The Rattlin’ Blog
News and Ideas from Camp Foley
With contributions by Campers, Staff, Directors, Parents and outside sources, the Rattlin’ Blog is your one-stop-shop for all things camp. See videos, read what kids have to say about camp and find out about camp culture.
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Club Paradise- How to become a member
We want to grow together! A big part of the Camp Foley experience is the community formed between campers during the session. It is amazing to see the bonds formed between campers from different...
Help… I Miss My Kid!
We've all been homesick before, right? It perfectly normal whenever you go to a new place. But have any of you parents gotten Kidsick?! Camps talk about homesickness a lot and the different ways we...
Getting Lost on the Wolf Trail
I, Ally Daily, had a super fun experience at our Twin Cities Pizza Party. I ran into a camper, Genevieve K., who reminded me of a crazy moment from 2018. I wasn't always the Girl's AD, before that I...
Giving them Roots and Wings
Let's give our kids Roots and Wings. Below is an excerpt from a wonderful blog by Cally Worden. Cally gives some excellent insight in her article “Roots and Wings: How to Give Your Kids the Best...
Banquet or Alpha Games?
Ready for a throwback? Let's compare our past with our present! What were the banquets like back in the day and how do they compare to Alpha Games? Camp Foley Banquets The Camp Foley banquets were...
Archery vs. Riflery
Are they so different after all? Archery and Riflery are two of the most popular activities here at Foley. They are obviously different but can be linked as the two most prolific projectile sports...
Most Recent Posts from Camp Foley:
D is for Dog
Nike & Norm in Staff Uniforms Norm on a Boat Two common sights around Camp Foley are Norm and Nike, the camp dogs. While Nike is known for her fluffy, teddy bear appearance (she is a mini...
Ssssome people are ssscared of usss, we are jusssst misssundersssstood…
Salazar, The Classic Corn Snake Joining our Camp Foley family this past month was a beautiful Motley "Motley" Corn Snake and her best friend, Salazar, a Classic Corn Snake. These two were captive...
C is for Considerate
Summer camp is a great opportunity to develop one’s own skills and grow as a person. What sets Foley apart, however, is our emphasis on growth while simultaneously helping others to grow. Consistent...
B is for Breathtaking
Summer camp campers and counselors at Camp Foley come from all over the Photo by Camper Genevieve S world (last summer 24 states and 11 foreign countries to be exact), a fact of which we are...
Find a porcupine, pick it up. All day you’ll have good luck.
According to the Minnesota DNR, “the porcupine is one of the most interesting and unusual wildlife up to 30,000 sharp quills definitely makes them a bit unusual. Let us have a look to see what else...
A is for Appetite
At Foley, our campers and staff have a special kind of hunger. Maybe it’s the rumbling in their bellies after a tough afternoon spent canoeing on Whitefish Lake, twisting in and out of yoga poses,...
So what do I, as a parent, get out of this summer camp thing?
One of the most popular questions we get in our camp office is: "What will my kids gain from their time at camp?" Our answers always touch on ideas such as independence, resilience, socialization,...
Can we turn failure in to motivation?
In the January edition of Southwest The Magazine (from Southwest Airlines), Heidi Stevens In Criticism of Praise.” The article discusses the effect of too much or insincere praise on a child’s...
What’s in a Letter?
Parents! You drop your child off at camp, say your goodbyes and then you leave that child in the care of these certain amazing individuals we call, camp counselors. Those counselors are going to be...
Blue Jay Stumpers
photo by Alli Faricy Take a look at a common bird and then ask, “How much do you know about the Blue Jay?” Let me try to stump you! What tree nut do they favor? Acorns What other birds do...
Free Range Kids
When a news story started circulating in the Washington Post last week entitled "Parents investigated for neglect after letting kids walk home alone", it made me (Marie) think about my parenting...
The Office Dogs
Are you ever curious as to what Nike and Norm do at camp all winter? They have pretty extraordinary lives. Up in the morning to chase a few squirrels as they trot to “work” and then a long morning...
My kid is 8. She doesn’t need to think about getting a job right now. Or does she?
Picture this: you walk into the living room and your 8-year-old child is grasping an iPad or video game controller or remote control. You cautiously approach and try to suggest some other...
Motherlode
Foley parents are the best and we are so grateful that you entrust your children to us. As Directors, we are continuously educating ourselves on the many trends of youth development and of raising...
Gratitude
grat·i·tude ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/ noun noun: gratitude the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Each day at Camp Foley brings an over-abundance amount...
Camper Creations: Aline
This is an original story written by one of our campers... Aline By: Crystal L. Artwork by: Crystal L. Two Years Ago - Prologue - Aline's Point of View "I will defeat you!" I shouted through...
What Parents Should Know Before Summer Camp
It's that time of year again when parents begin the very important camp search. For families that haven't found their children's "summer home," this can be a very daunting task. While parents that...
Camper Creations: Drawings
Just for Fun Drawings! By: Celina M.
Camper Creations: The Magical Cupcake
The Magical Cupcake By: Tessa S. Artwork by: Tessa Stephenson Once there were three girls. Their names were Jennifer, Caroline, and Lily. They worked at a cupcake store. One day they made a...
Camper Creations: Spy Camp & Stories
Spy Camp By: Genevieve S. Imagine if Camp Foley was a spy camp. Imagine the costumes and disguises. Instead of Crafts, you had "Creative Escapes." Imagine that every time you get hit by paint in...
Resilience, Grit and DURABILITY.
Something recently caught our attention on the Children & Nature Network website. The title of the post, "The Importance of Being Durable: Building Natural Strength in Our Kids" immediately made...
No Electronics Means New Skills
Campers work together and work on skills they don't even know they are gaining! One of our campers said that she was really proud of herself for “learning how to survive nature with no electronics.”...
What an AMAZING summer!
It's hard to believe that our summer officially ended on Saturday. We said goodbye to our remaining counselors on Friday and our summer ADs headed out Saturday morning (after one last wake surfing...
Camper Creations
We love when our campers submit things for us to post on the blog. During a Journalism class First Session, one of our campers, Thomas R., created a sweet comic about the Dark Squad. Enjoy... ...
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It’s Never Too Late or Too Early to Plan for Summer!
We’re so excited to meet you, and we’d love to answer any questions you have about Camp Foley and how much fun we’ll have this summer!