NSU Fun & Fitness Camp retains youngsters energetic by means of summer season recreation

NATCHITOCHES – More than 100 youngsters spent a part of their summer season staying energetic, studying new video games and constructing friendships throughout Northwestern State University’s Fun & Fitness Camp on the Dr. Randall J. Webb Wellness, Recreation, and Activity Center.

The weeklong day camp, supplied in three periods throughout July and August, served 174 registrations representing roughly 109 particular person campers this summer season, in line with Dr. Jason Stelly, affiliate director of aggressive sports activities and director of Fun & Fitness Camp.

The camp, open to youngsters ages 5-12, combines sports activities, video games, arts and crafts and different leisure actions designed to maintain campers engaged all through the day. Stelly mentioned this system has been a summer season custom for the reason that Eighties, with many households returning yr after yr.

“A lot of the things that they do at the camp are unique to the camp,” Stelly mentioned. “We have parachute, they are outside for some of the time, there’s arts and crafts time, there’s movie time that becomes nap time, but the main purpose of the camp is just keeping them active and making sure that they’re engaged.”

Stelly mentioned the camp’s longevity is mirrored within the households who proceed to return.

“It’s been around since the ’80s,” Stelly mentioned. “One of the cool things about it is it has its original logo from back in the day. People who actually have grandkids that have come have actually been campers when they were students years ago, so obviously it was an impressionable experience.”

Camp counselors arrange actions based mostly on age teams, serving to youthful youngsters develop confidence whereas introducing older campers to extra structured video games and competitors.

Brianna Le, a nursing scholar at NSU who works on the WRAC and serves as a head counselor for some camp periods, mentioned every age group develops totally different expertise all through the week.

“The 5-6-year-olds are learning how to get up when they fall down. The 7-8-year-olds are learning organized games. By the time they’re 9-12, they’ve gotten good at it, so now it’s really fun. They’re competitive,” Le mentioned.

Le mentioned the camp supplies youngsters with alternatives to spend time outside, keep energetic and work together with their friends.

“Having them come to the camp, interacting with other kids, playing outside, sweating, getting dirty, that’s all kid stuff that they need to do, so we’re just giving them a space to be kids,” Le mentioned.

Stelly mentioned the camp has developed a robust popularity through the years, with many campers returning every summer season.

“It takes care of itself just with its reputation, longevity of how long it’s been here,” Stelly mentioned. “We do a good job, we make sure we protect the kids and ultimately the kids have a good time.”