Winter camp keeps kids busy during holiday break
BY SARA PLUMMER World Staff Writer
Thursday, January 03, 2013
1/03/13 at 7:51 AM
Just because there's a chill in the air doesn't keep campers and counselors from enjoying the outdoors at Camp Loughridge during schools' winter break.
This is the second year the faith-based Camp Loughridge, located on more than 200 acres at 4900 W. 71st St., has offered winter camp. This year's camp ends Friday.
The camp already hosts eight weeks of summer camps. A winter camp was established to take advantage of the holiday break from school, said program director Kayla Maynard.
"Parents kept asking us if we would do a winter camp," she said. "It was a huge hit."
Winter camp is open to first- through sixth-graders and is fashioned much like summer camp with scheduled activities. But because of the colder temperatures, more time is spent indoors.
That doesn't mean the children are cooped up inside all day, though.
"Yes, we go outside, but the kids are running around," Maynard said.
If it's cold outside, children have to wear coats, gloves and hats, and shorter blocks of time are spent outdoors at the ropes course, archery range, ball fields and hiking trails.
Because some of the more popular summer camp staples such as swimming and canoeing are unfeasible, Maynard and the counselors had to come up with additional indoor activities for winter camp.
"They're outside all the time in the summer, so we have to rethink that" for winter, she said. "We can do a lot more indoor games. We can be a lot more creative with our arts and crafts."
And although the use of electronics is usually frowned upon, movies are allowed, especially at the end of the day as a way to get the children settled down before sending them home, Maynard said.
Seven-year-old Emma Fields and 9-year-old Jackson Shofner said their experience at winter camp has been "awesome."
"I told my mom I really liked the summer camp, so she looked up to see if there was a winter camp," Jackson said.
Both said they would likely be at home just sitting on the couch watching television if it weren't for winter camp.
Emma said she liked watching movies and eating popcorn, and Jackson said he's enjoyed having Nerf gunbattles and playing charades for the first time.
"You stay more inside and have a little more free time," he said.
The summer camps host about 300 children a week, but the winter camp this year has had a maximum of 25 children per day.
Because attendance is smaller, the children can spend more time on individual activities or stations and have more flexibility in what activities they take part in, Maynard said.
The counselors also get more one-on-one time with the campers.
"You get to know their names. You get to know their personalities," she said. "Being a Christian camp, we get to see their faith grow."
Learn more
For more information about Camp Loughridge and its summer and winter camps, call 918-446-4194 or go online to tulsaworld.com/camploughridge
Original Print Headline: Hot fun in the wintertime
Sara Plummer 918-581-8465
sara.plummer@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
A dogpile breaks out during a game of capture the flag Wednesday at Camp Loughridge's winter camp in Tulsa. Camp Loughridge hosted 25 campers in first through sixth grades. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
Children watch a religious video at Camp Loughridge's winter camp. "Being a Christian camp, we get to see their faith grow," program director Kayla Maynard said. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
Olivia Shofner (from left), McKensie Salcher, Darby Chalmers and counselor Nicole Pewthers set up a defense around their team's base during a game of capture the flag at Camp Loughridge's winter camp Wednesday. MATT BARNARD/Tulsa World
|
