On a day-to-day basis, many children follow a perfectly structured routine that goes from home to school through extracurricular activities. In this scenario, summer camps become a different option where fun merges with learning in a safe environment that encourages socialization and free play while developing specific interests and skills that are very useful for life.

Why should children go to summer camp at least once in their life?

1. Promotes independence

Summer camps are ideal for children to develop their independence and autonomy because they provide a liberating environment, but at the same time safe. Little ones can explore the world on their own in new and exciting ways as they tackle the challenges that come their way.

As children explore their interests and test their abilities, they learn to become more self-reliant.  They trust their inner voice more than relying on their parents to tell them what to do at all times. By resorting to their resources to solve problems, they develop confidence in their abilities and potentialities, acquiring a greater sense of control over situations.

2. Encourage responsibility

Without parents around, who will make the decisions? Who will tell him that he should brush his teeth or make the bed? Who will manage children’s time? In summer camps, children learn to manage their time on their own. Values ​​such as punctuality, order and organization become intrinsic, so that children learn to self-regulate without the need for adult intervention.

Throughout this process they make a series of decisions that help them gain responsibility. They understand the importance of reflecting before acting and learn to be more prudent. In summer camps, children not only develop responsibility towards themselves and learn to take care of themselves, but they also become more responsible with their tasks and become aware of their obligations.

3. Stimulates free play

Throughout the school year, children get used to a routine in which there is usually little room for play, especially as they grow older and homework multiplies. Unlike after-school activities, summer camps offer a more informal environment that encourages free play with other children.

Free play is particularly important for children’s development as it stimulates creative thinking skills and contributes to the development of the imagination.  In addition, it allows children to express their emotions and concerns, helping them discover new interests.

4. Provide activities in contact with nature, without screens

Children today spend too much time in front of screens, whether studying or playing. Summer camps are an excellent opportunity for children to rediscover the joy of life beyond screens. They generally provide fun activities in groups and in direct contact with nature so that the child’s mind finds other spaces for leisure and recreation.

The experience in summer camps encourages children to enjoy nature more and practice physical activity. When children play outdoors they can see, touch, hear, smell and sometimes even taste nature. That sensory experience makes life richer, fuller and more enjoyable. Plus, time outdoors encourages movement, which is essential for physical and mental health. Outdoors children can run, jump, climb and breathe the fresh air.

5. Encourage social skills

Children can develop their social skills at school, but summer camps are great places to make new friends as they focus more on building a sense of community through group activities than academic achievement. In a certain way, they are a kind of “intensive course” to meet other children from different places and with different interests.

The experiences at camp and the challenges they face together bond the children, creating genuine and lasting friendships. Children also learn to manage the conflicts that arise in their interpersonal relationships and show signs of their leadership skills, their communication skills or their emotional intelligence.

6. Build self-confidence

Self-confidence is one of the most important skills for life and begins to be forged from the earliest years. Summer camps allow children to get out of that kind of “bubble” that parents usually create around them, offering them new opportunities for growth.

These new mental and physical challenges are occasions to challenge yourself and push your limits in a safe and supervised environment. Summer camp takes kids out of their comfort zone and pushes them to try new things and take risks without fear of failure. It teaches them the value of effort and perseverance. In this way, children gain confidence in their abilities and feel more self-confident and better prepared to face whatever life throws at them.

7. Provides a deep immersion in new learning

During the summer children tend to become more intellectually lazy because they lack the stimulation of school. Summer camps can provide the mental stimulation they need in a more relaxed environment.

In fact, there are summer camps specially designed for children to learn new skills or consolidate skills that they have been developing throughout the school year through complete immersion. Language or programming camp programs, for example, allow children to continue learning in a fun way with other children who share their same interests.

How to find the ideal summer camp for your child?

Summer camps can be a memorable and nurturing experience for kids, just make sure you pick the right place. At Juvigo you can find different summer camps that can meet the needs of your child. There are from multi- adventure nature camps to international language camps that provide complete immersion in other languages ​​and allow them to understand other cultures and ways of seeing life.

You can search by activities, from surfing or horse riding to soccer or sailing. You can also filter by region of Spain or by country, if you want your child to live new experiences outside the borders. When you find the camps that interest you the most, you can check the age range and consult their program of activities. And you can reserve them immediately by choosing the most convenient dates.