Intellectual Skills
DECISION-MAKING. Does your child waffle when
making decisions, take polls of other people’s opinions
or go along with the crowd too easily? Then camp
is the perfect practice-ground to determine what he
wants and needs on a regular basis. Choosing is a crucial
ability for creating satisfaction in life.
ACCOUNTABILITY. Do you wonder if you do too
much for your child? Whether she has to pack her
own backpack for an overnight hiking trip or show up
wearing activity-appropriate shoes, being prepared for
what’s coming next in life is important. When it comes
to accountability, daily practice is always on tap at
camp.
TIME MANAGEMENT. If your child is often
running late, camp is a great place to learn timeliness.
Your child will swiftly master punctuality when engaged
in activities she enjoys. And this proactive habit can
carry over into everyday life during the rest of the year.
TOLERANCE. Kids sometimes live in homogeneous
rather than diverse environments. If all the other kids
are the same race, class and social status where you live,
how will your child learn to be open-minded? Camp is a
great place to immerse kids in diversity so tolerance can
take root.
ASSERTIVENESS. When kids lives are scheduled
from morning to night, year-round, they miss out on
opportunities to speak up for what they think, need
and desire. Camp offers kids opportunities to practice
healthy communication all day long because no one is
smoothing the path before them.
Emotional Skills
SELF-CARE. Kids can’t learn to take care of their
needs unless they learn to pay attention to them.
Going to camp puts kids’ self-care muscles to the test.
Navigating a new environment with unfamiliar people
helps kids learn to trust their intuition and honor their
instincts.
LISTENING. Do you get weary of nagging and
feeling your child just doesn’t listen anymore? Kids can
certainly develop listening fatigue with parents and
other everyday authority figures. But after tuning in
closely to some new-to-them camp leaders, they just
might bring better listening abilities back home.
PLAYFULNESS. Got a perfectionist kid on your
hands? Sometimes within the rush and rigors of daily
life, families forget how to relax and enjoy life to the
fullest. Camp is a great place to remember how to
lighten up and enjoy the day.
GRIT. This trendy term means the combination of
courage and resolve. If your child does not bounce back
quickly from disappointments, camp is a great place to
learn tenacity, conflict resolution and problem solving.
SELF-APPRECIATION. Do you appreciate the heck
out of your kid but wish he would esteem himself as
much as others? Camp is a place where kids can discover
new things to like about themselves. Increased self-
reliance is often the first step towards building higher
self-esteem.
Social Skills
SOCIABILITY. Do you have a shy or introverted
child? If she lacks peers who are enthusiastic about her
passions, an interest-based camp can help her meet
more like-minded people. Socially awkward kids feel
more accepted and appreciated every time they make a
new friend.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE. If you have siblings
who bicker quite a bit, they may benefit from getting
along more easily with kids who are not kin. Camp
counselors have a way of expecting thoughtfulness and
encouraging kids to practice it.
LASTING CONNECTIONS. Remember pen pals?
At camps, kids can make new friends and find ways to
keep in touch until they meet again. This is a great way
for kids to maintain long-distance friendships and build
an extended social network.
SELF-EXPRESSION. Parents may unwittingly hold
kids back from finding new forms of self-expression.
At camp, kids find fresh audiences for the countless
ways to share who they are and what they think and
feel. Increased self-expression leads to unfolding self-
discovery.
COHABITATING. If you want your child to learn
new things, put him in a tent with roommates and
watch the lessons unfold. Sharing space and resources
with others is a crash course in self-awareness and
peacekeeping.
Occupational Skills
MENTORING. Camp counselors provide excellent
examples of what a constructive mentor-mentee
relationship is like. Go ahead and encourage kids
to become counselors in the future if they wish to
experience both sides of this educational relationship.
S T. J O H N S parent M A G A Z I N E | 11