For many families when their children break up for the school holidays this is the end of much of their weekly structured sporting activity. However, there has been a growing trend of kids attending school holiday sports camps and with good reason too.
Attending a summer camp can have a profound effect on a child’s life and development, not only through the benefits of physical activity on health, but also positive effects that can lead into teenage years and adulthood.
Emily Wyman, Phycologist at Nottingham University recently visited Kings Camps, citing ‘The most striking feature of the camp from a developmental perspective was the combination of rule-games, teamwork, collective ritual, mixed age groups, and the spirit of play that obviously and energetically pervaded the camp as a whole.’
As the leading provider in kid’s camps, these features are something Kings Camps focus on as well as teaching children to have an active outlook on life.
Here are the top 5 benefits of sports camps for children:
Health
Not only do sport camps directly improve health through exercise, but it also teaches kids to exercise and stay active. With childhood obesity at an all-time high, it’s essential to give kids an alternative to staying inside spending long hours online or in front of the TV. It is important for a child’s overall growth and health to stay active.
Independence / Social skills
Summer camps foster independence, through teaching children to do things on their own and help them gain self-confidence and autonomy. Not only this, but they also learn about equal relations as they bargain over game rules and resolve instances where the rules may be ambiguous.
Mental health
Recent research has shown that participation in sport can improve a child’s numeracy score by 8% on average and underachieving kids who regularly take part in sports activity see a 29% increase in numeracy skills.*
Gain self-discipline
As children grow older they will face challenges which seem too big to overcome. Through sports, children learn about problem solving and perseverance to help them deal with the various challenges in life.
Having fun!
Parents are always looking for ways to give their children the best chance in life, but for the child it’s all about enjoyment and leaving camp with a positive feeling, something which is ever present for any child attending holiday camp with Kings Camps.
*Department for Culture Media and Sport 2015