COVID-19 UPDATE
We recently received the Phase 5 guidelines for day camps under the Restore Illinois plan which can be found here. We will highlight some of the guidelines and share some details about our plans for the 2021 camp seasons.
We have a great staff that is very excited to see your kids. All of our staff are experienced returning staff. We are fortunate to have so many college aged guys and gals that want to invest in relationship with your kids. We suspect that many campers are ready to get out of their houses and have the opportunity to play with friends and enjoy the great outdoors. Our staff are planning creative activities that will engage them socially, emotionally, intellectually and physically.
What can my kids expect to do while they are at camp?
§ Build positive relationships with their counselors and peers
§ Various sports skills sessions
§ Arts and Crafts to spark creativity and hone dexterity
§ Brain Games that stimulate critical thinking and increase knowledge
§ Movie Days
§ Music and Dance to build and release joy
§ Daily contests between groups to build a “Big Camp” feel
§ Lots of time outside to ground kids in the world
§ Small group games that stimulate the team’s social connections
§ Free time to hang out with other kids and use imagination
What changes are we making to keep it in line with safety guidance?
Camp will be held at MVP. Drop off and pick up will be at the 130 entrance (door down from main entrance. Look for the signs and Camp Director out front. Camper drop off begins at 8:30am, pick up will begin at 3pm.
Small Groups - 30 kids max. Each Mini Camp will be grouped according to age to the best of our ability. These small groups will limit exposure of each camper to a maximum of 10 kids. The same counselors will be with the group of 10 for a staff/camper ratio of 1:5.
Here are places where we have decided to adopt what seems to be best practices in current centers who have experience in this area.
Masks - Staff members that are fully vaccinated will not be required to wear a face mask. Face masks will be worn when within 6 feet of campers unless involved in physical activity.
Hand Washing and Hand Sanitizer- We will be instituting hand washing as a primary deterrent to disease spread. We also have a large supply of approved hand sanitizer to fill in when washing hands is not practical. There are 10 hand sanitizer stations throughout the facility.
Physical Distancing/Social Distancing – We need to be honest. We find it unrealistic and potentially emotionally unhealthy to enforce the guideline that campers must maintain a 6-foot distance at all times from other campers as recommended in the Phase 3 plan. We don’t want kids to be anxious about the 6-foot distance or get upset because we won’t let them play with their friends. We will work to physically distance ourselves by avoiding handshakes, high fives,
hugs and the like. We will be outside much of the time to allow maximum air circulation. But sometimes we will have activities where the campers may interact with their group of 10 at intervals closer than 6 ft. We believe it is unrealistic to police that rule in this setting.
Lunch. Bring bag lunch daily, single use containers. Hot lunch will only be offered on Thursdays, supplied by Kookers for $5. Choice of hamburger or hot dog with chips and drink. Those participating will need to let us know on Wednesday. There will be no sharing.
Field Trips. We are looking into options.
Daily Cleaning. Our cleaning and the handling of health situations will follow the CDC guidelines. See CDC cleaning and disinfecting
We hope this gives you the information you need to make an informed decision for your family. We know how hard it is to navigate life during these unprecedented times. If you have more questions please don’t hesitate to contact us by email us at mvpsportscampdirector@gmail.com and we will call or email you back as you prefer.
Our goal is to partner with you to provide great care for your family as you have the need this summer. Please sign up as soon as possible. Register for camp at www.mvpsportscamps.com
