Today summer camps are full of endless activities for any interest your child might have. Whether your child likes to play computer games, dance, sing, swim, engage in arts and crafts, or wants to experience traditional camping, there are summer camps to suit every kid. But it wasn’t always like that.

Summer camps slowly began to gain popularity during the late 1800s. These summer camps were dedicated to “saving” boys from an increasingly modern life, and promised them the opportunity to truly “rough it” in the woods. Between the years of 1900 and 1918, the number of summer camps available increased from less than 100 to greater than 1000. Psychologist Stanley Hall approved of these earlier summer camps, suggesting that children needed to learn how to build fires and shelters just as pre-civilized people did.

However, as summer camps grew more popular, the idea of roughing it in the woods suddenly seemed less appealing than, say, movies and tennis. While some camps remained true to their camping roots, many shifted towards the model that modern summer camps follow. Instead of reverting back to pre-civilized, fend-for-yourself-in-the-woods lifestyles, camps became little civilizations, teaching children how to become helpful citizens themselves.

The shift in summer camp style faced both criticism and praise. Some people felt that children had become too accustomed to modern life and needed to experience nature, while others were worried that children, especially those from the city, would be frightened leaving the comforts and protection that civilization offered them. Some were unsure of how they felt, thinking that traditional summer camp could be valuable, but also worrying that children might romanticize the past so much that returning to normal life would be jarring.

Benefits of Modern Summer Camps

Here at Just For Kids summer camps and after school clubs, we value your child’s unique interests and want to accommodate every child. While ensuring your child’s interests are taken into account, we also want to offer activities with purpose – our activities are sure to benefit your children for more than just the time they spend with us.

• Modern Activities For Modern Kids: While we don’t argue that kids can benefit from roughing it in the woods, we also know that many of our kids simply have other interests, especially in today’s world. Basically, we offer activities with your kids in mind. This includes organized sports, so your kids can learn sportsmanship and coordination, and arts and crafts so your children can learn how to express themselves in different ways. We also don’t want kids to miss out on all that the world has to offer, and have water park days and field trips at our summer camps to ensure that both fun and safety are maximized.
• Confidence Builders: Allowing kids to participate in an array of activities helps them build confidence. Whether they are participating in an activity that they already have a love for, or stepping out of their comfort zone, they will be able to grow and shine. This helps build confidence in both new and old abilities.
• Socialization: While escaping into the woods can bring a group closer together, it might also encourage kids to only talk to people who share their interests if that is the only activity a camp offers. Our multi-interest activities ensure that kids get to socialize with peers who like sports, crafts, karaoke, technology, etc. We also offer activities that teach kids life skills that will help them be productive members of society.

We talked earlier this year abouthow to choose the right summer camp for your child. We still believe that you know your child better than anyone, and it is important to talk to your child about what their expectations are for summer camp. If nothing would make your child happier than roughing it in the woods for a week, then we encourage you to accommodate that. But for many kids, having options for activities gives them autonomy over how they spend their time, and that helps kids to develop into unique, independent adults. If you are in the Chicago area and your child wants a summer camp or after school activity that suits their interests, check out the programs that Just For Kids can offer.