Day camps restructure to open for summer

COVID-19 is changing how some places run summer camps - some day camps are open.

The opening of day camps may have a road map to reopening schools.

IN SOME PLACES DAY CAMPS AREOPEN BUT WITH CHANGES THATCOULD OFFER A ROADMAP TOREOPENING SCHOOLS SAFELY.SCRIPPS REPORTER MAYA RODRIGUEZHAS THE STORY.THE GREAT OUTDOORS AND THESOUNDS OF SUMMER ((NATS)) ORRATHER A SOCIALLY-DISTANCEDSUMMER.((49:23)) RYAN AMATO,RECREATION PROGRAM SUPERVISORFOR CAMPS: "WHEN WE'RE OUTDOORSOR KEEPING A SOCIAL DISTANCEWITH KIDS, THEY HAVE A LITTLEMORE FLEXIBILITY." RYAN AMATOIS THE RECREATION PROGRAMSUPERVISOR FOR DAY CAMPS INFALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA ONEOF THE 56- HUNDRED DAY CAMPSTHAT USUALLY OPERATE ACROSS THECOUNTRY.THIS YEAR - 62-PERCENT OF CAMPSCLOSED BUT THE ONES THATDIDN'T UNDERWENT SOMECHANGES.((50:02)) RYAN AMATO,RECREATION PROGRAM SUPERVISORFOR CAMPS: "WE REALLY HAD TO, IDON'T WANT TO SAY DUMB DOWN,BUT REALLY MINIMIZE THEACTIVITY WE DO AND FIND THINGSWE CAN DO WHILE SOCIALDISTANCING AND STILL KEEPINGTHEIR INTEREST." THAT MEANTPLACING KIDS IN SMALLER,INDIVIDUAL CAMP GROUPS ANDTRYING TO KEEP THEM OUTSIDE ASMUCH AS POSSIBLE.BUT EVENTUALLY WHEN THE HEATFORCES THEM TO GO INSIDESOME OF THE CHANGES BECOME MOREOBVIOUS LIKE THE USE OF THISROPE.((51:17)) RYAN AMATO,RECREATION PROGRAM SUPERVISORFOR CAMPS: "WE DO HAVE A ROPETHAT WE KEEP AND KEEP THEM SIXFEET WHEN THEY'RE WALKING.THEY SHOULD MASK ON AS WELLBECAUSE IT GETS A LITTLECONGESTED IN HALLWAYS."((11:27)) MAYA EL-HAGE, CAMPCOUNSELOR: "THERE'S DEFINITELYFACES THAT I SEE EVERY SUMMERTHAT ARE NOT HERE." CAMPCOUNSELOR MAYA EL-HAGE SAYSTHAT'S NOT THE ONLY THINGMISSING - SO ARE FIELD TRIPSLIKE TO THE POOL SOINSTEAD IT'S MORE CLASSROOMGAMES AND ARTS AND CRAFTS ATA DISTANCE.((10:57)) MAYA EL-HAGE, CAMPCOUNSELOR: "WE'RE MAKING ITWORK.WE'RE SET UP LIKE THESE 6-FOOTTABLES, SO THAT THEY KNOW WHERETHEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE." BUTCOULD THESE DAY CAMPS - WITHCLASSROOM SET-UPS -- SERVE AS AGUIDE TO SCHOOLS TRYING TOREOPEN?

((59:41)) DANNYSCHLITT, FALLS CHURCH, VA,DIRECTOR OF PARKS ANDRECREATION: "I THINK THEIRCHALLENGES ARE A LITTLEGREATER, BUT I DO THINK THERE'SSOME LEARNING THAT THE SCHOOLSYSTEMS CAN LEARN FROM WATCHINGSOME OF THE SUMMER CAMPS INTHEIR JURISDICTIONS." YET, THEYADMIT THEIR PROGRAMS AREGEARED TOWARDS FUN ANDSCHOOLS HAVE A MORE COMPLEXMISSION.((58:36)) DANNY SCHLITT, FALLSCHURCH, VA, DIRECTOR OF PARKSAND RECREATION: "IT'S ALEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN THEREAND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THEREFOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.//((58:46)) "ONCE YOU GETWEARING AND THE SOCIAL