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Wherever you choose to send your child for camp, we believe that the value of camp in a child’s life cannot be understated. In fact, we believe, in our 6 second-attention-span, 160-character world, it’s more important now than ever.

Why?

  • Camp affords children the time, space and opportunity to BE A KID! Most of us are old enough to remember just hanging out with our friends in the neighborhood, the woods, the apartment complex, wherever. We made up games, worked things out ourselves and had no concept of time. Kids don’t really get that anymore. Driving from here to there for this appointment and that playdate, keeping to a time frame of someone else’s making, staying on a schedule that plans for every waking minute of the day so everything fits in; kids need to just hang out sometimes.
  • Camp is one of the only places where children can explore who they are outside of school or home. Kids get a fresh start when they come to camp. It’s a place where they all can explore new things, try new ways of being, make new friends and find undiscovered talents beyond what school and home provide.
  • Camp builds self-esteem. When kids try new things and meet new people, they experience success in areas where they may not have before. This inspires a sense of accomplishment, pride and positive self-image, all of which are elements critical to a child’s well-being and ability to connect positively to others.
  • Camp creates emotionally resilient children. At camp, children have the opportunity to engage in challenges, endure setbacks and overcome them, and be nurtured and supported in a safe environment. These experiences help them learn to cope, regroup and try again.
  • Camp gives children time for unstructured play where they can create, laugh, invent, pretend, devise, etc, on their own time, per their own interests, outside of the schedules and routines of school and home.
  • Camp helps build social skills. The cooperative and community-based culture of camp gives children a safe place to forge new friendships, revisit ongoing relationships and connect with peers and mentors.
  • At camp, kids get plenty of fresh air and sunshine! Outside time enhances children’s imaginations, decreases aggression, boosts children’s attention spans and encourages environmental stewardship.
  • Camp provides opportunities to be active and engaged. At camp, kids play, run, swim, climb, dance, jump, swing and MOVE their bodies in ways they love and find fun (instead of sitting in front of a screen or in the car).
  • Camp is FUN and kids need to experience joy in order to stay connected to what life can offer beyond being constantly prepped and prodded for the next stage.
  • Camp has also been shown to foster the development of 21st Century Skills, which include:

    • - Leadership
    - Communication
    - Perseverance
    - Creativity
    - Citizenship
    - Collaboration

    - Curiosity
    - Critical Thinking
    - Self-Control
    - Optimism
    - Conscientiousness
  • Camp helps create a more integrated brain. The way things are going in our education system, right-brain-associated endeavors (creative arts, sports and social-/ emotional-oriented programming) are being increasingly sacrificed in favor of more left-brained endeavors, academic pursuits and competition.

    Recent studies in neuroscience have shown that a more balanced, integrated left brain/right brain relationship is integral to health, well-being and success, with studies across many disciplines showing the value of camp in children’s lives..

And remember…

It’s not just about all the activities, variety, etc. Those are great. But it’s about the connection. The relationships. The community. A sense of belonging. And having a safe space to try yourself on.

Whether you come to SGI, or go somewhere else, we strongly recommend camp for every child, and we strongly recommend staying longer at one camp versus bouncing from camp to camp to try all the different types. Some variety is good, but we believe every child will benefit from the opportunity to establish some bonds and grow some roots, so they can bloom into their own unique flower.