There are many myths and popular images of American summer camps from movies and programs such as American Pie, Bug Juice and The Parent Trap. So now that you've seen it on TV and in the movies, Camp Leaders is here to help you experience the reality!

Picture this-
A forest of beautiful dense trees, a lovely placid lake, beautiful mountain sunsets, hundreds of glowing fireflies, an array of fabulously fun activities, cabins full of excited children and obviously; talented and energetic Camp Leaders from all over the world, ready to help them have the summer of a lifetime!

So, the scene is set, please read on to find out more...

When did camps begin?

In 1861: Frederick Gunn, a teacher and avid outdoorsman, and his wife took the students from their home school on a 40 mile hike and set up camp for a week to teach them wilderness skills. They found this session to be hugely successful and continued the tradition for 12 years. Now today, Frederick Gunn is considered the founder of leisure camping in America. In 1874, the YWCA opened their first camps, designed for young women exhausted from working persistently and with no leisure time for themselves. In 1876, the first private camp opened. Based in Pennsylvania, this all boys' camp was designed to improve physical health while enhancing skills which could be used in the academic world. The decades following saw many camps open across the United States. Groups such the YMCA and Boy and Girl Scouts began to increase their number of camps nationwide. The number of camps is still increasing today with over 12,000 camps now registered in the US.

For a full history please click here:
http://www.acacamps.org/media_center/about_aca/history.php

Why have American summer camps become so successful?

Over the years, summer camps have become a tradition for many Americans families. You may find when you get to camp, that your campers will arrive with parents who have been attended the same camp when they were children. They might reminisce about their camp years gone by, find their name etched on the walls of the cabins, and often meet up with other parents dropping their kids off, who were former fellow campers as well.

American summer camps have a hugely positive influence on the campers. Many parents send their children to camp solely to develop life skills, such as self-esteem, independence, decision making and peer relations. No where else are children given such free reign to have fun and try new things while in a emotionally supportive and physically safe setting.

Though some parents have never been to camp themselves, most parents appreciate the value of the camp experience and so the number of children attending is ever increasing.