Family Camp: more than a vacation, it’s an experience!

Quality Time

Studies show that family vacations reduce stress, promote a sense of well-being, increase happiness, and most importantly strengthen family bonds. During Family Camp, you can leave all the distractions of home behind and be able to focus on each other, improving your interaction and communication as a family. Let us do all the work planning, cooking, and setting up, so you can just show up and enjoy quality time together! As one mother said, “as a mom who never gets to experience Falling Creek and has now lived it alongside my boys, this was truly a memorable experience that brought our family even closer together. We will be replaying the events of the weekend for years to come – and welcome the opportunity to return.” Some families chose to strengthen the relationships beyond their immediate family, attending with cousins, grandparents, and even long-time friends. We’ve had families use the weekend as a way to have a little reunion with shared experiences among family and friends, where we do all the work! By investing in experiences for your family rather than things, you’ll create life-long shared memories together on the mountain.

Life Unplugged

Spending time at camp means spending time unplugged and surrounded by nature. One child exclaimed, “It’s like Disney World, but in the woods!” We’re lucky to have over 900 beautiful acres here at camp, where you can enjoy a relaxing and peaceful outdoor atmosphere. Though we have internet access available, we encourage all our families to take advantage of the opportunity to break away from the busy routine and leave work behind! Getting to share meals face-to-face in a beautiful setting, all without the distractions of technology, is something our families don’t take for granted. Most Americans spend more than 10 hours a day staring at a screen, according to a 2016 Nielsen Total Audience Report. While at camp, you can soak up nature 24/7 instead! One of our parents said, “We were able to tune all of it out, and just have some quality family time. I loved not having a cell signal in my cabin!”

Try New Things

Family Camp offers freedom of choice, where families can decide what activities they want to participate in. Some are led by our staff, and some are available for families to try at their leisure, no matter what time of day. One of our parents said, “Activities were set up so that we really had a choice - it wasn’t too rigid yet not too wide open. Just right!!” Families can participate in things like riflery, archery, mountain biking, fly fishing, climbing, canoeing, blacksmithing, and more. When kids are exposed to new activities they’re able to grow their self-confidence, and parents have the opportunity to see their child succeed. Getting to see your child conquer their fear of heights on the zipline, or finding out your child is a natural at archery? Priceless. “We loved having such a broad range of activities at our fingertips,” one family told us. Plus, parents get to experience the joy and curiosity of feeling like a kid at camp again! After Family Camp one summer, a parent told us, “We enjoyed trying new activities as a family. I loved watching my children’s faces as they experienced something new. Thank you for the fun opportunities.”

Reconnect with Camp

For older boys who have aged out of being a camper, or for fathers and grandfathers who were FCC alumni, Family Camp has been a great way to reconnect with camp. Former campers had the opportunity to return to the mountain to experience camp in a new way, and multi-generational families could all enjoy camp together. As one dad told us, “I really felt like I was back at summer camp like a kid, and I got to see summer camp fun through the eyes of my kids. What a special experience.” Camp families have also begun using Family Camp as their own tradition - “This is our second year and we loved it again. Such a great weekend for our family reinforcing strong values, focused time together, courage, and positivity. One of our favorite family times.”

Introduction to Camp

On the other hand, Family Camp has also been a great way to introduce new families to Falling Creek, who have boys still too young to come as campers on their own. Young children were able to come with their families and experience a taste of camp before returning in future years to a longer session, which we know can be important for nervous first-time campers (and parents!) for feeling comfortable in a new setting. The new format also turned out to be a great way to let our camp moms in on the fun! One mother told us, “As a mom who would have otherwise never had an opportunity to overnight at FCC, it was a treat and I am now an even bigger proponent of FCC having experienced it (my son already loved it).”

No matter why you choose to come to camp as a family, it’s a win-win all around. When we asked for their thoughts on Family Camp, one of our parents told us, “Some things in life you just can’t explain, you have to experience.” With limited space available, we hope you’ll join us this August for the family experience of a lifetime!