Summer camp probably isn’t the first thing on your mind as Labour Day approaches. The backpacks are coming out. School supplies are appearing on the kitchen table. Fall schedules are filling up. Hockey, dance, church, work, homework and everything else that makes up family life is about to begin again.
Summer already feels like it’s disappearing in the rear-view mirror. I would love to encourage you that this might actually be the perfect time to start thinking about next summer.
One of the things I’ve learned about camp is that the best summers often start long before campers arrive at Mini-Yo-We. They start with something to look forward to. “I’m Going Back to Camp!”
There is something wonderful about a child knowing that camp is already on the calendar. Throughout the winter, camp becomes a marker on the horizon. Your kids can remember the friends they made. They tell stories from their cabin and they wonder who their counsellor might be next year. They think about the activity they finally want to try, the skill they want to improve, or the moment they can’t wait to experience again. And slowly, as winter turns to spring, the countdown begins.
Six months until camp. Three months. One month. Next week! Anticipation is part of the experience.
I love the idea of camp becoming part of a family’s culture, it has for mine and my family has flourished because of it. We never run out of things to talk about at the table. Throughout the year the stories of camp have bonded us together long after Summer’s End. It is a special experience when children know that camp is woven into the rhythm of their year.
Christmas is coming. Birthdays are coming. Summer is coming. And I’m going to camp.
Why Register Early?
There are some very practical reasons to register early too. Before Labour Day, we’re giving your family a unique opportunity to get next summer sorted early. You can reserve your camper’s place for just $1, giving you the chance to secure the week that works best for your family without having to pay the full cost of camp today. You’ll also have access to our payment plan, allowing you to spread the cost of camp over the months ahead rather than having one larger expense closer to summer. Register for $1 today and pay a little as $123 per month this year. Early Bird campers also receive our three fun packs! These mailings are spread throughout the year and build anticipation and excitement for next year. They also include limited edition gifts like our camper magazines, puzzle, t-shirt and pennant. Get all this and more with discount code EARLYBIRD at campmyw.com/register.
And perhaps most importantly, you’ll have the best selection of weeks. Every year, some weeks and programs fill much faster than others. We had over 1000 kids registered for Summer 2027 before the end of August! Registering early means you’re choosing based on what works best for your camper and your family, rather than choosing from whatever spaces happen to be left later.
More Than a Week Away
Of course, I’d love every child to come back to Mini-Yo-We. This is not simply because we want full camps. I want kids to come back because I believe there is something deeply valuable about having camp as part of the rhythm of childhood. Camp gives young people space to grow. To make friends. To try difficult things. To become more independent. To spend time outside. To laugh until their stomach hurts. To put down their screens. To encounter Jesus. To discover things about themselves they didn’t know before. And when they return year after year, something else begins to happen. Camp becomes their place.
Put Something Wonderful on the Calendar
There will be plenty to think about over the next few weeks. New teachers. New classrooms. New schedules. New routines. Can I encourage you before summer disappears completely, maybe there’s one more thing worth putting on the family calendar. Camp!
If your camper has joined us sometime during the past three summers, keep an eye on your inbox for your family’s unique early registration code. Use it before Labour Day, reserve your place for just $1, choose your preferred week and take advantage of the payment plan.
Then tell your camper. Because one of the best parts of registering early might have nothing to do with registration at all. It’s getting to say: “You’re going back to Mini-Yo-We next summer.” And letting the countdown begin.
