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Our world is a bit topsy turvy at the moment. It is a disappointment to both kids and their parents that summer camps are probably not going to be running this summer. And while this is a sad state of affairs, it is also a great time to teach the kids about resilience and making the best of whatever situation you find yourself in. 

This includes putting on a summer camp of your own at your lake house. Here are some of our suggestions for creating memories with the kiddos this summer. 

Nature Camp

The perfect time to explore nature is in the summer! Summer at the lake house is like sprinkles on ice cream.  Start in your backyard. Getting to know the area right under your feet will give the kids greater respect and understanding of their home and greater pride and sense of protection for those creatures with whom they share space. If you want to capture one of the creatures for observation, bring along a jar with holes poked in the lid. 

Remember to keep your fellow critters for just a short time before releasing them back from whence they came. Keep a log of the bugs and other interesting bits of nature along with where they were located. 

Each day, start in a different direction to go on a nature walk:

Take with you:

• Notebook

• Pen or pencil and/or colored pencils

• Bird book (optional)

Directions:

• Try to see how many different trees, bugs, or birds that you can find.

• Keep a list of what you see and where you see it.

• Draw pictures of what you see

If you can’t identify what you see, or if you have questions that you don’t know the answer to, write those down. Look the answers up online and add it to your nature notebook. 

Picture Stones Camp

This is a good practice to inspire creativity. Find stones around your lake house that would be conducive to painting a small object on. We are talking about the size of a quarter or less. Gather as many as you can find. If you run out in the process, you can go out gathering again. 

Clean the stones and make sure that they are dry before you start painting. Divide the stones among the participants and have each person paint whatever object they choose on a stone. It could be an umbrella, a dog, a car, a cloud, a train, or anything at all. Use your imagination to create your set of stones. Each child will also have a pouch or bag or even a plastic storage container with their name on it in which to store their stones. 

Once the rocks are painted and are dry, each child will need to tell a story with their picture stones. They can lay their stones out one at a time, telling the story as they go along to correspond with the picture they have painted on their rock. Try mixing the stones up all together and have each child tell a story from the mixture of stones. 

As the adult, you can have painted your own set of picture stones that teach a lesson. You could also use the picture stones to tell the story of your family tree or how you met their mom. The stories and the picture stones will help to create a lasting memory. Spray them with a sealer once they are completely dry to make the pictures on the rocks last.

 Outdoor Camping Camp

This camp is a lot of fun and can be a great learning experience. You can make it as straightforward or as involved as you desire. Create an outdoor camping experience at your lake house by setting up a campsite in your yard. Involve the kids in the preparation by making a list of all of the items you will need to "rough it" in the out of doors. 

Make it a rule that only the items on the list can be brought, and if anything is forgotten, it has to be gone without. Get together all of your gear, including food items, and make it a rule that indoors is off-limits. (except for bathroom breaks). Everything else has to be done with the implements that you have, and it has to be done at your campsite. 

Put together easy recipes that can be cooked over a campfire or require no cooking. You can make it a learning experience by involving the kids from the beginning. Plan out your meals. Make a grocery list. Be ready to sleep out of doors no matter the weather (unless it is dangerous, like lightning). Kids will love sleeping in a  hammock-like this one that includes a mosquito net to keep the bugs out. Depending on the age of the kids, make them responsible for creating the list of supplies. Include some learning processes for them. 

You could create the rule that once at the campsite, any item that was forgotten has to be done without. The item could be included the next day, but only by being swapped for a thing you already have. It helps kids to problem solve. There are all kinds of lessons that you could include in your summer camping experience at your lake house. 

Pirate Camp

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You have water, and you have a boat, why not have a pirate camp? With a little planning on your part, you could create a camp where the memories last a long time! You could make your costumes, and each child could choose their pirate name. While you are engaging in making costumes, you could include some of the histories of the most famous pirates. 

What was there world like back then? What was life at sea like? What kind of hardships did these rouges face, and you could have discussions of what would have made these men choose that type of lifestyle. Beforehand you could set up a scavenger hunt, complete with map and buried treasure, as in Treasure Island style. 

Leaving clues that lead from one point to another, use your imagination as to where to place the clues. Tether a clue to a buoy that you reach by boat and another in a tree. Ensure plenty of "gold" and "jewels" in the treasure chest, which is the end goal of the hunt.

Game Camp

Kids love games, and a camp based on games is sure to be a hit. Devise new ways to play old favorites. The lake house is the ideal spot for playing games. For example, use cardboard as tiles for an outdoor version of scrabble. Write letters on each piece of cardboard and set up your "board" out on the lawn. Twister is another game that lends itself to the yard. 

