by Melanie Taylor | May 1, 2019
Making friends at 4-H Camp in the early 1990’s (Melanie Taylor, Gulf County 4-H Agent, on right)
4-H Summer Camp preparations are in full swing all over the state. As a 4-H agent preparing for our week of county 4-H camp, my days are busy with phone calls and emails from parents, teen counselor training, adult volunteer screenings, paperwork, paperwork and more paperwork. Although it’s busy time for me as a 4-H agent, it also allows me to reflect why I chose this career path and why there is a sense of nostalgia as I prepare for 4-H camp.
Camp Memories
I grew up in Virginia and attended 4-H camp every year from age 9-18. I was a camper that grew into a counselor-in-training and then a full-fledged counselor. Those weeks of 4-H camp were filled with hot days and warm nights, but it was worth it all for the memories I’ll have for a lifetime. I can still smell the cafeteria food and hear the sounds in the gymnasium as kids played basketball and pounded at their leather-craft projects. I still get the chills when I think about our entire camp singing around the campfire circle and patiently waiting for a canoe, filled with camp staff, to land on the lakes edge. The staff would enter the campfire circle carrying the flame and ceremoniously light the fire. I’m still connected with my 4-H camp friends through social media and/or as close friends, and we continue to share our old, blurry camp pictures from the 1990’s each year on Facebook.
Memories to Last a Lifetime…
This is why I work hard to prepare camp for my county campers and teen counselors – I want to create similar memories for them. In 10, 20 or 30 years from now, I want them to think back on the fun moments they experienced in the Florida 4-H camping program. I want them to form friendships and make camp connections for a lifetime, whether it’s learning to kayak, fish, making arts and crafts, cooking over a campfire, singing camp songs and much more.
With all of this said, I hope you as parents will consider giving your child(ren) these special moments. The days are long, but fun, and nights are filled with campfires and hanging out with friends. When they arrive home on Friday, they’ll be exhausted but so excited to share all of the camp songs with you (prepare yourself for lots of loud, enthusiastic singing). They’ll have new friends they want you to meet and tell you camp stories they’ll always cherish.
When is Your County Camping?
In northwest Florida, there are two 4-H Camps:
4-H Camp Timpoochee in Niceville and 4-H Camp Cherry Lake in Madison.
Each county in these camping districts has one week of camp each summer. 
Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office now
to find out the details and register your child for a week of fun and memories!
by Taylor Wilken | Mar 22, 2019
Summer camp…memories cherished and never forgotten. Camp fires, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, roughing it old-school in cabins and bunk beds, camp songs and skits around the fire, life-long memories and friendships…these are some of the experiences your child can have at 4-H Camp Timpoochee or 4-H Camp Cherry Lake this summer!
Time to Unplug
4-H summer camps are places for youth to unplug and get some fresh air while gaining valuable skills that last a lifetime. A core philosophy of 4-H camp is “letting kids be kids” by utilizing the learn-by-doing approach with a balance of routine and unstructured time within a nurturing environment where youth feel a sense of community and belonging.
Explore & Discover
Campers are encouraged to get out of their comfort zones to discover and explore their interests, talents, and values. Classes including creative dramatics, marine exploration, air rifle, mad science, and many other programs allows them to explore and excel. Campers gain confidence, empowerment, and resiliency through these new experiences. A sense of community and belonging grows from the traditional camp songs and dances they learn. New friendships are formed from the multi-county dynamic that the 4-H summer camp provides where youth meet kids from other counties and walks-of-life.
Who: Campers (8-13 years of age) & Counselors (14-18 years of age)
Where: Camp Timpoochee- 4750 Timpoochee Lane, Niceville, Florida 32578
Camp Cherry Lake- 3861 NE Cherry Lake Circle, Madison, Florida 32340
Youth volunteers, like our 4-H Camp counselors, are a great asset to the county 4-H program.
by Jenny Savely | Jun 5, 2015
Youth learn how to grow and prepare vegetables during a gardening day camp in Escambia County.
