If chosen carefully, summer camp can do more than help your child discover hidden talents - it can help fight obesity, develop friendships from around the world, open up the great outdoors and deliver you back a super confident child
All those rules, bugs, sleeping on hard bunkers and activities done so many times before have done little to dampen the American tradition of going off to summer camp. Five million kids attend every summer, but what is it that keeps them going and why are their parents are glad to see them go?
The American summer camp phenomenon can be traced back to the early 1900s, and here in the UK the tradition has been noticeably taking root for almost thirty years. A true summer camp experience is more about an ethos than simple activities - the building and development of life skills, such as independence, interdependence, tolerance, responsibility, respect and loyalty, of which will give a child a definite advantage over their peers as they grow into adulthood.
Contrary to a camp myth, time away from home need not mean overnight stay as camps can range in length from day to week-long stays. The National Camp Association says there has been a growing interest in adventure and specialty camps, and those that cater for older campers offer the opportunity to try out high-powered sports in a safer environment. Multi-activity camps offer children have a wide range of choice and the opportunity to discover a talent or new interest.
The benefits of summer camp
There has, perhaps, never been a better time to introduce children to summer camp if they have never been before, and to keep packing them off they have (without feeling guilty about it either!).
Mum Donna Donnovan says she was baffled when each year her children would pick camp instead of the alternative offered option of a traditional family holiday. Then after six years she finally ‘got it'.
She says: ‘As my pre-teen children were screaming for freedom and independence, what they were actually longing for was structure and guidelines. And that's exactly what they get at camp. There is great comfort in predictability. Knowing exactly what to expect makes you feel safe. And safe is good.'
She adds: ‘Deprivation brings appreciation. And the more we appreciate something, the more we enjoy it. At home we are rarely deprived so we rarely appreciate what we have. At camp we are deprived: we wait in line, we wait our turn. But when we do get that sandwich, orange juice or the warm shower, oh how we appreciate and enjoy it!'
Summer camp could offer a solution to the loss of traditional methods of developing useful skills - climbing trees, stringing conkers, changing the wheel of a bike, the adventure of exploring outdoors. They can help ensure your child does not miss out on the learning benefits to be gained from the great outdoors and adventures they would not otherwise experience.
Jeffrey Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association, says camp is an opportunity for children to learn more about different people, cultures and places in the world. ‘Children from all over the world come together to enjoy activities, gain an appreciation for the diversity of the world's many cultures, and to learn and improve communication while developing new friendships.'
Getting the kids more active
Parents may find camp a useful aid in the fight against obesity and inactivity. ‘We could never find anything to get our kids off the sofa,' says Jean Oliver, mum of nine-year old twins Patrick and Jonathan. ‘We'd never been to camp ourselves, so the idea of sending them off for two weeks of high adventure never dawned on us... We'd resigned ourselves to their chorus of woe and boredom every summer, and frankly, we were beginning to hope for year 'round schools so we wouldn't have to deal with keeping them occupied and out of trouble.'
Another characteristic of true summer camp is the relationship between the adult and child. Staff take on a pastoral role and are trained to ensure every child participates and gets the best from their time at camp.
‘This is precisely what parents are looking for,' points out Jeffrey. ‘You've heard the phrase "It takes a community to raise a child". It's a very true statement, and the summer camp community can play a starring role in our young people's lives. Our kids today are the first generation to grow up with the internet, a virtual cyber-community where they can explore for hours on end. That's all well and good, but they need to learn from a multitude of venues, and summer camp lets them trade their big blue computer screen for some good old fashioned big blue sky.
‘Camp is a living, breathing, hands-on experience,' he continues. ‘Some of what they need to learn just can't come off a computer - they need to be there, live and in person.'