• Northeastern Connecticut is home to an outstanding summer resource for families. Holiday Hill Day Camp in Mansfield celebrated its 50th summer season of fresh air, fun and friendship last year. What began as a small, family business in 1960 continues today as the region’s oldest and largest private, independent day camp. It is the area’s only co-ed day camp program that is both state licensed and accredited by the American Camp Association. Holiday Hill has played an important role in the growth and development of thousands of young people for the last half-century!
  
  A summer at Holiday Hill makes a big difference in a child. The camp’s natural outdoor setting, enthusiastic play and experiential learning activities work together as an antidote to the modern trend of plugged-in, cooped-up-inside-all-day childhood. At Holiday Hill boys and girls ages 4-14 swim in pristine pools, splash in creeks and run in the grass—sometimes barefoot! Holiday Hill harnesses children’s natural energy, wonder, and laughter, encouraging them to experience and practice life in ways that prepare them for adulthood. The camp’s program and philosophy argue loudly with the societal message kids are getting that “Nature is the past, electronics are the future, and the bogeyman lives in the woods” (Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods 2008). It is part of the power of a summer at Holiday Hill to help children connect to the natural world.
  Play is also an important part of the power of a Holiday Hill summer. Child development experts understand that play is essential to healthy development as it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and youth.
  
  Play is a form of practicing adulthood. Healthy, supervised play helps fashion healthy habits, customs, and behaviors. Holiday Hill manages its camper groups to allow children to be children; to experience and explore influence and consequences, while learning to appreciate the importance of self-discipline and shared responsibility. These life lessons and the development of enduring friendships take place in a nurturing setting provided by a counselor team that grew up in and cherishes the same ideals—most of the staff are former campers! Holiday Hill is an exciting human powered environment designed to promote well-being and positive, lifelong wellness habits.
  
  A summer at Holiday Hill brings children back to nature, helps them learn and understand the importance of authentic human relationships, and allows them to use and manage their bodies in ways that support their current and future well-being—all beneficial and significant parts of the experience. Yet probably most important is the intensity and density of the moments at camp. Moments of fun, moments of high emotion, moments of accomplishment—moments so powerful that they become the memories that stay with campers and help shape the people they will become. It’s been working that way at Holiday Hill for half a century!.
  
  Holiday Hill provides free transportation from most eastern Connecticut towns and has flexible enrollment and financial plans. It also offers programs for picnic and outing rentals, as well as family pool memberships. Holiday Hill presents challenge and team building programs year-round on it’s high and low ropes courses for a variety of school, college and adult groups.
  
  Developing resilient, responsible, respectful young people is not something that should be left to chance! To find out how your child can take part in powerful summer experiences that will make lifetime memories, visit the camp’s website at HolidayRecreation.com or call (860) 423-1375 to speak to the director, receive a brochure, DVD, or set up a camp visit.