I remember turning 10. Not only did this birthday mean I finally reached double digits, but I was now old enough to attend summer camp. I was thinking about summer camp the other day and began to wonder how summer camp first began. Here’s a summary of what I discovered.
Early beginning
Until the late 19th century, summers were a mix of work and unstructured play for children. They spent their days playing games like tag and hide-and-seek or hanging around adult workplaces, returning home at night.
Missing out
As the U.S. industrialized, moral reformers and educators feared that urban children, especially boys, were missing out on the character-building and health benefits of rural life. Summer camps, surrounded by nature and offering hard work and healthy play, seemed a good solution.
These camps, whether genuinely rustic or designed to fit the romantic notions of rural life, quickly gained support from educators, philanthropists, and health professionals.
No sissies!
Early camps targeted middle-class urban boys, who some believed were overly coddled by mothers and female teachers. Leaders wanted to toughen the youngsters up and avoid “sissification.”
The mission extended to immigrant children crowded into tenements. Reformers feared these children would otherwise spend summers idling on hot city streets, learning nothing about American values like hard, honest work.
Girls attend
By World War I, girls also attended camps. They learned domestic skills, practiced independence from home, and gained confidence through the summer camp experience.
Other groups
By the 1920s and ’30s, marginalized groups established their own camps to promote cultural identity. African Americans, Jews, and Christians all set up camps to foster solidarity as well as teach outdoor skills and reinforce group beliefs and values.
Focus shift
During World War II, camps shifted focus to prolong and protect childhood innocence, allowing children to explore arts, sports, and outdoor life.
Today, the summer camp industry is a professionalized sector, embraced by parents across socioeconomic classes who see it as essential for their children’s development.
Did you know?
Today there are also summer camps for adults. Some adult camps teach basic outdoor skills like campfire cooking and canoeing. Other adult summer camps offer art/craft lessons, meditation, shooting lessons, and much more.
Here is Summer Camp Hub’s list of the best adult summer camps in 2024, in case you’re interested.
Poll
Now we want to know about YOU. Please vote in our poll and then feel free to comment.
I loved summer camp. I was fortunate to be able to attend overnight camp for 2 weeks every summer from age 7 all the way to staff when I was a teen. After returning home from overnight camp, I went to day camp! I think this was a good thing for my parents as they had a chance to travel and be without kids, but it was the absolute best part of childhood for me. Camp shaped me in ways that were not possible had I stayed at home in the tame, familiar suburban neighborhood of southern CA.
“Summer camp” for us meant dad hooking up the camper trailer and heading out to the Mojave Desert or up to Lake Tahoe for a week or two – as a family.
Boy Scout Summer Camp.
Attended Arnold Palmers golf camp in Stratton Mountain Vermont one summer in my early teens.
When I was a kid in the city we never heard of summer camp and none of our parents could afford such a luxury. Then again almost every house on our block had 3 or 4 kids all about the same age. We organized ourselves. Most days a mom would sit outside and make sure nobody was bleeding. In the afternoon we walked about a mile to the city pool clutching our swim cards. For about a month my dad would drive us down 41 to St. Pete where we would spend a month with our cousins at Fort Desoto, Camping and swimming in Tampa Bay. We were pirates and fished for our supper. I’m sure my grandparents kept an eye on us and my grandmother taught me how to sew.
Yes. Boy Scout camp, YMCA camp, church camp! All in various parts of Michigan.
Grew up dirt floor poor, on a red barn WI dairy farm. Summer camp for us was building forts, out in the woods, swimming and fishing in the creek, and playing with the neighborhood farm kids. It lasted ALL summer, and we could be gone as long we wanted, as long we were back in time for chores. We had more real adventures than most kids today can imagine.
Growing up in Michigan meant our parents loaded up the car-top carrier many summer weekends (and when they took vacations) and explored the State (both peninsulas!) with a big canvas tent. Sometimes the tent went up in the backyard for a neighboring kids’ sleepover. We were lower middle-class and didn’t miss meals, but I doubt my parents had the funds to send us to any kind of organized summer camp.
I really think all of today’s camps have had a negative impact on the tourism industry and learning history, geology, etc.
