He adds that wildlife encounters are covered during orientation on day one. And anyway, part of what makes parents have misgivings is what makes overnight camp awesome. Kids give up a nice bed for a foam mattress with a vinyl covering.
They trade air conditioning for a wood cabin, canvas teepee or tent. They forgo showers for a morning dip in a frigid lake. They disconnect from the familiar and embrace new friends, foods and activities. It builds character. And for the most part, they love it. With the help of trained counsellors, new friends and fun activities, those feelings usually resolve, say camp directors.
But there are a few things parents can do to keep homesickness at bay. Visit the camp prior to the session starting. Most camps host open houses or will accommodate a family that wants to get a sneak peek. Send kids with pictures of home and family. Traditionally situated in a rural area far from the big city, campers are exposed to the best of the great outdoors and cabin life.
Summer camp offers children a unique and enjoyable way to develop independence, discover their personal strengths and weaknesses, and be social at the same time! Also known as sleepaway camps, many variations on the type or style of overnight camps are out there. Camps may be co-ed or single gender, religious or secular, or catering to any number of preferences and specific needs. The age and maturity level of your child will also help determine which overnight camps are a good fit.
While most overnight camps feature physical activities and exercise , children who are more athletic and love playing sports or who want to work on their training in a particular sport , may choose a specialty summer camp that provides sports programming from morning until night.
Performing arts camps will appeal to the child who feels most comfortable when on the stage or as part of a show. Campers who seek to increase their brain power with more info and skills may be suitable for an educational overnight camp that teaches science, math, computers or other academic enrichment topics.
No matter what your child's interests are, whether it be sports or arts and crafts, a camp program will engage them in activities that require teamwork. Knowing how to work in a team is a useful skill for life. Teamwork matters because it helps develop communication skills, emotional intelligence and leadership skills.
An understanding of teamwork helps a child realize working with others is sometimes the most efficient way to get things done. They will value teamwork as a solution, rather than think they need to handle tasks on their own. As a result, children will grow up with an eagerness to be active members of their community. Resiliency is an essential life skill because to be resilient means to get up and push forward after an inevitable setback.
Camp provides the opportunity for children to face many challenges and to practice overcoming challenges. For example, they might not win their first soccer game, but they will learn practice will make them a better player. Or, they might not be able to reach the top of the climbing tower at Camp Lakewood right away, but they will learn not to give up and to keep trying. Once they make it to the top, they will feel stronger and more resilient than they did before.
Camp teaches the value of effort and helps kids believe in themselves as they overcome challenges with determination, patience and a drive to succeed.
Learning new hobbies also teaches positive outlets to cope with life struggles, and kids will build a strong support system of camping buddies to help them leap over obstacles. Kids and adults are spending too much time in front of a screen. In total, children spend more than seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen, whether that be on a mobile device, in front of a TV or at a computer playing a video game.
Too much media time reduces time spent sleeping and reading, and may have a negative impact on performance in school. Camp helps children connect to the joy of life beyond the screen. In all our camp programs, children will have endless opportunities to engage their minds in ways they'll enjoy. Regardless of what your child's interests are, they will learn and socially interact in a healthy real-world setting at summer camp. Time away from the screen is vital to a child's brain, body, spirit and future, and could benefit us all.
Nature stimulates all the senses. When a child is outdoors, they get to see, touch, hear, smell and sometimes even taste nature. Sensory development makes life richer, fuller and all-around more pleasurable. On the contrary, too much time indoors can dull the senses and deprive children of the simple pleasures in life.
Most importantly, outdoor time encourages movement, which is vital for physical, mental and emotional health. Outside, children are free to run, skip, jump, climb, laugh and breathe the fresh air. Plus, they get a healthy dose of Vitamin D from the sun. Lastly, nature helps children experience the magic and wonder of childhood, and it gets them thinking about life's greatest mysteries. One of the biggest benefits of summer camp is it takes children out of their comfort zone and pushes them to try new things, as well as explore their already established interests.
They will grow as they develop their skills doing their favorite activities, and they will develop new skills as they try activities they have never tried before. In general, they will leave camp with a stronger sense of identity and a better idea of what they love, which may help them choose a career path in the future. At summer camp, children have the opportunity to achieve, whether that be to catch a fish or to paint their first painting in a less competitive environment than school.
Achievement is the main ingredient in self-esteem. She blossomed. She made friends, learned a multitude of activities, felt safe, loved, confident, and happy — really, really happy. As hard as it was on me, it was all worth it for her. It was the single best thing I have ever done for her. Is your kid going to camp this summer? You are giving them the opportunity to grow and develop skills and character traits that are often hard to develop in the comforts of home.
Let this list remind you about some of the many reasons why you are being a great parent by sending your child to camp this summer! Camp makes me happy and nothing can prepare me for life as well as this environment. In research I conducted a few years ago, one of the things that both parents and kids agreed was that children feel happier after being at camp. The combination of positive emotions, deep friendships, being disconnected from technology, and just plain fun makes kids feel happier at and after camp.
In many different ways, but all with the same underlying meaning, campers describe camp as a place where they can be themselves. Surrounded by a diverse group of friends of different ages and backgrounds, kids develop the ability to explore their own interests and express their own thoughts better.
0コメント