20 Jan Benefits of School Camps
Top 5 Benefits of School Camps
At one point or another, many of us have experienced the benefits of school camps. For the introverted child, there is always some nervousness and anxiety around going out of one’s comfort zone to a camp, however, with the encouragement of a parent, off you went. For the extroverted child, you can’t wait for day 1 of camp to come! You packed your bag the week before and organized which friend you were going to sit next to on the bus trip there.
Whether you fit into a generation past or present, our educators have found, and continue to find, immense value and many benefits in running school camps. Why is this you say?
Well, here are our top 5 benefits of school camps:
1.Building up self-confidence
School camps give students an opportunity to try so many new and different activities. Some activities that they may have only ever seen on television. Each new activity is a new challenge, a new opportunity to succeed, to learn, to overcome a fear, and even fail a few times along the way. All within a safe environment with qualified instructors and teachers. Students walk away with a great sense of achievement when they complete new experiences and at the same time receive affirmation from instructors, teachers, and peers for what they have achieved.
2. Independence
A school camp could be the first time a child has gone away from home without a parent or family member. Students on camp must adapt and manage themselves within the camp rules, completing tasks that they may not be responsible for at home. They may have to manage their own time to ensure their teeth get brushed, and make sure they choose to eat the right foods (and not only dessert). A student has to make sure they look after their belongings they take with them to camp, and so on.
3. Building relationships and participating in community
The school camping experience is unique in that it can bring individuals together who otherwise may not have interacted together in the schoolyard. It is an opportunity for students to share a real meal together, rather than eating whilst watching television. Team camping activities also promote teamwork, where it is simply not possible to get through the activity without help from others. This is where whole groups are engaged and responsible for each other. Promoting concern, welfare for others, and of course “mateship”. Many a playground antagonist and protagonist may find themselves working together and even concerned for each other’s welfare. In some cases, new friendships will develop, or even old friendships will be redeemed. The traditional schooling experience is one of education in community with others. School camping amplifies this community aspect further where the environment is unfamiliar, the daily routine is unfamiliar, and the activities are unfamiliar. This level playing field is a positive aspect for relationship building. It is often the positive relationships built and the supportive community experience that ends up being that fantastic and lasting memory of a school camp.
4. Digital Detox
Whether it is a 3-day camp or a 5-day camp, getting kids to disconnect from technology for a few days. Instead of computer games, campers are playing outdoor games or board games or real group games with real people. Camps break the cycle of dependence children may have on their devices and provide plenty of healthy and safe distractions that help them take a break from those devices.
5. Outdoor learning
A school camp is a valuable opportunity for students to get out of the classroom and engage in some meaningful activities that build skills, teamwork, and even connect well with what they have been learning in the classroom e.g., science and nature, mathematics and problem-solving. Connecting classroom learning to outdoor activities helps students understand that there is value in what they are learning in the classroom. Outdoor education activities provide students with the opportunity to participate physically in activities they may not have encountered before, such as high ropes courses, bushwalking and survival, canoeing, archery, and Aboriginal cultural activities. Some students thrive in the outdoor education environment and discover a newfound love for learning.
To discover more on the benefits of school camps for yourself, or for more information on facilities for school camps at each QCCC campsite, please check out the following links:
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