Field trips that tie into the camp’s weekly themes are often the highlight of the summer for some participants. Photo courtesy of Sparrow Michigan Athletic Club.

2011 BEST CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
Sparrow Michigan Athletic Club, East Lansing, MI

The freedom of summer and the fun of camp can quickly turn sour for kids after a few weeks of sitting around or participating in dull camp activities, but that is not the case at Sparrow Michigan Athletic Club’s MAC Summer Camp, where variety is a key element. Each week has a different theme, field trip, crafts, and sports and fitness activities.

The most popular themes this summer were the Olympic games, outer space and sports, says Kelli Russell, youth and special events coordinator at the East Lansing, MI, facility. At the end of the week, campers go on a field trip to a location that matches the week’s theme. The trips are often a highlight for campers, Russell says.

The different themes and activities keep kids entertained and let parents know that their children will have fun while learning healthy habits that can last well beyond the end of summer.

“We’re obviously active all day long so they get a lot of their physical fitness in the summer here, but we have a variety of activities,” Russell says. “We’re making crafts, we’re making snacks, we get to go on field trips. We put all that together in one camp. Also this year, parents have really liked how we have done the positive reinforcement with the bead program.”

This summer, the camp staff used a bead system to reward good behavior. Every day, children were given a positive character trait to think about. Depending on how fully they embraced the word of the day and demonstrated good behavior, campers received beads, which came in different levels, colors and styles to signify how well they behaved and reflected the week’s theme. Although the children at the camp never had a lot of behavioral problems, the counselors saw a considerable improvement in all campers’ behavior after the program was introduced, says Lindsey Bachman, lead counselor.

“Campers know what’s expected of them, and they get excited about earning something for doing a good job,” Russell says. “We’re pretty good at recognizing their accomplishments and outstanding behaviors, not just attitudes. We’re recognizing and rewarding them for their strengths and not just for being good.”

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