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Kidshape – June 2014

Kids today often lead, like most people, very sedentary lifestyles. Thanks to cars and computers, most of what we do is while sitting. This is true for kids as well. They sit in school, they come home and sit to do homework, sit in the car and then for fun, they sit and watch TV or play video games. Summer camps provide not only a mental break from the monotony, but a physical change of pace. Most summer camps are outdoors oriented and keep kids moving and busy all day long. The food at most summer camps is also often different than what kids might receive at home. For one, there are usually fewer choices, and after a day of swimming and hiking, that broccoli might start to look a bit more appetizing. True, there will probably be s’mores and the occasional candy bar, but the truth is the junk food is not as easily accessible or in the same quantities as it is at home. There is no fast food in the woods. A more well-balanced diet and a day full of adventure are great for anyone, kid or not. Mental wellbeing also has a huge impact on physical health. Multiple studies have shown that the mind and the body are not separate entities; they are interwoven, and the state of one will most certainly affect the other. Though they don’t have taxes or mortgages, kids have stress, too. Friends, school and pressure from parents take their toll. Summer camps provide a much-needed mental break. Relaxing, gaining confidence with new experiences and making new friends for a few weeks out of the summer can mentally recharge and refresh kids for the rest of the year ahead. It can be difficult to send kids off on a great big adventure away from home, but it can be a great benefit for the kids and make for a better year. It is worth it. Apart from being just a fun experience, summer camps are physically beneficial for everyone who participates. Fun and engaging exercise, a mental refresh and healthy food for a few weeks make a new school year and a new grade a little bit easier. For more information on the benefits of summer camps, visit the following sites: http://tvoparents.tvo.org/article/what-are-benefits-summer-camp http://newsroom.cigna.com/HealthandWellness/SummerHealth/SummerCamp/ www.psychologytoday.com/blog/nurturing-resilience/201202/summer-camps-make-kids-resilient

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Parents

Kidshape – May 2014

The thought of sending your child away from home for the first time is often scary for both kids and parents. That’s normal. Summer camps are a big step, but they are also an important step in childhood development. The correct time comes differently for each family, but giving children a safe environment to develop a sense of self and independence helps to prepare them for the future. Of course there are sometimes challenges that come with going to camp. Activities may not be easy, it can be hard to make new friends and homesickness is very common. These struggles are perhaps the most important part of summer camps. When kids are at camp, Mom and Dad aren’t there for back up. Of course, kids are not completely on their own, but depending on the camp, there is an increased need for self-reliance. Discovering that they can do things on their own can be very empowering for young children. Facing the challenges of a summer camp often gives kids a new confidence that they bring back to everyday life. New experiences are also an important part of camps. There is a lot more to learning than what standard schools have to offer. Summer camps are a great way to give children a well-rounded education. Both interpersonal and physical skills are learned at camp. For first-time campers, the new skills may be as simple as learning to make friends or as complex as learning how to shoot a bow and arrow. No kid comes home without a new experience. Even if they never play the obscure sport that they learned again, knowing that they can try and succeed of their own accord is a powerful lesson. Sometimes youngsters can get stuck in their social roles at school. Pressures from parents and schoolmates profoundly shape who they are. Being surrounded by a completely new social group at summer camp allows for the freedom of self-exploration. In a new group, they can escape from whom they are labeled as, and maybe try out a new social role and personality. Whether they take this home or leave it at the camp, the chance to try something new is invaluable. For more information, go to the following sites: Summer Camp: Great for Kids, Even Better for Parents http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/friends/summercamp/article2.html http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/going_to_camp.html

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