Summer Camps Personal Growth – SUMMER CAMP SERIES 2

Summer Time Could’ve Never Been Better: Why Summer Camps Should Offer Personal Growth Experiences for Youth

Summer camps in the USA have become an $18 billion dollar industry, enrolling more than 14 million children each summer. Besides the recreation, fun and life lessons, camps are focusing more and more on how the camp experiences include programs designed for personal growth. It’s all too often that children like to stick to what they know. They tend to want to remain in their comfort zone, particularly where and when they already have existing relationships. With my many years of empowering and observing the personal growth in youth, I can tell you it is critically important that summer camps create specific programming that focuses on exploring new relationships and experiences with youth from different cultures. Without it, we believe we miss a key opportunity for personal growth and development.

To increase the personal growth of our children, there are several things as adults we can do. First, by participating in impactful summer camps, youth tend to increase their personal growth and expand their thinking. It’s essential to teach youth that personal growth is gradual process and with their exposure to enriching programs, such as impactful summer camp programs, they are given the opportunity to grow as individuals. Below are a few thoughts and words of wisdom that will help increase a child’s personal growth:

• Learning to adapt to change, such as an environment, cultures, people, and experiences will help children grow.
• Meet someone new and make new friendships regularly.
• Challenge their comfort zone (in a healthy way) by encouraging them to try something new, perhaps something that gives them anxiety.
• Understanding and communicating that that being uncomfortable is normal and ok. We all have fear and uncertainty as humans. Many parents limit their children from trying new things because of their own fears. Of course, I’m not encouraging trying things that can be harmful to your body or someone else’s.
• Keep moving forward: All children should learn that not all things turn out the way we want them to. It is the journey and giving maximum effort that is important. Part of growing is being able to accept that not getting what you desire is part of the process, and that never giving up is the way forward.

Juan Pablo Casimiro is Founder and CEO of BIZNOVATOR. With more than 30 years of empowering people around the world, Casimiro never misses a moment to teach and challenge his clients to live their dreams. Casimiro was born in Dominican Republic and grew up in New York City.