What Is Resident Camp?
Resident camp, also known as summer camp, sleepaway camp, or overnight camp, is a camp where children spend an extended period of time away from home learning new skills, spending time outdoors, making new friends, gaining independence, and engaging in exciting activities.
Summer Camp May Be Right For Your Child If…
1) Your Child Is Old Enough
Every resident camp serves different ages, with most camps serving kids beginning at age five or six. While a five-year-old may be technically old enough to attend camp, not all kids are ready for camp at this age, which is why other factors should also be considered.
If you want your child to get the camp experience without having to commit to a full week, our Early Elementary Resident Camp might be the right fit.
This is a high-energy week designed to keep campers busy from morning to evening, packed with extra pool time and a focus on growth through making new friends and experiencing new things.
2) Your Child Expresses Interest
Perhaps your child has a friend or an older sibling who attended camp in previous summers, or maybe they heard about camp at school. If your child asks to attend camp, this could be an indication of their readiness to do so.
Alternatively, if you share about camp with your child and they are excited about the possibility, the time may be right.
3) Your Child Enjoys Trying New Things
If your child loves meeting new people and has a sense of adventure, they would likely thrive in the summer camp setting. Campers get to participate in new activities each day. As campers learn and master new skills, they also grow in confidence.
A few of the new things your child will experience include:
- Learning to navigate kayaks
- Sliding down the epic slip n' slide
- Enjoying songs & S’mores around a campfire
- Learning aiming sports like Archery, Slingshots or Ax throwing
- Lake zipline
- Meeting new friends
- Discipleship through our Family Group model
Middle school campers get to visit South Mountains State Park and camp out under the stars. There is no shortage of new experiences for children who attend resident camp.
4) You Want Your Child to Grow More Independent
Summer camp is designed to be a controlled environment. However, although nurturing counselors are there every step of the way, they also must support a number of other children. Camp counselors point campers in the right direction and allow them the autonomy to do whatever needs to be done.
For children who want or need to gain a feeling of independence, there is no better environment than resident camp. Find out more about the American Camping Association standards here.
5) You Are Ready to Send Them to Camp
Sometimes, parents are more nervous about sending their children to camp than children are to go to camp. The way you speak about camp to your child will greatly impact their readiness and the success of their experience. If you are confident and excited for your child, they will be confident and excited too.
You may find that after the first week you send them to camp, you look forward to the next experience as much as they do.
6) You Think Your Child Is Ready
You know your child better than anyone else. There is not a perfect age or grade for a first-time camper. Even within the same family, some children may be ready as soon as they are of age, and others may not be ready until a few years later. If you believe your child is ready for camp, then they likely are!
While we can’t make the decision for you, we would love to help answer your questions so you can determine if summer camp is right for your child. Feel free to connect with us through our website or give us a call for more information about Tekoa Foothills.
For parents who are already convinced that this is the summer your kids should experience overnight camp, you can register for elementary camp sessions here and middle school sessions here. We look forward to seeing your child grow from their week at summer camp.