Tues, April 21, 2026

FACT: Camp is FUN

I was trying to think of the simplest way to explain why your kid needs camp this summer. Usually I’d go into a spiel about activities, choices, schedules, friends, belonging and so on. All the things that make up weeks at Sloane.

But really, it’s pretty simple.

Camp is truly, actually fun.

Most places kids (and let’s face it, adults too) spend time operate using a simple formula: Work first, then fun.

Finish the homework, then go out and play.

Complete the practice, then play the game.

Clean that messy room, then get some screen time.

Pay your bills, then book the vacation.

Without even meaning to, we mentally separate everything into ‘have to’s’ and ‘want to’s’.

Sloane doesn't operate like this

At Sloane, the baseline is just… fun. And while fun isn’t the mission, it is what happens as a by-product of everything else we do.

We know that if kids are enjoying themselves, they’re more likely to feel safe, to participate, try new things, to make new friends, and to stick with the sorts of challenges that foster growth.

In most places (school, work, sports), simple fun has to be earned or scheduled.

At camp, fun is the starting point.

We teach kids how to build fun into the moments that don’t appear fun at first. Tidying their tent becomes a competition, there’s a song to get the mealtime ‘waiters’ running to the dining hall, we play ‘never tell’ riddles as we make the long walk from Boating to Creative Arts… I could go on.

There’s an intentionality about camp. In fact, this is something we actually train during staff orientation. There’s always a reason WHY we do something. And the starting point HAS to be that the kids will enjoy it and get a kick out of it, that it will make their experience better. That it’s memorable. That it’s fun.

Like I said at the start, I spend a lot of time thinking about how best to explain camp. But sometimes I think I make it sound more complicated than it really is. So here goes:

Camp is fun.

Kids love camp.

Yours will too.

Ru