Summers should be fun for kids! It is a time to unwind from the school year and enjoy the weather. This doesn’t mean that kids can’t also be learning important life lessons outside of the classroom. The best part about summer camp is kids don’t realize they are actually learning.
Here are some of the key benefits of summer camp:
Explore Individual Interests
Summer camps offer a wide range of activities that children can explore. Kids can deep dive into their passions in a supportive environment and camp will help them develop confidence and skills in these areas. Helping children discover and explore a passion can lead to a life-long career or hobby.
Building Friendships
Summer camp is great for your child’s social development. It introduces them to a whole new group of people outside of everyday life. These new interactions teach them how to get along with different types of people, enable them to be themselves outside of their traditional environment and helps them interact with children who may have similar interests.
Physical Activity and Healthy Living
Summer should be a time for play and physical activities! Children who go to camp are active all summer long. Activities include sports, nature walks, swimming, and much more! Learning to incorporate exercise into their daily life will put them on the path to a healthy lifestyle extending beyond the summer months.
Mental Stimulation
Research shows that kids who have no regular enrichment over summer break can lose skills in math, reading, and spelling (known as the “summer slide”). Camps helps prevent this from happening due to activities such as STEM and art courses. Camp provides experiences that may not seem to them like school, children will definitely be learning.
Confidence Building
Children get the opportunity to try new things, make new friends, and learn about themselves. All of these are crucial to developing self-esteem and confidence. The various activities offered at camp enable kids to learn where their talents lie in a supportive and judgment-free environment. Having a happy experience away from their usual environment fosters independence and boosts their confidence. Stepping outside of their comfort zone and having success is the best confidence boost there is!
Teaches Teamwork
Teamwork is a lifelong, learned skill and many camp activities support this by requiring kids to work together. While they are learning how to interact with others on the team, they are also learning that together they can get things accomplished. Children will value teamwork and get a sense of what it feels like to be a valued member of a team.
New Experiences
Many children may not have had the opportunity to try some of the activities offered in camp. These unique experiences broaden their horizons. They may find a particular interest or skill that they may have otherwise not found. Having the opportunity to do new things is perfect for self-development. With each new experience, your child will make lasting memories.
Sense of Greater Purpose
Camp provides children with a sense of community through activities like singing, dancing, and playing sports. This teaches children that they are part of something bigger than themselves, and by working together, they can make a difference. This teaches children the impact they can have on their community.
Teaches Resiliency
At camp, children will face challenges and learn the appropriate skills for overcoming them. They may not be great at a particular activity the first time they try it, but with practice, they can get better and achieve something they didn’t think was possible. This encourages them to face life’s challenges head-on and with a positive attitude. Camp provides a safe outlet for attempting these new things and learning the crucial life skill of resiliency.
Summer camp is more than a babysitting service while school is out. Camp teaches children many life skills in a fun and safe environment, enables to them try new things, make new friends, and succeed in ways they may not have thought possible. Your child will make long-lasting memories and develop skills that will last them a lifetime.