5 Reasons Kids Need Summer Camp
Let the countdown begin- summer is just around the corner; before you know it, school will end and BAM, kids will be home. We all know how exciting summer is for kids, after a year of learning they can’t wait to do nothing but have fun and adventure. While we all love a chance for downtime, the reality is, summer also poses a huge challenge for students and parents alike.
PARENT PROBLEMS:
For working parents, having kids home can create additional stress and hardship- especially if there are financial barriers to send your kiddos to camp
Keeping kids engaged for an entire summer is hard. We’re all guilty of the tech veg out sessions
KID PROBLEMS:
The loss is real- academically, physically, mentally, and socially. Being away from school isolates kids from their peers, learning, activity, and other types of engagement
They get bored! There's only so many things you can do at home.
For some of you, you might already know this and turn to enrichment activities like camps, but for others, summer camp might be something you haven’t thought about or worse, something unattainable. So, with summer quickly approaching, we wanted to share some of the reasons kids NEED camp. If you or your child have ever had the opportunity to attend summer camp, there’s no doubt you know some of these benefits already and how the experience stretches far beyond the summer, but if you don’t let’s explore the top five reasons why.
To avoid the “summer slide.”
Did you know that students typically lose over 2 months of reading, writing, and math skills during the summer months? What’s even worse, students suffering financial inequalities are 3x more likely to experience academic loss and by sixth grade, are on average two grade levels behind. The average teacher spends at least 6 weeks of the year RETEACHING our kids.
Studies show the best way to prevent the summer slide is keeping kids engaged. Camps are a great way to do this in a fun and meaningful way. For instance, at SKC, we provide hands-on activities and experiential learning that’s not only fun and engaging, but give kids the chance to grow in literacy, math, science, art, and social and emotional learning. We use targeted questions, reflections, and activities that help kids learn, grow, and keep them from falling behind.
2. To keep active, mind and body alike
Physical activity isn't just good for the body- it's good for the brain. During the summer, 2/3 of all grade school students fail to get 60 minutes of active time a day. The summer is hot and the days are long, making it easy to gravitate to inside activities. We’re all guilty of enjoying a lazy summer day but our kids need activity. Studies have shown that children who are physically stimulated through a healthy mix of activity get better grades.
At SKC, we strive for a healthy balance and give kids the opportunity everyday to get outside for fresh air, games, photography, and sports that focus on teamwork, cooperation and physical fitness.
3. To gain new skills and have new experiences
One of the best things about summer camp is having the chance to try new things without committing to an entire semester or year. With summer camps being week by week, they present the perfect opportunity for kids to have new experiences by trying different activities. These activities are great ways to expose kids to the world around them while also helping them gain skills and develop new hobbies. In fact, research shows that 63% of kids continue to participate in some of the new activities they picked up at summer camp.
With that in mind, at SKC, we get excited to introduce activities like: 3D printing, laser cutting, entrepreneurship, woodworking and more to kids as an opportunity for them to gain valuable 21st century skills. Each activity we do is intentional and encourages students to take a step out of their comfort zone, develop new skills, and of course, have fun.
4. To develop and strengthen their soft skills
When we learn, we’re obviously gaining skills, but something we don’t think about as often is how that benefits our soft skills like: critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork and collaboration, leadership, listening and communication, flexibility, resiliency, persistence, curiosity, etc. These are crucial skills needed to succeed in life yet, studies show most students lack these skills upon graduating from high school and employers unanimously report young adults entering the workforce lack: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, ownership, and creativity.
21st Century skills are HUGE at SKC. Everything we do looks to promote and reinforce the development of soft skills- our camps are no different. Every activity and experience creates opportunities for students to grow their soft skills and is followed up with a discussion. We use specific questions like “what did you find challenging, what would you do differently, and why did we do this?” as a way to help students reflect and deepen their understanding.
5. To build lasting friendships and encourage teamwork.
At our core, humans are social beings and yearn for connection. School offers children the opportunity to develop both peer-to-peer and multi-generational relationships, but when summer comes, many lose their ability to connect with others. So naturally, summer camp provides kids with a chance to meet new people, make new friends, and collaborate with others. In fact, 96% of kids report camp helped them make new friends, 93% report getting to know different kids, and 69% report they maintain those friendships after camp ends.
I’m sure it's not surprising when we say, at SKC, we’ve been looking to foster connections since we launched. Our programming, group activities, mentorship, and peer interactions, are meant to encourage kids to develop relationships with others as a way to: develop respect and appreciation for others, increase their sense of belonging, develop empathy, foster teamwork, and of course, allow them to meet and connect new people.
Summer camp is not only needed but is fundamental to help our kids grow academically, physically, mentally, and socially. And the best part, it can be FUN and exciting! There are tons of great camp options out there, and whether it's with us here at SKC or other programs in the community, this summer, ignite possibilities in your child and sign them up for their next big adventure with summer camp.
We believe in the power of out-of-school time programming and how transformative it can be in a child's life. As part of our mission as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, we want to ensure that every child is afforded the opportunity and provide low to no-cost camps, workshops, and programming. To learn more about how to sign your child up, please message us at info@startupkidsclub.com