“Free play is a very powerful social teacher. Children are learning how to negotiate, how to share, how to play together, how to step back when they’ve had enough — and they’re learning it all on their own. Being able to have and negotiate these experiences on their own builds their confidence.”
-Dr. Shimi Kang, American Camp Association. “Anxiety and the Importance of Play”
At North Star, we are always looking for ways to update our programming so that it best fits the needs of our campers. Every day, there is an organized free period where campers are able to go to an activity of their choosing or relax around camp. As we have learned more about the importance of free play for building important skills, we have added an unorganized free period, where campers are encouraged to create games, find an activity, and enjoy each other’s company. By offering our campers varied opportunities to play, we hope to allow each of them to experience the many benefits that accompany it.