- Outdoor Activities: With the sun shining bright, summer offers the perfect opportunity for children to enjoy the great outdoors. From swimming in the pool to playing sports in the park, kids can engage in a variety of physical activities that promote their overall health and well-being.
- Exploration and Adventure: Summer is the time when families go on vacation and explore new places. Children can visit amusement parks, go camping, or explore national parks. Exploring new places can broaden a child's perspective and give them a sense of adventure.
- Time with Family and Friends: Summer break means no school, which means more time for kids to spend with their family and friends. Whether it's a barbecue in the backyard or a day at the beach, kids can make memories with the people they love.
- Learning Opportunities: Summer provides an opportunity for kids to learn in a different way than during the school year. Summer camps and programs offer a chance to learn new skills, make friends, and explore their interests in a fun and relaxed environment.
- Unstructured Time: During the school year, children's schedules are often filled with structured activities and homework. Summer provides a break from this, allowing kids to have unstructured time to explore their interests and pursue their passions.
Summer is a magical time for children. It's a time for exploration, adventure, and fun. By engaging in outdoor activities, spending time with family and friends, and pursuing their interests, kids can make the most of this special season and create memories that will last a lifetime.
If you’re searching for activities for kids this summer, camp might be on your mind. In this article, we’re discussing some of the benefits of overnight summer camp and why every kid should experience it!
What Is Overnight or “Sleepaway” Camp?
Overnight summer camp, also known as sleepaway camp, is a type of summer camp where kids spend one or more nights away from home. Typically, overnight summer camps are held in natural settings such as forests or near a lake, and they offer a range of activities for kids to participate in, such as sports, arts and crafts, music, and outdoor adventures.
In an overnight summer camp, children stay in cabins or tents with other campers and are supervised by trained counselors who ensure their safety and well-being. Campers typically follow a set schedule of activities during the day, which includes a mix of structured and unstructured time.
The duration of overnight summer camps can vary, ranging from a few days to several weeks. Longer camps may offer more specialized programs or allow kids to develop deeper connections with their peers and counselors.
Overnight summer camps provide kids with a unique opportunity to experience independence, develop social skills, and make lasting memories. Kids have the chance to form close friendships, try new things, and develop a sense of self-reliance that can prepare them for future challenges.
Additionally, overnight summer camps can help kids build confidence, resilience, and self-esteem as they take on new challenges and learn to navigate unfamiliar situations.
Why Every Kid Should Get the Chance to Go to Camp
Going to camp can offer a multitude of benefits for kids. Every kid should have the opportunity to experience camp, whether it's a day camp or an overnight camp. Here are some of the reasons why camp can be a transformative and rewarding experience for children
1. Camp Helps Kids Develop Independence
Camp provides children with a unique opportunity to develop independence and self-reliance. They have the chance to make their own decisions, take care of themselves, and navigate new situations on their own. This can help them build confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of personal responsibility that can serve them well throughout their lives.
2. Camp Helps Kids Make Lasting Friendships
Camp offers an environment where children can connect with other kids and form lasting friendships. They learn to work together, resolve conflicts, and appreciate the value of teamwork.
Making friends at camp can be particularly meaningful because campers come from different backgrounds and may not have the same social circles at home. These new friendships can provide a sense of belonging and help kids feel more connected to the world around them.
3. Camp Helps Kids Develop New Skills
Camps provide kids with opportunities to learn new skills, such as swimming, archery, arts and crafts, or outdoor adventure activities. These activities are often taught in a fun and supportive environment, which can help kids build confidence and self-esteem as they develop competence in new areas. Learning new skills can also be a gateway to discovering new interests and passions.
4. Camp Exposes Kids to Nature
Camps often take place in natural settings, such as forests, lakes, or mountains, which provides children with a chance to connect with the outdoors and appreciate the natural world. This can foster a love of nature and inspire them to become advocates for the environment. Exposure to nature can also have numerous physical and mental health benefits, such as reducing stress and promoting physical activity.
5. Camp Helps Kids Unplug from Technology
Camps often have rules around technology use, giving kids a chance to unplug from screens and engage with the world around them. This can foster creativity, imagination, and social connections.
Without the constant distraction of technology, campers can develop deeper relationships with their peers and counselors and learn to appreciate the beauty and simplicity of the natural world.
6. Camp Helps Kids Develop Resilience
Camp provides kids with a chance to take on new challenges and overcome obstacles, which can help them develop resilience and coping skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Whether it's trying a new activity, making a new friend, or dealing with homesickness, campers learn to adapt to new situations and develop strategies for managing stress and uncertainty.
7. Camp Helps Kids Create Memories
Camp can be a fun and memorable experience for kids, providing them with opportunities to create lasting memories and build positive associations with summer and the outdoors. These memories can stay with them for a lifetime and help them feel connected to a community of people who share similar experiences.
8. Camp Often Provides Kids with Opportunities for Leadership
Camps often offer opportunities for older campers to take on leadership roles, such as counselors-in-training or activity leaders. These roles can help older campers develop leadership skills, responsibility, and a sense of accomplishment.
9. Camp Exposes Kids to New Activities and Ideas
Camps often offer a wide range of activities, from traditional camp activities like canoeing and archery to more specialized programs like computer programming or environmental education. Exposure to new activities and ideas can help children develop a sense of curiosity and exploration and can help them discover new interests and passions.
10. Camp Helps Kids Develop Communication Skills
Camps provide kids with opportunities to practice their communication skills, whether it's speaking up in a group, expressing their emotions, or resolving conflicts with their peers. These skills can be particularly valuable in today's world, where effective communication is essential for success in many areas.
Every kid should experience camp because it offers a safe and supportive environment where they can develop independence, make friends, learn new skills, and connect with nature. Camp can provide children with valuable life skills, positive memories, and a sense of personal growth that can serve them well throughout their lives.
What Makes Salvation Army Camps Unique
The Salvation Army is dedicated to touching the lives of our youth. One of the ways we accomplish this is through the summer camps. Each summer, we have children and teenagers from all walks of life come and experience God at High Peak Camp. At camp, we offer many daily activities for each child's interests.
High Peak Camp is a Christian camp operated by The Salvation Army Intermountain Division that offers a wide range of resident camps during the summer months for all youth ages. The facility and program are run to the standards set by the American Camping Association and the Christian Camping and Conference Association.
High Peak's summer camp program allows campers to have fun and grow in God's creation while living in dorms complete with bunk beds, bathrooms, and showers. College-age Christian cabin leaders are with the campers 24 hours a day and escort them to all the fun camp activities and the dining hall for three delicious meals a day. Campers also enjoy a snack in the afternoon from the canteen and an evening snack before bedtime.
Some of the activities kids enjoy at High Peak Camp include:
- Fishing
- Climbing Wall
- Hiking
- Frisbee Golf
- Archery
- Miniature Golf
- Themed Campfire
- Low Ropes Course
- Zip Line
- Camp-Wide Activities
- Outdoor Education
- Arts, Crafts, and More!
If you're looking for an opportunity to give your child an unforgettable summer experience, consider sending them to High Peak Camp.
Take the first step in providing your child with a summer they will always cherish by enrolling them in High Peak Camp today. With programs tailored to the interests, backgrounds, and ages of all children, we are confident that your child will discover their home away from home at High Peak Camp.