Millions of children head off to camps during summer. Camping is an experience that can give children an advantage in not only school but the rest of their lives as well. Camp gives kids a community away from school and home that teaches them to work together and with their adult mentors, manage conflict and build relationships.
It is an opportunity to learn how to be supportive, sensitive to other people’s needs, keep each other happy, share and navigate the complexities of group dynamics. These are essential skills that help to develop adults who have strong leadership and character.
Healthy Living
There has been a growing concern over the prevalence of obesity in children and teens over the years. The camp offers many activities that keep kids physically active and busy. Many camps are also emphasizing on the value of providing healthier food options to campers.
Offering wholesome foods increase the likelihood of producing campers who consume more fruits and vegetables. More day and resident camps offer gardening and cooking classes that give kids a chance to learn how to grow and prepare nutritious meals.
Mental Stimulation
Without regular enrichment during the summer break, match, spelling skills, and reading comprehension are likely to diminish. To ease the learning loss that is experienced during the summer, some specialized camps provide educational opportunities that make problem-solving and learning interactive and fun. You can find camps that are geared towards the arts, writing, reading as well as math, engineering, science, and technology.
Boosting Self Confidence
A large percentage of parents have reported that their children gained more self-confidence when they were at camp. Whether they tackle an activity that compelled them to get out of their comfort zone or overcome the feeling of being homesick, kids return home with a stronger sense of self-reliance and personal pride.
Building Friendships
In a digital world with plenty of distracting technology, camp gives kids a valuable space where they can focus, connect and slow down their pace. One of the best aspects of camp is that gives children a chance to make new friends away from the social structure, labels and pressure of school.
Unplugging from Technology
A minimal percentage of children spend enough time outdoors on a daily basis. Reasons for this include not being comfortable outside as well as lack of access and interest. As they become more attached to living in cyberspace, they are detached further from the real and natural world. Camp offers children the best opportunity to discover more about nature.
Fostering Teamwork
Camp creates an environment that enables kids to learn about the importance of working with their peers and camp leaders in order to succeed. Whether they are preparing a meal, playing a game or building a campfire together, campers are encouraged to learn how to solve problems and achieve their goals. Teamwork teaches kids that each of them is an essential component of the community at camp, which gives them a sense of belonging and acceptance.
Personal Growth
Although summer camp may initially appear to be a summer pastime for children to sing around campfires, sleeping in cabins and learn to swim, they are often rewarded with skills that aid their personal development in the classroom, relationships and areas of interest.
These tangible experiences result in the establishment of stronger foundations for children who can give for the benefit of other people, value people’s differences navigate group dynamics, show empathy and lead others.
Gratitude and Appreciation
Spending time away from home is essential for helping children appreciate the meals cooked at home, their belongings, their parents, their home and other things that are not available at camp. They begin to truly appreciate what they are given every day and this sense of gratitude can be shaped at camp.
Resilience
A sense of belonging, independence, confidence and new friendships all contribute towards developing your child as they transform from a kid into a competent, considerate and strong adult.
Creativity
At camp, the chance to try different and new things is regarded as a success and failure is not a consideration. Since children do not have to worry about failing grades, their creativity is allowed to thrive. When kids are given freedom from restrictions and judgment, their innovation can flourish.
Independence
Giving children time away from their usual routine tests and brings out their independence. Without their parents around to tell them to brush their teeth, make their bed or determine their decisions, children take over the responsibility while at camp.
Camp gives kids the chance to understand what goes into making good decisions and discover more about their character traits in the process. Children can also rely on their peers for support when they require additional help.
New Interests
While options are limited for schools that offer an extensive range of activities, there are camps that specialize in entrepreneurship, archery, video game designing and much more. If your child is interested in things beyond the core subjects and sports at school, they can go camping to gain experience or learn. A camp is a good option that is distraction-free and allows kids to develop new interests.
Eliminating Categories
Everyone is shaped by the environment that they live in and it can be difficult to break away from the ill-fitting and permanent form that has been created by your circumstances. Camp enables children to get out by providing an environment that is filled with other people who are not restricted to seeing what years of reinforcement have trained them to see.
Conclusion
While every camp is different, there are a number of common themes that are likely to come up when talking with camp staff, parents, and campers. The camp is a unique kind of community that lets kids get together and have a lot of fun. Inside the camp, setting kinds are able to develop their sense of dependence while trying new adventures and experiences away from home.
Camps provide a safe environment that is conducive to gaining self-confidence and learning new skills. Camp also creates a place where kids develop various social skills such as conflict resolution and communication along with several other positive outcomes that children experience at summer camps.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
