For years many individuals have believed that children come to Hermann Sons-Camp just to have fun. Fun is a big part of the experience but the benefits of Camp go much deeper.

Camp IS FUN. The friends that you make, the activities you do and the experiences you have are all part of the FUN that Camp offers. It is what we think of first when we are asked about our Camp experience. If Camp wasn’t fun would we have individuals returning for another summer? However, fun is not our main mission for Camp. It just kind of happens when you spend a year planning for the summer and every detail of the experience.

The Camp experience is something that I truly believe every child should have at some point in their life. It is a life experience that you cannot quite recreate anywhere else. Summer camps across the world have played a big role in positively impacting the lives of their campers.

While there are many reasons for sending your child to Camp, here are some of my reasons why it is a great choice.

Campers are part of a community.
While at Camp, campers are assigned a dorm for their session with other campers around their same age. The dorm is filled with diversity and is led by the dorm counselors who serve as role models to the campers. Our goal at Camp is for campers to create new friendships and to connect with others who they may have never met. Each individual plays an important role in the community during the week and it is a great model for the future. Being a part of a community is not always easy but at Camp individuals are able to see what it is like to be a part of a positive community. Camp provides campers with an opportunity to grow their people skills and learn how to build genuine relationships with individuals their age as well as adults.

Campers have a chance to “un-plug” and enjoy the moment.
In today’s society it seems like we always have to go from place to place and are constantly in a hurry to make sure we get everything accomplished in the day that we are supposed to. While at Camp, our campers and staff have the opportunity to slow life down and simply enjoy the moment. Whether it be sitting and enjoying the wildlife, star gazing at night with your dorm, or enjoying a walk in the woods, you get to take a breath and enjoy the present. Being at Camp also allows our campers and staff to “unplug” from the real world and leave technology at home. I will never forget the first summer I spent as a counselor. I had no clue what was going on in the world. It was refreshing not watching the nightly news and seeing what was happening. The opportunity to “unplug” and enjoy the moment is good for the soul and our well-being.

Camp teaches campers and staff 21st century skills.
I am a huge believer in teaching campers and staff members skills they need to be successful in today’s world. The experience at Camp is much bigger than the three and a half or six days spent with us. I want to help inspire and teach individuals how to be successful in society for the rest of their lives. With tougher standards being required in the school system, educators no longer have the opportunity to dedicate specific time to teaching things like communication, critical thinking skills, collaboration, etc. on a regular basis. I know there are great educators out there who still make this a priority, but overall there is simply not enough time for it. This is why Camp is so important. Campers and staff have an opportunity to learn and develop these skills daily while they are at Camp.

Campers learn acceptance.
While at Camp, our campers and staff have the opportunity to be who they are. In today’s society there is so much pressure to be something we are not because that is what we are told to do. At Camp we appreciate each individual for who they are. We work hard to create a welcoming environment which starts with our cabin team meetings on Sunday and creating that culture together as a group. We appreciate each individual for who they are and what they contribute to the group. At Camp the pressures of living up to someone else’s expectations are replaced with “being me is awesome” and “being my best me” is something to strive for.

Making mistakes is totally okay.
Society today has unfortunately instilled a sense of perfectionism. We constantly have to be our best and when we make a mistake it’s a bad thing. However, at Camp we teach that making mistakes is totally okay. It is important that both campers and staff understand that failure is not always a bad thing and we can learn from it. Camp provides individuals an opportunity to try a wide variety of things in a safe environment. We are firm believers at Camp that you might trip but you just have to dust yourself off and try again and I guarantee there will be a group of friends ready to cheer you on when you try again.

If your child is eligible for Camp this summer I hope you will consider allowing them the opportunity to attend. Not only is there a good chance they will have fun but they will more importantly learn some skills that they will be able to use for the rest of their life.