Day camp teaches and reinforces many different types of skills. There are life skills, such as connections with peers, identity formation, and learning to make good choices. Activity-based summer camps, such as SportsTyme in Central Florida, also teach hard skills.

Hard skills are quantifiable skills that are learned over time and through practice. Both kids and adults benefit from learning hard skills, they’re things like proficiency in a foreign language, knowledge of math and reading strategies, and physical dexterity. You may have an aptitude or talent for some hard skills, but even if it doesn’t come naturally, most had skills can be learned with effort and practice.

Physical hard skills, such as balance, coordination, dexterity, and endurance are transferable skills. If a skills is transferable that means it can be used in many different settings and situations. For example, a child may learn fancy footwork for soccer and then be able to transfer that foot dexterity to learning a new sport such as lacrosse.

Practicing a skill also leads to muscle memory, a type of procedural motor learning in which a specific task or action is committed to memory and can be done with very little cognitive effort. When you don’t have to focus a lot on the task that you’re doing, dribbling a basketball for example, then your mind is free to strategize and plan your next move. The best athletes have developed powerful muscle memory skills that help them to exceed physically and mentally in sports.

While not necessarily a hard skill, sports enjoyed at summer day camps help to build physical strength and endurance. Physical strength not only promotes overall fitness and health, for children it builds positive habits that lead to longterm healthy lifestyles as adults.

Is your child ready to build some hard skills and strength this summer? Register him or her at SportsTyme and start the process off right.