Day camps can be found in nearly all cities these days, as they have become popular staples for providing kids with activities, adventures, and social skills for generations.
Especially popular are summer day camps, which are open during summer vacation from school to give kids some fun times, many times while working parents keep up with their jobs.
While day camps have been around for a long time, their beginnings were a little different than what we know today.
How Did Day Camps Begin?
Organized, resident camping as it was called back in the day, was first enjoyed in the 1860s and was usually done on rented land, reservation lands, and public lands.
These camps, which included sleepover-style camps, became more popular over time, with some of them eventually changing to become day camps.
What Was the First Day Camp?
The first true day camp that was called by that name was the Pierce Country Day Camp, which opened in 1918.
Founded by a physical education teacher at the end of WWI, the camp was formed to offer local children a recreational camp where they could learn about fitness and health and how to lead a healthy lifestyle.
The day camp, which was originally in New Jersey, was eventually moved to Long Island when its owner relocated and since then, Pierce’s camp has been operating for three generations.
The Rapid Interest and Spread of Summer Day Camps
With Pierce’s finding much success in its summer day camp recreational program for kids, word of this camp quickly spread, resulting in municipal day camps opening up in other parts of the country.
By 1921, there were both municipal and private camps opening up, including the Girl Scout Day Camp that was started that year in Chicago.
A second Girl Scout Day Camp was even opened in New York City, with the camp location being on top of a rooftop.
YMCA Day Camps, including the infamous Camp Iroquois in New York State, came soon afterward in the 1930s.
Summer Day Camps Opened Up Across America
Since then, many independent, private, and municipal day camps and summer day camps have opened all over the country.
The number of day camps boomed after WWII as the general population did and the demand for these recreational camps for children continued to grow.
So many day and summer day camps were formed that a set of standards for day camps were developed in the 1950s to promote safety and control things like where camps could be located and how they were to be operated.
The number of day camps once again boomed in the 1970s, as the demand for affordable daycare grew with many mothers taking on jobs.
Eventually, day camps and daycare centers would become two different things in the 1980s, but the demand for summer day camps like recreational activity camps persisted.
Current Times and Current Summer Day Camp Opportunities
Today, there are plenty of summer day camps with different themes, focuses, and activities in which parents can enroll their children.
From religious and sporting day camps to general recreational and academic summer day camps, there is a day camp out there for every child.
Through all these years, the main goal of all day camps and summer day camps has remained the same: to provide kids with healthy recreation and activities and a chance to learn social skills in a safe, relaxed environment!