Director Jud's Blog

How Two Weeks at Camp Can Shape Your Child’s Future

Summer—once a time of long, unstructured days filled with adventure, boredom, and new discoveries—is now a busy, packed schedule for many families. Kids are involved in a multitude of activities, sports, camps, and travel. Parents, especially working moms and dads, are juggling everything from work commitments to trying to find the right balance of enriching experiences for their children. It’s a different world than it was just a few decades ago, and with so many options, one question has emerged: is it enough to send your child to a two-week overnight camp?

The answer? Absolutely.

In today’s fast-paced world, we’ve become conditioned to the idea that more is better—longer camp sessions, bigger itineraries, more options—but when it comes to overnight camp, the magic doesn’t need to take a full month. In fact, two weeks is just the right amount of time to provide your child with an authentic, life-changing camp experience that will stay with them for years to come. Let’s break down why and how a two-week session is more than enough for your child to grow, make lasting memories, and return home as a stronger, more confident individual.

A Note from Camp Director Jud Millar.

Hey there, fellow adventurers! Can you feel it? That electrifying buzz in the air, the unmistakable signs that summer is just around the corner? Well, here at Stone Mountain Adventures (SMA), we're positively bursting with excitement as we eagerly anticipate the arrival of our favorite season.

As your Camp Director, let me tell you, I am beyond thrilled for what promises to be an epic 41st summer at SMA. With each passing day, as the last of the snow melts away and the vibrant hues of new flowers paint the landscape, I can't help but feel a surge of anticipation for all the adventures that lie ahead.

There's something truly magical about the changing of the seasons, isn't there? It's as if nature itself is giving us a playful nudge, whispering in our ears that it's time to shake off the winter chill and embrace the warmth and sunshine of summer. And boy, oh boy, do we have some incredible plans in store for our campers this year!

Most children love animals.  If you grew up with a family pet, you know that they can be cute, fun-loving and oh-so-cuddly.  But did you know that having a family pet in your home can benefit children’s lives?

Research has demonstrated that having a pet in your home and having daily encounters with pets assists kids with creating positive qualities. A connection with a furry friends can help kids alleviate anxiety, teach responsibility, keep kids active and while making kids happy.  They same is true at summer camp.  We find that new campers who attend our overnight summer camp and interact with camp pets at least once a day assimilate to live at camp better.

What Animals Do We Have at SMA Teen Summer Camp?

Here is the awesome SMA3 Slideshow... what a summer!

All of us at Stone Mountain Adventures (SMA) are so excited to share the Second Session Video Slideshow.  Why you ask? Because we L O V E camp and we L O V E Second Session Campers!!

Here is the SMA 2nd Session Video Slideshow:

On this lazy all camp day morning (we even got to sleep in!), there is some time during breakfast of bagels and donuts to reflect on this crazy fun week that session 1 has become. Since they arrived, session 1 campers have been going none stop! We have had four overnights (some wetter than others!), mud-ultimate, mud-soccer, bunnies adopted, rocks scaled, tie-dye, birdhouses made, frisbee golf, LAZER TAG, mountain biking, horse-back riding, and wakeboarding!

Jacob

I met so many new people and even tried some new things at camp. Bowling was a lot of fun, and rafting was the best yet. Even though I came into this session already close friends with Alex, we both made friends with all of the new and returning people in 2^nd session. This will probably be my last time at SMA and I’ve had a great time this summer. I’m really going to miss summers at Stone Mountain, but all the time I have been here was awesome.  

Mathilde V.

This was my 3^rd year at SMA Teen Summer Camp, and I just realized how much I love Alex Leonard. We have spent every single day together and my realization made me realize something else (basically like Inception). It’s of being woken up by the Birdy song (which I have a love-hate relationship with) and eating grilled cheese at lunch and straight chillin’ at windsurf/sail and Walmart and the Yough and paper plates, and I just realized how much I love just about everything here. I thought I knew everything about this place but every year I come, I find out little things that make my love for you guys and everything here grow. I can’t wait until the next 2 sessions and next year and every single session I come back until I am a super camper (hopefully) because SMA is my summer home and it always will be.