The Time to Play is Now

So, as we wait for decisions to be made about what school may look like for our children, we contemplate what it could look like and how we will cope with “distance learning” and whether or not indoor sports will be allowed for our children.  For now, our children run around outside in the sunshine and make the best of this situation.  

Some of the best moments this summer have been watching our campers run around, swim and play without a care in the world- mask or no mask depending on the situation.  There is no better sound than the sound of a child laughing and having fun.  Multiply that by 20 or 30 times and it is the best therapy for anyone.  

Watching our campers run around and playing with their friends and their camp counselors is what I have been waiting for and the absolute main reason I chose to run our SMILE program.  All of the planning and researching was well worth it!

We (Thomas, the counselors and I)  have thoroughly enjoyed hearing the giggles, watching our campers learn new games, watching them create new things in our free art space, scoring in knock-hockey, scoring a goal for the first time and learning new dance moves.  As a member of the SMILE team, these memories are one of the many reasons we do what we do.  A lot of our campers have grown up here each summer and seeing them change from summer to summer is something we look forward to every year.

Our families have been so supportive of our choice to run our SMILE 2020 program and we just want to say “Thank you!”

Thank you to all of our families that have reached out to thank us for providing a much needed place to go that they feel their children are safe.  The chance to run around and play with their friends and the chance for parents to catch up on much needed errands or time for themselves, for lunches with friends, work calls, or not having to figure out schedules because they know that their children are staying safe and healthy at SMILE.  

So, I will close with this..for those parents who are thinking of how to keep their children busy and active until “school” starts, consider sending them to SMILE summer camp to give them a time to play and to make memories and friendships that could last for years.