Beyond just fun and games, summer camps bring opportunities for physical fitness, increased self-confidence, cooperation, and great friendships while participating in a wide variety of fun and exciting experiences through sports, games, arts and crafts, dance, swimming, field trips and more. Camps that are FUN, develop positive peer friendships, and improve self-esteem!
Here are the top 10 reasons summer camp is important:
1. Physical activity – Summer camps provide an opportunity for children to move or play.
3. Helps conquer fears – Summer camps allow children to experience setbacks and try different things, and see improvement can happen when you give things a try.
4. Go unplug – Camp activities steer children from the TV, cell phones and internet and allows them to interact with other people and outdoor activities.
5. Develop life-long skills – Camps offer a variety of opportunities for children to develop and showcase their athletic abilities, artistic talents and adventure skills.
6. Self-development – Summer camps give children the opportunity to develop their decision making skills without the parents or teachers directing thoughts.
7. Unstructured play – At camp, kids are given free time to just be imaginative; to be silly all day long.
8. Social skills – Camp builds teamwork and creates communities where young people must live, work and respect one another.
10. Make life-long friends – Camps deletes the social expectations many young people experience at school – camp encourages kids to relax and make friends easily.
For a listing of summer camps across the country, please visit the American Camp Association at www.ACAcamps.org or call (800)428-2267.