There are various educational programs available that can help develop and grow your child. Many programs focus on cognitive, academic, physical and emotional development. But one important domain of development that is often overlooked is social development. What many parents don’t realize, is that children need more than just academic skill development and physical exercise to become happy and successful adults.
Are you having trouble with a shy child, or know a child who is lacking in self-confidence? These issues often arise due to lack of good social experiences and interaction. Issues with social skills may persist in the future if children do not develop them at a young age. Summer camp can help develop these skills by offering extensive periods of social interaction through a range of summer activities that will educate and socialize your child in a fun and safe environment. At camp, children learn how to socially interact with one another through team building, problem solving, developing friendships and modeling positive social behavior.
So how does social interaction make an impact on your child’s happiness and success in the future? A study on the importance of friendships says that having healthy childhood friendships and relationships are important for your child’s social ability and wellbeing. Early friendships will affect how your child develops relationships in the future. Many parents are not aware of this, but social skills are developed from infancy and onwards. From birth, children need to learn how to interact with people around them in order to develop healthy and positive relationships.
Social interaction develops soft skills that are important later on in life, such as listening to others and learning how to keep long term friendships. Interaction among social groups also provides a sense of belonging- which is very beneficial once they start going to school. Children will also develop other skills such as learning to cooperate with others, being empathetic and developing a sense of altruism. One study on social competence found a connection between social-emotional skills developed at a young age, and success in education, employment, avoidance of criminal activity and substance abuse and overall better mental health. Children who had early intervention programs were found to have better mental health, less criminal activity and more employment success than children who did not have an early intervention program.
Summer Camp at Parkland Children’s Academy
At our summer camp, we promote and encourage key skills that your child will keep with them for the rest of their lives. These are skills and qualities such as communication, team work, honesty and respect that they will learn through our activities and experiences at camp.
Our summer camp includes the following activities:
Sports:
Sports such as soccer, kickball and gymnastics are one of the many sporting activities that we offer at our summer camp. These sporting games teach children important social skills like teamwork and leadership. Nowadays, children tend to spend their free time glued to iPads and TV screens. We make sure that some of our activities are outdoors, to give children a chance to develop resilience and learn to push themselves in a safe family environment.
Water Games and Play
We offer fun pool-based games and water play time in a safe and controlled environment. This is a fantastic way to cool off in the sun and socialize. Our games encourage communication, listening skills and socializing, as well as encouraging following of instructions and listening to rules.
Field Trips
Our summer camp includes exciting field trips such as water parks and movie theaters. Such experiences are ways to learn how to have fun in a group and develop friendships through memorable experiences. Children also learn to grow their independence by being away from home.
Educational Activities
Our summer camp educational activities make sure that your children can have fun while always being given the opportunity to learn new things. We have fun and educational toys, such as interactive smart boards to learn about science and nature and the world around them. These are good opportunities to teach children to share toys, as well as to share what they have learnt about the world to each other.
Weekly Themes
Each week we have a new theme, including a Nick Jr. Week, an American Idol Week and a Talent Contest where everyone can learn to show off their strengths and be supported and encouraged in a positive social environment.
Creative and Other Exciting Activities
We believe that being creative is crucial to development, which is why we have included Music and Movement, and Arts and Crafts. Your child will be exposed to many different interests and potential hobbies, helping them to explore themselves and making them more confident.
Remember, socialization should also not just occur during summer camp, but through after school activities too. The more social experience that your child has, the more they will develop socially.
Now that you have a good sense of how our Summer Camp benefits your child, contact us today to find out more information on enrolling your child with us for this year’s summer camp – we take pride in providing the highest quality service in Broward County!