{"id":336,"date":"2015-05-05T12:56:17","date_gmt":"2015-05-05T16:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.camprobinhood.com\/blog\/?p=336"},"modified":"2025-03-13T10:57:37","modified_gmt":"2025-03-13T14:57:37","slug":"social-skills-learned-at-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.camprobinhood.com\/blog\/social-skills-learned-at-camp","title":{"rendered":"Social Skills Learned At Camp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sharing is caring, which is why when we come across an article that helps answer the question, “Why send a child to summer camp?” we want to share it with all of you!\u00a0It’s really quite simple. There is a real need for children to gain\u00a0valuable life-skills outside of our homes and classrooms.\u00a0\u00a0We can no longer rely solely on what our parent’s taught us or what our children are learning in school as the<\/em>\u00a0sources of educating youth.\u00a0Times certainly have changed and raising kids is not an easy task. After all, children spend most of their time in school focusing on standardized testing and more time in front of screens when they are outside of school. This article, The Ultimate 21st Century Skills Learning Environment<\/a>,\u00a0highlights the benefits of summer camp as a solution to these very real 21st century problems. Add it to the list of reasons why camping is so important today!
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It used to be so easy. Mom was home, and kids wanted to play outside, as we only had seven channels on the television (and no central air). Boy, how times have changed. Technological advances have profoundly affected life, as we know it, including how we raise our children.<\/p>\n

Most families rely on two sources for child rearing, (1) What we as parents teach our children at home, and (2) what educators teach our children in school. But there is a third, very important arena that many parents do not consider: What is taught to our children when we, the parents, aren\u2019t with them, when they are away from us and away from school. This is when they are actually most able and willing to learn. This is where the camp experience comes into play!<\/strong><\/p>\n

PROBLEM: Too Much Technology Consumption<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Technology is a drug, and we parents are the drug pushers. While parents recognize the inherent issues, the majority of American families do not institute (or uphold) rules to govern their children\u2019s technology consumption. It\u2019s right in front of our eyes- the two year old scrolling through Mom\u2019s iPhone, kids who can\u2019t ride in a car for more than 2 minutes without a movie playing or a handheld electronic device, and older children addicted to violent video games. Most parents give their children these technological gadgets thinking that it relaxes them, when in fact they are being greatly\u00a0STIMULATED,<\/strong> suppressing their capability to control their emotions (self-regulate). Today\u2019s children are less able to cope with challenging situations, as most lack resiliency and patience. Kindergarten teachers tell us how their students are no longer able to build large-scale projects, as they get frustrated and quit.<\/p>\n

Parents can\u2019t figure out how to mitigate it technology consumption. They often choose to avoid negative interactions, since they have so little time with their children to begin with. But when summer comes around and school obligations end, the opportunity is out there for a digital detox in the sun, dirt and sweat of\u00a0summer camp- the only place that kids give up their phones, xBoxes, TVs, computers and THANK YOU for it!<\/strong><\/p>\n

In an unplugged environment, camp helps children develop emotional self-control, allowing them to find connections within themselves- a vital part of growing up. Camp also provides a unique environment for kids to learn how to share, co-create and collaborate with one another, developing friendship skills along the way.<\/p>\n

PROBLEM: 21st Century Skills NOT Taught in School<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201c21st Century Skills\u201d are defined as the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be competitive in the modern day workforce. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills<\/strong> (p21.org) is a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. which is comprised of some of the biggest, most successful businesses in the USA. The p21 organization researched and compiled a list of the specific skills that these companies seek in their new hires. The answers were not the \u201c3 R\u2019s\u201d which our schools focus on, but \u201cthe 3 C\u2019s\u201d<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

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  1. \u00a0C<\/strong>ritical Thinking & Problem Solving<\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0C<\/strong>reativity & Innovation<\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0C<\/strong>ommunication & Collaboration<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    They also listed the following life skills as most important for their new employees:<\/p>\n