Holiday Camps

Packing list

• A sleeping bag 
• A single mattress cover 
• a pillowcase 
• A backpack big enough to go hiking and put a sleeping bag inside
• a canteen
• a flashlight
• One or two books to read at night
• A stuffed animal to help those who need it to sleep...
• Hermetic tupper to eat inside and on excursions + CUTLERY + GLASS: bring it from home with the name on it. It better be round (like a bowl) and about 15cm in diameter.

• 3 shorts
• 5 t-shirts
• 2 trousers
• 1 jumper
• 5 socks
• 5 underpants
• 1 pajamas
• 1 swimsuit
• 1 raincoat
• 1 cap
• water sandals (for the river)
• 1 pair of sneakers

• toothbrush
• ORGANIC toothpaste 
• comb or hairbrush
• 1 towel 
• baby wipes for quick cleaning
• powerful mosquito repellent
• tea tree essential oil (small amount)

WhatsApp Group:
Before each camp, a WhatsApp group is created with all parents and counselors where general information is sent to participants.
Parents also receive photos of the day's activities in this group each evening.

Questions or Concerns
, privately at la Mandorla+34 608 311 193 (WhatsApp).

Parent-Child Communication:
Children do not speak to their parents during the camp unless it is a very important matter.
For minor concerns (missing their parents, food, minor injuries), the counselor team is trained to handle them in the most respectful way possible. 

On the registration form, you can authorize (or not) us to take photos of your children to send to you in the WhatsApp group so you can follow their adventures.

We try to take photos of all the children throughout the day, but we can't be constantly checking to see if everyone is in the picture. So please be patient: if they don't appear one day, you'll surely see their happy faces the next.

Remember: Just because a child isn't smiling in a photo doesn't mean they aren't having a good time! Some children are more expressive than others.
Please note: The photos are for sharing their experiences with you, not for parents to monitor them from a distance saying things like, "They haven't changed their pants," "They're not wearing their hat," etc. In fact, we often ask them to take off their hats so we can see their faces clearly in the photos.

Camping trips are a unique opportunity for children to experience life independently, without their parents.
 
It's a valuable learning experience: organizing their clothes and belongings, managing their emotions, and connecting with other children and adults. 
This essential learning helps them eventually leave the family nest and develop the skills to live their own lives. 

At la Mandorla, children learn to be independent and free: they participate in daily tasks, learn to use tools, and are free to go wherever they want during their free time.

There's a cook during the camping trips, but the children also help prepare the food in the morning. Many vegetables come from the garden and are harvested by the children themselves, which helps them appreciate them when they eat them. A large part of the food is organic and always cooked fresh, on the spot, and adapted to the week's theme. We ask the children to try what we offer, even just a little, but we don't force them to eat or finish anything they don't like. We try to prepare all the ingredients separately so that each child can choose according to their taste. The vast majority love the dishes, whether simple or more elaborate, that we prepare with love!

Forgotten Clothes
Despite all our care, some clothes are left behind after every camping trip. Sometimes a jacket gets forgotten between the car and the train!
To make it easier to find everyone's clothes and personal belongings, it's best to label them with their name.

Appropriate Clothing
Important: Pack clothes suitable for the season and always include a warm sweater (even in summer, bivouac nights can get chilly).

Caution: Don't pack any valuables. Children happily play in nature and get their clothes dirty with dirt, paint, tree sap, etc.

Saving Water:
During this drought, we must save every drop of water.

Personal Hygiene:
For this reason, the children will only shower once a day in the la Mandorla. 
On other days, they will have a quick personal hygiene routine using wipes.
Every night they brush their teeth before going to bed, and in the morning they brush and tie their hair.

Lice and Prevention:
Obviously, it is essential to rule out the presence of head lice in your children before they arrive and, as a precaution, apply a few drops of tea tree oil to their heads. 

Sleeping in the yurt:
The children sleep together in two or three yurts, each accommodating 8 to 15 people, with one monitor in each yurt.
We always let them choose which friends they want to sleep with.
The yurt is warm, cozy, and quiet, and the children usually sleep very well.

Nights: Temperature and Light:
In summer, even if it's hot during the day, the nights are cool and require a sleeping bag. 
There is light in the yurts, but children must use their flashlights to go outside to the bathroom.

Young children going camping for the first time often miss their parents at night, before going to sleep.
 
This is when the counselors need to be present to reassure them, explaining that they are discovering something beautiful: even though their parents aren't physically there, their parents' love is still with them, tucking them in at night.

By supporting them through this process, they gain confidence and usually pass this small emotional test successfully.

Beware! With all the rain we've had this spring, there are quite a few mosquitoes! 
It's important that children bring strong mosquito repellent.
If any children are prone to allergic reactions, they can bring an oral antihistamine that they can take from the first night.

Some children (1 in 10, depending on their genetics) have a reaction to midges (very small, transparent flies), and sometimes a severe skin reaction appears (it even looks like chickenpox). Above all, you should know that it's not serious and is simply a reaction to too many bites.
The bites dry up and everything goes back to normal in about four days. The antihistamine can prevent them from scratching.
We have about 10-12 mosquito nets in total.
There isn't one for every child. They aren't very effective because sometimes children get tangled up in them and climb out.

But parents who want to can pack a mosquito net in their suitcases.

After 15 years of experience and over 100 organized camping trips, we've had to deal with very few minor accidents. Primary Care 

Center (CAP) and Fire Station:
In any case, the Cornudella Primary Care Center (CAP), with doctors, nurses, and an emergency service, is a 7-minute drive from la Mandorla. The fire station is just as close, at the entrance to the town of Cornudella.

First-Aid Kit:
At la Mandorla we have a basic first-aid kit and take the children to the CAP if we have any concerns. We never administer medication without parental authorization and we notify parents immediately if anything happens to their child.