With school finished for the season, many parents might be wondering what to do with all the free time their kids will have. The hours spent inside a classroom are, for many parents, time spent at work to provide for their families. Summer time can bring up the conundrum of how to keep kids occupied and entertained while also staying safe.
The solution? Summer camp! Aside from being a place for kids to be well cared for while their parents work, it’s also a place where lifelong experiences and memories are made.
Read on to discover more reasons why children benefit from summer camp at Parkland Children’s Academy.
Why Summer Camp?
At Parkland Children’s Academy, we’re more than just a school. Here are a few reasons why kids keep coming back for enriching summer activities year after year.
Kids Develop Lifelong Skills
Group activities are a core part of the camp experience. Team sports, such as volleyball, help kids learn to work together as a team and communicate with their peers in order to solve problems. Other activities, such as hiking, provide opportunities to develop leadership skills in a group.
These skills are more than a means to win a game or earn a prize: they are necessary for kids to succeed in the real world, from the classroom to their first job.
Kids Learn How To Be Independent
Kids will always need their parents, but a major part of parenting is teaching them how to care for themselves. Summer camp is just one way that kids can learn how to foster a healthy sense of self apart from their daily caregivers. In doing this, they also develop a sense of identity.
Camp activities help kids discover their strengths and weaknesses, and develop a sense of intuition rather than simply following instructions from adults (though that is still important). This is part of how children learn to become self-sufficient adults and make their own decisions.
There’s Time For Play
Kids spend a great deal of time sitting in the classroom. Summertime is a time for play! While the camp schedule has a structure, it’s more relaxed than what kids experience at school. There’s plenty of time for extracurricular activities like sports, crafts, music, and more.
Play time isn’t just for passing time: it’s actually critical for a child’s development. Playtime fosters creative thinking skills and the development of imagination. Ultimately, kids who spend a good amount of time interacting with the world around them are emotionally healthy and less stressed.
Camp Helps Develop Resiliency
If there’s any part of emotional development that’s critical for success in life, it’s resilience: the ability to “bounce back” and push forward when faced with a challenge. Summer camp is not without opportunities for this skill: from learning to share toys or pass a ball in sports, to losing a game, to not having their way in a group setting, kids have the opportunity to learn through mild disappointments.
Resiliency ultimately helps make kids better athletes, teammates, and friends to others. They are also motivated to work harder to achieve their goals when they don’t succeed the first time.
The Camp Environment Fosters Personal Growth
It’s important for kids to have an environment that is emotionally safe, but it’s also important for kids to get out of their comfort zones. Summer camp is a great place to do that by providing kids with opportunities to try new things. They may just discover skills or talents they didn’t know they had, which can help them decide on a career path or find a new hobby to take home when the camp session ends.
Camp Supports Healthy Living
Summer can be a time for excessive lounging in the form of watching TV or playing video games. Camp encourages physical activity, which all children need to be healthy. Skill level doesn’t matter: camp offers activities for all kids of all different abilities. Regular physical activity helps children maintain a healthy weight, manage stress, and get tired enough to sleep well at night.
Physical activity while young helps kids develop a regimen of physical activity to stay healthy as they age. They will learn that exercise doesn’t have to be a chore; it can be fun! Just 30 minutes of soccer, playing tag, or other sports is enough to fulfill the requirement of daily physical activity recommended by experts.
Kids Can Make Friends
Your child’s classmates could be out of town during the summer months, or otherwise engaged in their own activities. Summer camp provides the opportunity for children to meet peers who share their interests, and work together to play a game or complete a project.
With many children returning to summer camp year after year, friendships are one more thing that kids look forward to during their time here.
Summer Camp In South Florida
The staff at Parkland Children’s Academy is equipped to accommodate your child’s needs, from emotional support to any dietary restrictions. Their safety is just as important to us as it is to you, and our campus is a safe place to learn, explore, and most of all, to have fun! Children will also wear a special Parkland Children’s Academy camp shirt, so they are easily identifiable in a group setting.
Kids love summer camp for the connections they make with peers, the games and activities they get to participate in, and so much more. Instead of hiring a sitter while you’re at work, consider camp for a summer they’ll never forget. Call today at 954-688-5877 to reserve your child’s spot.