For every child, summer is magical because the school is out and they can spend their entire time with their friends, doing whatever they like. But in no more than a month boredom hits, and your children will be inseparable from their computer because they will have nothing interesting to do with their friends. And if they aren’t glued to their computers, then they’ll probably binge watch some Netflix series or play video games day and night.
So, what’s the magic of that moment?
If only you could convince your kids to design video games instead of playing them, to develop some skills that will later help them land a job. Or to be more physically active.
Good news, they can do it during summer if they enrol in a camp.
Camps are the perfect opportunity to balance out the unstructured, school free months because they are fun, build strong personalities and offer children the opportunity to meet new friends and reconnect with former classmates. The extra benefit is that kids can discover new hobbies like music, dance, sports, and stay intellectually engaged even when they don’t attend classes.
So, how do you pick a camp for your child?
Well, you first select the activities the school organizes.
Water sports
If you want to get your children out of their comfort zone, then you should look for a camp that organizes activities that include water sports. Summer is the hottest time of the year and no water balloon game can replace a camp that has water sport activities. To help your children feel comfortable in the water look for a facility that has a nice body of water. Canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boarding are activities any child would find enjoyable and fun. When done under supervision, all these sports are safe and help children acquire a unique set of skills. Most of the kids don’t have the opportunity to do water sports the rest of the year, so joining a summer camp can be their opportunity to try something new.
When checking for camps, select the ones with tubing, water skiing, and wake boarding because once your kids will try them, they’ll want to go back every year.
However if the summer camp doesn’t organize activities like the above ones, having access to a pool is better than nothing.
Down time
It may be surprising to include down time in this article, but it’s widely known that camps can be exhausting, and your children will need free time to recharge. If you choose to send your introvert child to a camp, ensure it provides down time because camp activities can overwhelm them.
Choose a facility that provides children with the opportunity to spend down time including midday naps, listening to music, reading, and writing. These camps usually know how to keep children happy and at the top of their game.
It’s important to send your child to a camp that keeps their morale high and allows them to have some quiet time when they want to relax.
Creative activities
Your child may not be a sports superstar, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have some outstanding skills. For the ones who hate athletic activities, a camp that allows them to express their artistic side is the right choice. Queens NY summer camps provide many arts-and-crafts activities to encourage children to be creative.
If your children are passionate about music, select a camp that provides them with opportunities to explore their hobby. The best camp includes activities like pottery, dancing, drama, sports activities, and arts-and-crafts.
Unique activities
When you’ll ask your children what activities they would like the camp they enrol in to organize, they will probably state that they want something unique. They want to amaze their friends with stories from the camp, so they want more than spending time around a fire.
Instead of picking a classic summer camp, you can look for one that organizes unique activities. Your children don’t have the opportunity to practice with a bow and arrow at home, but a summer camp can provide classes that teach children to be young Robin Hoods. Are your children thrilled when they watch TV shows about kickball or deep fishing? Look for camps that help them explore these activities.
Some summer camps proud themselves to planning unique activities for children. There are tons of things they can try, from knee boarding to fishing, yoga and baking
Set expectations together with your children
Don’t forget, they are the ones who enrol in a camp, so it’s important to find their opinion before selecting one. Try to define what they like and what is right for their skills.
Asking questions can help you identify the camp program they would enjoy.
What do they want to gain from this experience? Do they want to get smarter or they want to improve their sports skills? Do they want to practice for the soccer team? Send them to a camp that allows them to achieve their goals.
Do they want to meet new friends or do they want to spend more time with old friends? When they want to meet new people, you should send them to a camp with children who share their hobbies. But if they want to spend more time with their friends, get in touch with the other parents and find one that encourages bonding.
Do they want to keep their mind thinking during the summer? Pick the program that balances indoor and outdoor activities, a camp that stimulates them intellectually.
Don’t worry if they shut down the conversation, the moment they hear the term summer camp. Some children think you send them to a summer camp to punish them for something. Tell them this is a reward and they decide the type of camp they take part in, and the time they spend there. The goal is to get your children excited about it, so try to find a program that speaks to their current interests and hobbies.
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