Anyone who thinks camp is all about fun and games is missing the point, says a professor heading up a five-year study on the impact of camp. "When people look at camp, they see fun. But that's not what camp is about. What's really important, and the value of the experience, is what kids learn," says Troy Glover, associate professor in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo.
Education is the #1 investment you can provide your kids, and March Break and Summer Camps offer just that. Here are three research proven reasons why giving your child or teen a camp experience should be top on your list.
Improves Academic Ability
Camp makes learning fun, making it a very effective learning environment for kids and teens of all ages. “Camp offers a place of experiential and contextual learning” notes fellow academic Stephen Fine, whose 2005 PhD thesis examined the unique learning environment of residential camp. "Camps can create specific learning opportunities that can link into the school curriculum. You can use math skills on a ropes challenge course. You can study the environment, physics or astronomy around a campfire. A canoe trip can include a history lesson or a lesson in geography." The beauty of it, Fine says, is that kids don't think of it as work when they are looking up at the night sky and pointing out the constellations.
Builds Confidence and Self-esteem
Both Glover and Fine agree that most important lessons learned at camp have nothing to do with a classroom curriculum. "Getting up in front of the whole camp to do an announcement or lip synch or perform in a play—people see these activities as trivial, but they are missing the point. They contribute to kids gaining self-confidence in front of a large group," Glover says.
Campers learn they are able to do things on their own, without their parents, Fine notes. "They have to take responsibility for themselves, for their space, for their belongings, and their whole self-concept starts to improve."
Increases your Emotional Intelligence
Linda Cameron, associate professor in the Curriculum, Teaching and Learning department at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, sees the chance for social and emotional growth as keys to the camp experience. "Kids can be self-centred. At camp, they learn to be group-centred," she says.
Camp provides lots of moments for independent play among groups of children, a crucial opportunity that overprotected urban children are often denied these days, Cameron notes. "This type of child-led and spontaneous free play is very important, and is a real learning experience, where children learn to socialize and navigate their interactions with others and to problem solve."
All three academics agree that the "soft skills" children gain from camp are by far the most important and will have a lasting impact. "If you look at developmental psychology, these sorts of soft skills are what make the difference to children in the long term. It's the kids that possess those soft skills that end up successful," Glover says. Camp teaches you how to be a good citizen. "Really, camp teaches you how to be successful in life."
"If we could bring the camp environment to school, I think more kids would succeed," Glover adds.
Give your kids a Summer Camp experience this year. Find a camp for your kids or teens at www.ourkids.net/camp.
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