All posts by Annelise Turner

Summer Camp Types

Where do Motocross/Motorcycle Camps Fit…(and do they fit my child)?

 

Where do motocross/motorcycle camps fit in among all the various types of camps offered these days and, more importantly, are they for my child? The answers to these questions are not as simple as they may appear. Take the first question.  Once you read the categories below you may wonder, is there even a category for this kind of camp?  The second question tends to provoke much thought and some emotion on the part of many parents.  Both questions are worth addressing and we do so in this article.

The Inevitable Search

Try bringing up “summer camp” in your Google search. You’ll most likely find that motocross/motorcycle (or even “MX”) won’t appear at all. Enter a search for “sport camps in my area” and you’ll get all the ball sports but no wheel sport camps. If you’re a parent or child who knows they want to ride motorcycles or motocross, then you’ll hit the jackpot. You’ll pull up a camp that provides just that…because the words you use in your search will be in the name of the motorcycle/motocross camp…like “Iron horse Country Motocross Summer Camp”.

Motorcycle/Motocross Camps – The Perfect Hidden Experience

What if you’re a parent looking for a summer camp that doesn’t fit the mold?  Something that sounds exciting, gets kids outdoors and teaches a new skill.  Something cool and safe.  If you don’t find camps like ours in normal listings or searches, would you assume this means they aren’t for your child?

The reason for these questions (and the premise of this article) is this:

It is because this kind of camp does not come up with general searches that it is invisible  to the majority of internet surfers looking for a great camp. A camp that provides children with outdoor engagement, major growth opportunities, fun, excitement, new skills, friendship, and community.  These qualities are the same things touted by so many of the other camps that come up easily in searches . And, because it’s invisible, many parents don’t realize the joy and value that a motorcycle/motocross camp can give a child. One parent described discovering us as “. . . finding a diamond in the rough.”

Thoughts on What Does Come Up

Here’s a short list of some very common summer camp categories you will find:

  • Traditional
  • Performing/Visual Arts
  • Sports
  • Faith-Based
  • Scouting
  • Arts & Crafts

These are but a few easy to find types of kids camps that come up in a plethora of listings. Add to that Travel & Expedition Camps, Military/Police Camps, camps for Special Needs children, camps for Foster Kids. There are even easy to find camps for kids who love to play with Legos!  Some camps cross-over in categories of what they provide. Scouting camps for example focus on leadership but they, like Traditional camps, are usually based in the outdoors and can involve some of the same types of activities.  Other camps offer a variety of activities within one type, such as Performing/Visual Arts where acting, singing, dancing and painting are all offered for campers to experience.

Nostalgia

For many parents who attended camp as children, their own memories may come from a Traditional camp setting. Some of these camps have long histories with generations of families attending and are steeped in, yes, traditions. Others are newer, but regardless of the founding date, all Traditional camps have certain things in common:

  • Beautiful Natural Settings
  • Challenging or Thrilling Programs
  • Overnight Sessions, Bunk Houses & Dining Halls
  • Outdoor Activities
  • Water-related Recreation
  • Promoting Camper Growth
  • Emphasis on Friendship & Fun
  • Campfires & S’mores

Motorcycle/Motocross Camps

With all these categories and types, why is it so hard then to find motorcycle or motocross camps described or listed, unless you enter those words?  We’re guessing that the exact answer is hidden in an algorithm somewhere. What we know without a doubt is that, even though motorcycle/motocross riding may not be a UIL sport in our public schools,  it can be done both as a SPORT and as a RECREATIONAL activity, individually and with groups. Even whole families. 

Safety
Learning to ride can be done safely, just like with learning other sports, with protective gear and lessons given from an early age on up. The earlier a child learns, the better he or she will be able to ride and the more fun and thrilling it can be.  And just like with other sports, children who learn to ride motorcycles learn valuable lessons and develop awesome skills (Stay tuned, that last statement sounds like another article in the making…).

There are two categories that motorcycle/motocross camps should fall under: SPORT and TRADITIONAL

SPORT
A motocross camp that leans more toward being a sport camp will offer programming that focuses solely on taking the campers performance “to the next competitive level”, as stated above. Instead of balls, gloves, or parallel bars, a rider’s equipment is his or her motorcycle and using this machine to compete in MX races takes an enormous amount of core body strength, balance, coordination, muscle memory and endurance. There are definitely camps for motocross riders to do just that. They train young riders to race in the same way a youth football camp trains players to compete better on school teams. If you’re looking for a non-traditional sport for your child, definitely look up motocross camps. There are camps that provide the bikes and gear so that there is no investment other than the camp fee for beginners.

TRADITIONAL
A motorcycle camp can also provide a Traditional experience along with the sporting activity of learning to ride.  Iron Horse Country is such a camp. We teach beginners on up with a well thought-out program based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s drills and exercises and emphasize having fun riding and making friends. Our camp is not a race camp. There are other activities that campers engage in, including swimming, games, campfires & s’mores and the great outdoors of the Texas Hill Country. . . just like a classic traditional camp, complete with air conditioned bunk houses and dining hall.  Bikes and gear included.

overnight camp list of what to birng

healthy summer camp food

The Best Summer of Their Life 

So, if you’re looking for a special kind of experience for your child this summer, consider signing them up for a motorcycle or motocross summer camp.  Exciting and ‘cool’? Sure. But more than that, the light you’ll see in your child’s eyes, the confidence you’ll see in her swagger and the passion you’ll hear in his voice will tell you that you made the right choice.

For More Info on Iron Horse Country Ranch Motocross Summer Camp:  Motocross Summer Camp

Additional Informative Links:
https://www.dirtbikeschool.org/

Dirt Biking for Kids: What to Know & Where to Go