Camp is Where Well-Rounded People Are Made
Good parents send their children to camp so they can become better, more well-rounded people. Good camps exist to provide a safe, challenging environment to accomplish that same goal. If you drill down into the benefits camps offer, these include or center around having campers gain a sense of independence, strengthen problem-solving skills, and create lifelong bonds of friendship.
In an age where academics are sometimes overvalued, while the benefits of interpersonal interaction are sometimes minimized, what can sometimes get forgotten is how the interpersonal benefits of camp are actually great for the development of the brain.
During a good camp experience, children encounter situations that force them to overcome fear, manage their emotions, or otherwise challenge brain functions that are often underworked otherwise. The camp experience can actually cause a positive change in brain structure and function.
In North American society, many believe that academics, especially in a school setting, is the best and only venue for developing the brain. However, camp has a whole host of benefits to be reaped outside of the classroom. At camp, children build character, discover their emotional capabilities, and learn valuable lessons in relationship-building.
When children grow into adolescents and young adults, they get out into the world of job search and career development. They often hear the refrain of employers searching for that “well-rounded individual.” Camp is where those well-rounded individuals are made. The variety in activities, challenges faced, and the positive atmosphere encourages growth. Testing the limits of fear, in a safe environment, fosters the understanding of how to tackle a difficult task in “the real world.” That is something that cannot be learned from merely reading a textbook. Experience is the true catalyst for change within our brain. Experiences offered at camp activate and ignite the flames within the brain to glow much longer than the embers of the final campfire.
Do you want to set your child up for ultimate success backed by experience? Or are you willing to send them forth into the world with only one portion of the knowledge needed?