Life at the Bay

  We have exciting news... Holiday Camp bookings are open for December 2020 and January 2021! Give your child the holiday of a lifetime. We have limited space available. Be sure to book early to avoid disappointment. For more information about Sugar Bay or to book a Holiday Camp: Visit www.sugarbay.co.za or call us 032 485 3778 or email: holidays@sugarbay.co.za. Here are the themes to the upcoming Holiday Camps for December 2020 and January 2021: Spiderwick Chronicles Week: 5-11 December 2020     Join us as we go into a spell-casting and unbinding adventure! Who's going to unbind the spells from the Spiderwick Chronicles in the Sugar Bay Kingdom? Escape into a mythical world of Unicorns, Trolls and Fairies Make Goblin Snot, find the hidden unicorns and escape being sprinkled by Fairy Dust Creative kids can escape into a fantasy of Mythical Creature Design, Magic Spell Classes, Fairy Garden Creation and Symbolic Bracelet Making Compete and Defeat the Ogres, Spirits and G...

Lockdown has been long. So we get it, if you’re a parent that feels like you really need a break from being an all-in-one parent, friend and school teacher 24-hours a day. Perhaps it’s best to look forward, and have a plan for your recuperation and a plan that will also give your kids the outdoor freedom and adventure they crave. You are exhausted and your kids want an adventure — that’s what holiday camps are for, that's what camp counselors are for. Yes, holiday camps will re-open again. It’s something that you can look forward to. During the down time, we have revamped the cabins to give holiday adventures a new look. New shooting games have been added to the program, and a new water slide has been installed. There is always something new at Sugar Bay. We even have a new menu.  We understand that kids cannot wait to laugh and run around with their friends again. We also understand that parents would like more freedom to work, and to also have a break. So when holida...

  Sending your kids to overnight camp can be nerve-racking if you’re going to be stressing about their safety. It’s important that you choose a camp that has trustworthy staff and counselors as well as safe facilities.    To put your mind at ease, here are some suggested questions that you should ask concerning the safety policy of a summer camp:    1. What is the ratio of staff to children? Staff ratios are very important. The higher the number of counselors to campers, the more supervised your children will be. A higher staff to child ratio means a more controlled environment and will ensure that your kids are getting the quality supervision and attention they require.    2. How has the staff been trained?   Your children should be in the care of staff that are at least qualified to render basic first aid, also known as Emergency First Response. You need to also question their psychological training in terms of how they would h...

The opportunity of gaining new friends, independence, and maturity by sleeping away from home is best provided by a summer camp. Summer camps have been running in America for decades, however, they are fairly new to South Africa. There are also a variety of specialized summer camps nowadays; camps that focus solely on sports, drama, etc. This is why choosing the right summer camp is imperative. It’s best to find a camp that is traditional and allows your children to experience a little bit of everything. Here are 5 important things to look for when choosing the right summer camp for your kids: 1. Find a camp that is technology-free  A camp that doesn’t allow your kids to carry their mobile and gaming devices are usually the best option. These camps provide your children with a break away from technology and allow them to participate and gain the complete camp experience without any distractions. 2. Find a camp with an outdoor focus It’s good to find a camp located i...

  Going to camp is more than just an adventure away from home. Camp is also an investment in your child's skills, character, and future. Most importantly, camp teaches children to plan ahead when they develop skills like organization, leadership and time management. Camp gets kids organized Navigating camp activities teach kids how to sort their schedule and organize themselves accordingly to suit the needs of each activity. Kids begin to learn organizational skills which prepare them for the fast-paced reality of life outside camp. They learn how to balance many activities in a busy day, which will, in turn, be an essential skill for the future.    Camp gets kids planning   Planning and practicing for stage productions teaches kids leadership skills. These practicing sessions are usually during free time, and to make it happen, leadership skills need to be exercised. The incremental process of preparing performances helps cam...

Our All-American Bash themed holiday camp was inspired by the 4th of July, American Independence day celebrations. This is one of the reasons why we continued to carry the celebration theme throughout the week, by celebrating other American festivals. The 4th of July isn’t just a reason to party. There is great significance behind it. The Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on 4th of July, 1776 - now known as Independence Day - and every year Americans' honor the birthday of the United States of America. Here’s some smart Facts about America’s Independence Day – 4th of July 2016: 1.    On the 4th of July, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. 2.    Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. 3.    The Declaration of Independence was actually a letter to King George th...

We s till can't get enough of our amazing Angry Birds themed holiday camp which was held last week at Sugar Bay . And, inspired by t he Angry Birds c oncept , we've d ecide d to get creative and crafty and make something that reminds us of this memorab le camp.      Whether it’s just for a room decoration or to have some feather flocking fun, we all adore the Angry Birds! We found that the best way to mimic these adorable characters are by creating them with balloons, w hich creates the image of them flying.  DIY Angry Birds Balloons:   You will need: •    Latex Balloons in Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, White & Black •    Angry Birds Template (Which you will find the link for below) •    Tape •    Printer paper •    Scissors Templat e Link: http://www.thepartyanimal-blog.org/Downloads/Angry_Birds_Balloon_Templates.pdf      Method:   1. Blow...

It’s the game the whole world is busy playing and it has turned out to be one of the fastest growing franchises ever, just as the Minions did. From a game, to merchandise, and now even a motion picture film, the Angry Birds are slowly taking over the world. They have even taken over Sugar Bay this week and we are definitely having some feather flocking fun with them.  Here are 5 things you don’t know about the Angry Birds: 1. Popularity:   The Angry Birds game is the 4th on the world’s most addictive list of all time. 2. Development Cost:   While the average video game app can cost more than $1 million, Angry Birds was developed for just over $106 000. 3. Concept Idea:   The pig was decided upon as the Bird’s enemy because there was a Swine Flu outbreak during the time the game was being developed.  4. Sales:  The sales of the Angry Birds app on the iPad alone were over 7 million. This does not count for apps from android and other avail...

It is with a heavy heart that we pay tribute to one of our past campers… Nicholas Koutromanos. He was indeed a very special boy and has touched many hearts here at camp. In Memory of Nicholas Koutromanos 12/07/2002-/20/06/2016   "Everyday at camp you get the privilege of meeting such incredible kids and teens. Nicholas was one of the most amazing campers I have ever came across. He has a special place in my heart. From the moment I met him , he was so full of energy and had the biggest smile which was very contagious, especially his laugh. He would go around to his favourite counselors and share his sweets with us and always had a joke or a complement that followed. I am so thankful to have crossed his path even for a week and to have helped him have the most incredible week of his life. When he left to go back home, he ran up to me and gave me the biggest hug for probably two whole minutes and thanked me for an amazing week. R.I.P Nicholas.” -Hamster "Nick was an in...