With the increase of technologies such as computers and smartphones in our daily lives, summer camp can seem like the last bastion of tech-free life where kids can get back to nature. But in recent years, USA summer camps offering technology-based programming have begun to take off.
From app design to robotics to coding, kids now have more options than ever for how they want to spend their summers. While you might consider a USA summer camp as a great way to get kids away from their devices, the increase is science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) camps is actually great news.
So what sorts of camps are out there, and how are they fantastic options to consider for your kids’ next summer camp? Read on to find out.
What Are Tech-Based USA Summer Camps?
Before we get into the ways that these technology-based summer camps can empower kids, we’ll look into the range of what is out there.
Tech-based summer camps are just like any summer camp. They’re places where kids can have fun, learn new skills, and make new friends: they just have a tech-education focus.
Camps are offered for all ages, with some starting for kids as young as six, all the way up to 18. There are day camp options as well as sleep-aways, all over the country. With the number of camps that have been established over the past decade, it means you have tons of options to suit your needs.
The offerings are just as diverse. Take app development, for example. There are a multitude of camps where kids learn coding languages and how to build for Apple and Android operating systems. In a one week course, attendees at App Camp For Girls walk away with a complete functioning IoS app they’ve developed.
If app development isn’t your kid’s thing, what about game design? Or Photoshop? Or animation? There’s a camp out there for any interest, and it’s easy to find one that can help your child develop their passion.
Why Tech-Based USA Summer Camps Are Good News For Kids
Now we know what they are, we return to our original question: why should you consider sending your child to a tech-based summer camp?
There are three fantastic reasons: career skills development, empowerment, and fun.
1. Career Skills Development
We are already living in a world where software and tech literacy are incredibly important, and these skills are only going to become more important over the next few decades. Programming jobs, for example, are growing 12% faster than the market average.
Learning to code also teaches kids different ways of thinking and problem-solving. The logic of computational thinking can teach kids how to break down problems into smaller, more manageable tasks. While this is great for programming, kids can also be taught to apply these skills in their everyday lives.
Tech-based camps can teach children skills that will serve them for a lifetime. The bonus is that they learn in a fun environment, which is incredibly motivating. Additionally, the intensiveness of the camps, which tend to cover a good deal of material in a short time, means kids build strong foundations for future skill development.
2. Empowerment
By the time they’re in middle school, many kids begin to think that they aren’t good at math or science and that careers in STEM aren’t a possibility for them. This is especially true for girls. Only one in seven engineers in America is female, and women hold only 27% of all computer science jobs.
Some suggest that the reason for the lack of women in STEM fields is that girls don’t see tech careers as options for them; a lack of female role models and traditional stereotypescan be powerful barriers keeping girls out.
Therefore, tech-based camps are a great, non-threatening way for children (especially girls) to get into tech. The instructors act as role models, and there are even some female-only camps where girls can develop their skills in a non-threatening environment.
Kids leave these camps with accomplishments, whether it’s an app they’ve developed, an image created in Photoshop, or a language they’ve learned. Achievements such as these are empowering and encourage children to continue to develop their skills.
3. Fun
This one should go without saying: USA summer camps are meant to be fun!
For many kids, traditional camp activities such as archery, swimming, and sports align with their interests. But just as there are specialty camps for baseball or art, some kids have a particular passion for tech. That makes tech camps a great option for a fun summer.
Kids who love tech will be able to meet others who share their passion. Tech-based summer camps turn what are often solitary activities into highly social, group-based learning opportunities, so kids can have fun and make new friends while doing what they love.
Many camps, while focusing on tech, don’t neglect the other aspects of camp life either. Lots still feature other options like sports and traditional camp activities, ensuring that kids get a well-rounded learning experience.
Finding The Right Tech-Based Summer Camp
So why not consider a tech-based camp next summer? Talk to your children and see what they are interested in.
Just like when planning any camping activity, take into consideration your child’s comfort levels: would an overnight be exciting or overwhelming? How long would they like to go for? Keep in mind that while tech-based camps are offered all over the country, that doesn’t mean every state is well provided for.
Search for technology related summer camps or look for keywords related specifically to your child’s interests.
While summer may be a long way off, there are also a number of ways to pique your child’s interests in tech in advance. Online coding resources are fun ways to get your kids learning (though camps don’t require kids to have any previous experience).
Sending your child to a tech-based camp can help them develop lifelong skills and the confidence to use them, so consider the many available options!
Does your camp include STEM education? Submit your camp to our listing.