Summer Camp Counseling – How young is too young?

Kids no longer go to summer camp just to play. While there is certainly a fun element to most youth camps, there is also a strong push toward academic skills, personal drive, communication skills, and even creative thinking. Children learn to be themselves and love themselves in these settings, but they also learn to appreciate others, compete with others, and love themselves even when they fail. If you want your children to receive all these lessons to reinforce what they are learning at home, the camp may be the perfect place for them.

Camp counselors used to play games with kids, but the best youth camps now allow counselors to actually counsel. What are they advising the children about? All of the following:

– Communication skills

– Self-confidence and self-esteem.

– Study skills

– Problem resolution

– Commitment

-Approach

This is just a short list to give you an idea of ​​what many children are learning through summer camp. As you can see from that list, it’s not just about academics or gaming. It’s a mix of fun and serious lessons, so children emerge well-balanced and ready to lead successful lives.

All of that sounds great, but how do you know your child is ready for this type of youth camp? How do you know they are old enough to stop playing and learn how to learn while they play? How young is too young?

Generally speaking, you want your children to start receiving this type of summer camp counseling at the age of eight. Many parents don’t even begin to think about summer camp until the kids are this age. Often this is because they don’t even realize that younger children can go to camp and be safe on their own. If you can, it is better that your children break with this thought. Kids as young as five or six should be able to successfully start limited summer camp programs.

Here’s the catch: A youth camp program for a six-year-old should look a lot different than a summer camp program for a nine-year-old. The program should vary according to the age of the child, so that they get what they need from the program without feeling overwhelmed or exhausted at a very young age. Programs may vary depending on any or all of the following factors:

– Duration

– Number of sessions per week

– Lessons taught

The older your child is, the longer their youth camp sessions will be and the more days of the week they are likely to attend camp. With a good understanding of the ages they are working with, youth camp counselors will also adjust the lessons they teach for different age groups. This means that your child will always learn what is age appropriate from her.

If you have a child over the age of five, you should go ahead with plans to send them to camp. Even if it’s just a few hours a week, they will benefit from the advice they receive.