There are so many seasonal activities for preschoolers to enjoy during the summer. Children love to run through the sprinkler, visit new parks, or go for a swim. Yet even with all these warm weather possibilities, preschoolers and their parents can sometimes feel stumped about what to do. Luckily, there are many summer day camps in the area that can keep your child engaged every single day of the week. If you’re curious about signing your child up for a summer day camp, we have a few reasons you should definitely consider it:
- Summer Day Camps Encourage Independence
Having adventures every day is the best way to build feelings of competency, confidence, resilience, and independence. Since many day camps feature special daily activities, kids have the opportunity to try new things and learn more about what they like to do. Giving children the agency to choose an activity and give it a try. Recent research also shows novel summertime activities also support growth and learning in children. You might discover your child is a more bold, curious learner after a week of summer day camp!
- Summer Day Camps Build Skills
Skills that aren’t practiced daily can fade, and that’s especially true for neural growth in children under the age of six. Summer day camps provide opportunities to affirm and solidify skills learned during the school year, including number and letter recognition, fine and gross motor skills, and social skills.
- Summer Day Camps Widen Social Circles
Research shows that the more social connections a child has, the more likely they are to be socially adept and feel connected to others, and the less likely they are to feel persistent negative moods like sadness or anxiety. In fact, these social connections can be just as important as strong family and caretaker connections. Why? As social learners, children need daily interactions with others to grow the parts of their brains built for sharing, imaginative play, and teamwork. Making sure your preschooler is socially stimulated during the summer can do wonders for their physical, mental, and academic well-being.
- Summer Day Camps Increase Time Spent Outdoors
One of the best benefits of summer day camps is the amount of time spent outdoors. In the upper Midwest, summer is the best time for fantastic weather, cool breezes, and plenty of outdoor play. Playing outdoors can increase a child’s serum level of vitamin D, which has been shown to protect against illness, boost the immune system, and even improve mood. Outdoor play is also essential for protecting a child’s vision. Since little ones have more screen time, researchers have noticed that nearsightedness and myopia are increasing in children. Parents can help counteract the visual effects of screen time by alternating it with “green time”—time spent outside. Physicians suggest at least 40 minutes of outdoor time per day. A summer day camp can provide ample time outside to protect preschoolers’ vision and strengthen their bodies.
- Summer Day Camps Help Maintain Routines
Preschoolers need regular daily routines and schedules to help them feel safe. Help maintain their daily routine through summer day camp. Common activities like lunch, circle time, sharing, and free play will mimic the daily schedule they have at home or at their preschool. Your child can make the transition to summer while trying out activities and meeting new friends.
Camp Gardner Engages Preschoolers
For a ten-week day camp experience, The Gardner School offers Camp Gardner, a relaxed summer camp environment that provides children with the intellectual stimulation they need to grow. We mix plenty of outdoor and water play with activities, delicious snacks, art projects, and hand-on S.T.E.A.M. experiments (activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). To learn more about Camp Gardner, contact The Gardner School.
