The word Summer evokes a positive reaction.
For school-aged children, they think of closing their locker for the last time. Arriving home for the next three months and sleeping in or lounging around.
Adults associate summer with beach vacations, relaxing with a cold beverage in hand, and weekend getaways.
Regardless of age, the word summer can be a synonym for FUN.
What makes Summer better? The word Camp.
It’s like adding Peanut Butter to Chocolate. Summer + Camp = Perfect Combination.
Kids might enjoy their freedom from schoolwork, but it doesn’t take a week into summer vacation before they utter “I’m bored”. As a parent, you have the wonderful task of finding them something to do.
Summer Camp is the answer.
The adults in the house can relax with the kids safely out of their hair.
More importantly, kids like camp. You don’t even have to drag them by the arm. When you mention camp, they are all eyes and ears.
So what makes a summer camp fun?
Summer Camps Help Uncover Hobbies and Skills
We might not admit it, but it’s fun to try new things. Adults have a hard time getting out of their comfort zone and trying new activities, programs, or sports. We’ve gained wisdom through the years and know it takes time/practice to be good at anything. Naturally, starting something new will make us vulnerable and show the world our failure. This fear keeps us boxed in. But that’s the adult thinking. We should all try new things as described in a Wunderlust article. Instead of worrying about if you are “good” or not, focus on the experience.
For children, nearly everything they do is brand new. They are more willing to experiment and try, without fear. This is a major reason why summer camps are an enjoyable experience. Whether your camp explores the outdoors and nature, focuses on art and design, or tests your physical ability (like our sports camps) – campers are uncovering opportunities and passions.
Good summer camps give campers opportunities to try new activities that they can’t (or wouldn’t) do on their own.
Summer Camps Unlock Teamwork and Friendship
Many adults can think back to a camp and some summer friendships they made through the years. Maybe you stayed in touch or perhaps they were only in your life for those several weeks. Regardless if it was a longterm friendship, summer camps help you explore outside of your normal circle.
Summer camps encourage collaboration and teamwork. Communicating with individuals you don’t know help your interpersonal skills and also forces you to come in contact with new cultures and ways of living. Regardless of the activity you are performing, your ability to work as a team and apply critical thinking in a group setting can be a valuable life lesson.
Summer camps are also a great way for kids to stay in contact with those in their circle during school’s break. Unless you want to host a ton of sleepovers or constantly drive back-and-forth from house to house, summer camps work as a great “meeting place” for school best friends.
Summer Camps Keep You Moving
Staying active is good for your body and your mind. This is no different for our children. Maybe your ten-year-old would moan and groan about jumping on a treadmill, but they wouldn’t think twice if you asked them to play “capture-the-flag”.
You know there will be plenty of ice cream cones, hot dogs, and pizza consumed this summer. Even with their hyperactive metabolism, it’s probably a good idea to get them burning their calories with activity.
It might not sound like fun to all adults, but rope climbs, relay races, and dodgeball are top-ranked activities when it comes to kids and teenagers. Not to mention, sports camps provide a perfect blend of teamwork and exercise.
Summer Camps Foster Independence, Safely
It’s fun to be free. As adults, we have a good deal of independence. We choose where we work, where we live, and what we do in our free time. We forget that children don’t always have these luxuries. For the most part, they eat what we make them. They wake up and sleep based on the schedule we decide. More importantly, they go where we take them.
Summer camps can be liberating for children. In many situations, parents drop them off and they are free to explore and try new things. Unlike school, this is voluntary. When you drop off your child at a camp, you are freely giving them independence.
Although a successful camp is structured, most camps are a bit looser than school. Your child has the ability to decide if they want to be a leader in a group. They can select what sports position they want to try. Campers can decide how they want to interpret the rules for the craft project.
Even though there is a great deal of independence, great summer camps have amazing supervision keeping your children safe.
Summer + Camp = Win/Win
Summer camps can be easy win/win situations for parents and children. Week-long camps, day camps, or one-time programs are great ways to bring some fun to the summer. If you enjoy nature, crafts, team-building, or sports – seek and sign-up for your favorite.
This year we are happy to announce that we will be hosting Summer Camps at Highlands Sports Complex. Our facility is the perfect location for your child to release some energy, learn and build some valuable skills, while playing and laughing through the summer. We take great pride and care in bringing valuable programs to Wheeling and the Ohio Valley. We welcome you to explore our camp catalog and reach out to a team member with any questions.
Bring the fun to your summer with HSC summer camps.
- Blog
- Summer Camps
- April 22, 2021
