Summer is just around the corner and many parents are pondering the merits
of camp. Summer camps can be a really great opportunity for your students
to learn new skills, make new friends and develop social skills. When
you select the right camp, you can help them to grow and have a really
rewarding and meaningful experience. Here are five good reasons to send
your kids to summer camp.
Get moving!
Being outdoors, exercising and having fun at camp is a great way to get
your kids moving this summer. It also helps to instill a love of nature
and reinforces the idea that exercise is enjoyable. Ensure that you pick
a camp that emphasizes play and provides healthy, balanced meals. This
will help your students to learn more about nutrition while developing
healthy eating habits. Since most students have to make their own meal
choices during the day, it helps to make healthy eating a part of their
daily routine.
Getting to know Mother Nature
Developing a love for natural places and a respect for the earth is a difficult
notion to instill in students who live mostly in urban environments. Teaching
your children to love nature will not only greatly contribute to their
future happiness, it will also encourage them to live a greener life and
opt for a more environmentally conscious lifestyle.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
Both students and parents will enjoy a little time apart for the holidays.
Children get a chance to be independent while parents get an opportunity
to regroup and rest before the coming academic year. When students spend
time away from home, they gain confidence and learn to handle any situation
on their own. Summer camp also helps students to learn about the home
lives of people outside of their social circle and can instill an appreciation
for all that they have to be grateful for and a better understanding of
the integral role their parents play.
Social connections
Summer camp exposes your children to a number of different personalities
and social situations which they must navigate independently. This is
a great way to develop social skills and help them to learn to get along
with others; a skill which will help them to fit in at school and at their
places of work in the future. They will also form new friendships with
other students outside of their current circle of friends.
Taking Responsibility
Without the parental guidance they are accustomed to, your children will
have to take responsibility for every aspect of their lives. They will
be responsible for their own rooms and gear, for navigating new social
situations and for making their own decisions. This will help them to
develop confidence, a sense of responsibility and decision-making skills.
They get the opportunity to show leaderships skills and develop their
social skills.
Summer camp can be a really fun and exciting way for your students to spend
a couple of weeks this vacation. It can give you the chance to plan the
coming year while they learn new skills and make new friends.
pic by Peter Blanchard