BOZEMAN — It’s time for summer camp! But this year, things might look a little different.
“Lot more sanitation. We have smaller group sizes, more instructors. You know, we’re taking breaks throughout the day to sanitize and wash hands. We check temperatures as kids come in,” explained Eric Fisher, the owner of Bozeman Sports Camp.
For these summer camps, it’s all about finding a balance.
“We want to have a safe time. One of our values is we want kids to have memories, but also safety. And so, balancing letting them have fun. Let them have kid time. Let them enjoy, but at the same time understanding we want to protect this community,” said Kyle Blackmore, one of the directors for Camp Agape.
And for the kids, it’s all about having fun through their favorite games.
“I would say soccer!”
“Soccer and kickball!”
“Freeze tag!”
“My favorite part is swimming. But since the coronavirus, it’s closed.”
Regardless of the changes this year, the kids seemed to be happy to be themselves around other kids.
“Kids are very resilient. Kids are understanding, and they’re able to roll with the punches with whatever goes. We also just enjoy that interaction, that social interaction is such a huge piece. For kids, a lot of them haven’t had that social interaction since March,” Fisher said.
And fortunately for campers, the current circumstances serve as the perfect learning opportunity.
“We’re able to explain, 'Listen we’re going out into this beautiful country and we can experience parks, have fun. But we have to be safe.' So, we’re talking about how we use hand sanitizers before we eat lunch, after any sort of bathrooms, after we’re done in big groups of about 50 or less and hanging out together. And just being safe,” Blackmore explained.
This pandemic has certainly affected all of us, but it doesn’t have to affect our ability to have fun. More information on Bozeman Sports Camp or Camp Agape can be found on their websites.