Why has it been so difficult to define the goals of Jewish informal education? Often informal educators define their work in terms of the goals of Jewish socialization. Those terms have worked to attract funders' support, but also limited the educational creativity of this field. This article argues for a dual defining of goals: socialization and…

EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT AND COORDINATION (BOTH MOTOR AND MUSCULAR), SOCIAL ADJUSTMENT, AND LANGUAGE AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT. SECTIONS ARE DEVOTED TO ORGANIZATION OF A DAY CAMPING PROGRAM, SELECTING THE STAFF AND THE CAMPERS, THE DAY CAMP IN OPERATION, DAY CAMPING AS A TRAINING PERIOD, CAMP RELATIONS WITH THE…

A summer day camp program featuring supervised physical activity, behavioral management, nutrition education, and family involvement helped obese children (N=13) to modify their physical fitness levels and reduce their health risk. (CB)

Interview with Maurice Sternberg, founder of one of the first day camps in the United States and longtime member of the American Camping Association. Sternberg relates his experiences in early day camping, goals for campers and staff, thoughts on the values of camping, and future plans. Includes photograph of Sternberg. (LFL)

The article discusses, in question and answer format, some considerations for parents of the gifted in selecting a summer camp for their child. Aspects covered include needs and interests of the child, staff to camper ratio, camp accreditation, health and safety precautions, and program structure. (DLS)

A summer day camp program was offered to 32 students (grades 2-6) enrolled at the Transitional School (Ohio), a school for severely behaviorally handicapped students. The program was designed to maintain the positive effects of the school intervention during the summer months. Camp staff included six learning disability/behavior disorder certified…

Four keys to successful school camping programs are offered. (MM)

Many factors go into selecting a camp. Location, cost, and health facilities are all important considerations. The musical development and objectives of the child and the camp's particular instructional, emotional, recreational, physical, and geographical requirements are all important in the selection process. (CS)

Describes the Stanford Adolescent Weight Loss Camp, which taught eating and exercise skills to 25 overweight adolescents. At posttreatment, reductions were achieved in weight, with improved habits and weight management concepts. Parent and participant assessment of the camp was very positive. (JAC)

The primary purpose of the investigation discussed in this paper is to determine the perceived effectiveness of a life skills education program for youth. During an eight-week summer day camp program, youth in grades kindergarten through fifth participated in 28 hours of life skills education focusing on relating and caring. Fifteen skills were…

Briefly described are four award winning summer programs including a Massachusetts Girl Scout camp which mainstreams girls with disabilities; a New York camp serving siblings of children with disabilities; a Texas camp which utilizes volunteers to serve disabled children who may have serious medical conditions; and a California camp offering…

It is important to start planning for children's summer camp activities long before summer arrives. This paper presents advice from the American Camping Association on asking the right questions of the camp director when looking at different camps. It also discusses the importance of knowing one's options in regard to summer camps. A sidebar…

Describes Camp Invention--a day camp devoted to creativity and science, and the result of a partnership among 248 nationwide schools and a nonprofit center for creativity in Ohio called Inventure Place. States that the camp, designed for second to sixth graders, provides a creative setting in which students' abilities are needed to accomplish…

Physical fitness camp experience resulted in significant changes from an external to an internal locus of control (as well as in physical fitness performance levels) of children ages six to fourteen. (MB)

Profiles Herbert A. Sweet, founder and director of Acorn Farms Day Camp (Indiana) for 44 years. Includes reminiscences about the camp's program, staffing, food, World War II, affiliation with the American Camping Association, and camps/directors of today. (NEC)