Each summer, 4-H programs across the Florida panhandle offer a wide array of residential and day camps for youth ages 5-18. Summer residential and day camps are a great way for youth to be introduced to all that 4-H has to offer. Many camps explore specific 4-H projects, or topics, such as culinary arts, sewing, livestock or robotics, while others offer a smorgasbord of 4-H activities.
These camps differ from typical summer programs in that they are framed around the essential elements of positive youth development. 4-H is focused on developing life skills through educational programs that promote competence, confidence, connection, character, and compassion. The connection of 4-H to land grant universities like the University of Florida also means that camp curriculum is based on the best knowledge available about any given project, and taught by caring adults using learn-by-doing methods.
This summer youth are in no shortage of camps to satisfy their desire to learn while having fun. Below you can find a list of day camps that will be offered throughout the panhandle. Hurry and register your youth for the time of their life, spaces often fill quickly. Most counties also offer week long overnight camps at Camp Timpoochee or Camp Cherry Lake.
Contact the 4-H agent near you for more information and to register for any of these camps. Click on the county links below for more information. Register now and let the fun begin!
Calhoun County
July 6, 13, 20, 27 – Kids in the Kitchen, $10; Piping & Fondant Cake Decorating for Kids, $35 (or $35 for both camps)
Escambia County
June 2 – Garden to Plate Day Camp – $5, 8am-2pm (age 9-16) – Get in the kitchen with Chef David Bearl as he leads us in an interactive learning experience about cooking and activities that promote healthy lifestyles and Florida agriculture as they discuss gardening techniques and food safety.
June 17-19 – Dairy Day Camp – $5, 8am-2pm each day – Join us for three days of exploring the world of dairy. From care and biology to how to use the products of dairy cows, this camp will introduce you to the dairy industry while you make new friends and enjoy dairy related activities.
June 29 – Water Conservation Day Camp- $5, 8am-2pm – join Master Gardeners and Extension faculty in an exploration of the importance of water to our planet, how nature works to conserve it, and how we can do our part (prepare to get wet!).
July 15 – Community Awareness and Service Day Camp – $5, 8am-2pm –We will take trash items like plastic bags and jugs that you collect and reuse them to make useful items for people in need. This camp will focus on overuse and its environmental and social consequences.
July 21 – Search and Rescue Day Camp – $5, 8am – 2pm – Klaas Kids will join us for a day camp of fun and safety training. Youth will learn the process of search and rescue including how K9 units track and find lost children, and strategies youth can use for preventing crimes against them as well as what to do if they are lost in various settings.
Gadsden County
June 8 – 12 Clothing Adventures – $70, 8-5 – Youth will discover the science & technology behind fabrics, fabric care, fabric construction, and create projects.
June 15-19 Quirky Culinary Capers – $70, 8-5 – Youth will explore the magic of food science, prepare nutritious snacks, and learn how to improve their health for optimum living.
July 20-24 – It’s Alive: Junk Drawer Robotics – $70, 8-5 – Youth will engage in robotic design, use, construction, and control as they work in teams to make it come alive with everyday items. Wednesday, July 22 is challenged day in Tallahassee.
Jackson County
July 7 – Painting with a 4-H Twist Day Camp – $35, 5:00-9:00 – a local artist will walk youth step by step to the completion of a masterpiece to take home
July 20-22 – Junk Drawer Robotics – $80, 9:00 – 5:00 – learn how to make robots out of everyday household products. On the last day of camp there will be a Robotics contest with surrounding counties and will be held at the North Florida Fairground.
