Benefits of Summer Camps in New Jersey
It’s hard to believe that the end of summer is quickly approaching. Although it’s already August, there is still some time before school starts up again. Unfortunately, many local summer camps end mid-August, making it difficult for working parents to juggle summer schedules and keep kids occupied.
While summer camp options in New Jersey may seem limited this time of year — or have sold out long ago — we have you covered at Camp iPlay! Camp iPlay runs only during the last three weeks of August, when parents need it most.
With convenient camp hours and exciting indoor activities to keep the kids out of the summer heat, Camp iPlay offers three to five day weekly camp options starting August 12 for school-aged children.
Hey, we’re parents, too. We get it. Summer camps are a necessity for working parents. But, they also need to be enriching, engaging and most importantly, FUN!
Summer camps do so much more than babysit your kids while you are working. They provide lifelong memories and give kids something fun to look forward to (keeping them out of your hair).
Below are just a few ways that summer camps can be a valuable part of your child’s development.
How Summer Camps Benefit Your Child’s Social Development
1. Summer Camps Can Change Lives
The best summer camps allow our kids to get out of their routine and into a fun environment, filled with new peers where they have a sense of community. According to the article, “6 Summer Camp Benefits” posted in Parent Guide News:
“Students often attend school year after year with the same peers, which can lead to labeling and being ‘stuck’ with a particular perception. A child may become known as studious, quiet, etc. when, really, he can be boisterous in another setting. Children who go to day or sleepaway camps meet a whole other group of people in a different environment. Often times, a child will break out of his supposed categorization if given the chance. Children get to reinvent themselves at camp and be who they truly want to be, which helps them to build confidence.”
What an amazing point to consider!
And something that we, as parents, have witnessed in our own children. The experience can really change lives, giving your child a fresh start and a place to discover who they really are, without the pressure of their every day classmates.
2. Summer Camps Foster Independence
When children go to camp, they’re presented with the opportunity to become more independent. Whether they are in first grade or fifth, being separated from their parents means a camper must learn how to cope in a new environment by communicating with trusted adults and their peers.
Children attending summer camp develop powerful new skills, including:
- Ability to think independently
- Build self-esteem
- Grow socially
- Communicate with new individuals of all ages
- Discover how to make new friends
- Gain empathy for others
- Develop new interests
- Learn through play
These are all important skills, especially right before school starts.
3. Summer Camps Help Children Reach Milestones
Soon enough kids will be balancing school schedules, studies and extracurricular activities. That doesn’t leave much room for free play. Did you know that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) promotes unstructured play as being healthy and essential for helping children to reach important developmental milestones?
Social, emotional and cognitive skills are all fostered in the summer camp environment. With the limited amount of recess time currently allowed in NJ schools, exposing children to the breadth of creative play activities at summer camp helps children reach these milestones more easily.
Finding Indoor Summer Camps in August
At iPlay America, we know a thing or two about fun. It’s what we do!
At this point in the year, most summer camps are starting to shut down, or are completely booked. Or maybe the ambitious outdoor camp plans you made back in the spring are starting to look like a bad idea given this summer’s crazy heat.
Either way, you are in luck. Not only is Camp iPlay still available, but it is entirely indoors, in a safe, air conditioned and fun environment. Camp iPlay only runs during August and still has plenty of availability for last minute camp registrations.
Check out our recent post, “Secrets to Finding a Cool Summer Camp in New Jersey,” on tips to narrow down your camp options and find out more details about Camp iPlay.
Can’t wait to see you on August 12!