Make yourself a template by cutting a large circle out of the center of the cardboard and spray paint with various reds, yellows, blues, and green circles on the lawn. A game that would work well inside is hallway maze. Use string, duct tape or yarn, and create a labyrinth down a hallway, stringing your material from one side of the hall to the other in an intricate manner. The objective is to get through the maze without dislodging the material from the wall. Kids are always up for games like volleyball, lawn darts, and hide and seek. 

Ask the kids to participate by coming up with versions of old favorites or even entirely new games. Incorporate the best ideas in upcoming game camps. 

Olympics Camp

This camp might not look exactly like a gold level competition, but it will be fun. Set up some obstacle courses outside and have a series of challenges. Use some of the water noodles that you have at the lake house and make rings out of them by taping the ends together. Suspend those rings from your deck or patio, and the kids try to get a balloon to sail through the ring. 

Play tug of war in the waist-deep water. You could have a complete triathlon using a first round of biking, obstacle course, and water challenge. Kids love anything that keeps them active and moving. Whatever you decide to set up as challenges will keep them happy and entertained.

Bicycle Camp

Life at the lake house is laid back and conducive to a slower pace. Bicycles fit right into life at a slower pace. Incorporate mini trips into your days at the lake as a form of bike camp. Set out on a mystery destination, or do a type of scavenger hunt ride. Set out clues beforehand that will take you from one point to another. Decorate your bikes in a different theme for each day that you ride. 

Take along a picnic lunch and stop along the way to eat it. This would be an excellent time for the kids to learn about the "Laufmaschine” invented by Karl von Sauerbronn in 1817. Laufmaschine means running machine and was an alternative to riding horses. 

Theater Camp

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Kids are creative and have wonderful, wild imaginations. Put all of the drama to use at a theater camp at your lake house. Ask the kids to construct a story, one that they collaborate and write themselves. The end goal is to present this story in the form of a play. They will need to keep this end goal in mind as they are writing their story. 

Once the story has been written, and the final version is satisfactory to all, it will be time for the real work to begin. The kids will need to pull together costumes and backdrops for their play using items that are already at the lake house. The stage will need to be set up, and props gathered. Practicing the play will entail a run through or two before opening night. 

Be sure to have tickets for admission and popcorn on hand for the audience members!

Water Camp

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It would be amiss for life on the lake not to include a water camp. There are a variety of water games that can be played in the shallows, like volleyball. Onshore, water games are also popular. Get some buckets and sponges at the dollar store, and use them in a game to see who can fill up their bucket using the sponge to fill the bucket with lake water first. Add some ice cubes to that water and marbles to the bottom of the bucket and have the kids see who can fish the marbles out of the icy water the fastest. 

You can also get Alka seltzer type tablets at the dollar store, along with squirt guns. Fill up the guns and have a “reloading” station outside. Put a tablet of Alka seltzer on a string and give one to each of the kids to hang around their neck. Then, on your mark, get set, go!  Each person gets to run around and squirt each other. As the tablet dissolves, that person is out. The one with most of their tablet left is the winner. Use the same buckets that you got at the dollar store and have the kids lay down on their backs in a circle. 

Kids will need to have their shoes on.  With their legs up in the air, have the kids touch their feet together, making a kind of table. Put the bucket on their feet. In the bucket place, any number of things...some water, some deshelled eggs, slime or any other thighs that would feel gross like pudding or rubber worms. The goal is for each kid to slip off one of their shoes while the others keep the bucket steady. Besides these games, there is tubing, swimming, boating, and fishing that can be incorporated into the water camp at the lake house.

I Need A Break Camp

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Living at the lake house is a beautiful place to be. Often you have others that come and spend a day or so with you enjoying the time on the water. The last thing you want to do at the lake house is to be looking for misplaced items or continually sorting through packed closets. 

Clutter and disorganization should be forbidden at your lake house, as it just detracts from your reason for being there in the first place.We have seven of the best closet concepts to use to keep on top of organizing necessary items, but you don't want to waste time keeping track of them.

ONE:

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Drawers in a closet are a handy concept. If the room is on the smaller side, drawers in the closet create a place for clothing. Home improvement stores will have drawer units that can be put together and added to your closet space. Or, you could put a small dresser in the closet and free up floor space at the same time. You could find an inexpensive set at a garage sale or thrift store, or you already have one. 

The clothes rod will still hang above, and the dresser below will provide storage for folded items.

