BY: BRANDON HECK, FOUNDER, EXCEL ASSESSMENTS AND CONSULTING
Parents often turn to summer camp looking for a childcare bridge from one school year to the next. However, for our children, these weeks represent a valuable opportunity to not only have fun, but begin learning invaluable lessons they’ll need for the journey that lies ahead.
Lessons Like:
How to deal with new and different people. By spending time with new people in new places, campers have the chance to build greater emotional intelligence, or the ability to understand and manage their own feelings while learning how to “read” and relate to others.
How to work through challenge. Taking healthy risks, trying new things, and dealing with small challenges help campers develop the confidence, persistence, and problem-solving abilities needed to get through difficult times.
What it takes to succeed in life. Bridging the gap between the knowledge and skills acquired in school and those needed to succeed in real life, the semi-structured environment of camp provides a rich environment to learn about responsibility, decision-making, independence, leadership, and perseverance.
Who they truly are and what success feels like outside of the academic lens. Our children live in a world where success is primarily marked by academic grades, SAT scores, and the like. Camp moves them outside these boxes to explore new pursuits, discover new interests, and find out what truly motivates them. In doing this, seeds of self-knowledge are planted. Seeds that can ultimately help steer them to college and career paths that best fit their God-given abilities, interests, and motivations.
It has been said that, “In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” By giving our children a chance to learn this way, we should remember the true value of summer camps – as one of life’s most enjoyable classrooms to learn and prepare for the journey ahead!
