Taking on challenges and making memories: highlights of Kid’s Camp 2025

 

Image description: A green campground under a sky painted with a soft blue and peach sunset. Several tents in bright colours—red, gren, and orange—are set up across the grassy area.

The 2025 Kid’s Camp took place during the first week of the September school holidays at Blue Mountain Adventure Centre in Raurimu, in the heart of the Central North Island. Four Young Leaders and sixteen members, aged 9 to 16, joined in a week full of fun and exciting challenges.

Participants came from all over the country, including the South Island. Every activity followed a “challenge by choice” approach, which meant everyone was encouraged to have a go, but no one was made to do anything they didn’t want to.

Our Young Leaders arrived at the camp on Friday 19 September. They spent the weekend learning about leadership and trying out the same activities planned for the rest of the campers, including indoor rock climbing, caving, the high rope swing, and river rafting. The Young Leaders were then assigned teams of campers to lead, motivate, and be role models for them.

All of the other campers arrived on Monday 22 September. After lunch, they had time to get to know one another, were grouped for a camp orientation, and took on a tactile obstacle course.

On Tuesday, half of the group went caving, while the other half stayed on site to try the Rock Wall and High Rope Swing. Both activities were challenging for many, but most overcame their fears and hesitancy to at least have a go.

By Wednesday, the weather had been wet for the past couple of days, so we identified different options if the weather dictated change. Everyone prepared in full gear for river rafting, and the excitement was clear for all to feel. Unfortunately, we could only take one group safely down the river before the rising water made it unsafe. After that, we spent a couple of hours relaxing in the Tokaanu Hot Pools before heading back to camp. That evening, half of the campers chose to relax in the accommodation lodge, while the others watched an audio-described movie in another building.

On Thursday, the groups swapped activities. The group that went caving on Tuesday stayed behind to do the rock wall and high rope swing, while the other group went caving. That night, we held our Talent Show, where anyone who wanted could share their talent. To role model being vulnerable and prepared to try new things, all of the staff at camp also performed, either solo or in groups. It should be said that the adults weren’t quite as talented as the kids!

Friday was clean up and go home day. After cleaning up, all the kids were presented with a plush guide dog toy and a Blind Low Vision NZ branded singlet to thank them for their efforts throughout the week.

Below is a testimony from Kahn, one of our Young Leaders at camp:

“My experience at Blue Mountain Adventure Camp was very enjoyable. Having the opportunity to be a leader was so exciting, it taught me to support others that have a similar condition to mine and helped me to build my team leadership skills. Meeting everyone involved reminded me that I’m not alone and there are no limitations to what we can achieve, even with our conditions we can still experience things that able bodied people can. My favourite activity at the camp was caving because that was a brand new experience for me. The camp is a very special and unique opportunity for blind and low vision to meet and form connections with others that understand the struggles that they live with daily. I want to thank Mark McLaughlin, Tracey and all other staff who organised and worked behind the scenes to make this camp available and a huge success. I am so great full to be a part of a community of people that care so much.”

We also want to thank the staff of Blue Mountain Adventure Centre who made sure all campers were made to feel welcome, safe and included in all activities. They are truly an amazing and caring team, and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

If you’re interested in joining a future kids camp with us, please contact our sport and leisure team at SportandLeisure@BlindlowVision.org.nz or call 0800 24 33 33.