THREE:

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Having clothes dividers in your closet saves time spent hunting for particular items. You may have a variety of clothes at the lake house, some for each of the seasons or various occasions. Maybe the closet is shared with others, or you have one closet that several children use. You can print out clothes dividers on heavy-duty cardstock. 

To ensure their sturdiness, you can laminate them. Looking much like a hotel "Do Not Disturb" doorknob hanger, you can print a person's name on each divider. You could print any category that you need, like spring clothes or boating outfits. Using these dividers in closets makes it easy to stay organized, and you will know where items belong. Kids can find their belongings, and there will not be the usual hunt for articles of clothing that get lost in the shuffle. 

This is especially handy if you have clothing you leave at the lake house, you will not have to hunt for them upon your return.

FOUR:

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A great way to keep your accessories easy to find is to hang them up. It is easy to add a simple chair rail to the inside of a closet or along a wall. It would only need to be about two inches wide and whatever length you choose. Place the rail at a height that is convenient for adding items and getting them down again. 

Add simple hooks to the chair rail, and use those hooks for various things. Perfect for belts, hats, and scarfs, it will keep those items from being misplaced and always accessible. The hooks will also be ideal for jewelry. Necklaces, chains, and bracelets will be at the ready. Hanging these items will keep them from becoming a tangled mess on top of a dresser. 

Your time at the lake should be spent relaxing, and a rail with hooks makes organizing easy.

FIVE:

You are fortunate enough to have time to spend at your lake house and get away from the demands of the everyday world.  Each time you get away is like an adventure, and even if it is just for the weekend, it is still a vacation from the mundane. 

So how do you make the most of that time at the lake? One of the ways to enhance the time at the lake is to include a pocket notebook.  

A pocket notebook is an essential, yet easy, tool to have with you at all times.  It is easy to carry, convenient and helps you stay (or get) organized. 

When thinking about a pocket notebook, consider a study done in 2014 that showed the benefits of hand writing notes  were greater than had been previously known. 

The findings of the study were that people learn and retain information longer if they write notes by hand.  When a person captures information in this manner, it stimulates neural pathways between motor, visual and cognitive skills.  

So, consider that when you are writing something down, you are doing so, not to remember it later, but to remember it now.  Writing it down can make you smarter!

We have compiled 10 tips on using your pocket notebook when you are living life at the lake: 

1. Networking:

Your house on the lake might not be your primary residence, and you might be a distance from where the house is located.  It is a good idea to have the numbers and addresses of those neighbors that are in the area when you are not there.  

Yes, you can add those names, numbers and addresses to your phone, but with a notebook you can add other important details.  Make a note of where the neighbor is in relation to your house, and note if this is their primary residence. If not, when do they usually visit their lake house?

This will also be the spot in your notebook where you will record the names of their family  members, if they have pets or any other pertinent information that will serve to create a bond with the people that you share the lake with.

Your pocket notebook is a networking device that can pay dividends.  If there is bad weather in the area, you will know who to call to check on your own lake home.  Conversely, you will be able to get calls from those same people if they see anything at your property that you need to know about. 

2. Projects and Maintenance

Seldom do we walk around our lake houses in search of things that need to be done.  But as you are going about your day both in and out of the house, have your pocket notebook handy to jot down things you see that need your attention. 

Maybe you see that there is a piece of siding that is coming loose as you are swaying in the hammock in the backyard.  While out on the boat, you look toward the house from the water and are able to better notice branches growing too close to the roof line.

Maybe you think of improvements to the dock as you approach the launch.  Making a quick note of it to refer to later will help you keep on top of those small issues that can become major when forgotten.

The notebook is also the best spot to write down phone numbers of local businesses, like the hardware, grocery store and supply stores such as the local Home Depot. 

When visiting those stores for whatever goods you might need for projects, you will have your notebook at the ready for helpful suggestions given to you by these establishments for any repairs or improvements you need to do. 

Write down who you spoke with, any quotes given and what those quotes included.  This takes some of the burden off your shoulders when you are getting advice from several different quarters.  You will not need to remember who said what, you will have it all down in your notebook.

It also makes comparing services and quotes easier when you have it all laid out in front of you.  It is invaluable when the guy at the local hardware tells you how to fix it yourself and you write it down step by step to refer to later. 

3. Fishing Log

 When you go out on a fishing trip, make a note on the top of the notebook page that includes the day and date.  Note the time of day and where you are at on the body of water that you are on. 

Make a note of the weather conditions at the time, such as the temperature, if there is any cloud cover and what the wind speed, if any, is.   Record water conditions, such as the clairity of the water and what its temperature is at the time you caught that prize fish. 

