Rouge Camps: Parent Interview with Lisaan Mohammed

Watch our Parent interview with Lisaan Mohammed to hear firsthand what children experience and how they grow at Rouge Camps.

Transcript of the interview

How did you know this was the right fit?

We just moved to Markham in 2020. At that time, my son was in Grade 1, so we were looking for a summer camp between Grade 1 and Grade 2. I just started Googling. I needed a camp that offered a wide variety of items, and there were lots out there. But the fact that it was teacher-led—that drew me in. I come from a family of teachers and principals, so that really sparked my interest. Then Adam, the founder of Rouge Camps, reached out to me personally. It was during COVID times, and an email went out saying they needed to change the camp location. I immediately canceled my son Ky’s enrollment, and Adam called me right away. He was so personal and really cared, and you don’t get that from a lot of camps. With Adam and Rouge Camp, you’re not just a number.

I said, “Okay, let me just give this camp a try,” and it went really well. Ky is now in Grade 5, and he’s like, “How many weeks am I going to Rouge Camp this summer?” My daughter, who started going between JK and SK, also loves it. They’re both very different children. They have their sports, and there’s basketball, volleyball, dance, STEM, robotics, and leadership activities. Over the years, I’ve been able to see the camp counselors—who are university students—grow. They always remember Ky and Maya. It’s really a caring environment. So yeah, my kids usually go for three or four weeks of summer, and they love it.

What’s unique about the camp?

It’s the fact that it’s teacher culture-led. Every day is completely different. Every week is different. Some camps repeat similar activities week to week, but Rouge caters to kids who return again and again. There is something new from a leadership standpoint, a skill-building standpoint, and a confidence standpoint—and I love that.

Was there any personal growth you saw in your child?

Oh my gosh, both of them! Ky is more laid back and quiet. His skills in sports have definitely increased. We can put him in any situation and he will make runs. He’s very kind—he always has been—but I’ve seen him flourish at Rouge Camp. My daughter is more nervous in new situations, and I’ve seen her slowly come out of that. I think Rouge has a part to play in that for sure.

How can a parent support their child to get the most out of this experience?

Honestly, just open communication with the camp counselors. The security—the sign-in and sign-out of your child—is very important. You do have to show your ID. Communication with the camp counselors is helpful. Also, every day you go to camp, you’ll get a newsletter about what happened that day, with pictures of the kids. They also post on Instagram. So be interactive with the social posts and make sure you read the newsletters. That way, when the kids come home, you can ask about something specific, not just, “How was your day?” You can say, “I saw a picture of this—tell me more about that.”

What would you tell other parents about the overall value of sending kids here?

It’s a decision they won’t regret, honestly. Ky has seen the camp counselors grow in their leadership, and they’re there year after year. He’s already asked, “When can I do that? When can I be a camp counselor?” That’s cool, coming from a boy—you usually hear that more from girls. But there are a lot of male role models at Rouge Camps that Ky looks up to, and it only helps.

What does your child say?

They say they love it. They love that there are different options for food every day. They love pizza. They love the water play. I think every Friday, if the weather is good, they take their swimsuits and there’s water play. Sometimes they go for nature walks. Every day is different. There are some static items, and at the end of the week, there’s a production or a play, and there are Campers of the Week. If they didn’t like it, I wouldn’t be sending them back. And I’m comfortable sending them to Rouge Camp.

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