Why Summer camps are still important

April showers bring May flowers but also thoughts of summer camp for the kids. The Midwest offers countless options–both close to home and a half-days drive away–that each provide life-altering experiences for the spirit and body. This month we begin a two-month special feature on summer camp options with helpful tips to make finding the one best suited to your child and values. In May we’ll explore dealing with separation anxieties, the types of camps available and a story highlighting the best of area and regional camps.

You may be asking yourself “Should I send my child to camp?” Our answer–a resounding “YES!”

TRANSFORMED LIVES

At camp, young people have the mental room to consider some of the most important issues of life. This break from the craziness of their regular routine allows campers to think about their future, to evaluate unhealthy patterns, and to discover the truth that God loves them and has an amazing plan for their lives.

ADULT MENTORS

According to researchers, kids spend on average less than 40 minutes in meaningful conversation with their parents each week. At camp, caring adults, counselors and mentors come alongside campers, helping them think through decisions and experiences in a way that will prepare them for their future. Many campers point back to a positive role model they met at camp as one who helped shape the direction of their lives.

NATURE AND ADVENTURE

Campers explore nature, participate in new adventures and test their limits in a healthy environment surrounded by the grandeur of God’s creation.

LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS

Good friends who exert positive peer pressure can make all the difference in a kid’s life. Friendships with caring adults and other campers, forged through shared experience and the compressed time at camp, can last a lifetime and provide a connection that helps young people navigate the challenges of life.

TEMPORARY COMMUNITY

In a setting separate from their daily routine, with an opportunity to shed the expectations and pressures of others, campers are freed up to truly be themselves, to live above artificial limitations and blossom into who they were created to be.

–Provided by the Christian Camps and Conference Association