Happy Halloween – Why Maine Campers are Halloween Experts!

Halloween is just around the corner, and you know what that means – it’s the season of creativity, candy, and costumes! At Maine Camp Experience (MCE) camps, campers have many opportunities to “practice” for Halloween, so when October 31^st rolls around it’s time to put those Maine Camp skills to use! At many MCE camps, campers have ample opportunities to forego their normal clothes for a silly costume. Whether it’s a special activity, a skit night or camp play, national holiday, a camp carnival, or even just a bunk deciding to be silly together – camp offers campers plenty of opportunities to strut their stuff and embrace the silliness of wearing a fun costume. One of my favorite activities each summer at my summer camp is called Dutch Auction – this activity is always a surprise, and when it’s announced the campers go wild, immediately running back to their cabins to put on their wackiest outfits. Sometimes campers will come with pre-planned costumes – I’ve seen campers dressed as cows, lobsters, and dinosaurs in blow-up suits. Sometimes, a camper’s go-to costume is simply an assortment of silly gear – wigs and bows, oversized skirts, and silly sunglasses are all staples of this great activity. And of course, this costuming isn’t limited solely to campers – the staff will go all out as well, decorating themselves and helping deck out their campers. In fact, I have a Superman onesie I keep at camp that I’ll use once a year on this occasion. One of my favorite things about the costume-days at camp, is that in a camp environment, kids aren’t trying to look “cool” or “cute.” Instead, campers embrace the silliness and creativity of a given situation – they’ll use face paint to give themselves beards, wear oversized clothes, and generally attempt to be as over-the-top as possible. At camps, kids have the opportunity to really embrace being kids, and their costume choices reflect a spirit of unadulterated fun that isn’t always present given the social pressures of the school year. Of course, Halloween isn’t just about dressing up – one of the best parts of the holiday is the opportunity it gives kids (and their parents and teachers) to craft and decorate in the spirit of the season. At MCE camps, campers have ample opportunities to hone their crafting skills in various arts departments. And campers are oftentimes responsible for decorating for themed events – at the MCE camp I work at, the oldest girls are responsible for decorating for the final Banquet, and each age group decorates for themed activities or their age-group play at different points throughout the summer. So when it comes time to carve that pumpkin, MCE campers can dive in with a steady hand and a creative to make the most of the opportunity. And when it comes to candy, there’s nothing like a Visiting Day to prepare you for your favorite treats. While camps do a great job of ensuring campers have healthy, well-rounded meals, Visiting Day can be a lot like Halloween in that campers will have access to many of their favorite treats. They get practice sharing with their friends, trying new treats, and enjoying a day of guilt-free snacking. So when October 31^st rolls around, campers can approach Halloween confidently – because there’s nothing like a summer at camp to build your Halloween skills! — Maine Camp Experience Resources & Tools

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