Post by Ash on Aug 24, 2009 8:05:21 GMT -5
Article found at: www.fineliving.com/fine/adventure_essentials/article/0,,FINE_1421_2114288,00.html
Value of Summer Camp
Every summer when the school year ends, millions of kids around the world head to summer day camps and sleepover camps where they spend their days swimming, hiking, and having fun in the fresh air. But summer camp is far more than just an enjoyable annual ritual; it's a great way for kids to build a variety of important skills, gain self-confidence, and grow as individuals.
Saul Rowen has been the owner and Executive Director of Cali-Camp, a summer day camp in Topanga, California, for the past 44 years. Rowen has served terms as President of both the National and Western Associations of Independent Camps, and has gained respect and honor in the camping business through his leadership on industry committees, as well as his participation in lectures, seminar presentations, and television and radio talk shows. Here he explains the benefits of attending summer camp:
* Kids discover new abilities.
When kids attend summer camp, they are exposed to new and different activities, allowing them to develop skills they've never had before. For many kids, camp is their first chance to do things like water-ski, complete a rope challenge course, or go horseback riding.
* Camp builds self-esteem.
Experiencing all these new things, and learning to master each new skill, gives campers an incredible sense of accomplishment, which helps them develop pride, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
* Campers develop social skills.
And when kids are accomplishing all these things they're also getting support from friends both new and old. There's a lot of peer-to-peer interaction at camp, and kids get the chance to meet new people, form friendships, and learn to adapt to new social situations.
* Camp fosters independence.
Kids also learn self-reliance, responsibility, and independence at camp. They're on their own, away from their families, and the counselors give them various responsibilities to live up to and tasks to accomplish.
* Kids gain environmental awareness.
The other advantage for kids, says Rowen, is being in a beautiful environment that's so different from the community in which they're coming from. For many youngsters, camp is the first place where they can experience the wonders of nature, and this not only widens their horizons, but also helps build a belief in the importance of preserving the natural world.
Value of Summer Camp
Every summer when the school year ends, millions of kids around the world head to summer day camps and sleepover camps where they spend their days swimming, hiking, and having fun in the fresh air. But summer camp is far more than just an enjoyable annual ritual; it's a great way for kids to build a variety of important skills, gain self-confidence, and grow as individuals.
Saul Rowen has been the owner and Executive Director of Cali-Camp, a summer day camp in Topanga, California, for the past 44 years. Rowen has served terms as President of both the National and Western Associations of Independent Camps, and has gained respect and honor in the camping business through his leadership on industry committees, as well as his participation in lectures, seminar presentations, and television and radio talk shows. Here he explains the benefits of attending summer camp:
* Kids discover new abilities.
When kids attend summer camp, they are exposed to new and different activities, allowing them to develop skills they've never had before. For many kids, camp is their first chance to do things like water-ski, complete a rope challenge course, or go horseback riding.
* Camp builds self-esteem.
Experiencing all these new things, and learning to master each new skill, gives campers an incredible sense of accomplishment, which helps them develop pride, self-confidence, and self-esteem.
* Campers develop social skills.
And when kids are accomplishing all these things they're also getting support from friends both new and old. There's a lot of peer-to-peer interaction at camp, and kids get the chance to meet new people, form friendships, and learn to adapt to new social situations.
* Camp fosters independence.
Kids also learn self-reliance, responsibility, and independence at camp. They're on their own, away from their families, and the counselors give them various responsibilities to live up to and tasks to accomplish.
* Kids gain environmental awareness.
The other advantage for kids, says Rowen, is being in a beautiful environment that's so different from the community in which they're coming from. For many youngsters, camp is the first place where they can experience the wonders of nature, and this not only widens their horizons, but also helps build a belief in the importance of preserving the natural world.
