Summer Camp is Stolen

Summer Camp brings back those special memories. Think back, was it Shopping Camp? I think not. The above ad is just silly. Summer Camp in Wisconsin or Minnesota are all about getting outside getting dirty and not looking like you just came from the mall. As parents we need to realize that outdoor summer camp helps children be more creative, happier and better able to focus.

So what brings people and especially kids indoors? Some might say urbanization, as most people now live in big cities. But the real factor is our increasing reliance on a screen. Some research suggest its nearly 8 hours a day for children ages of 8 and 18 that they interact with technology. Back to summer camp for a moment, did you need electronics to have fun outside? Probably not and today most overnight summer camps do not permit cell phones.

So what does this mean? We no longer make time for nature: From 2006 to 2010, the percentage of young children regularly engaging in outdoor recreation fell by roughly 15 percentage points. Today i’m sure the numbers have continued to drop despite the research.

Nature and Nature Summer Camps are good, According to the latest research, untamed landscapes have a restorative effect, calming our frazzled nerves and refreshing the tired cortex. The outdoors, benefits are being creative, happier and better able to focus. yet we keep our kids inside. No longer do Moms say go outside and play.

In a recent study folks who were outdoors for as little as along weekend with out technology showed a
nearly 50% increase in performance on the test of creativity. Another study builds on a growing body of evidence demonstrating the cognitive benefits of nature. Although many of us find the outdoors alienating and uncomfortable—the bugs, the bigger critters, the lack of climate control—the brain reacts to natural settings by, essentially, sighing in relief.

It is a fact that kids who had walked through the natural setting are in a better mood and scored significantly higher on tests of attention and short-term memory, which involved repeating a series of numbers backward. In fact, just glancing at a photograph of nature led to measurable improvements, at least when compared with pictures of cities. Several studies show that, when surrounded by trees and animals, these children are less likely to have behavioral problems and are better able to focus on a particular task.

As parents if we really want the best for our kids, we really need to make a conscious decision to get our children off line and into nature. Summer camp is one of the safest most caring ways for parents to do this.

Jeff & Lonnie Lorenz own Swift Nature Camp in Wisconsin. An overnight camp that empowers children to be their best. A special first timer camp is even available to younger children. http://www.swiftnaturecamp.com