Boy Scout camp. Summer and winter. I actually enjoyed the winter one. No bugs, no snakes.
Grew up as a farm boy. My Dad passed away when I was very young, me an my two older brothers worked along side Mom to survive. Yep, that was my summer camp.
I washed dishes at the rich kids camp as my first job
Grew up in the country with no need for a separate “pay for” summer camp. We learned gardening from Mom (someone always had to go to the garden or berry patch with her as she was deathly afraid of snakes and we always saw them), mowed the large country yard, and did other outdoor chores (my Dad had a small “hobby” herd of beef cattle). But we also spent significant time fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and camping on the Mississippi river islands. Farmers let us camp in their woods as well. We built forts, rode horses, shot bows and guns, bicycled, hiked, and explored freely and at will. What childhood could be better?
Sounds like a wonderful childhood, Mikal. Lucky guy! Have a great day. 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
My Summer camp was the several acres of woods with a stream running through it we owned behind our house. Safe Travels.
Church Camp where I learned how to swim and Boy Scout Camp for years back in the 50’s and 60’s when Boy Scouts were boys.
Never went to a summer camp. Summer was for baseball practice and games, riding my bike across town for swimming lessons, playing outside with cousins and friends, and going to a movie because it had air conditioning. By age 14, summer was, first, for driver’s education, then for a weekday summer job. I had to pay for that expensive 20¢/gallon gas when using Mom’s car and for weekends with friends at the public pool. Oh, and gas for driving to all those baseball practices and games! That baseball thing ended at 16 when I bought my first car and decided girls were much more fun than all those sweaty practices and games. Especially the girls at the public pool on those hot weekends!
Great story Steve- I’ll bet you loved summers.
My summer camps were one week long church camps out in the countryside along a lake or river. Lots of nature, lots of fun!
Thank you, Gail! I voted for the “went numerous times. ” I went four times as a child (10th grade or younger). Once to a day-camp and three times to a “go and stay there” camp. As an adult I went to a distance-running camp twice and worked as a camp counselor twice at distance-running camps. Thanks again, have a great week, safe travels, and safe stays!
Boy Scout camp, Camp Betz in lower Michigan.
At the end of school near June 1st my Mom would sometimes ask me if I had any plans for summer. If I hesitated or said I didn’t know she’d sign me up for summer school. Later, I appreciated her wisdom in doing so, as I had many wonderful experiences doing this. My Dad taught summer sessions at colleges around the country when we were growing up and going to summer school in new places away from our home town was an unexpected bonus. I attended summer camps too but usually at home.
Rather than summer camp, my mother sent me to spend two weeks on my aunt’s farm. I played with my cousin and helped out when I could.
Yes, church camp for three years, for just a week-long camp each time. Wonderful experiences, some of my favorite memories. Camp Glancy in Tennessee. I saved my little bits of money all year to be able to pay the $14 cost. I never had any extra money to pay for snacks and drinks, though.
Camp Lurecrest on Lake Lure, NC was something I really looked forward to during my early teen years.
When I was about 7 or 8 I went to day camp and was homesick. But after my first year of college I got a job at a summer camp. I was hooked! I then went on to work in year round camping for 25 years. Summer camp gives children and young adults an opportunity to unplug from the world around them, learn new skills, new friends, and learn about themselves. I’m a believer the summer camp experience is a valuable experience for most children.
Went to a small church camp in the late 60’s. Yup, that old. Met a girl there who eventually became my wife. We still go back there to help out at the camp a few times of year. Wife as camp nurse, and I as a groundshelper. Grankids now attending too. Only a week a year, but it changed my life and still look forward to it.
What a great story, Jeff and Marie. Thank you! Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
I attended 1 yr. at YMCA camp, then 3 times at Boy Scout Camp Wilderness (MN). One youth year I spent the week horse back riding thru Itaska StP (MN). It was a Scout adventure called “Pack Saddle Trails”. While serving as Scoutmaster for 10-12 years, I attended three years with the Troop; this was about 50 years later – not much changed at Camp Wilderness, as I remember it from my youth days!
I said yes, many times but it was more like a couple times. Flathead Lutheran Bible camp in MT, was so fun and the councilors all played guitar. It was a blast!
