Is Your Child’s Summer Camp Educational Enough? 5 Things to Evaluate

Summer camp is one of those things in life where momentum tends to take over.

One year, you do your research, you compare camps, you attend informational sessions, you talk to other families, and you choose the summer camp you think is the best fit for your child. The next year, you don’t do any of that. There’s no need; you can just send your child to the same summer camp again.

While a year off from researching summer camps can sound refreshing, it’s worth taking at least a few minutes out of your schedule to make sure the summer camp you chose is meeting your goals and the ever-changing goals of your child. There are, after all, only so many childhood summers available in a lifetime. You don’t want to let an opportunity go to waste.

When you selected your child’s summer camp, one of your goals may have been educational. You wanted to give your child the chance to explore the world free from exams and grades. You hoped they would discover new subjects that ignited their passion or dive deep into an existing interest.

Did the summer program achieve your educational objectives? How can you tell?

The following five questions should give you a sense of whether your child’s summer camp is nurturing a love of learning — or if you should start looking for a new program for the coming summer.

1. Does Your Child Return From Camp Brimming With Excitement?

How did your child respond to their camp experience last summer? Did they come home bursting with stories about the projects they worked on, the games they played, the friends they made, and the places they visited? Or did you get one-word answers?

School sometimes has a way of draining the excitement out of a subject. An educational summer program is a chance to re-infuse academic areas like science, math, and art with wonder. If your child’s summer camp isn’t doing that, you can probably tell.

2. Does the Camp Cater to Your Child’s Learning Style?

Families often search for the “best” summer camp, but it’s impossible for a single program to fulfill the educational needs of every child. Children have different ways of learning. Some do well in classroom settings, absorbing information through lectures and textbook reading assignments.

Other children learn better by doing. They need to get their hands on tools and equipment, gaining knowledge through experimentation and discovery. Some children prefer to work alone, while others thrive in teams.

Choosing a summer camp is just as much about getting to know your child as it is about getting to know different camps. A camp that fits your child’s learning style may not fit another’s.

3. Does the Camp Support Your Child to Take Chances?

Some parents — especially parents of introverted children — send their children off to camp in hopes that they will “come out of their shell.” But this isn’t quite the right way to think about it. We know now that introverted people have unique perspectives. The worlds of business, culture, and politics are starting to understand the value of personality traits such as thoughtfulness and sensitivity.

A high-quality educational summer camp doesn’t try to “force” introverted students into uncomfortable social situations. Rather, it creates an environment in which students feel safe and supported, where they can try on new roles without fear of judgment.

An introverted student may try their hand at acting, for example, if they feel there are no consequences to a “bad” performance. They may even discover the stage suits them well, that they can express themselves in ways they never could through spontaneous conversation.

A supportive community that encourages risk-taking can help gregarious students break the confines of their identities, as well. For example, at school, a sociable child may feel boxed into activities like athletics. At the right summer camp, they may feel empowered to try more contemplative pursuits, such as painting or poetry, without expectations or assumptions.

4. Does the Camp Follow an Experiential Approach to Learning?

For a child, one of the best things about summer is that you get a break from being stuck in a classroom, sitting quietly while a teacher talks at you. For as long as summer vacation has existed, children have been using it to experience the world outside the walls of their schools.

There’s no reason the time-honored tradition of summertime exploration has to stop just because your child is attending an educational summer camp. Leading educational theorists believe that children (and in fact, most people) engage more with the material when their lessons are:

• Active. Students get to participate in their own learning, with discussions and hands-on challenges.

• Social. Students work together and in collaboration with expert instructors.

• Meaningful. Students can apply the information to the real world. It’s not learning for the sake of learning; it’s learning with a purpose.
  
  

5. Does the Camp Include Learning Opportunities Throughout All of its Programming?

At most educational summer camps, only part of the day is dedicated to formal learning activities. But what goes on the rest of the day? Or on weekends?

Downtime activities can be educational in their own way. For example, after-hours options might include discussion groups, crazy science demonstrations, or building in a makerspace. On the weekend, campers might get an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of a local science museum.

The point is, learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom. It can happen on the playing field, in a music studio, or even around the dinner table as students swap stories about their days. Quality summer camps understand this and design their programming thoughtfully to promote a spirit of exploration and fun at all times.

Are You Considering a New Summer Camp for Your Child?

After you’ve taken stock of your child’s last summer experience, you may want to know more about your child’s options for next summer.

There are thousands of summer camps and educational programs in the United States. To help you narrow down your search and find the camp that is right for your child, we’ve created a useful guide, “10 Steps to Find the Perfect Educational Summer Camp.”