Summer camp

Summer Camp is a generic term for Holiday Events in the youth work that will be carried out as a group ride. Holiday camps are carried out as a tent camp accommodation with self-catering, hostels or similar devices.

However, the term summer camp not only describes the holiday event, but can also describe the means in which this event is conducted.

The tradition of such events goes back to the youth movement of the early 20th century.

Federal Republic of Germany

In the Federal Republic, the organizers of summer camps are usually public or free providers of youth work, for example Christian youth organizations such as Scouts, KJG or YMCA, as well as charities, independent schools (such as boarding schools ) and other free, non-profit support, but also commercial carrier.

The bearings are usually in the school holidays - usually in the summer holidays (hence as summer camp or summer camp called ) - in different places at home and abroad instead and combine different forms of leisure activities with the group experience. Often sports and nature offers are included in the program. Special tradition have summer camps in Christian organizations, who in addition of pure leisure and emphasis on conveying Christian beliefs. Even in such organizations, however, a trend towards pure leisure trips is to determine the Christian character is then obtained from the often quite large recreational use of the usually volunteer caregivers.

The care of holiday camps incumbent according to organizers and concept full-time or volunteer staff. As proof of qualification for volunteers the youth leaders Card ( Juleica ) serves. As proof of qualification for the organizer applies, for example, the nationwide seal of approval QMJ SicherGut! Conditions of the travel company, awarded by the Association of Federal Forum on Child and youth travel, many of the free and commercial carriers are connected by holiday camps.

Often, low-income families can apply for grants for the cost of a holiday camp with the competent social or youth welfare office.

German Democratic Republic

In the GDR there were operating summer camps, by companies ( VEB or conglomerates), were maintained for children of employees.

In addition, there were pioneer summer camp, organized through the schools in cooperation with the Pioneer organization and the FDJ.

The pioneer camps were led by full-time employees of the FDJ district lines and as a group leader students and older students were used.

Some of the former holiday camp operation or central pioneer camps have now come together under the concept of children's and youth recreation centers in Germany ( KiEZ ).

For adolescents existed in the GDR, the camp of rest and work for FDJ members and students of 9th to 12th grades.

United States

In the United States arise during the school holidays for many families gaps in care because both parents are working and because professionals in the United States usually have a few vacation days. Many non-profit organizations such as the YMCA, offer for school holidays therefore paid child - care programs, which are usually referred to due to the American camp tradition as camps, but today often take place at the residence, the character of a child day care or a full-day workshops have and provide, for example, artistic or musical activities the participating children. Other Camps include overnight accommodations. Some deals are specially addressed to gifted children and organized eg by universities.

Activities in a holiday camp

Depending on the type of the camp ( outdoor camp, training camp, etc.) can be weighted differently priorities.

• Sightseeing ( castles, museums, etc. )
• Hikes in the area, night hike
• Create cultural program and perform (eg, Neptune Festival, theater, disco )
• Sports and games ( children's games, group games, chess, cards, board games), Creative work, crafts
• Hold tournaments for example, Sports, chess, table tennis, stilts, three legged race, eating contest, tug of war
• Write letters to parents, relatives and friends

Bathing children in an Israeli holiday camp

Dancing girl group

Boys playing in volleyball

Night walk with lanterns

Night walk with torches

Girls at the " sausage - eating contest "

Boy when writing a letter

Cultural program in a Russian summer camp

Swimming Competition

Pedal car driving and climbing wall

Neptune Festival

Holiday camp in the film

Many films use a summer camp as a place for action. So meet at the DEFA film Seven Freckles (1978 ) the two main characters after a long time in a holiday camp with each other. The Comedy Chaos at Camp Cucamonga (1990 ) plays completely in a holiday camp. In The Parent Trap (1998 ) to meet the, until then unknown, twin siblings happen to be in a holiday camp. In Moonrise Kingdom (2012 ), the protagonist comes only through a summer camp of the scouts on the island of his future girlfriend.