New Jersey Summer Camps Move Activities To The Water As The Heat Cranks Up
By Cleave Bryan
WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ (CBS) - On the hottest day of the year outdoor activities at Tall Pines Day Camp centered around the pool.
"Instead of going to a field where it's extra hot we can bring them to a water slide," says program director Buffy Demain.
The camp has 66 acres offering horseback riding and every sport imaginable, but during a heat wave plans have to be altered to keep the 800 campers and 300 staff safe.
"There's lots of water breaks, there's lots of down time on the fields in the shade. So we try to make sure that everybody is comfortable," says Demain.
Kids throughout the region found that the summer day and sports camps they signed up for had to modify their activities during the heat of the day.
"We got permission to let the kids in the gym so they could have some air conditioning," says Cathy Leone who runs a summer sports camp at Birches Elementary School with the Washington Township Department of Parks and Recreation.
At Roosevelt Boy Scout Camp in Elmer the scouts used free time between merit badge classes to relax in the shade and go swimming.
"We modify programming, we have more open swim time at the pool and we've scheduled a few water balloon wars," says camp director Tom Gratton.
The scouts and their counselors sleep in tents and lean-tos without air conditioning but as the Boy Scout motto suggests they are always prepared.
"Well our number one goal is to make sure that everyone is staying hydrated. We have water jugs and water stations set up around camp," says Gratton.
Recreation experts say all parents should make sure their kids have refillable water bottles and plenty of sunscreen when attending summer camps.
They also recommend checking with a camp director or whoever is in charge to see if there are excessive heat plans.
