Why Your Kid Needs Summer Camp

Even before Spring Break begins, many parents are already wondering how they’ll manage the summer months. Aviator summer day camps have some great ideas for any harried parent. You may be wondering why your kid needs summer camp, and it may surprise you that the benefits are supported by scientific studies.

The University of Waterloo performed an in-depth look at the many benefits of summer camps for kids. The results may surprise you. Kids of all age ranges grew in confidence, independence, and emotional intelligence after camp.

Simply put, kids come back from summer camp happier and healthier.

Why Your kid needs Summer Camp

Results of that study showed kids developed in several key areas after attending summer camp:

Social integration

Summer camp results in improved social skills, especially for older campers. Kids built friendships with others who are different from themselves. And many continued those friendships beyond camp.

Summer camp teaches children how to create friendships with people from all walks of life. It also shows them how to develop and maintain social networks.

Emotional intelligence

Along with improved social skills, kids learned how to identify and manage their own feelings as well as recognizing them in others.

Camp offers a looser environment than school, and kids feel safe to express themselves. In this scenario, they quickly learn to understand their emotions and control how they respond to them.

At camp, kids have a chance to work out how others are feeling and deftly navigate conflict. This becomes a key leadership skill later in life.

Self-confidence

Summer camps allow children a safe way to explore the world outside of their usual routine. They’re outside the boundaries of school and family. This helps them develop a sense of independence.

Provided with a wide range of summer camp activities, such as those at Aviator Sports, kids have opportunities to challenge themselves and discover new skills.

Taking risks in a safe, judgment-free environment allows kids a chance to explore new activities. It can help them learn to accept failure with grace while reinforcing their successes.

Attitude toward physical activity

The demands of school have kids spending more time in front of screens. With so much emphasis on academics, it’s no surprise they stop enjoying physical activity.

Summer camp offers kids a chance to explore new sports or other types of exercise. Free from the daily grind, they can test their mettle on the field or simply find joy in movement.

Best of all, this embrace of physical activity lasts for years, so that children learn healthy habits that last through their adult years.

Lifelong Positive Habits

One of the most important discoveries of the study was that kids who regularly attend summer camp developed good habits and positive attitudes that lasted well beyond the final days of summer.

Choosing Summer Camp Activities

Along with the opportunities for emotional and social growth, kids can also try out new sports they can’t access at school.

Many camps offer them a chance to try out team sports such as soccer, hockey, and basketball. They can also discover individual sports, like ice-skating, swimming, or gymnastics.

One benefit to Aviator summer day camps is the chance for kids to explore a new sport in a fun, casual way. There’s no commitment to a team, schedule, or expensive equipment list.

Perfecting skills

Has your kid already developed an avid passion for a particular sport? Programs like the Aviator Summer Sports Camps can help your child take their skills to the next level.

Summer camp sessions allow your child to keep honing their skills, even in the off-season. Many offer specialized coaching for kids hoping to find a career in their chosen sport.

Balancing act

Finding a positive channel for teen energy can be a challenge for many parents. Summer camp for teens offers them the right amount of structure and supervision. They can continue to learn new skills, while still relaxing from the stress of the school year.

Parents of older kids feel confident knowing that their teen has a safe environment where they are free to exercise their independence and pursue their own interests.

What Is the Importance of Summer Camps?

The most critical benefit of summer camps is that they build resilient kids ready to tackle any challenge — whether it’s the challenge of working with new peers or simply the self-discipline to excel in a sport they love.

In an environment where they are in charge of their own success, camp builds self-confidence and teaches decision-making and leadership skills. Summer camps help them develop strategies for succeeding in life.

To see the programs offered by Aviator summer day camps, click the links below:

• Aviator Summer Sports Camps
• Aviator Summer Day Camps