It’s almost time to sign your child up for summer camp! It may seem a ways off, but summer has a way of sneaking up on us, and preparing ahead of time makes for a more fun experience for you and your camper. If you’re considering overnight camp, you might be wondering, “For how many days should I send my child away to camp?”. While it may seem easier and even more prudent to only send your child only for a short time, there are actually several benefits to sending your child to a long-term overnight New Hampshire camp like Camp Cody.
More Time to Build Relationships
One of the most important parts of camp is making new friends and building social skills. Campers get to meet children from familiar and unfamiliar walks of life in a totally new setting. The opportunity to work on relationship skills is afforded each and every day– and camp is unlike any other place your child will ever go.
Bunk life is a huge part of the experience at Cody’s New Hampshire summer camp. For days or even weeks, your camper will live with other campers their age and “do life” with them. They’ll work together to clean the cabin, have bunk buddies to eat in the dining hall with, and do activities like hikes together. But most importantly, they’ll have lots of time to talk and hang out with each other.
However, everyone knows that creating meaningful, long-lasting friendships takes time. A few days or even two weeks is usually not enough time for campers to truly open up and get to know each other on a deep, personal level. Having longer sessions like the four weeks Cody offers at its NH camp gives campers a chance to truly grow these friendships so they last for a lifetime, not just a season.
It also takes time to develop social and emotional skills. To be a good friend, children need to learn humility, active listening, and vulnerability, among other things. Those are complicated for anyone to learn, especially energetic children, but the intentional environment of camp is the best place for it. The more time campers get to practice their skills, the more likely they’ll grow into more socially and emotionally adept people.
More Time For Activities
Of course, one of the most iconic parts of summer camp in New Hampshire—or anywhere for that matter—is the fun activities. Cody has a host of both traditional and unique activities for campers, ranging from water skiing to hiking to scuba diving to one-on-one tennis lessons. These activities are not only a great way for campers to have fun, but they’re a chance to make friends who have similar interests. Or, they can be a way for campers to try something new they’ve never done before and excel in it.
Similar to relationship skills, activity skills take time to develop. Some things are easier to pick up than others, like board games or running. But other activities like learning how to wakeboard, build an Adirondack chair, or score a hole-in-one golfing require patience and practice. The more time your camper spends on these activities, the better they will be when they return home. And the better they are, the more likely they will be to continue practicing what they learned outside of camp.
More Time For You
In addition to your campers getting more time to have fun at camp, by having them stay longer, you get an extra long break. We know as parents, we love our children, but sometimes the best thing we can do for them, and ourselves, is to take a little break. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. And it will give you some time to enjoy your summer with the peace of mind that your kid is having a blast at summer camp.
Stay Longer at Camp Cody
At Camp Cody, one of the best NH summer camps, we recommend that new campers stay for four weeks so they have ample time for new friendships to blossom and new skills to develop. Rest assured, by letting your child spend more time away from camp, you’ve set them up for success and fun in all areas of life as they grow up. Register for Cody to see why Cody is the best place for your child to spend their summer!