The Long-Term Benefits of Attending Summer Camp

The time has come for kids to begin counting down the days left of school and summer vacation to finally arrive. Summer is the most anticipated season of the year and is a needed break for kids to go outside and have as much fun as possible. One of the best ways for kids to enjoy their summer is by attending a kids summer camp. The benefits of parents sending their children to camp do not only last for one summer but can last a lifetime.

Becoming Independent 
Summer camp gives children the opportunity to become independent. When they are placed in an environment different from what they are used to, they begin to learn how to adapt and stand on their own two feet. Depending on the type of camp, kids are taught an array of life skills that will help them as they grow. The simplest of skills such as monitoring how much water they are drinking, knowing when to put on sunscreen, and being responsible for their belongings. Kids’ summer camp puts them in a setting where no one is hovering over them, and they are able to make their own decisions.

Developing Social Intelligence
Schools do help children enhance their social intelligence with their classmates, but summer takes it to higher levels. Kids are consistently participating in a team or group activity of some form at camp. They learn how to work with other people like fellow campers and counselors. In school, kids are surrounded by people they have known for a while. At a kids summer camp, they are interacting with people of different backgrounds and from different schools. They learn how to communicate with people different from them, and trust them in group activities as if they knew them all their lives. This strong level of communication will follow them as they grow older and meet new people in school or in a work environment.