Put success in your summer! Launch your child into the future with fun, academic summer camps by CP & Ellie Wallis Today’s parents face the challenge of preparing their children for a rewarding and fulfilling future while working hard to support the present.  Summer can present schedules challenges that frazzle hard-working parents.  The answers to [...]

Send your child outside this summer! Build a stronger, smarter and healthier child with summer programs. by CP A generation ago 75% of children spent daily time playing freely in the outdoors.  Reports from the National Wildlife Federation indicate that today only 25% of American children play outside on a regular basis.  An alarming number [...]

A Father’s Role in Fostering a Love for the Natural World By Kyle Waggener My wife and I have always loved the outdoors, often going hiking, camping, backpacking or birding.   When our daughter was born, I wondered what impact this new addition would have on our outdoor pursuits.  We read many books about child [...]

Music and movement! Music, choral and dance camps can energize your summer. by CP & Nicole Knauss It is easy to understand that the activities children and teens are involved in shape their lives and choosing the programs that will most significantly impact their overall development is daunting. Since there is a national focus on [...]

Special Needs Summer Camp Programs The American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimates that one in 10 schoolchildren are affected by a learning disorder like dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Asberger’s Syndrome, one of the autism spectrum disorders.  Resources for children with special needs are a crucial component of the educational mix both [...]

Seeing things from the other side of the looking glass by Lu Lewis and Edna Varner Everybody has a list — losing weight, gaining confidence, improving relationships, or saving money at the supermarket. We recently discussed a US News and World Report article, “50 Ways to Improve Your Life.”  The tips were worth the price [...]

THE PILE HIGH CLUB by Alison Lebovitz Hello, my name is Alison, and I am a pile-oholic. It has been twenty-one days since my last pile and I truly believe that I am finally on a path towards a clutter-free life. When I was twenty-four and living in Chicago, my best friend took me to [...]

Real Troopers Daisy Troop sends smiles and treats to soldiers by CP and Bridget Huckabay Letters from home can feel like a lifeline for campers, especially important when children are away for the first time.  The thrill of hearing their name during mail call can add layers of success to the independence and self-reliance that [...]

Ten Terrific Award Winning Books Raschka, Chris.  A Ball for Daisy.  In this wordless book, Daisy’s beloved ball is destroyed.  2012 Caldecott Medal.  (PreK – 1st) McDonnell, Patrick.  Me…Jane.  Young Jane Goodall and her toy chimpanzee explore their world.  2012 Caldecott Honor Book  (PreK – 2nd) Smith, Lane.  Grandpa Green.  A boy tells about his [...]

The 1.5 million-person mystery: How to recognize and treat autism in children By Peggy Wilkins, PhD Once thought to be relatively rare autism affects as many as 1.5 million Americans. Although we know it is a developmental disability based in abnormal brain development, the exact cause remains a mystery. Up to 5 percent of cases [...]