It wasn’t always like this. As kids, we did not always spend our days playing video games. We didn’t spend our summers stuck in the house, binge-watching on Netflix. We had summer camps. We went to the park for picnics and Frisbee. We played beach volleyball. We laughed, and we bonded with our friends. But the world is a wee bit different now. It’s more violent. Parents don’t want to send their kids to camps anymore.
But what does it make these kids? What happens when it’s time for them to be sent to corporate training courses and team buildings? Will they still have the necessary social skills required for these activities?
Develop Social and Leadership Skills
These days, kids find it hard to connect with their peers. That’s because they spend so much of their time watching TV, playing video games, and browsing their social media feed. Personal interaction is almost non-existent.
Summer camps provide a structured environment wherein these kids can socialize and make new friends. Parents don’t even have to worry that their kids are spending time with the wrong crowd. Most of these summer camps bring kids with the same interests and belong to the same group.
They also learn the importance of leadership. Kids learn to follow the instructions of their camp leaders. When they get broken down into groups, they also learn how to lead the group members.
Build a Unique Interest
Summer camps are focused on specialized interests and skills such as archery, entrepreneurship, and game design classes, among others. Not many schools offer these courses. Attending a summer camp is a chance for kids to learn a skill outside of the structured curriculum of their schools.
Have you noticed that your child has special interests in robotics or science? Perhaps you can find an appropriate summer camp that will cultivate their interests. These camps will also enhance their skills and teach them new ones.
Reinvent Kids’ Personalities
In school, kids are often categorized as belonging to certain cliques or groups. None of this exists in summer camps. They are free to be themselves or spend time with people who do not “belong” to their clique back in school. This is a chance for kids to reinvent themselves, discover hidden talents, and meet exciting new people.
Too often, kids are shaped by their environment. Over time, it becomes increasingly hard to break from the pattern. Summer camps allow them to get out of the mold and be different.
Teach Independence and Empowerment
Kids are supposed to be left alone in summer camps. No parents to decide for them. This allows them to decide for themselves. It teaches them the dynamics of making a decision that’s good for themselves and everyone in the camp. They become more responsible for their actions. They know there are consequences for not following rules in the camp, so they need to be wise with their decisions.
Your decision to send your child to a camp should not be based on how it will benefit their development. Sometimes, it’s as simple as this: Summer camps are fun and entertaining. They allow kids to de-stress after a busy school year. That should be enough reason for you to send your child to a summer camp.