These notes will give you an overall picture of when to go fishing again, and when you might have a better chance of snagging dinner when you go out again under similar conditions. 

You will also want to make a notation of the size and weight of the fish.  Jot down what type of bait and the presentation (choosing a target, casting and manipulating the bait) you were using at the time.  

If you record these items in your pocket notebook, you will be able to match them to similar conditions.  As you continue to note the water and exact areas you are fishing in, you will be able to see, over a period of time, “hotspots” for fishing. 

Add personal details of the day, like losing your hat overboard or the beauty of the day.  These notes will add to the flavor of your notes and give a boost to your memory when you refer back to them. 

4. Develop a Lake Management Plan:

Lake living can be a wonderful adventure!  You will want to protect that special area and keep it healthy for years to come. One of the ways in which to do that is to be aware and make note of the lake and conditions that might negatively impact it.

If you collect, and use, information that your record in your pocket notebook, you will have a good start on maintaining the health of the lake you love. 

Keep track of anything that might adversely impact the water or shoreline. Make a note of any spills, such as gasoline from boat motors or excessive use of fertilizers or pesticides. 

Being able to keep track in your notebook of events that might impact the lake will give you some insight into remedies that might be needed. 

The  Guide to Lake Protection and Management, Second Edition will give you information on the chemistry of lakes and management practices. 

5. Where Did The Day Go?

I ask myself this all of the time.  Take a few minutes and sketch out what the day was like.  Every day at the lake is an adventure; a mini vacation that should be savored.  By jotting down the events of the day, whether big or small, you will be able to look back and reflect on just where the day did actually go.

When you are sitting in your cubicle or waiting for the next interminable meeting to end, discreetly pull out your notebook and flip through the memories.  It will remind you why you do this in the first place and make the next round of meetings a bit more palatable. 

I have found that recording the mundane happenings affords me a glimpse at what is important to me.  I learn what activities and people bring me joy and comfort, and as importantly, I learn what does not work for me and can seek to avoid it in the future. 

6. No Electricity Needed: 

Everything has a plug, needs a battery, or it has to have tower reception or be connected to  WIFI. Your pocket notebook and pen or pencil need none of those things. It is good for the mind and the soul to get back to basics.

A magical contraption, the pencil was invented in 1795 by Nicholas-Jacques Conte.  He was a scientist who was serving in the army of Napoleon Bonaparte at the time. Conte used a form of pure carbon called graphite to supply his invention with the ability to make marks on paper.

The rest, as they say, is history.  The Banks, Son and Company opened its doors in Keswick, England in 1832 and is still in business today under the name of Cumberland Pencil company. Talk about longevity!  

That simple writing instrument will serve its purpose yet today.  You won’t have to plug it in, or recharge it either. It will be handy and at the ready in our pocket to record a phone number, a thought, an inspirational quote, or a grocery list whenever and wherever you need to. 

7. Play Games:

Again, you need no cords or cables or reception.  Just a pen or pencil and your trusty pocket notebook.  I have found that I have learned more about friends and family when participating in a one on one venture, such as playing games. 

There are several that you can do with your notebook while sitting on the back deck or lazing on the lawn near the lake’s edge.  And since you are at the lake, there is no need to keep score, you are just having a good time and enjoying each other's company. 

Pictionary is a favorite, and usually produces a good amount of laughter, as not too many of us are artists.  All you need to do is to think of a word that you want the other person to guess. And you try to get them to guess the word by drawing a picture of it.  

Bulls and Cows will help you stretch your thinking process.  Each player will create a numeric sequence of four numbers that they will keep secret.  Take turns guessing the number with “Bulls” indicating the correct number of digits in the correct place.  “Cows” will indicate the correct number in the wrong place. Try to guess the secret sequence in the least number of turns. 

Categories tests how much you really know about any given subject.  Start with any category, whether it be fruit, vegetable, movies, book titles, things that give off steam, or anything else in a broad or narrow category. 

Each person will list everything that they can think of that comes under that category in a certain time frame, for example, in one minute.  Once the time is up, compare the lists and cross off identical items and see who ends up with the most items listed. 

Close your eyes and draw is a form of Pictionary that is as funny as it is challenging.  Think of an object that you would like to draw, close your eyes and draw it (or attempt to) on the page of the notebook. The other person will then try to guess what it is. 

I have done several of these games with family and friends. As I said before, these games can result in conversations about things that might not have come up in normal conversations and have enabled me to get to know those people better.

The notebooks, with the games recorded inside, have been saved for future gloating, or simply to bring them out and relive the fun and laughter looking over the silly pictures and the good times shared. 

