Camp is:
1. A place to make true friends - Camp is one place where kids can make true and lasting friendships, free from all the social expectations pressuring children on a daily basis at school. All the fun that camp offers draws everyone together. The singing, laughing, talking, playing, doing almost everything together, all work together to create strong bonds between children. Camp naturally encourages kids to relax and make friends easily. Let's face it, when you sleep in the same cabin with 7 or 8 other campers over a period of 6 days, great bonds can be formed that become a great support system for kids. Often times friendships form that can last a lifetime. Navigating and building these friendships over the summer also teaches children how to be more socially confident – something they can take back to school with them in the fall.
2. For fostering independence - Kids become empowered at camp to take care of themselves, while under the safety net of insightful counselors and staff in a safe environment. Camp is the perfect place for kids to practice making decisions for themselves without parents and teachers guiding every move. Managing their daily choices in the safe, caring environment of camp, children welcome this as a freedom to blossom in new directions. Camp helps kids develop who they are.
3. To reconnect with nature - In short, camp gets kids back outside! Camp is a wonderful antidote to the limiting experience of the modern indoor life that most children live today. Camp pushes children out of their comfort zone and exposes them to new activities and experiences that they might not be familiar with because of spending all that time indoors. Outdoor experience enriches kid’s perception of the world and supports healthy development. How many times can you remember your Mother saying, "Why don't you go outside and get some fresh air?"
4. To build character - On top of making new friends, campers also develop an appreciation for the qualities required to cultivate and strengthen these relationships. Camp provides children with the core values of a strong, moral individual by teaching them about ethics, honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. It is often times reported that children return from camp as new and improved individuals.
5. To unplug from technology - This one is really important! When kids take a break from TV, cell phones, and the Internet, they rediscover their creative powers and engage the real world— real people, real activities, and real emotions. Between school, sports, homework, cell phones, video games, Facebook – to name a few – kids today can be spread so thin they are ready to break. When they come to camp, they turn in their cell phones, unplug their music, and begin to breathe deeply again. It is fun to see kids delight over a sunset, or in surprise at the sound of crickets at night. Within the first few days at camp, children realize that there is always plenty to do. Most often, while at camp, children find that they don't even miss that cell phone or the internet that was at the center of their world at home. Isn't that great news?
6. To spend their day being physically active - As children spend so much of their time these days inside and mostly sitting down, camp provides a wonderful opportunity to get up and move! Running, swimming, jumping, hiking, climbing; all these activities get your children moving and active. No need to mention the health benefit aspects of an active lifestyle; we have been hearing the reports for years. How many parents hear from their children about dificulty sleeping? Not much of that to worry about at camp...
7. For learning social skills - Coming to camp means joining a close-knit community where everyone must agree to cooperate and respect each other. When they live in a cabin with others, kids share chores, resolve disagreements, and see firsthand the importance of honest communication. Camp builds teamwork and helps promote leadership skills.
8. A new adventure - Camp is just one more thing for your child to add to their life experience. Can we all agree that it is significantly more beneficial for your kid to experience camp for a week than it is for them to sit at home playing games on an iPad hour after hour?
9. Free time for unstructured play – Free from the overly-structured, overly-scheduled routines of home and school, life at camp gives children much needed free time to just play. Camp is a slice of carefree living where kids can relax, laugh, and be themselves.
10. A time of wonderful memories - Kids come home with wonderful memories of the good times at camp. All of the benefits of sending your child to camp that were described in detail above can stay with that child for a lifetime!
