Summer Camp During the Pandemic

Two weeks of summer camp recede in the rear view mirror, and three wait in the wings. It's weird how quickly the new normal has become routine. We are in cohorts of no more than a dozen campers, with attendant counselors and staff members. So far most groups have two leaders each. I've been working with Wolf, and even though it's his first summer and my 15th, the new routine has leveled the playing field somewhat. We have been checking temperatures in the morning, leaving masks on the majority of the time, and staying appropriately distant from each other. The need to stay distant means that some activities have been modified and others have been temporarily abandoned.

The pool and the ropes course are closed. The campfire, night hike, and sleepover aren't happening, although we recorded a "campfire" consisting of songs and skits for kids to watch at home. Each kid also gets a s'more kit so they can make a gooey mess while watching our antics on YouTube.

Oh, and it's nearly impossible to keep kids apart, and hard to make sure they're always wearing their masks properly. We're doing the best we can. We have one staff member out because he had close contact with somebody who tested positive over the weekend, and one who is out from what is almost certainly seasonal allergies. It's funny how all of sudden seemingly inconsequential things are suddenly cause for concern. Following the strictest recommendations is the way to go though, since cases continue to mount.

The first week, we had a mere six campers in our group, plus one counselor in training and one counselor. The second week, we had nine campers, two counselors in training, and three counselors. The age range within the groups is greater than previous years, simply because siblings now have to be in the same cohorts. We had one little girl who was only six years old this week, but she was a very capable kid, hiking over six miles on Friday and not complaining at all.

So what have we been doing? We've been playing games, a bit of archery, tie-dying, soak a camper, nature art, eating ice cream, hiking, visiting the creeks (we've played in all three creeks within easy walking distance), visiting the nature lab animals, and generally enjoying being outside. Some of these kids have been pretty cooped up. Late this week, the Covid guidelines shifted slightly, so keeping the kids six feet apart from each other is recommended, but not mandated. They still have to stay six feet away from us old folk though.

I think about all of the people who claim to be short of breath after wearing mask while shopping. I've been going on long hikes while masked, and I haven't had a problem at all, so I call bullshit.