Boom Chicka Boom! Why we LOVE camp songs!

I said a Boom Chick-a Boom!

I said a Boom Chick-a Boom!

I said a Boom Chick-a-Rock-a-Chicka-Rock-a-Chicka Boom!

Hang out around any of our Y Camps this summer and you’ll surely hear one of the greatest camp traditions- camps songs! Camp songs aren’t just about being silly, they are an important part of what bonds kids together and gives everyone a sense of belonging. When kids return to camp this summer and start singing those familiar tunes they are reminded that they are in a safe place of acceptance, a place of inclusion, relationship, and fun! New campers quickly pick up the tunes that send the message- we are glad you’re here! Be silly, be YOU.

For staff, camp songs bring back memories of their own fond days as campers, returning them to a special place of fun and childhood. Each time I hear “Princess Pat” I remember hot summers and jumping into the lake at camp back home. I remember my friends- secret conversations, pretending to find treasure on a nature hike, and having to face our fears in trying new things, ultimately leading to a sense of accomplishment and pride.

When my own kiddo went to camp last summer and came home singing camp songs it was an exciting time of connection for our family. Carrying on the tradition of camp songs wasn’t just about singing them annoyingly loud in the car together on the way back from day camp, it was about knowing that he was getting an amazing opportunity he would always remember- similar to my cherished experience, yet uniquely his own.

For kids, staff, and parents, camp songs are what you carry in your heart when the crafts are long faded and tossed, when school starts back up, or in the middle of winter when you are longing for those summer days. With a hum of a tune you can be transported back years to special times and places. Camp songs are timeless gems that connect us all to our favorite summer memories, and I look forward to singing them again this year!