This summer I was fortunate to see two perspectives of camp as both an administrator who works at camp year round and as a new camper parent which has given me new insights into the power and true value of the camp experience.
As a mom s
ending her 3 year old to camp for the first time; I was amazed how much my little girl grew and took away from her summer at camp. My husband (a camp novice) and I couldn’t believe how much she learned and all the things she would talk about that she did everyday with excitement and enthusiasm. Everything from all the songs, making new camp friends in her group, older camper buddies, nature hikes, fishing for trout, row boating, horseback riding and learning swim on her own.This fall back at school;teachers, parents and friends all noticed that she was much more confident, independent and grown up all because of camp.
Confidence, Self Esteem and Emotional Development
I know as a camp administrator, our experience is shared by many families who understand the true value of camp and the positive impact it has on a child’s development. It is especially rewarding when parents tell us how camp has contributed to their child’s growth, a smooth transition to a new school year and changed their child’s life. Kids who went to camp surely have lots to talk about when it comes to things they did, learned, and accomplished over the summer. Campers’ confidence and self esteem is high after their summer at camp and this certainly helps when entering a new class with a new group of classmates. Campers are excited to talk with new and old friends about their summer at camp and they are the envy of others on the playground because of their experiences at camp.
New Skills and Achievements
The variety of activities at summer camps encourages kids to develop a wide rapport of skills and one might quickly realize that our campers have a leg up on their classmates when starting a new school year. Campers have been learning new things all summer, displaying these new skills, combining them with other skills, and making great strides at summer camp – this directly translates to success with new lessons in the classroom and new situations during the school year.
Social Interaction and Friendships
Peer group and community focus at camp prepares our campers for success in social environments too. Making friends and working as a group amongst peers is an important skill in every class at every grade level, and this is a skill that comes naturally at camp. Beyond peer group interaction, camp has a diverse community of campers where each camper is respected, valued as an important group member with unique strengths.
A summer filled with camp friends, fun activities, new skills, achievements, recognition, and belonging to a nurturing camp community have our campers at an advantage and ready to take on a new school year! This for me represents the true value of camp.
See more on our blog about The Benefits of Camp and for more discussion about Why Camp is vital engagement for children today we love Bob Ditters recent article in the Fall issue of Camping magazine.
