Press

NATURE AND HEALTH

The camp tradition began more than a century ago as a way of offering a healthy, natural environment for city youth. Today, maybe more than ever, one of the most important benefits of going to camp is the chance to experience the natural world, observes Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder.”

Spending time in nature is essential for healthy child development, says Louv. An outdoor-oriented camp “can stimulate full use of the senses,” he says. His research indicates that experiences in nature encourage clearer thinking, extend the attention span, and strengthen children’s ability to deal with the world. “Immersion in nature is something we need at some level that we don’t fully understand,” says Louv. Many kids’ first spiritual encounters take place in nature, where they discover something larger than themselves.

With the right program, people, and setting, a child’s camp experience can have a huge impact. “Many adults say their camp experience changed their life. It influences how they make decisions as adults,” says [Peg] Smith of the American Camp Association. “I think all children should have the opportunity to go to camp.”

Traveling Players Ensemble. This innovative program for middle school and high school students provides intensive, classical theatre training to small troupes of actors. Campers are carefully guided by professional theater artists to perform in outdoor amphitheatres. The program reflects the days when troupes of actors roamed the ancient and medieval countryside, relying on bare props and bold imagination to convey their art. Campers meet daily at The Madeira School in McLean, and transportation is included in the fee. Each session culminates in a backpacking trip in Shenandoah National Park, Colonial Williamsburg, or another outdoor setting, where students perform.