
have a bit of normalcy back in our lives,” said Jenna.