The Magic of Making Friends at Summer Camp: How Redwood Creates Lasting Connections

For many children, the prospect of making new friends can feel both exciting and intimidating. In today's digital world—where social connections often begin through screens rather than genuine face-to-face interactions—the art of friendship building has become increasingly complex. At Redwood Day Camp, we've witnessed firsthand how summer camp creates the perfect environment for developing meaningful connections and friendships that often last well beyond the summer months.

Why Camp Friendships Are Special

Unlike the structured environment of school, where social circles can become rigid, camp provides a fresh start. Without the pressure of academic performance or established friendship circles, children feel free to be their authentic selves. This creates the perfect setting for forming connections with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

At Redwood, we've seen shy children blossom into social butterflies and watched as unlikely friendships form between campers who might never have connected in their regular school environment. The magic lies in our intentional approach to creating a community where everyone belongs.

The Redwood Approach to Fostering Friendships

Balanced Group Dynamics

Since 1974, we've perfected the art of creating balanced cabin groups.  While we welcome requests for children to be placed with existing friends, we also carefully integrate new faces into each group. This strategy helps expand social circles while maintaining the comfort of familiar connections.

Our counselors are trained to identify signs when a camper might be struggling to connect and implement subtle strategies to facilitate positive interactions. Unlike the sometimes challenging social dynamics at school, our environment is deliberately designed to be inclusive and supportive.

Shared Adventures Create Bonds

There's something special about the connections formed when people experience adventures together. At Redwood, our diverse activity program—including swimming, zipline adventures, pickleball, and more—creates countless opportunities for shared experiences.

When campers support each other through the nervous excitement of trying the zipline for the first time or celebrate together after mastering a new swimming technique, they develop a special kind of bond. These shared moments of triumph, challenge, and sometimes even disappointment become the foundation for deep connections that often grow into finding true friends.

Unplugged Interactions

Without the distraction of screens and social media, campers engage in genuine face-to-face conversations throughout the day. Whether it's chatting during lunch, sharing stories during an overnight stay, or planning strategies during team activities, these interactions build communication skills that form the backbone of healthy friendships.

Many parents tell us they're amazed at how their children—who might spend hours on social networks at home—thrive in our unplugged environment and develop stronger social skills during their time at camp.

Special Programs That Enhance Friendship Building

Theme Days and Special Events

Our weekly theme days like Color Blast, Carnival Day, and Country Western Day create shared experiences that break down social barriers. When everyone is participating in the same zany activities, wearing similar costumes, or cheering for their color team, the usual social boundaries dissolve and new connections form naturally.

Overnight Adventures

For many campers, our overnight program represents a special milestone in their friendship journey. Sharing sleeping quarters, evening activities, and late-night conversations creates a unique bonding experience that often transforms casual friends into closest friends.

Leadership Programs

Our LIT (Leaders in Training) and CIT (Counsellors in Training) programs not only develop leadership skills but also create tight-knit peer groups. Teens in these programs form particularly strong bonds as they navigate leadership challenges together and support each other's growth.

Many of our staff members began as campers who formed friendships here, then progressed through our leadership programs together, ultimately returning as counselors because they valued the community they found at Redwood.

Friendships Across Age Groups

Unlike most school environments where children interact primarily with peers in their grade, camp creates opportunities for connections across different age ranges. Our special programming sometimes brings together different age groups, allowing younger campers to find mentors and older campers to develop nurturing relationships.

These cross-age friendships often prove particularly valuable during the tough in-between years of early adolescence when having a slightly older friend to look up to can provide important guidance and perspective.

How Camp Friendships Impact Life Beyond Summer

The friendships formed at Redwood don't simply provide a positive social life during summer—they contribute to children's development in profound ways:

Building Social Confidence

Many children discover a new level of social confidence at camp that transfers to their school and community interactions. After successfully navigating the friendship-making process at camp, children often return to school with renewed confidence in their ability to connect with others.

Developing Friendship Skills

The friendship-building skills developed at camp—including active listening, empathy, conflict resolution, and inclusive behavior—serve children well throughout their adult lives. These social skills become the foundation for healthy relationships in all contexts.

Creating a Diverse Social Circle

Camp friends often come from different schools, neighborhoods, and backgrounds, expanding children's understanding of the world. This diversity of friendships helps children develop greater empathy and appreciation for different perspectives.

Helping Children Who Struggle with Friendship

For some children, making friends doesn't come easily. Perhaps they're naturally shy, have had negative social experiences in the past, or worry about rejection. At Redwood, we understand these challenges and have developed approaches to support campers who need extra help in the friendship department:

Trained, Attentive Staff

Our counselors receive specific training on helping children navigate social dynamics. They know how to subtly facilitate connections without embarrassing children who might be struggling.

Structured Opportunities

Our program includes plenty of structured activities that naturally facilitate interaction without putting social pressure on children. From team-building games to partner activities, these opportunities help break the ice for children who might not initiate social connections on their own.

Small, Consistent Groups

We maintain small group sizes with consistent membership throughout the session, giving children time to become comfortable

with their peers and develop relationships at their own pace.

Preparing for Friendship Success at Camp

If your child is joining us at Redwood, here are a few tips to help prepare them for making friends:

1. Discuss openness to new connections: Talk about the value of being open to a range of people, not just those who seem immediately similar.

2. Practice conversation starters: Simple questions like "What's your favorite camp activity?" can help break the ice.

3. Pack friendship facilitators: Items like card games, friendship bracelet supplies, or other shareable activities can create natural opportunities for interaction.

4. Address fears of rejection: Remind your child that everyone at camp is looking to make connections, and counselors are there to help facilitate friendships.

   
   

Join the Redwood Family

For 50 years, Redwood Day Camp has been creating an environment where "brilliant smiles, laughter and wonderful memories of friendship and achievements" are at the heart of the experience. Our campers don't just learn activities—they learn the invaluable skill of forming meaningful connections with others.

Whether your child already has plenty of friends or struggles with social connections, our supportive community provides the perfect environment for friendship skills to flourish. The connections made at Redwood often become some of the most valued relationships in our campers' lives—friendships that sustain them through the school year and sometimes for many years beyond.

Ready to give your child the gift of making potential friends that will last for a lifetime? Contact us today to learn more about Summer 2025 at Redwood Country Day Camp, located on a beautiful private property in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec.