Every year for the past five years, Nanna, Poppa, Uncle Andrew and The Zoo gather for a Family Tradition in Algonquin Park. For five nights, we brave drafty cabins, night visitors (think mice, bats and bears) and toilets that are a 15-minute walk along a nature trail.
We enjoy home-cooked meals prepared by someone other than ourselves, have our laundry done for us, the opportunity to enjoy more activities than we have time for, and sing songs that only our camp friends know the words to. There’s something romantic about getting back to nature if only for a short time.
Speaking of romance, my parents actually met while staff members at the camps and I’ve been going to September Camp* (almost every year) since I was three. If you do the math, you’ll see that The Kids were 5 months old when they attended camp for the first time where they enjoyed their first bite of food in the Dining Hall.
September Camp is a Family Tradition.
This year, was the best so far. The Kids were in their element and it was contagious. Within the first 12 hours, they’d tried more activities than I’d done in the past 14 years. I’m not exaggerating. One huge benefit was that they were old enough to really engage and participate in the kids program. They loved hanging out with staff members who gave them their undivided attention, play with kids their own age and get a chance to do activities that they might not otherwise.
Artemis spent a lot of time doing crafts, drawing on the beach and at the pottery shack. She even got to bring home her artistic creations.
Max spent a lot of time down by the water. He loved being pulled around in a water raft while being serenaded and spent so much time in a canoe that Nanna and Poppa bought them both their own paddles.
For the past year, both of them have been talking about the horses they rode at September Camp the previous year. They remembered their colours and their names! Turns out that the same horses were there again this year** and they got to ride them several times.
There were nature hikes disguised as cats.
And running on the beach like no one was watching.
Evening activities included games night (with CANDY!), sing songs and always a campfire with marshmellows.
All the early mornings and fresh air seemed to have a way with everyone and afternoon naps were a daily occurence.
Do You Have any Family Traditions?
** Well, not exactly but I’ve been trying to lie to The Kids more. Yes, you read that correctly, more…
This place looks awesome! I want to go!!
Love the idea of September camping!!
Went here as a child was a blast!!! Although to this day I swear a water armadillo rubbed against my foot while swimming in the lake!
Dear Amy,
Did you go as a camper, staff or September Camper? I’ve done all three and would love to share stories. Maybe we could sing “Wapomeo Little Wapomeo” together 😉
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Share Your Child’s Milestones and Photos with Loved Ones @HiMamaSocial
I simply love it when there is this sort of family tradition and it can be carried on down the line. The kids had so much fun they were exhausted :-), a time they’ll never forget.
Dear Elizabeth,
Having this experience has definitely shaped their life in a positive way.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
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Looks like a wonderful place to go! Glad you have an awesome family tradition! (We have none… yet.)
Dear Ali,
A family tradition can be something as simple as “Sunday Pancake Breakfast” or a walk in the park. We are fortunate to have a place where all of us can go and the financial means to do it.
Besos, Sarah
Blogger at Journeys of The Zoo
Sarah recently posted…I Should Lie More To My Kids
How does that song go…”in a cabin, in the woods”… hope you have an awesome time
Dear Darlene,
Guess what I’m humming now. Thanks.
Besos, Sarah.
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Fantastic family photo!
I love seeing your memories of Algonquin Park. My papa used to take me camping there every summer as a child, so I have fond memories.
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Dear Freda,
How nice that you have such fond family memories too.
Besos, Sarah
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This place looks awesome! I bet it was great fun !
We unfortunately do not have any family traditions. This is a good reminder to start some! Thank you!
sounds like a great place and something not just for kids but for the whole family, and to have someone else do the cooking and washing is a big bonus!!!
Lovely time of year for camping no misquitos or black flies lolz
Our family tradition is Pineapple upside down cake for everyone’s birthday
Our family tradition is for each of us to make a Christmas Ornament each and every year and put our names, the year made and then paint them. We put all of them from the current and past years on the Christmas Tree for all visitors to see, the first year was hand prints and they go one from there.
Dear Rob,
What a great tradition! A family friend used to give my brother and I an ornament every year. She also did it for The Kids their first Christmas. It’s bitter sweet because she had one made for Alexander before he died. I will cherish it forever. Unfortunately, we don’t put up a Christmas tree… http://www.journeysofthezoo.com/2013/12/non-traditional-holiday-tradition.html
Thanks for all your support and Good Luck!
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…I Should Lie More To My Kids
I loved the fact that your meals were provided -giving Mom freedom from the kitchen chores.
Our traditions are: having a family barbeque on July 15, which happens to be my husband’s birthday; and a family get-together on Christmas Eve -both at our home. Any family member on PEI is expected to come and we usually have a wonderful time, chatting and getting caught up on family news.
Our family tradition is very much like yours.Our family gets together every summer and we all camp together for at least a week in one of our national parks or along the St.Lawrence.We swim ,fish and have bonfires and just a wonderful time too.I enjoyed your pictures and am so glad your family had such a good time.
