Top 5 Benefits of Summer camps

In a world that is largely dominated by electronic gadgets, and where our kids are increasingly being addicted to the world of YouTube, Netflix, Instagram, TikTok, and social media, it is a natural worry for parents that our kids may not be learning the required social and cognitive skills. Excessive screen time is known to inhibit certain aspects of a child’s development by narrowing their focus of interest and limiting their other means of exploration and learning. With the summer holidays approaching, parents often look for avenues that not only encourage kids’ confidence building, social skills development but also help improve academic abilities. Summer camps are emerging as a top choice for parents who often face this dilemma.

One may argue that there are so many camps out there; which is the right one for my child? Further, as parents, you may feel inundated with flyers, social media pop-ups, about a flurry of upcoming summer camps, and this may lead to a situation of information overload. But fret not, the good news is that there are specialized e-shops available that will surely make it very easy for you to decide which camp to pick. Before we tell you more about such e-shops, let’s look at some of the primary benefits of enrolling kids in a summer camp:

• Building Confidence- Summer camps invariably encourage children to try new activities and step outside their comfort zone. When campers try new things, like putting on a play or playing netball, they understand they can do things that they previously thought they could not do. This assures them they are capable of doing so many things and this translates into higher self-esteem and builds confidence. Additionally, the presence of qualified coaches, teachers and counsellors at the summer camps lends into a flurry of positive reinforcement throughout their stay. “You are doing great”, “that went beyond expectations”, “you were amazing”, “how wonderfully you performed” are some of the phrases that children hear and these positive reaffirmations further build their confidence. At certain activities where they don’t perform well, the teachers help them understand what they could have done differently in a friendly, positive, and calm way.  
• Fostering Independence – Summer camps are great for teaching our kids how to be independent. At the time of send-off, parents may help label their belongings, remind them what has been placed where in their bag, but once they are in the camp, they are on their own. There is little guidance available for taking in-the-moment decisions. This challenges them to think and take responsibility for their own choices/actions.
• Develop Social Skills - One of the key benefits of sending the kids to summer camps includes having them free themselves from technology. Our kids are wired into some screen on another (be it within their houses or at schools). Being away at a camp gives their senses the much-needed break and allows them to live a tech-free life. They would be encouraged to participate in team events, or participate in games and activities. Post the activities, they will be forced to talk to their team mates instead of getting cooped up into their usual zone of technology/gadgets. The more they talk, the more are the chances they will find common areas of interests, learn new things about their friends and know they can go to them with their ideas, inhibitions, interests, fears and feats. Such interactions will help develop new relationships and deepen existing bonds of friendship.
• Enhancing Academic Abilities – Children who attend summer camps, invariably participate in activities that require team work, emotional regulation, and strategic thinking. Let’s look at a particular activity and see how this may translate into improved academic ability. An activity such as the scavenger hunt is an interesting example.  A scavenger hunt is a game in which the organizers prepare a list defining specific items, which the participants seek to gather all items on the list, usually without purchasing them. Our kids are usually well versed at electronic activities such as managing emails, using social media/gaming apps, making purchases via e-shops, etc but what is equally valuable is their day-to-day cognitive and social decision-making in real life. When children fail at, for example, finding a log of certain measurement, they may feel frustrated and anxious. Converting frustration into calm assessment, controlling emotional impulses when one is unproductive is a really valuable by-product of such an exercise. The teachers, counsellors and coaches are present to encourage them to persevere and think outside the box. Working collaboratively with team members not only reduces stress but also helps regulate the emotions and fosters innovation. In academic life, children may often fail at solving all problems and such learnings can help them to stay calm and centred, persevere and think of innovative ways to give a go to the presented problem.
• Exploring Interests and Hobbies – Summer camps are popular with parents because of a myriad of activities involved. Activities such as sports (badminton, swimming, football/soccer, basketball, tennis), science, arts/crafts, theatre are most commonly seen at summer camps. Some kids may even participate in music and drama performances, go for hikes, undertake adventure sports. Trying different things in the presence of peers helps kids realize where their strengths lie. They may come back from the camps with newfound love and respect for certain hobbies which they never would have tried otherwise.

If you are a parent who is currently on the fence regarding enrolling your kid to a summer camp, these above-mentioned points should nudge you towards making the right decision. Occasionally steering our children away from the world of social media, YouTube, purchases, and towards a cohesive environment teeming with qualified coaches who will nurture them is exactly the kind of investment we as parents should be making.

To make it easier for parents to compare various camps (coupled with their roster of activities), specialized e-shops exist. A holistic list of summer camps for the year are announced on such e-shops. Not just that, these e-shops allow one to filter the camps/activities by price, location, and availability.  This one-stop-shop can ease your worry about whether the chosen camp is the right fit for your child and your family or not.

Dear parents, what are you waiting for? Here’s the opportunity to save time, cost and hassle through instant access and booking the right camp on Whizpa E-shop.

Please don’t forget to leave a review for fellow parents once your child concludes the selected camp.