21/11/2024
How camp will help your child grow in the school holidays
Whilst the school holidays are a great chance for children to unwind and recharge, they can mean that they miss opportunities for development.
Activity camps are a perfect place for kids to keep growing when schools are out. They’ll benefit from a different kind of progression when they’re at camp; from adaptability to independence and social skills.
Adaptability
Activity camps are a different kind of environment for kids. They are not their regular stomping ground. The new space can feel unfamiliar at first but with the support of camp staff and the excitement of new activities, kids quickly adapt at Barracudas. On top of that, there are new faces every day. Children get the chance to make new friends and grow in confidence as they create new bonds with a whole range of children in their group.
Independence
Kids gain more independence in a safe environment when they come to camp.
At Barracudas children get to explore on their own, make their own friendships, and to follow their own interests. They have control of their day, choosing the activity sessions that appeal to them and making decisions that shape their experience.
Responsibility
Whilst Barracudas camps are highly professional and have strict procedures in place, we do offer more freedom than traditional childcare settings. With freedom comes responsibility and kids get the chance to make decisions and develop independence at our school holiday clubs.
From choosing the activities they take part in to applying their own sun cream, selecting their snacks from their lunch boxes at breaktime though to filling up their water bottles, children really get to take control of their day in a safe setting.
Personal development
Children will gain a whole host of new skills at camp. From exploring ideas, developing abilities in arts and crafts or science sessions to picking up key skills in Yoga or stop motion animation, there are many opportunities for personal development at camp. Without the usual pressure to perform or excel as they’d have at school or specific club, they’ll be able to explore and experiment freely.
Barracudas Skills Builder courses are another fantastic chance for kids to develop new skills and passions. We also have a number of specialist football courses available at several locations in the summer.
Team spirit
Children are grouped with their peers at Barracudas and really benefit from a strong team spirit whilst at camp. Whether they’re joining for a day or two, in for a full week or even spending the whole holidays with us, they’re part of their team from the moment they come to camp.
Barracudas encourage this sense of belonging and kids thrive in their groups. From bonding with one another during base room activities or moving to and from activities chanting their group name, kids develop key team skills whilst at Barracudas Activity Day Camps.
Social skills
Kids learn to interact with their peers and camp staff during their time at a holiday club. Taking part in the varied activities available at Barracudas gives them the chance to develop a number of key social skills. The less formal environment involving different activities and changing group structures means kids learn leadership and diplomacy skills and crucially, a real sense of self.
Kids will interact with more children than they normally would when they're at camp. Children who live in different villages or towns, attend different schools and have a wide range of interests.
An activity camp fosters teamwork, cooperation and negotiation. As they gain these experiences, their confidence in their ability to manage social interactions will increase.
Confidence
There are plenty of new experiences available at an activity camp. From specialist sessions such as archery and fencing to meeting new children and making new friends, we really love to see kids’ confidence grow at camp.
At camp kids will learn they are capable, creative, talented, athletic and more besides. Barracudas camp staff are super encouraging and inspiring.
It’s great when we welcome a shy child to camp in the morning and after a fun and full day they leave us full of self-belief and a healthy amount of pride in what they’ve achieved at the end of the day, looking forward to coming back!
We’re looking forward to seeing children grow with us in the school holidays! We hope we can welcome your child to camp where they’ll have such an amazing experience won’t be able to wait to come back.