Ask anyone who has ever been to sleep away camp about his or her
experience, and you will hear endless tales of comradery, cabin mates and
campfires. Many times campers will say overnight camp was the first time
they rode a horse or shot a bow and arrow or flew down a zip line. It’s
where they learned to make their beds and keep their belongings tidy in
cramped quarters. With the perfect blend of adventure and responsibility,
camp life teaches kids valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their
lives. If you send your child to sleep away camp, here are some life
lessons they are likely to learn.
How to communicate face-to-face
Tom Rosenberg, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Camp
Association, says today’s youth spends so much time on technology, that
learning to communicate face-to-face with peers is important. He quotes a
2015 Pew Research Center study that says “Just 25 percent of teens spend
time with friends in person outside of the school day on a regular basis.”
In light of that statistic, sleep away camp is a good place to get kids to socialize without technology.
“About 90 percent of camps don’t allow kids to have computers or cell
phones,” says Rosenberg. “In general, camps are an oasis for human-powered
socialization.”
How to be independent
For many children, camp is the first time they are away from parents and
the familiarity of home. While this may cause some homesickness, it also
gives children an opportunity to overcome being homesick. And without
parents there, children learn to pick up after themselves and keep up with
their things.
Sleep away camp can also prepare students for independence in their next
steps in life, like trips abroad and college.
How to be a part of community living
Sometimes it’s hard to live with other people, especially if other people
drape their clothes over your bed or hog the shower. And it’s not like kids
can escape to their own room when they are at summer camp because everyone
bunks together in one cabin. But kids can learn to work out differences
they may have about how they share their living spaces, and it’s more fun
for campers to do the cabin chores together than alone. As they grow up,
kids have to learn to work in groups in their communities. “That cabin
group has community building at its core,” says Rosenberg.
How to embrace diversity
Children who go to camp meet other campers from all over the country. They
meet kids from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. In a study
conducted by Philliber Research Associates and the American Camp
Association, 94 percent of campers said “Camp helped me get to know other
campers who were different from me.” Rosenberg says this is important for
kids in the 21st Century. “Making new friends is an essential skill kids
are going to need to have.”
How to overcome fears
Going to camp takes kids out of their normal day-to-day setting and gives
them a chance to try things they might not try when they are at home. In
the Philliber study, 74 percent of the kids surveyed said, “At camp I did
things I was afraid to do at first.” Children may feel more comfortable
taking a risk around new acquaintances than they do under the watchful eye
of parents, siblings or school peers. If they are trying an activity they
have never tried before, they may feel encouraged by staff or counselors
who are there to support and guide them.
How to become resilient
Camp life doesn’t always go as planned, and kids learn to adapt and move
with what’s happening around them. Camp-goers also grow more resilient from
trying again when they fail, according to Rosenberg. “Part of growing up is
learning that you are not always going to be successful. Sometimes campers
fail and counselors help them try again,” he says. “Camp is a safe place to
make mistakes.”
Going to overnight camp benefits kids in many ways. It provides a place
where kids can get out of their daily setting and have new adventures, meet
new people and learn new skills. And while they are doing all those things,
they will probably learn a few life lessons that will stay with them
forever.
