If you have ever attended a summer camp, you can attest to the immense fun of camping. Now that you are a parent, you have noticed how much the times have changed, and you must have mixed emotions – is it the right thing to do for your child?
For generations, kids have spent their summers enjoying vast activities such as hiking, swimming, and other sports. That’s not all! Summer camps have shaped countless lives since they provide kids with different opportunities to develop vital life skills, which would be challenging to achieve in any other environment.
That’s why at Montessori School in Cypress, TX, we are crazy about summer camps. Let’s examine some reasons that compel us to advocate for kids’ summer camps.
How often did you hear the adage, “All work with no play…”? You know how it ends, right? It might sound like kids coined the adage to promote more game time, but science has proven that children develop much better when they have more time to play.
Free and unstructured play is healthy and vital for helping kids reach essential cognitive, social, and emotional developmental milestones. Traditional summer camps also give kids plenty of time to play, which helps them manage stress.
We cannot also downplay the importance of kids meeting during summer breaks. Some kids find maintaining or forming new friendships with their peers challenging. Besides interacting with their siblings, most kids will spend most of their summer breaks with adults.
At Montessori School in Cypress, Texas, we recommend that kids spend their summer breaks at summer camp to help them develop strong and healthy relationships with their peers.
Most children spend more than 7.5 hours a day interacting with technology. There’s nothing wrong with interacting with technology; the only problem is that it takes the place of vital hands-on activities and socialization opportunities.
On the other hand, sedentary-related conditions may arise since spending countless hours sitting isn’t healthy for a child or even an adult. Research reveals that the number one cause of disabilities and disease in the country is due to physical inactivity.
Even though you can limit screen time and find creative ways to keep your kids active, summer camp offers a much better solution. Most programs are carried out outdoors, which involve a lot of physical activity. These activities and interactions with other kids help broaden their perspectives and experience.
If you have lived long enough, you’d understand there is more to learning than test-taking and achieving good grades. We at Montessori, Cypress, TX, recommend summer camps because they incorporate different aspects of learning, exploring, personal growth, and character building.
Remember that there are different camp types, from science to sports camps. The bottom line is that your child will be thoroughly entertained, but they will also be educated and challenged.
These camps are also essential in building the self-confidence of these little souls. Having a strong sense of self is vital in life.
When your kid goes to the camp, they will be able to grow more independent. Enrolling in summer camp means your kid must be separated from you. Therefore, they must learn to rely on themselves and other trusted adults and peers.
Your kid needs to be separated from you occasionally to foster independence. Allowing your kid to think independently will help build self-esteem.
During summer camp, your kid will undertake several activities tailor-made for all-around development. For instance, your kid will be involved in group activities such as playing volleyball, fostering teamwork, proper communication, and problem-solving.
Also, these activities allow your kid to develop leadership skills because each group activity will come with chances for your kid to exhibit and develop leadership skills.
Your child will get the opportunity to interact with positive role models. The camp counselors are younger adults who are choosing to volunteer or work part-time over the summer break. These counselors are energetic; your kids will view them as “cool” or more relatable than their parents.
Interacting with these role models can help your kid understand how they can be a few years to come.
Summer camp will help your kid in so many ways, which will help them develop lifelong skills. They also provide a solution for most parents who might not know what to do with their kids during the summer break.
If you desire to know more about summer camps, contact us at Lycee Montessori, and we would love to help you.
