5 Reasons your Child Should Not Miss the Camp Experience

There are so many benefits, short term and long term that come with attending camp. Yes, it’s nice for kids to have a break from school, but if at all possible, make sure they get camp time, as well.

 

What your child takes away, whether a new skill, newfound confidence, or a new friend (or several) is worth its weight in gold!

 

Camp is about making friends. For kids, the chance to play with other kids is one of the best things about camp. And one of the most important things about camp- especially new ones, is it gives your child the unique opportunity to make friends outside their classmates, family and neighborhood. Kelly Cahill with Camp Corral, Arden Cahill Academy’s summer camp program in Gretna, loves to see their campers joy when reuniting with camp friends, “Every summer is like a reunion with their camp friends and summer instructors. This coming together in a familiar place with other children and staff they know is something campers look forward to all year long.” 

 

The camp experience also opens the door to diversity (outside of their own bubble), and to meet other kids with like interests. Along the way, they also cultivate emotional and social skills that build character and bolster confidence and self-esteem.

 

The school year goes by, and your kids are often doing the same (or similar) activities day in and day out, with the same kids, and the same instructor. If they have a new interest sparked, they may not feel confident enough to explore it, worried that their peers are more advanced or will make fun of them.  ‘The soccer team is established and strong, it’s no place for Susie to learn.’  ‘Johnny will have his friends all over him if he takes that sewing class.’

 

Camp pushes children out of their comfort zone and exposes them to new activities and experiences. Campers get the opportunity to try out different things and discover new hobbies or passions. By exploring various types of activities, children have a greater chance of finding something that they excel at or that makes them happy.

 

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Cahill sees firsthand the confidence and excitement that the independence of camp builds in their campers, “Our campers love when they enter big camp (rising 1st through 8th graders) and they are issued a LOCKER for the first time!  One of our first camp activities in art class is decorating your camp locker.” In addition to learning how to take responsibility for themselves, their space and their belongings, campers often discover strengths that they never knew existed through various activities and experiences.

 

Being at camp boosts independence. Helicopter parents aren’t invited, and that’s a good thing! Kids will learn to trust their decisions. To be allowed to make mistakes, all in real time. The experience of trying and failing on your own is far more valuable than the experience of doing it right every time–under tiger mom supervision. The camp environment provides support that allows them to overcome their need for constant parental dependency. 

           

Camp teaches children to communicate, to work together as part of a team and to be leaders. So many camp activities are centered on group experiences, goals, and projects.  “Whether they are learning their group song for their end of session theatre production or cheering their team on during our Blue and White day events,” Cahill says, “Being part of a group or team is a big part of camp.”

 

Learning to work with other kids in a new environment, away from teachers and parents is amazing for their self-confidence. Leadership skills are developed by asking campers to fulfill responsibilities that may not be expected of them elsewhere.

 

You probably have a list as long as your arm of all the activities and sports your child has tried over the school year. Whether is soccer, art, theatre, gymnastics or something more offbeat, like chess or sewing. Camp is the opportunity to dig deeper into whatever their ‘thing’ is.  The weekend robotics class she took last winter break was a blast- how about a whole month of robotics?  And as the American Camps Association points out, camp activities are ideally suited to helping young people meet critical developmental needs like physical activity, meaningful participation, and creative self-expression.

 

Finally, Cahill suggests starting campers at a younger age, “It helps when it’s time to go back to school if students have followed some sort of schedule in the summer.“

 

So, sign them up, and set them up for a wonderful, enriching summer!