Why Camp?

By Melissa Curtis

SUMMER BREAK IS COMING!
DOES THE THOUGHT OF THIS MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE THE MOM IN THIS PICTURE?
NEVER FEAR, SUMMER CAMP IS NEAR!

Why is camp an important part of childhood?
What are the benefits of a summer camp?
Consider these.

1. Summer camp is a place where FUN is going to be had. Fun is a top priority of the camp staff. No doubt, summer staff training has emphasized the concept of fun and a definite goal is that your child will have fun at camp!
2. Summer camp is a FAIR playing field. A good summer camp is going to treat all campers fairly. While some children may know each other from school or other environments, chances are that the mix of campers will be a new group of kids. Everyone is new the very first day.
3. Summer camp is PHYSICAL. Your child should be tired by the end of the day. The day should include a variety of activities, including being physically active. A tired camper is a happy camper!
4. Summer camp is a SAFE environment. Staff have been trained on safety measures, child supervision, basic first aid and CPR, emergency procedures, and inclement weather plans.
5. Summer camp boosts SELF-CONFIDENCE. Campers will have many opportunities to try new things and to take on new challenges. Strengths will vary among campers, but the very opportunity to try something new (and most often succeed) is the main ingredient of a strong summer camp. Camp staff is trained to help each camper find their strengths.
6. Summer camp is SOCIAL and interactions with other campers and adults alike is a daily occurrence. Campers must navigate new friends in a new environment with new adult leaders. Many campers make life-long friends in summer camp.
7. Summer camp is EDUCATIONAL. Whether the camp is a day camp or a sleep-away camp, there is always something to learn – new skills, new crafts, new songs, and new concepts.

    
   Melissa Curtis is the Director of Auxiliary Programs at The Hockaday School where she directs Hockaday’s longstanding popular summer program, Summer at Hockaday.

   Summer at Hockaday is a fun-filled summer program that provides enrichment opportunities in the areas of academics, sports, the arts, technology, and much more. Boys and girls, ages three and up, enjoy their summer days spent on the beautiful campus of The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas.

   Day camps and enrichment classes provide students the opportunity to try new things and to strengthen a variety of skills, while making new friends and lasting memories. Camps and classes are available in half-day and full-day schedules and occur in one-week and two-week sessions. Before and after care is also available, making a student’s full-day stay on our campus seamless.

   Come spend your Summer at Hockaday!