Life at the Bay

We all love a delicious, wholesome, meal. However, with our fast-paced lifestyles, it is often difficult to decide on a good option that’s quick, delicious and easy to prepare. The types of food served at most summer camps are carefully selected and tick all the boxes when it comes to being traditional, wholesome and on-the-go.    Since campers are away from home, summer camps make every effort to ensure that their campers are comfortable and do not feel homesick. In doing so, traditional, freshly-made food is prepared three times daily. These appetizing meals give campers the special feeling of “being at home” when they’re at camp. It also eliminates the unhealthy and quick option of grabbing take out and teaches campers to appreciate good, home-cooked meals.    With summer camp offering so many activities that require physical participation, healthy wholesome meals are a necessity. The meals served at camp need to provide campers with long-lasting energ...

Zoe Ellender is the camp director of Sugar Bay Resort. Ellender gave up her formal career in Law and Legal Services to pursue her dream of creating a safe and fun paradise, an American-styled summer camp in South Africa, especially for children.    Sixteen years later, she smiles and delegates as the proud owner of one of the best children’s camps in South Africa and being a cordial mom of three.  Ellender shares some of the challenges of being a businesswoman and a mother and how she overcomes them: Three years since the inception of Sugar Bay, Ellender was blessed with her first child, a beautiful daughter, whom she named Tao. During this period, Ellender was still fully involved in the day-to-day running of her business and also juggling being a mother to her firstborn.    “It certainly wasn’t easy being a mother and running a business that just recently kicked-off. At this early stage of the establishment of my company, there was pressure ...

Camp crafts are one of the most popular activities offered at holiday camps. These activities allow kids to explore their creative sides and get practically involved.    Children love the idea of creating crafts by themselves and the cherry on top is being able to keep them as a memoir, or being able to eat what they have made.    The fun and excitement of these camp activities can also be enjoyed at home.    Here are 5 camp crafts that you can enjoy with the kids at home: 1. Friendship bracelets   Friendship bracelets are an integral part of camp as they allow children to bond by exchanging friendship bracelets with one another. Grab a few pieces of string from the hardware store and get your kids braiding friendship bracelets for one another. If they cannot braid, just get them some beads and let the beading and braiding of friendship bracelets begin.    2. Bird feeders    Most summer camps place a great ...

One reason that many parents send their kids to a holiday camp like Sugar Bay is so that they can make new friends and become more confident in a safe and fun environment, without the added pressure that often comes from school or home. Evidently, many children have left Sugar Bay's shores having received much personal benefit from their holiday experience. They share their stories below: Mvelo (High school student, Parktown): "Sugar Bay changed my life forever. Before I came to Sugar Bay, I had a low self-esteem ; I was anti-social and never had any friends . I chose to rather be at home, indoors, rather than playing outside because I was afraid of socializing with other kids as I felt like they would judge me. All of that began to change when I came to Sugar Bay, 10 years ago. I was inspired and encouraged to break out of my shell and socialize . Since then, I love coming back to Sugar Bay and making new friends. I’ve loved every single moment I’ve spent here ...

  Living in the 21st century requires staying up-to-speed, but most of all, it requires being able to survive and succeed in a very competitive world. Although camp may seem a little laid back and restraint from technology, camps understand the importance of keeping our campers up-to-speed with this fast-paced, ever-changing universe. This is why we implement and teach 21st-century skills at camp to ensure that our campers are able to conquer whatever challenges the future holds. Here are 4 essential 21st-Century Skills taught at camp: 1. Collaboration Camp teaches kids to work together effectively within a diverse group and how to compromise to accomplish goals as a team. Most camp activities require that campers be placed in groups or put into teams with people they aren’t familiar with. This diversity pushes them to collaborate and value one another’s contributions. 2. Creativity Camp provides campers with the opportunity to be creative. Camp activities such as stage producti...

The fast-paced, modern-day living has kept our kids cooped up in their bedrooms, mostly in the company of technology. We only realize the negative impact of this lifestyle, when we notice that our kids shy away from physical activities and socializing, dislike the idea of being challenged, lack character and have no independence. The best way to repair this “detachment from authenticity” is by eliminating technology and replacing it with an opportunity to experience something tangible. This opportunity comes from camping. Camping has the greatest impact on children and teaches them what technology cannot. Here are 5 Reasons why kids should go camping: 1. Camp provides the opportunity to try new things. The activities practiced at camp pushes children out of their comfort zone and expose them to new activities and experiences. These opportunities assist them in discovering new hobbies or passions which will direct them in their future career choices. 2. Camp helps with the developm...