July 28-29 – SEW Much Fun- $45, 8:00-12:30 – designed for novice sewers with no previous experience. All materials are provided by the 4-H Department
August 6 – Cloverbud Explorations: The World of Rabbits and Poultry – $20, 8:30-11 (age 5-7) – learn how to select, properly care for, identify and enjoy a poultry or rabbit project
Jefferson County
June 22-26– Outdoor Recreation Day Camp – $35, 8:30-4:30 (age 10-15) – camp includes activities in: Forestry, Conservation, Wildlife, Archery, Air Rifles, and Sporting Clays
June 29 – July 2- Go Green in 2015 – $35, Mon. – Wed. 8-12, Thurs. 8-3 (age 5-7) – Story Time, Crafts, Fishing, Organized Recreation, Cooking, Swimming
July 8 – 12 – Go Green in 2015 – $35, Mon.-Thurs 8-4, Friday 8-12 (age 8-9) – Garden Project, Organized Recreation, Cooking, Swimming, Fishing
Leon County
June 22-26 – 4-H Wildlife camp – $80, 8-5 (age 10-18) – This outdoor nature camp will provide its participants with a basic understanding of environmental stewardship, wildlife, safety, and fun in an outdoor setting. Fun educational sessions covering National STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) initiatives will be taught by qualified instructors in aquatics, forestry, conservation, shooting sports, and orienteering.
June 30-July 2 – 4-H Outdoor cooking Camp – $80, 9-4 (age 9-13) – Youth will learn the safety and art of cooking over fire, and will go on a farm field trip.
July 13-17 – 4-H Previous Attendees Sewing Camp – $35, 8:30-12 (age 8-18) – This sewing camp is for previous 4-H sewing camp attendees or those with sewing experience. Refer to flier for required materials needed for camp.
Liberty County
June 8-11- 21st Century at W.R. Tolar School
June 15-17 – Exploring 4-H – $20, 9-4 (age 8-12) Sewing, Archery, Animals, Cooking, Bugs
June 29, July 1-3 – 21st Century at Hosford School
July 7- Rabbit Day Camp – $5, 9-4 (age 5-18)
July 20-22- Robotics Day Camp – $20, 9-4 (age 8-13)
Santa Rosa County
June 15-19 – 4-H Cooking Camp (age 8-12)- $100, 7:30-2 – Youth will learn to cook a variety of dishes and bring home a few yummy dishes! Baking, measuring, safety tips, food planning, grocery shopping, reading labels, frying, nutritional education, grilling, canning, bread-making and more will be on the agenda.
June 22-26 – Discovering 4-H Day Camp – $100, 7:30-4 – These days will expose youth all the projects Santa Rosa County 4-H has to offer. Monday: Trip to Bear Lake for wildlife and natural resources hike. Tuesday: Farm tour. Wednesday: Navarre Marine Ecology and Butterfly house. Thursday: Archery and garden tour. Friday: Nutrition, peanuts, beekeeping.
Wakulla County
June 15-17 – 4-H Sewing and Crafts Camp – $35, 8:30-4:30 – “learning sewing and artistic crafts, one stich at a time.” The camp will focus on basic sewing and crafting skills.
June 24-26 – 4-H Cooking Day Camp – $35, 8:30-4:30 – “a chef in the garden, a scientist in the kitchen.” The campers will learn how to cook simple, healthy, meals, while exploring where food comes from, and how, scientifically, it can be transformed into delicious meals through cooking.
Walton County
June 11 – Silly Science Cloverbuds (age 5-7) – $15, 8:30-12:30 – will feature fun science experiments
June 15-18 – 4-H Growing Roots – $30, 8:30-4:00 – feature a little bit of everything, like health & fitness, finances, Agriculture, beekeeping
July 13-16 – Seaside Robotics – $40, 8:30-4:00 – features not only assembly but programming
July 20-23 – X-Treme Cuisine – $30, 8:30-4:00 – will teach healthy snack and meal preparation, cooking, and basic kitchen safety
by Melanie Taylor | Jul 9, 2014
4-Hers still enjoy swimming and kayaking in the Choctawhatchee Bay. Photo provided by Jackson County 4-H.
Summer is here, and for most 4-H families, that means camp is on the horizon. If this will be your child’s first summer camp experience, you and your child both may have some camp anxieties. But never fear! Here are some simple steps you can take to prepare your camper (and yourself) for camp:
Preparing Campers:
• Plan several sleep overs before the week of camp arrives. Resist the urge to pack their bags for them or to check on them while there. If they have a cell phone, have them leave it at home. This is a good way to practice not having direct or constant contact.