A couple of summers, in my early teens, while living on Guam. (navy brat) Spent days along the beach and swam in warm waters so clear you could see all the tropical fish swimming 75-100′ away. Always wore tennis shoes because of the sharp coral reefs and poisonous shell fish. It’s also where I sorta taught myself to fish along the rocky shoreline.
Also in scouts and Boys Club.
In my younger days, kids had to come from an affluent family to afford any summer type camps. For many of the Boy Scouts , before they got infested with girls, was our camp to go to. Not knocking girls…just think they need to stay on their own side of the fence.
Really? Infested?
I would call girls a plus back then. No Drama like today’s girls.
As a youth, I went to Boy Scout summer camp every year. I think it was my favorite week of the year. When my sons were joined Scouting, I accompanied them and their troop to camp as an adult leader. When my sons aged out of Scouts, I stayed on as a Leader and went to camp every year with our troop. I think i attended summer camp at least 25 times. it was a wonderful experience for the boys AND the adults.
Went YMCA Day Camp in 1953/54, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks per season. Best time.
I enjoyed summer camp in Erie PA it was a YMCA camp. I went from age 9 thru 12
Church camp for me…I LOVED it! We sent our kids and now make sure our grandkids go
Yep, Church camp, Boy Scout camp and Swim camp – almost drowned and dry land camping for me since.
Hi, Kelly. So, no camping near water, eh? Then tomorrow’s Leave here with a laugh will surely qualify as a potential campsite for you.👍 Have a good night. 😀 –Diane
I’ll stay up all night checking my email for RVT.
Good! I’m pretty sure you’ll want to put this high on your list for camping, Kelly. (Sorry for the delay in responding. Just got back from my walk at the local track. Beautiful evening out there, but now where’s my squeegee?🥵) Take care. 🤗 –Diane
No summer camp for me or my sister, too costly. Each day when weather was nice and we had finished our chores we would make a peanut butter and marshmallow (flutter nutter) sandwich and walk to the pool, located just over a mile away and meet with some neighbor friends. My dad would pick us up at 5:30 and we better be ready (swimming suit changed so not to get car seat wet). If it was raining we would either play something in the basement or in the garage. After supper we would usually play with the neighbor kids. It was pretty easy to write the back to school essay in the fall on what we did on summer vacation.
My summer camps consisted of farm work. Baling hay, milking cows, harvesting corn, etc.
One summer I was able to live on a farm close to Monroe, Wa. Milk and butter right from the Moo’s and eggs from those hens. They raised strawberries too!
I’ll never forget that great experiences along with the Summer camps!
I went to Girl Scout Camp in southern New Mexico for a week in the summer for several years in the 1980’s. I loved it. My parents scraped up the money to send me.
Lots of years of 4-H camp as a camper and a counselor. Great memories.
never heard of them when I was a kid
YMCA-&-CYO Camps. The best thing for a young city kid, along with CUB & BOY Scouts..
Kept me out of trouble and gave me the love and appreciation for the outdoors I have today..
Sounds like me, David. I was a Girl Scout for about 10 years mainly so I could go camping. I have loved the outdoors and the mountains for as long as I can remember. For many years I have owned 18+ acres of semi-remote, gorgeous mountain property, with a river running through it, an hour from my home. (Don’t get up there nearly as much as I would like due to my schedule.🥹) And my nickname has been Mountain Mama since 1971. (Thank you, John Denver.👍) Plus, my vehicle license plates are MTNMAMA and MTNMOMA.😄 Have a good evening. 😀 –Diane aka Mountain Mama
As the youngest child of a live-aboard (Full-timing on a boat), our circle of friends was really small until we moved ashore one year. The olders found summer jobs, but I was too young so I got to go to a YMCA camp only about an hour from home. It was very different for me.
Yes, at 4-H camp not far away. We lived in the woods already–I still do. Loads of fun, starting at 9 years old, camper and then counselor. I couldn’t understand the cry-babies at all, and some were fighting all the time. Most didn’t even know how to start a fire or cook on one. We could learn a craft, swim in the river, go hiking, play outdoor games. The shelters were open-faced with a fire pit in the middle. No radios, no candy, no money allowed.