We thought the CBC reporter (link to CBC article/video) was coming to highlight our cool summer camp idea, but they had a different idea. It is my goal that kids develop healthy balanced lifestyles, that is what motivated me to start the True Gaming Day Camp in 2010.

Rather than taking the negative approach of denying or speaking out against video games, the True Gaming approach has been to take kids where they are at, and help them to build a balanced lifestyle, to help kids learn that a bit of videogaming is fine in the context of days filled with physical activity, creative fun and projects, outdoor exploration, and sports. So our camp days are filled with a great mix of all of these.

Great to see the Daily Gleaner article set the record straight, and also a good commentary from Stephen Downes, NRC Researcher.

Andrew Reimer, Camp Director

Many parents who read the article were upset with the biased coverage, and wrote in comments to the CBC website. Here is a selection of parent comments:

FreddyDude09: Bad journalism CBC -- The True Games website specifically indicates that the video gaming is only a PORTION of the day, with other activities to promote social interaction and physical activity rounding out each day. I'm betting the camp's founder said that multiple times in talking to your journalist but I don't see much about that in the story..  Shame shame!

Happycat: My nephew is going to this camp. He is a keen gamer and very interested in game design. He is also a competitive swimmer, soccer player and baseball player and extremely fit. This isn't the only thing he's going to be doing this summer, and I expect that the other kids have other stuff going on too. Summer camps are not the reason that kids are fit or fat---it comes down to parenting when all is said and done. Why is it that when there is something positive that there is always some self-appointed expert who steps up to condemn it for not being a cure for all of the other problems in the world?

Musiqua1122: Gabriela Tymowsky should also under stand that this program was set up to have teach the kids that there can be a healthy balance between gaming and outdoor activity, My son is in this program and they played soccer, hockey, gone to the indoor pool just to name a few activities . So before you put this program down read up and see what it is all about. Video game are no going away it is our duty as parents and educators to teach our children how to balance between physical activity and games. Koodos to Andrew on a great program.

Jinibini: Its all about balance.  Our son attended the true gaming camp last week and is at hockey camp this week. No where in this article is there a mention about the cool water bottle rockets that they made or how the kids were exhausted when they came home from running around so much. Check out the True Gaming website page and you can see pictures of how active they were last week. 
Keep up the good work Andrew.

HeatherO1: Clearly Ms. Tymowsky didn't research the camp very well. My daugther attended this camp and they spent more time outside then they did in! It was very well balanced and she loved it - she came home exhausted every day from swimming, tag, water games, etc. I don't know of a single summer camp (including the swim camp she is in this week) that involves the children being physically active the entire day. At all other camps they balance their time between physical activity and arts/crafts, board games or group games in their spare time....video games are no different to me than that, and there are indisputable skills that they learn while gaming. True Gaming offers a fantastic camp with a little bit of everything. Well done Andrew!

My opinion too: My son attended this camp this year. Only a portion of the day was spent playing video games. Most time was spent outside playing soccer, fishes and whales, tag, soccer baseball, walking to a park to play, swimming, water fights, launching pop bottle rockets, etc. Shame on CBC for the one-sided article that fails to mention this! I can think of several other summer camps in the area that include far less physical activity than this one does! This leaves me wondering if Ms. Tymowski researched this camp at all before criticizing it or did the CBC fail to give her the whole story? I'm sure there are far more children sitting home on the couch getting less exercise than those who attended this camp. This was my first experience with camp but I thought Mr. Reimer did admirable job of combining video games in moderation with good old-fashioned outdoor fun.

KMcG_99: Very one-side I'd say! There's no mention of the other great activities that the kids do every day at the camp. If fact, the very same day they went swimming! My loves the camp, and not just for the video games. The kids we need to worry about aren't at summer camps, they are the latch-key kids at home with no outside stimulus. I think you are all doing a great job with these camps. The funny thing is that we missed the TV broadcast of this news piece while our son was at his martial arts class.

AlexMurdoch: Perhaps more people who actually have kids that went to gaming camp should be writing in here. It's all well and good to criticize after reading an article. My son was in gaming camp last year. Yes, they played games. They also shot bottle rockets they made themselves, played games outside that involve running around in the sun, did crafts and other activities.  For those of you who are criticizing, think what your kids do when they are home? At least at the camp I know what is going on.

