Why Summer Camp Is Good For Kids

Summer is just around the corner! Many of us have fond memories of that extended break between the spring and fall semesters. Maybe your mind wanders to thoughts about spending every single sun-filled day at the local pool. Perhaps, if you were older, you got a job for the summer to make a little extra cash.

But for some of us, our memories stretch back to summer camp. This was a time period when recreational fun was at the forefront of our lives and we had a bit more freedom.

It turns out, there are many benefits to spending a season at camp. So, if you are on the fence about sending your child to one of the thousands of amazing summer camps, here are a few good reasons to sign them up.

For some children, summertime can be very isolating since many of them lose those day-to-day interactions with people from their own peer group. This can be quite the problem, especially for children who live in more rural communities, due to the fact that those kids have to rely on an adult to drive them somewhere just to meet up with their friends.

This leads to an increase in screen time for even the youngest of school-aged children. Studies have shown that children who spend an excessive amount of time on their devices are at risk for having an increase in problematic behavior, irregular sleeping patterns, and lower self-esteem.

Summer camp allows children to congregate in a safe space, with peers of similar interests, while still maintaining a form of semi-structured activities. Many summer camps help reduce screen time and assist children by maintaining their social-emotional skills throughout the summer.

Attending summer camp allows kids to experience new situations or activities that they would not normally be exposed to in their academic schools or daily life. For instance, many schools do not offer classes in horseback riding, robotics, or a course in nature appreciation.

But you can find all of those things in specialized summer camps. These camps allow a child to pick an interest and then actively engage within their peer group. They participate in problem-solving activities and are given a chance to expand their knowledge in that preferred subject.

In a child's development, it's important that they become aware that other children may have a different perspective than they do. Summer camps teach important lessons in cooperation and help kids feel more connected with the outside world. They offer the opportunity for a child to have these experiences and make new friends from different schools.

Many of us have heard the phrase "summer slide" in reference to education. But for those who haven't, the saying refers to the amount of academic knowledge that is lost during the summer months.

For example, a child may graduate in spring to fourth grade with a reading score of a fourth-grader, but when they return in the fall, their reading level has slipped back to a mid-year third grader.

Currently, the severity of the summer slide is being debated. However, for some students, continuing their education into the summer not only keeps them on their academic track, but it helps the child feel less isolated and allows for a smoother transition into the next school year.

Summer camps also allow a child to assert their knowledge in academics without the enormous pressure of failing. Instead of worrying over receiving a passing grade for an activity, students can feel more confident in taking risks and learning from the consequences.

If we reminisce on the old glory days of summer vacation, many of us will remember summer camp as one of fun, friends, and a little freedom. They were times when mistakes were not only made, but encouraged. Summer camps allowed us to explore all the things we could only dream about during the school year.