Many people think that summer camps are only about fun. But summer camps, in any form (even though we are going to talk about teen summer camps) mean much more than that.
Teenage years are hard. According to a 2013 study, teenagers are even adopting adults’ stress habits. This is where camps can come in to save the day. They help teens with problems they face. Moreover, they prepare them for another critical period in their lives: adulthood.
So, let’s take a look at nine life lessons teen summer camps can teach teenagers:
Teen Summer Camps Lesson 1: Being Independent
As children, we are all in a comfort zone our parents provide us. When you have to live away from your family and take care of yourself, things change drastically. You have to make decisions for yourself without being under your parents’ wing. You have to solve problems on your own.
A summer camp experience away from home helps teenagers get ready before they go to college. It helps them gain the confidence they need to make their lives better on their own. Eat without a reminder, accept that everyday life is full of chores, or even find the courage to try new things and fail as independent persons.
Sometimes you succeed and sometimes you fail but you learn the value of failure. The thing is that the more time teenagers spend away from home, the more responsible they get.
Lesson 2: Fitting In
Being a member of a community is not always easy. It comes with a lot of work, a lot of obligations, and a difficult task for teenagers: Socializing.
Think of camp as an entirely new civilization where teenagers do not just have to broaden their circles, but fit in existing ones too. And fitting in is much more complex than making new friends or avoiding people you don’t get along with.
Children have to learn how to stand up for themselves. They get in touch with their smooth side. They put social strategies into action. In other words, teen summer camps help teenagers develop more adult-ish social behavior in order to get along with others and avoid conflicts at the same time.
However, apart from speaking up for themselves or defending their position, camping helps with another valuable life lesson:
Lesson 3: Listening to Others
In summer camps, children do not just connect with each other. There are teachers, tutors, counselors and a number of other experts in responsible positions that campers have to listen to.
Teenagers are full of energy and strong beliefs. Plus, for some reason, they tend to believe they are always right. Camp helps them come down to earth and realize that our society has some rules that all of us have to play by. This does not just only make them more responsible, but more cooperative as well.
Faced with real life situations where it’s not just an “adult” lecturing, teens can understand the value of listening with a purpose where all feedback is important.
Lesson 4: Teamwork
Going solo is never enough. At some part of your life, you need a team. Teenagers, usually, believe they are the kings of the world. So, sometimes, someone needs to remind them that the more people they can rely on, the better results they will get.
Summer camps ring that reminder bell and teach teens how to work together and reach a goal. Many activities or sports help teens understand an important life lesson that Helen Keller summarized perfectly: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Lesson 5: Sticking to a Schedule
Summer doesn’t have to be three months of inactivity in front of the television. And if it was, going back to school would feel like torture. Teen summer camps can help – yes, again.
Returning to the daily school routine can be a difficult adjustment. Holding children accountable to a regular routine during summer is the key.
Even if the camp doesn’t last for all summer months, your child will not find going back to school that tough.
Because, between you and us, it is.
Lesson 6: Trying New Things
Riding a horse, sailing, trying canoe, exploring a cave: Camps offer countless activities and new excitements for your children to get involved with. This way, not only they will have the time of their lives, but they will have positive feelings too.
The sense of starting something new and accomplishing it is great. This sense will empower them and help them learn how to overcome obstacles and take on challenging tasks as they grow up.
Yes, teenagers might feel powerful, but hesitation is on everybody’s mind. Trying and thriving on new, unknown things will help them realize that anything is possible. Of course, very often, campers find a new passion that can re-direct to a career.
Lesson 7: Exploring the Real World
We don’t want to sound too traditional. But, we must be honest. Technology has become so important to our lives that, sometimes, we forget about the real world. Camps are (yes, once again) here to fix that.
Disconnected from our physical world, more and more teenagers have started looking at us through phone screens. Camps help them get in touch with nature, go outside, enjoy the sun, and explore our beautiful planet.
In one recent experiment, participants were asked to walk either in a forest or in an urban center while having their blood pressure and heart rate measured. As it turned out, participants who walked in forests felt more relaxed and reported lower heart rates than those who walked in the city. Just imagine how beneficial spending some more time in nature would be for a teenager’s health and psychology.
People can live without their cellphones. And this life lesson applies to all of us, right?
Lesson 8: Loving Yourself
Self-doubt is not just a teenage characteristic. Self-doubt creeps in so easily that it can lead to disrespecting yourself. In a camp, where feelings of love and respect linger in the air, self-love is unavoidable.
Teens are able to create a healthy relationship with themselves, and you know what this means: Believing in their powers and living life in a self-respectful way.
Lesson 9: Creating Memories
This one sounds too obvious, but it’s not. Creating memories is a life lesson everyone has to learn. Creating memories is essential, and taking a break also is.
There are all-work-and-no-play teenagers out there. The pressure sometimes teachers, parents or even they put on their shoulders make them forget about fun. They could learn a thing or two about the importance of a break. Something that even adults forget.
So, don’t waste your time! Look for the best teen summer camps in your area and create the best memories for your children! Believe us. They will thank you.