• Encourage them to write a letter to someone (maybe you) while at camp. You will be so excited when you receive a letter from camp! Be sure to include envelopes, addresses, stamps, paper, and a pen in their luggage.
• Gear up physically. If you have purchased new tennis shoes, break them in with a few long walks, so the blisters don’t have to happen at camp.
• Especially for teenagers, have them take a mini-vacation from their electronic devices. A couple of hours or a weekend.
• Have them write a statement for their social media pages. “Peace out Facebook, I will be at camp for the next week. Check in with you when I get back.” Or something similar.
• Have them write down their goals for camp. So they can mentally prepare themselves for what they hope to do and see.
• Make a homesick plan:
1. Homesickness isn’t entirely bad. It’s great to love your home. It’s sometimes part of the process, and it’s a confidence booster when a camper gets through it.
2. Make a happy place plan and write it down. This is an amazing opportunity to learn a life skill. Today’s youth go to technology to escape, and studies show this increases their stress. Some ideas might be: taking 10 deep breaths, traveling to a happy place in your mind, packing a certain stuffed animal, or tossing a football. They are capable of this independence.
3. Your plan should NOT be, “Give it a couple of days and if you don’t like it, we will come get you.” This will set them up to give it a couple of days and knock the confidence right out of them.
4. Let your camper know what to expect with correspondence. You don’t need to write every day, but let them know what to expect.
Parents:
• You are giving your child an incredible gift. I cannot promise you that they will not lose some socks, that they will love every meal or activity, or that they will adore every counselor. But you are preparing them for college and beyond; you are giving them the freedom to gain confidence, independence, and leadership skills; and you are instilling in them that they can do it.
• What do YOU want to do during their time at camp? Plan a vacation for a later time, time to organize, time to have one-on-one time with your other children, or some “date nights” with your spouse or friends.
• If you have apprehensions, work to resolve them. If you are worried that your camper is not going to know anyone, set up a pre-camp get-together. If you are worried about your camper’s medical needs, become friendly with the camp staff. If you are anxious about their food allergies, talk to the camp’s director. Make a camper-sick plan for yourself. Make sure there is only excitement and optimism coming from you, and share your anxiety with another adult.
• Pack self-addressed envelopes in their luggage.
• Whether they are flying or driving, refrain from crying your eyes out until they cannot see you. Take a deep breath, trust, and remind yourself that you are giving them an awesome gift.
And, what is this gift everyone is talking about? At camp, they will be part of a community all their own. They will become emotionally attached to handmade rope bracelets on their wrist, and have a song for any occasion on cue, and maybe even forget they need to shower, and think sunscreen is just a normal daily moisturizing technique. They will learn to do things on their own, and they’ll learn to rely on others. They will learn how to survive on their own for a week or two, and they’ll learn how to help each other through it.
They may even grow up on summers away from TV, and forget Facebook exists. They will relish in the joy of sleeping in cabins, swatting mosquitoes at campfire, and swimming every day. They will savor the feeling of pushing water behind them with a paddle and the whoosh of air behind the tail of an arrow as they fire. They’ll forget about appearances, relish tan lines, and recognize the beauty of a smile over anything else.
So send your kids to camp. Send them so they’ll learn to set tables and make beds and wake early. Send them so they’ll know how to be a leader, paddle a kayak, weave a bracelet, and sing as loud as they can. Send your kids to camp so they’ll learn to love themselves and learn to love others. Send your kids to camp because they’ll realize who they are, or who they want to be. And, prepare yourselves for a year of camp stories, and for a flurry of songs. Prepare to learn names of kids you’ve never met. And for your kids to have a need for sunshine, a need for campfires, and companionship. They will be forever grateful for your awesome gift of summer camp.
Source:
American Camping Association, Inc. (http://www.acacamps.org)
Contact your local UF/IFAS Extension Office now 
