Camp from a parent’s perspective

Inside Avid4 Adventure!

Maybe you’re uneasy about sending your kiddos to camp.  Maybe you grew up in the city and never experienced camp yourself.  Maybe you just can’t bear the thought of your child being away from you even though you know it’s the best thing for him (errr . . . or is that just me?).  We can tell you all the benefits of going to Avid4 Adventure day and overnight camps and how we’re not just another summer camp, but wouldn’t you really like to learn about the camp from another parent?  You know, the inside scoop on what they like and what their child experienced?

We’ve got you covered.  Amber Johnson from Mile High Mamas gives us the low down – from one parent to another – on her experiences with Avid4 Adventure. A few of Amber’s favorite things

Amber’s kiddos have been going to Avid4 Adventure day camps for the past four summers, and she doesn’t hesitate to say that Avid4 Adventure is the best outdoor camp for kids in the Denver area.

• Avid4 Adventure isn’t just another day or overnight camp.  Yeah, yeah, we know! Avid4 Adventure’s entire purpose is to bring the power of the outdoors to kids ages 3 to 18 through authentic outdoor experiences.
• Avid4 Adventure’s counselors aren’t just kids looking for a summer job.  Our staff are mostly over 21, have impressive safety & skill certifications and teach not only what they love, but also what they live.  On top of that, counselors are terrific with kids and become role models. Learn more Avid4’s camp staff, including our story and our core values, which are followed every day!
• Avid4 Adventure offers camps that build on each other.  With a progressive curriculum that evolves as kids evolve, the focus is on trying new things, stretching out of comfort zones and growing – all in a supportive, non-competitive environment.  Campers take skills learned one year and then add to them the following summer.
• Avid4 Adventure gives parents a peek into their child’s camp experience.  Our staff take pictures each day of campers, so parents can follow their experiences.  Photos are uploaded to a password-protected site for viewing (and downloading) any time.  Campers also receive a skills report card noting all the things they learned or are still working on.  Just check out some of the amazing camp photos on Instagram!

Camp from a mom and son’s view

While Amber was worried her kids might have had a “been there, done that” attitude because it was their fourth summer with Avid4 Adventure, she learned that wasn’t the case.  Amber knew that camp experiences become even more authentic as kids get older and their skills increase – and that is just what her kiddos experienced at their Denver – Washington Park Adventure camp.

Here are some camp highlights Amber heard from her kids:

• Kayaking at Big Soda Lake at Bear Creek Lake Park:  For Amber’s son, it was learning to navigate through water in his own kayak and playing games on the water (and, who wouldn’t like to play a game called “Stinky fish”?).
• Rock climbing in Morrison:  Campers got to climb up different rock walls, and each was challenging in a different way.  Lunch was on a high rock, and, really, who wouldn’t like to dine with stunning views of Morrison?
• Mountain biking Bear Creek Lake Park:  The “slow race” got high praise for who could go the slowest and not touch their feet to the ground!  (Who knew kids could even go slow on a bike?)
• Canoeing at Big Soda Lake:  A Parent’s Day highlight – complete with a threat to swim to shore if the canoe tipped and a big “surprise,” consisting of a found dead fish.  Ewwww . . .   Amber got to see first-hand how her kiddos learned to paddle and how comfortable they were in water!
• Hiking Corwina Park:  This park is one of Amber’s best kept secrets (or it used to be. . .  shhhhh. . . ) and her kiddos hiked to the top of the mountain while playing games and seeing wildlife (and that would be a chipmunk).

The best reviews always are the ones from people who have direct experience (and, “Yes,” I’m the kind of person that scours the Internet for feedback, so keep writing your commentary there), and camp is no different.  Having a parent’s perspective helps to ease concerns and fears.  Plus, it gives you a look into experiences that counselors may not have . . . parent to parent.

Read more about Amber’s Best Outdoor Day Camp, Avid4 Adventure blog post or her full review, Avid4 Adventure:  A Mom and Son’s (Humorous) Commentary for awesome insights into Avid4 Adventure! Have a review of your own or want to read more about what other parents are saying? We’d love to hear from you!

About the Author: Lynne Marsala Basche spent most of her career on the island of Manhattan at two New York publishing companies.  A multi-year Avid4 Adventure mom and a new contributor to the Avid4 Adventure website, Lynne’s writing adventures also take her to championing volunteerism and regional recreation stories as a staff writer for the Castle Pines Connection newspaper, as well as supporting separate large corporate communications programs.  By trying to keep pace with her mountain biking, rock climbing, snowboarding, lacrosse playing, unicycling, tae kwon do-loving 11-year old son, she, like most Avid4 parents, loves sharing the value of outdoor recreation and its positive influence on children’s health and confidence development.  Lynne lives in Castle Pines, Colorado and regularly immerses herself in outdoor activities with her family where she also runs her freelance writing company, Blue Spruce Creative

Tagged: Avid4 Adventure Outdoor Adventure Camp, rock climbing