8. Contemplation:

Frank Sinatra once said, “You only go around once, but if you play your cards right, once is enough”.  Another favorite quote of mine comes from Mary Engelbreit. She said “Life is just so daily!”. Exactly.

Life can be relentless.  It does not slow down for us when we need a minute to get our bearings or to catch our breaths. There is little time to think about the big picture when the everyday details and demands of living never allow us time to see ahead.

When you are at the lake, on your mini vacation or weekend adventure, take a few minutes to think ahead.  It does not have to be a soul-searching epiphany. It can be just a moment in time when you pause to consider what should come next.

Where would you like to be in your life five years from now?  Choose a few ideals that will help you to achieve those goals and that will steer you in the direction you would like to go. Write them down in your notebook.  Rather than going with the flow, direct the course you want your life to take.

Periodically refresh your memory of those goals and desires by reading what you wrote in your notebook, and then ask yourself if your actions today will get you where you want to be tomorrow.  

Having put pencil to page, this reminder will guide you in fleshing out a game plan. Your chances of succeeding will increase when you have a firm idea and track your progress. 

9. Sketch and Doodle.

If you are one of those few fortunate individuals who can actually draw a recognizable cat, take a bit of time to sketch your lake surroundings in your pocket notebook.  Draw it at different times of the year, or day, to capture the seasons. Yes, you could just take a picture, but this will be personal. It will be what YOU see, and how you interpret  the world around you.

If you can’t sketch to save your life, then do the next best thing: Doodle.  This might seem like a simplistic time waster, but it actually is not.

Doodling is the brain’s way of staying in the present.  I remember that when I was going to college, there were certain instructor’s in whose classes I would regularly doodle along the edges of my notes.  

It was always in the class that I found just a bit more challenging, and I had thought that it was my way of escaping from what I could not conquer.  I have since found out that the opposite was taking place. 

A study published in 2009 in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology,  has stated that those who doodle during a lecture or meeting remembered more information than those non-doodlers. 

Those of us who are busy with our pencils tips swirling in our notebooks retain 29% more than those who did not.  The key is to listen as you doodle.  

Instead of checking your phone, or looking for the next distraction, take some time at the lake to sit and listen to what is going on around you.  Maybe it is the wind, or the birds, or the water lapping against the shore. 

Get out your pocket notebook and doodle while truly listening to the world around you.  This exercise will help to connect ideas to visuals and help you to remember better.  

10. Lake House Recipes

A small, pocket notebook is so handy for jotting down dishes to prepare at your lake house.  Being at the lake, and away from everyday obligations, can open up time in which to try new recipes.

Mealtimes become more of an event, and less of a necessity, when you are less pushed and pulled by your work week schedule.  

Keep the notebook handy, and when you run across an interesting dish, jot it down...along with the ingredients...to refer to when you are shopping for the lake house.

Ask coworkers if they have favorites that might sound interesting to try. Or even experiment with coming up with your own, one-of-a-kind recipe.

Once you have run across a “go-to” favorite, make sure to note it in your pocket notebook.  If you have any adjustments in the amounts to accommodate a larger crowd, note those in your book so that you have them for future reference.

Don’t forget to note comments from your guests, either pro or con.  Maybe it needed more salt or less rosemary. After you keep adding to these notes for a time, you will develop a repertoire of favorites that will make mealtime at your lake house a delicious and fun event.

To get you started, I have added my own favorite for you to add to your notebook. 

Fishing ranks as one of the most satisfying outdoor activities. Trout fishing, in particular, is a rewarding challenge which requires knowledge of fish habits, stream characteristics and weather patterns. 

Over 49 million Americans fished in 2019.  Way, way up from the 7 million figure that was listed in 2006.  Only running activities had more participants.

These are some of the reasons people listed for why they like fishing:

1. Camaraderie with fishing friends
2. To get outside and enjoy nature
3. To be on or near the water
4. The adventure of catching our own meal
5. Fishing is a new challenge every time you hit the water
6. Reduces stress, and is a healthy activity

It has been said that only 10% of all fishermen catch 90% of all the trout. I would dispute that saying.  Americans are not a nation of people who will continue to participate in an activity that does not produce results or give them something back in return.

For fishing to have garnered 42 million more members in 12 years, more than 10% of anglers  have to be getting some kind of results! 

You might be looking for dinner, peaceful scenery, a good place to go fishing or just some time on the water, lake trout fishing will provide all of those.

We have listed some fishing gear that will be helpful to you in this quest and be in that “10%”.