Imagine a day at camp with endless play, a plethora of sweet treats, and near-perfect weather.

Oh, and you have the whole place to yourself.

That’s precisely what our Juniors experienced today as they frolicked in Owegoland. Once a summer, camp is transformed into Owegoland. All of upper camp is out on the road, exploring Boston, Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes, and Cooperstown. The Tents are somewhere on the Delaware River, furiously rowing their canoes and trying to not get sunburned. Camp belongs to the Juniors. And Owegoland is their special adventure.

The day was shared with the Juniors from Timber Tops, who arrived by bus and blended seamlessly into the Owego landscape. Everyone gathered together on the Lower Field and split up into smaller groups. These groups rotated together through a series of stations. LOC and CTT Juniors, finally getting a taste of what it’s like to be the Big Shots in camp.

On the Upper Field, two giant inflatables stood side by side. The campers raced each other to the top and slid all the way down. There were more than a few pile-ups! Squeals of laughter could be heard from above and below. When the bell rang, it was time to rotate.

At the pool, an inflatable floating obstacle course awaited. Jumping and sliding, the campers never stopped smiling. Some opted for water games in the shallow end. Others enjoyed tetherball by the volleyball court. It was a perfect day to be basking in the sun and splashing in the water. Counselors served up sno-cones in the dining hall, and everyone enjoyed them in the picnic grove. There were blue and red tongues everywhere!

After exiting the pool area, each group took a turn at Canteen, where they were greeted by counselors scooping vanilla ice cream and serving up root beer floats. Whether you prefer your float with or without root beer (or your root beer with or without ice cream), it’s hard to pass up such a delicious treat. But that was just the tip of the iceberg!

In Pioneer Village, cotton candy was spun in a machine and served up as pink fluffy clouds on a stick. Campers lined up in front of Crockett, eyes wide and mouths watering. One by one, the campers carried their coveted cotton candy over to the Junior Gathering Deck, where some played ping-pong or knock hockey, and others focused solely on gobbling up every last pink morsel.

Sticky and satiated, the campers rotated to the lake, where they played on the Wibit. Owego boys and Timber Tops girls took turns jumping off the top and sliding into the cool water. With the sun shining above and the breeze making the temperatures delightfully comfortable, it was like a scene from a movie. A kid’s paradise. What more could you ask for?

Owegoland will resurface next summer, and the Juniors will once again experience sugar-fueled bliss. But for now, they will hold on to their memories of this day. A day when there were no big kids to get in their way, no one to tell them there were too many sweets, and no limits to their silliness.

A kid’s paradise.