by Sophie Taylor

We’re getting ready to send our 12-year-old to camp, and the house is abuzz with talk of what she did last year, what she can’t wait to do this year, what she’ll wear and what to pack. Meanwhile, her four-year-old brother is heartbroken… not so much because Sissy is going away, but because he can’t! He’s too little for overnight camp and too big to fit in one of Sissy’s care packages. We were stumped. Then we discovered a day camp program with a nature & science theme. Now we have two happy campers in our house.

Day camp programs provide a nice alternative for younger campers not yet ready to stay away from home, and they offer the same benefits as overnight camps, without causing separation anxiety for little kids (or their parents). Children can begin day camp as early as age 3. They can experience camp and still return home each evening, getting the best of both worlds—the camp community, built exclusively for kids, and their own homes, which provide the security they need at a tender age.

Day camp is a terrific first experience. Reminiscent of less complicated days, when people connected with nature, thrived on inter-generational relationships, and made new discoveries, everything is designed to ensure that children feel included, cared about and capable. Camp allows kids a safe environment in which to make new friends; day camps allow kids to still feel connected with old friends at the same time. That can be especially reassuring for shy children.

Camp can also provide kids, no matter what their ages, the chance to reconnect with nature. Studies show that time spent outdoors lowers stress, increases physical fitness and stimulates imaginative and creative thought. One day camp parent says, “While my children and I are constantly bombarded by the news, which is focused on what is wrong with the world, camp is a living example of what is right.”

Camp allows a preschooler—or even an older child who might be reluctant to go to overnight camp—to join a community created especially for her, with child-sized challenges and new experiences scaled to let children succeed. Little kids can gain big confidence by learning new skills. With the support and supervision of inspiring guides and passionate coaches, children can feel accomplished and make new friends while having the time of their lives. They can experience a sense of belonging and the pride of making contributions to a team or a camp community. When kids return home later in the day, they can share their challenges and triumphs, and all the new things they learned, with family, reinforcing those baby steps toward independence. Coming home each night provides consistency and predictability too, making it easier for children to handle new experiences and challenges that might be right on the edge of their comfort zones.

Children strengthen their confidence when they master new skills. Whether it’s learning a new song, getting to know plants and animals, creating something new, scoring a goal, or helping a friend, kids gain confidence from the kind of experiences camp can offer year after year. While many campers will move on to overnight programs as they get older, others will be content to continue the day camp experience. With the wide variety of day camps available, there’s a camp out there for everyone—even little brothers.

For more camp resources, you can visit the American Camp Association’s website at CampParents.org.