Residential (overnight camps) teach life skills such as independence, team work, leadership and cooperation, as well as an appreciation for nature and the environment. Campers often develop meaningful and lifelong friendships because the camp environment is a close-knit setting and a small Christian community.

It takes preparation to get a child ready for an overnight camp.   Some children (and moms) struggle with separation from their family or fitting in with their peers. Here are some advantages for sending your child to an overnight camp as well as some tips to prepare your child.

Break from screen time. Studies show that children are spending significant amounts of time in front of computers and TV. At Camp Lau-Ren, children aren’t allowed to have electronic devices, which means they are in the Ottawa River 3-4 times a day, shrieking and cheering at the top of their lungs or perhaps just having a quiet moment under a tree identifying a owl or a loon call. We all know children should be spending significant amounts of time outdoors in the summer, without access to video games and social networks, and Camp Lau-Ren enables children this opportunity.

Members of a community. At camp, kids stay in cabins with children from different regions and walks of life. They set tables together, perform daily rituals, and build deep friendships with kids they might not otherwise be friends with. Not only are they exposed to different types of people, but they also have to find ways to get along with them, and to work with them as they develop new relationships.

Safe, risk-taking opportunities. As children move toward adolescence, they want to test their limits. At camp, they can take these risks under the watchful eye of other adults, and prove themselves in positive, nurturing environments. It also means they’ll be less likely to feel the need to test themselves in more dangerous, destructive ways at home.

Resilience to homesickness. The majority of campers get homesick in their childhood. Actually it is completely normal if a child loves his or her parents and has a good home. Why wouldn’t they feel lonesome for mom, dad, Scruffy or their comfy bed? Homesickness is sometimes the beginning of resilience. When campers overcome homesickness, they start on their journey of independence, beyond the structure of their home.

HERE ARE FIVE TIPS FOR A POSITIVE CAMP EXPERIENCE.

1. Pack carefully.  Have you ever felt burdened by all the clothes you packed on a vacation? If your camper is loaded with clothes and accessories at camp, they may feel overwhelmed. Campers don’t have much space for their things – a cubby, a suitcase and a bunk — so the more the clothes, the messier their area, and the less likely they will find anything. Pack layers to account for weather changes and label everything.

2.  Don’t obsess.  Sending your child to camp can be a bittersweet milestone of parenthood – it’s hard to let them go, but it’s also satisfying to see them becoming independent.   But there is a small lens into their camp environment. Camp Lau-Ren posts lots of pictures on Facebook, so check daily (not hourly) and take a peek into their world. Don’t obsess over the fact that your son hasn’t changed his shirt for three days, but rather cherish that big grin on his face. And don’t freak out if your child is missing from a batch of online photos. The camp photographers are capturing a day in the life at camp; they are not the school’s yearbook photographers. Rest assured, if your camper is missing from camp, you will be contacted!!! The thing to remember is, your camper is having an amazing, crazy adventure, even if there isn’t a shred of digital proof.

3.  Be selfish. Why should campers have all the fun? Make the most of your free time and enjoy yourself. Don’t spend half the week missing or worrying about them — pick up a project that is best completed uninterrupted. Make grown-up plans and book a massage, go to a late movie, or just savour that quiet house.

4. Let children adjust to camp.  One of the worst things you can do for your first-time camper is say, “If you don’t like camp, have them phone me and I’ll come get you.” This could sabotage their camp experience because they may focus on their way out, versus adjusting to camp life. It takes a day or two for campers to adapt but by the end of the week they are usually sobbing because they are going home too soon.

 5.  Embrace their growth.   When your child is away at camp they will change in really important ways. They will face fears, learn to share space and discover they stepped up to many exciting new challenges. You will never get back the same child. They’re older and wiser, so let them share all their adventures with you for the rest of the summer.

This is our shortest camp and it is meant to be a spunky introduction to the camping experience. Youngsters experience all the traditions of camp — such as Beach Day, Morning Watch, Cabin Cleanup and Jumper Duty — but it’s all compressed into a three-day adventure. Counsellors are coached on managing first-time campers and provide lots of assistance.  If your child is comfortable visiting relatives for a weekend, or if they have a healthy independent streak, they should be ready for Tadpole Camp.

Check in is between 9:30 am and 10:00 am on Thursday, July 4

Check out is between 10:30 and 11:00 am on Saturday, July 6

Co-Ed – Ages 6 – 8 years (age by December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 24 boys and 24 girls 

Spaces Available:  24 boys and 24 girls

Sponsor:  Zion Memorial United Church, Carleton Place

Director:  Josh Tyson (aka “Hives”) & Alicia Gervais (aka Dragonfly)

Many campers who come to a Junior Camp are often first-time campers.  They discover the merits of independence and are able to test their limits under the watchful eye of counsellors and leaders.  We provide a positive environment which boosts their confidence and enables them to shine at Talent Night and during group activities such as Vespers and Campfires. Campers learn how to take care of all their belongings during the week and live in a team environment. They usually coming home feeling very proud that they spent a week away from their family, and they may even confess to missing their annoying, immature sibling too.

