There are many benefits to summer day camp. Kids have the opportunity to explore new activities, build skills, forge friendships, and gain self confidence.
With a camp like SportsTyme in Central Florida, kids play a wide variety of sports every day, allowing them to test out new activities and see what suits their talents and their interests. There’s also bound to be sports that are familiar and loved, giving kids the chance to practice skills and gain strength and agility.
Sports camps and other day camps also allow kids to unplug, unwind, and have fun. Physical activity improves cognitive function and can help kids to sleep more soundly and better manage their emotions.
In addition to physical, mental, and emotional benefits for your kids, day camp also has benefits for the family. At the end of the day, kids come home and can share everything they did with the family. This kind of family sharing time can be a valuable bonding activity. You can encourage your kids to share by asking them semi-specific questions about their day. Try:
- What are all the sports you played today?
- What’s one new thing you tried today?
- Who made you laugh today?
- Who did you help today?
- Who helped you today?
- If you got to be the coach/councilor tomorrow, what would you do?
These are especially effective with elementary and middle school-aged kids, who may not know how to start a story or may not think to tell you certain details. As a parent or guardian, you can observe your kids building new skills, discovering talents, and learning critical skills like teamwork, empathy, and creative problem solving.