Overnight VS. Day Camp

[CAMPFRIEND]

I thought that this might be fun just to put out there. I have worked at both day and overnight camp. My question to all of you is what camp is better? Let’s see who can come up with the best argument for their type of camp!

[audur]

I don't think one is better than the other - it depends on the needs of the children and staff which one is better for them. I have never worked at a day camp, but I used to go to one. I also went to overnight camp as a girl - and now I work at one. I know that *I* like the overnight camp setting, but that doesn't mean that everyone else does, or that it's better than day camp.

[ocean]

Personally I prefer the overnight camp setting, instead of the day camp setting. I prefer the overnight because you get to gaze at the stars at nights with camp friends and have camp fires underneath the stars, and have sleepovers every night. When I was a PA at my day camp for 4 years I didnt really enjoy the day camp setting. You get a lot more done it seems at an overnight camp. But some people might enjoy the day camp better

[who_stole_my_loofa]

I've worked at both and I like overnight better because I think 1. there are more opportunities and 2. you have a lot more time to get to know everyone. At overnight camp, it's not just a job, it's your life.

Loofa

[Skater Bubbles]

Wow, you opened up a can of worms! But I have to say that I enjoy both camps for different reasons. I have worked at both, but I must say that I loved my overnight camp more than day camp.

[camper]

i really think it depends on the person, and i've never been to/worked at a day camp, but i think that sleepaway is the best b/c the people become your family and the kids feel like they can be completely free in this "fantasyland" without going back to their home life at night, however good or bad it might be. they don't worry about what their parents will say if they try something new and don't worry about being pushed to do anything. there is no rush at the beginning or end of a day, and it breaks the school-like routine.

[CAMPFRIEND]

I do think that both kinds of camp provide great service for campers and parents. This was just a post for fun to see who thinks what kind of camp is better. I love both and but I do think that at an overnight camp you get more of a chance to get to know the campers a lot better. At day camp they get to go home every night. I think that for some of the campers at my day camp, overnight camp would be great for the them to learn some independence from their parents!

[rockinsmiles]

Well I've only worked at/gone to overnight camps so I cant really say. i love overnight camp but i would be willing to try day camp (if it didnt cut into my overnight :) )

[Dave]

I have to say day camp only because that's the only kind of camp I've worked at. But I think it would be fun to get to put the kids to bed every night at overnight camp.

[Flukie]

I've worked at both, but I chose to go back to resident camp after working at day camp because I find there is a magic there between campers and staff that is much harder to get at day camp. At resident camp, you live there together for sessions, like Loofa said. At day camp, it is much more broken up because campers and staff go home. I missed the bonding and singing around a campfire after dinner with my girls. So I went back to camp - learning that it dioesn't matter where you go to camp but what you do while there. There are always campers that are looking for staff that love camp - no matter where you go.

[Kerrbear]

I've only worked at sleepaway camp but I love it to death. I think the best part of the day is just before supper after the last activity and you wouldn't get that at a day camp. I also love putting campers to bed and reading to them and consolling homesick kids. They're my specialty. This summer one kid was really homesick and refused to go into the cabin, the cit didn't know how to handle it. I walked over and talked to the kid, within 10 minutes he was in bed!

[Flower]

I've really only worked at sleepaway, so I might be biased, but I tend to think sleepaway is. Kids get so much independence out of camp, out of going without their parents, and learning to rely on people outside their family. That independence just can't be matched at day camp where they go home to their family every night.
I do think that any camp is great though, and day camp is certainly a great place for kids too young or just not ready for sleepaway camp. They can still learn social skills and learn to take risks there. Camp is so much fun, but it should be about more than just having fun whether at a day or sleepaway camp.

[CAMPFRIEND]

I think that we need to try to get more day camp people on this site!!

[Dave]

We do need more day camp staff here. We're such a minority right now. :P

[CAMPFRIEND]

I'll keeping working!!

[campCardinal]

I've been to both camps, but I've only worked at an overnight camp. I love it for many reasons. One of my favorite things is putting the kids to bed and waking them up. I love putting them to bed because that is when I get to do really cool devotions with my girls. We usually talk about what happened during the day and it's really awesome. I love waking the kids up too. It's just something special about the bugle being played and waking up with a huge smile on your face because it's another day of camp. Plus, in the mornings, my cabin has been known to have some pretty awesome dance parties!

Another things that I like about overnight camp is the bonds between the staff. Once the kids go to bed, we get to hang out for a couple hours. It's so special, some of my best memories are from things we did after the kids were in bed. We had ice cream parties and made banners or played crazy games. One night all of the girls staff had a girls night in the office and just sat around and talked and it was AMAZING! Also, laying out watching the stars. One of my best memories was on the fourth of july sitting on the top of our hill looking out over the city we're in and watching all these fire work displays at once. It was beatiful. I wouldn't have that memory from a day camp.