Sea Island Life Magazine Spring/Summer 2014 | Page 21

JUST FOR KIDS

Kids need their own night out once in a while.
Specially created for young guests ages 3 to
12, Kids’ Night Out is an exciting experience
where kids can have some fun while parents
are enjoying Sea Island’s fine dining or
simply relaxing. Under the care of the Junior
Staff, Kids’ Night Out participants delight in a
themed dinner along with an evening of games,
crafts and a movie. Reservations are required
by 5 p.m. the day prior. (912-638-5111)
Opportunities for kid-friendly fun on Sea
Island range from roasting marshmallows and
observing sea turtle nests to baking cookies.

participating in a sea turtle presentation on the
beach or learning about birds of prey. Every day,
they do something different with a naturalist
that is fun but also educational.”
Older campers also have a chance to participate in the resort’s other amenities after
lunch. Campers can learn how to use an air
their squash or tennis skills by matching up
with a pro. They can explore the waters by
says is one of the more popular activities.
“We are giving them a glimpse of all the
explains. “That’s what makes our program
unique. … We can give kids different experiences across the resort, versus playing games
in one room all day.”
The Junior Staff, a camp tradition since
1960, helps transform the array of activities
into fantastic memories that last a lifetime.
Approximately 30 college students selected as
Junior Staff act as camp counselors and supervise the organized children’s activities at the
resort. They are carefully selected for their
high academic achievement, outstanding
character references and, most importantly,
their genuine care for kids.
work with and interact with children,”
attitude, good personality and people skills.
We want a staff made up of role models, who
can develop relationships with the kids and
get on their level.”
Some campers eventually become staffers
themselves and get their chance to pass along
their knowledge and love of Sea Island. “We
have a lot of Junior Staff members who grew
up coming to Camp Cloister,” says Sea Island’s
training manager Ashley Williams. “When I
was overseeing the program, and even when I

was a staffer, parents would come in and reminisce about their glory days at camp.”
Witnessing children discover Sea Island
through Camp Cloister elevates the experience to something even more magical,
Williams says. “I love the kids’ unique perspectives,” she explains. “I don’t think you
ever forget seeing turtles hatch when you
go on a turtle walk. Watching kids when the
turtles hatch, however, just takes it to a whole
new level. The excitement of experiencing
the island through their eyes was my favorite
part of being a Junior Staffer.”
While Camp Cloister is the largest children’s program, it isn’t the only one. Other
organized activities include tie-dye, where
kids are taken back to the 1960s and get to
create their own T-shirts (under supervision
of the Junior Staff), and Cookie Cutters, a
sweet Saturday afternoon program where
kids make and decorate baked treats.
“Cookie Cutters is phenomenal,” Williams
says. “The kids go to town. It is a huge mess,

but a delicious one—and so much fun. They
get to be little chefs for an hour.”
And as most kids know, it’s hard work taking care of parents all day. While mom and
Night Out frees up children ages 3 to 12 for
dinner—kid-style.
While video games and TV are go-to pastimes for plenty of kids, there’s a whole world
of opportunity to explore on Sea Island alone.
Stimulating imaginations with exciting and
educational activities may seem like a big
task—but Camp Cloister and the Junior S Y