Back to Camp... It’s in the Quiet Moments

Tues, Oct 14th, 2025

It’s in the quiet moments we see it…

The friendships forming.

The bonds becoming unbreakable.

The shared experiences that will soon be unforgettable memories.

A parent recently said to me that when she asked her teenage camper what the best part of camp was, he always answered, ‘the times I get to just talk and hang out with my friends, mostly when we’re walking between activities’.

Maybe that surprises you. To me though, it makes perfect sense.

I walk around in the summer and sometimes I can almost feel the buzz in the air as kids live in the present with each other… talking, laughing, discussing the little details of their lives.

I talked last week about the advantages of offering such a wide range of programs and activities, and how these give kids the opportunity to test out what they’re interested in.

Another bonus for kids at traditional camps is that (gasp) the activities aren’t the THING. Sure, does the Zip Line provide a thrill? Absolutely. But not the activity itself that makes kids feel good. It’s the shared nerves while they’re waiting for their turn, the triumph they feel when they hear their friends cheering them on from below. It’s the fact that they got to do it TOGETHER.

Kids don’t come (back) to camp because of the activities. They come because they want to be with their friends. 

Plain and simple.

Camp is one of the only places that provides kids with 24/7 access to their friends, 100% of the time, without the distractions of school work, parents, or the pressure of documenting every moment for the stories (we have a media crew to do that for them!).

A Moment in Time

I’ve actually just been going through the photos from the summer and it’s taking me forever, not just because there are close to 30,000 photos to look at, but because I keep catching all the feels seeing the kids and staff just having the BEST time.

It’s a knowing smile between friends.

It’s the group cheers on theme day, kids screaming their heads off because they can’t bear the thought of the Fire Breathers NOT winning this year (It’s ok, they won).

It’s the three kids stretched out on Library Lawn during Carnival, just enjoying the sunshine.

It’s the laughter after the cannon ball contest at the pool, comparing notes on who made the biggest splash.

It’s a hug so tight on check out day that you never want to end.

All these are just snapshots in time. But each and every one gives me that warm, fuzzy feeling. The feeling that has kept me at Sloane for 15 years. 

And I know I’m not the only one.

So yes, it’s in the quiet moments, probably when (kids think) no one is watching, that the magic really happens.

Camp equals friends. And friends create belonging.

Don’t ask your kid, ‘How was camp?’. Ask them instead, ‘Tell me about the friends you made this summer.’ 

Then when they ask to go back to camp next year (and they will), you’ll know why.

See you in Summer 2026,

Ru

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