Benefits of a traditional camp experience
- Time for social and emotional learning
- Develop authentic friendships
- Belonging to something bigger than yourself
- Able to try things you may not have tried on your own in a safe environment
- Exposure to nature
Time for social and emotional learning
Summer day camp allows time for learning of life skills that is not possible in school, due to time constraints. At camp, we’re able to model for and guide children on how to:
- Make and keep friends.
- Process through conflicts and manage conflicting personalities.
- Work with others toward a common goal.
- Take on responsibility and be a contributing member of a community on both a small group and large, camp-wide scale.
- Communicate with peers and adults – how to use verbal and non-verbal language to be successful and respectful.
- Lean on others for support when you need it, ask for help and use others as a resource.
In just 2 weeks my kids grew and matured. It was exciting to see. I feel after their camp experience, the transition to kindergarten will be much easier. Their experience here challenged them and helped them to grow in confidence and self-esteem. And amazingly, they play better together and need less parental attention/supervision since attending camp. We will be sending them for at least a month next summer.
Eric
Winchester
The kind of emotional and social growth that my sons experience in their eight weeks of Sewataro is as essential to their learning as the ten months spent in the classroom. We cannot thank you enough for creating the environment and staff support to make this kind of magic happen.
ReP
Sudbury
Develop authentic friendships
Because there is this time for all of this social learning and experience, the friendships that children come away with are deep, meaningful and long-lasting. For those of us who have been involved in camp, our best and longest lasting friendships were made at camp.
Belonging to something bigger than yourself
Children and staff feel like they are a member of a community, a part of this Massachusetts summer camp’s history and tradition.
Able to try things you may not have tried on your own in a safe environment
Children are taught how to encourage each other and build each other up so that it’s okay to “fail.” Staff members role model by participating in everything, even when it may not be their strength. Equal respect is given to every type of activity – the arts, sports, adventure challenges, etc, so that every child has something they are successful with.
I came to watch my Tuskie son on his final SOAR period again this year, and once again I was moved to tears at the level of support, encouragement, and spirit that was shown by the counselors and campers. They knew getting up on the high ropes had been a goal for him all summer, and they wouldn’t give up on him, or let him give up on himself, until he had done his best.
RPo
Sudbury
My children had a wonderful 4 weeks. The Sewataro philosophy really does come through in the daily life of the camp. My son and daughter took on challenges they would not have had an opportunity to try in other settings, and they both grew and gained confidence in themselves.
CH
Marlborough
Exposure to nature
In the past few years, a new and growing body of research has emerged, indicating that “direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children”. A traditional day camp program like Sewataro’s offers an opportunity to gain this exposure.
Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. New York, NY: Algonquin Books