Family traditions is what memories are made from. We use to also go down to the Lake as a child I the good times from my youth are still with me now!
Family Traditions are important and can be such fun. I was a single mom of 2 back in the late 70’s and although we didn’t have much money, my daughters would love it when we played “Treasure Hunt”. I would leave clues in my home and yard. Written in paper, they would all be numbered, because if you accidentially found clue 18, when you were looking for clue 4…you had to put clue 18 back. I lived out in the country, and the neighbours children would join in the fun. One person would win/find the treasure….but everyone would get a bag of surprises. My daughters are doing “Treasure Hunts” with my grandchildren and everyone is loving it. Thank You 🙂
Our family tradition is to go to a beach.
I have heard wonderful things about Algonquin Park. I would love to take my kids there someday.
Dear Heidi,
The great thing about Algonquin Park is that you can stay at a Five Star resort or in a tent and there is also everything in between too.
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Death Should Come with a Manual
I went as a camper! Great memories from there!
I have heard many wonderful things about Algonquin Park,maybe someday
I would love to start a summer family tradition. Will have to be next year though..especially since it snowed today!
Dear Lee-Ann,
Snow angels in September perhaps!?
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Death Should Come with a Manual
fammmm fo sho
We have a family tradition also, though it is not as wonderful or inclusive as yours..we get the whole family out to the cottage for the August long weekend
Dear Ronald,
A family tradition can be something as simple as monthly ice creams and doesn’t even need to be with family 😉
My Mother’s side of the family (cousins, aunts/uncles and kids) used to get together every August long weekend and it was a highlight of my year. Unfortunately, people have gotten busy and my Aunt is no longer able to host it so we haven’t gotten together for four years. Hoping to change that next year.
Otherwise, have any openings at your family get-together?
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Share Your Child’s Milestones and Photos with Loved Ones @HiMamaSocial
Truly lovely pictures!!!! Sometimes we have movie nights, also we go and have ice cream nights. I wish we had more time. its sad we have to work too much and not enough time to spend or make family traditions. I love your post. lovely.
Dear Maria,
We are so lucky that my husband works for himself so we have more time as a family. However, we make sacrifices in exchange for that time. Life is all about balance and having fun and it sounds like you have that. Thanks for all your support and kind words. I appreciate it.
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Death Should Come with a Manual
You are so right about balance and making the time. I think it is very important for the children.
We don’t have any travel traditions or anything like that, but Sundays are family day in our home. We get up and have a huge breakfast, then each of us gets to pick an activity for everyone to do. Does that count?
Every Christmas eve we have a huge family get together just to get a chance to see everyone because Christmas day is pure chaos. That has been happening on my dad’s side of the family since I was little
Dear Kate,
That absolutely counts as a Family Tradition. I know how fortunate we are that we get to vacation as a family every year. Without my Parents support, we wouldn’t be able to go.
Every Sunday we have pancakes and spend the day working outside (we have a huge property) or inside playing games. My husband and I try and stay off our computers too. Try 😉
Besos, Sarah
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A few years ago we went on vacation to my uncle’s farm, it was a lovely time but I also knew it would probably be the last one with our kids. My children are young adults now, they have summer jobs and just can’t take a week off to go away. It was fun time, but sad, my realization the kids would be starting their own traditions.
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I have always wanted to go to Algonquin Park! The funny thing is that a couple of my children have been on school trips and absolutely loved it! My son looked out the window one day to find a Moose staring back at him!! Talk about memories of a lifetime!! 🙂
Dear Alayne,
In years past, after September Camp ended, “School Camp” would start. Kids from Toronto schools would come up for a week and experience all the camp had to offer and some.
Besos, Sarah
Sarah recently posted…Death Should Come with a Manual
What a tremendous assortment of entertainment..our family tradition is to gather at the cottage every long weekend in August
Looks like a ton of fun! My sister & I and our spouses try to go to our aunt’s cabin every year. It is a bit remote and no electricity so it is extremely relaxing
Looks like so much fun!!
Our family traditions got shaken up by a divorce so the kids and I create new ones and the old parts we liked! Right now our b-days have them, the b-day person picks the meal we all share (breaky, lunch or dinner) and what we eat then we watch movies together. No matter the day (school or weekend) we also do it.
M
Looks like lots of fun!
Favorite part about this post is the horses, reminds me of my cousin who is training to be a horse jumper, she finished 5th in her first race and last race she finished 1st.
Rob Shiels
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Dear Rob,
Congratulations to your cousin. Pretty impressive for a person that is only “training to be a horse jumper”. Hope that she realizes all her dreams.
Besos, Sarah
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Great family traditions! I love it! 🙂
Looks like a great time! Here in Manitoba, our September has been cold and wet, so it wouldn’t be much fun camping! We had a late spring and an early fall 🙁
I love the photos,family is everything
we like to go to the local conservation area and see what’s new
Algonquin is a magical place where time stands still for families. This is a wonderful tradition!