Junior Co-Ed – July 21 – 26, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 21

Check out is between 4:00 and 4:30 pm on Friday, July 26

Co-Ed:  Ages 8 – 11 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 33 boys and 35 girls

Spaces Available:  33 Boys and 35 Girls 

Sponsor:  Calvin United Church, Pembroke

Director: Alison Postma (Slick) and Devan Barber (Puzzler)

S Campers in our Junior/Intermediate camps should expect to be active and outdoors for most of the week.  The days are filled with field games, swimming, canoeing and crafts, and the evenings fly by with our rumpus campfires.  If the weather cooperates, an afternoon canoe trip to Fraser’s Landing is a popular destination.  Meal times are boisterous, but nobody leaves the dining hall hungry because all the food is yummy and homemade.  We guarantee your camper will arrive home tired, wet, dirty and smelly…in a good way.

Junior/Intermediate A – July 7 – 12, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 7

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, July 12

Sponsor: Calvin United Church, Pembroke

Director: Jennifer Mclaren (Nenners) and Jenny Lade (Aligator)

Co-Ed: Ages 9 – 13 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 33 boys and 35 girls

Spaces Available: 33 Boys and 35

(Numbers are updated weekly and may not be accurate on a daily basis)

OR

Junior/Intermediate B – August 4 – 9, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, August 4

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, August 9

Sponsor: Trinity United Church, Smith Falls and St. Pauls United Church, Perth.

Co-Directors: Nikki Nel (Tigger) and Nadia Taylor-Meyer (Bambi)

Co-Ed: Ages 9 – 13 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 33 boys and 35 girls

Spaces Available:  33 Boys and 35 Girls

(Numbers are updated weekly and may not be accurate on a daily basis)

The leadership teams for the Intermediate camps focus on community and team building because the issues of homesickness and learning to be independent are usually resolved in the tween years.  Crafts are more elaborate and campfire skits are downright theatre worthy.  Campers love to hang out at the beach during Free Swim, the Rock (of course) and the cabins because they are invested in socializing and cultivating friendships. But some things never change, because by dinner time, they are  still ravenous for the hearty food that the cooks serve up.

Intermediate Co-Ed A – July 14 – 19, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 14

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, July 19

Co-Ed: Ages 11 – 14 years (age as of December 31, 2024) 

Full Camp is 33 boys and 35 girls

Spaces Available: 33 Boys and 35 Girls

Sponsor: Trinity St.Andrews United Church, Renfrew

Director: Tonja Aldis (Soleil)

OR

Intermediate Co-Ed B – Aug 11 – August 16, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, August 11

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, August 16

Co-Ed: Ages 11 – 14 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full Camp is 33 boys and 35 girls

Spaces Available: 33 Boys and 35 Girls 

Sponsor: Deep River Community Church

Director: Emma Edwards (Snort) and Alex Goncalves (McLovin)

The popular “all girls” camp is back by popular demand!  This week promises to be filled with dance parties, canoe trips, singing, lovely afternoons on the beach and amazing crafts, but we will still find time to squeeze in polar bear swims, lively campfires and tasty meals. New and exciting activities have been added this year to make a jam-packed, eventful week at camp!  Girls will develop close-knit friendships and we can pretty much guarantee most of them will be pretty weepy when its time to go home.  Get registered early and so your camper can experience an enchanted week at Camp Lau-Ren. 

 Junior/Intermediate Girls – July 28 – August 2, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 28

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, August 2

Co Ed: Ages 8 – 12 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 68 girls

Spaces Available:  68 Girls

Sponsor:  Glasgow-Castleford Pastoral Charge

Director:  Emily McKenzie (“Hutch”) and Emily Roper 

Every camper who rises through the ranks of the Tadpole, Junior and Intermediate camps can’t wait until they get to Senior Co-Ed! And with Mukluck as their fearless leader, they are rewarded with an outstanding week at camp. Although the campers run through the usual routine at camp — Morning Watch, Beach Day, crafts, tuck — the whole team just seems to have a magical aura around them. That’s because the teens are able to let go of the insecurities they face outside of camp, and just be present and close to their peers in an inclusive environment.

Senior Co-Ed – August 18 – 23, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, August 18

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, August 23

Co-Ed: Ages 14 – 15 years (age as of December 31, 2024)

Full camp is 28 boys and 30 girls

Spaces Available:  28 Boys and 30 Girls

Sponsor:  Wesley United Church, Pembroke

Director:  Steve McCulloch (“Mukluck”) and Kosandra Mcquade (TuTu)

Cost of this camp is $575.00

This camp means LIT campers enjoy all the fun of being a camper, while mastering the skills needed to be a valued member of the Lau-Ren staff. This camp is geared to those campers who aspire to take on the role of Counsellor at Camp Lau-Ren.

In addition to taking part in all of the favourite Lau-Ren activities, teens have the opportunity to showcase their leadership talents.  Through fun and friendship, they identify their leadership style, set and reach personal goals, strengthen personal assertiveness and discover some behind-the-scenes tips at camp.

The many skills attained as a LIT are transferable to school life, community involvement, church and counselling at camp.  Skills include, leading a group in an activity, practicing effective camper behaviour management techniques, observing and understanding group dynamics and using effective conflict management. This camp includes a 2-day out-trip where the campers have the opportunity to work as a group and develop their leadership skills.

Come out and enjoy this opportunity to live, work, serve and play in a positive, warm and friendly environment – God’s beautiful creation at Camp Lau-Ren!

Leaders-in-Training Co-Ed – August 18 to 23, 2024

Check in is between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Sunday, August 18

Check out is between 4:00 pm and 4:30 pm on Friday, August 23

Campers must be 15 years of age as of July 1, 2024

Full Camp is 5 boys and 5 girls

Spaces Available:  5 boys and 5 girl spots left