John Schemmel: A question for the critics: did you find out what they do at camps? i have no idea, but I can tell you one thing: all of the OUTDOOR ACTIVITY camps hosted by groups such as the YMCA, etc, have down time where the kids do crafts etc, and maybe even play video games. Why would you assume that this camp doesn't offer any physical activity? I have no idea if it does or not, but to think that a video game camp involves only playing video games would suggest that a swimming camp involves 8 hours of swimming every day. They don't.

KMcG_99: Shame on the journalist who didn't research his/her subject. One look at the camp's website would have prepared him/her for a good video shoot that captures the gaming and one of the MANY other activities they did that day. I know because I'm a parent of one of the kids at the camp. Also, shame on the professor who obviously knows nothing about the camp other than the title of the camp. I think she should go over to the camp for a day and interact with real kids and real leaders who care about the kids....and broadcast that! I have a visual of the kids chasing her down with super soakers! At any rate, even though the CBC aired an incomplete story, it got everyone talking about an important subject. So it's not all a loss.

it's golden: I am disappointed with the negative stance that this article took toward this camp. I wonder, did the author or Ms. Tymowsky take the time to find out what a week at this camp consisted of?  My child is currently attending the camp and LOVING it! In fact when asked about his day, he talks about all the outdoor physical activity that they participated in for that day. My son comes home happy and exhausted. Andrew Reimer has put a lot of thought and energy in creating a camp that along with gaming, has a lot of physical activity. Good for you Andrew!!  As to the reference to obesity, from what I have seen, none of the children in the camp are overweight. My child participates in sports 3 times a week and in addition to that, swims for recreation..... These are fit kids, trying something new for a camp. Stop speaking from ignorance and get informed before you slam someone for a great job!! I would recommend this camp to anyone looking for something different.  You owe Mr. Reimer an apology and a retraction for this article. Shame on you! Why don't you have one of your colleagues write an article that is truthful and informed. It is all about balance!

Zeolite: My son is attending this wonderful summer day camp. Mr. Reimer is doing an excellent job keeping my son and the other kids busy all day long. They go outside and get active everyday, they do crafts, etc., and yes they also play video games. By the way, there is nothing wrong with that as long as it is in moderation. I recommend this summer day camp to any kids who want to have a good time. Good job Andrew!

Righteye: Watching this program i did not feel like the cbc was talking badly about andrews camp but about the effects of video gaming in general. I was dissappointed to see that they used his camp as a backdrop however. I know Andrew and know first hand all about his camp. He keeps the kids very active and the video games are just a small part of the days activities. He is a competitive athlete and would truly be a role model for any child attending. I would not hesitate to send your children to this camp, they will thank you for it, and will not come home any less healthy.

NickAndy: My kids have gone to this camp for the past two years. Last year they ended up going twice because they loved it so much! What they loved the most were all of the outdoor activities and sports that they played. Three quarters of the time was spent outside. One of my kids said: This is the best camp i have ever been to! Ican't believe how bad and negative this story is. CBC has missed the mark on this one. If you are going to report on something make sure to include all the information. I feel bad for Mr.Reimer, he puts his heart and soul in to this program.

b.ritchie: This CBC article totally misrepresents the True Gaming Day Camp and has unjustly used it to bash playing video games and highlight childhood obesity. My daughter is assistant director at this camp and has worked at 5 different summer camps in the area. She says this one of the most active. She is extremely physically active and plays rugby for the city and university, is on an ultimate frisbee team and is a lifeguard. She's coached swimming, gymnastics, running and ran a triathlon training program. She is not a gamer, but stands by what the camp does and thinks it's a great idea.  During the camp the children are playing active games outside more than 60% of the time. Which is better then many other summer camps. They also go swimming at Fredericton Indoor pool, as well as going to a nearby park everyday. The kids love the construction projects, social and team building games, and playing various sports: such as hockey, soccer, rugby, soccer baseball. They also enjoy free healthy snacks everyday.  Even the video games thay play are active Wii games, and not passive and violent ones. This is one of the most exciting, fun and active day camps in Fredericton!  People should look into what the camp is about before saying anything negative about it. Great Job to Andrew and his team.