Day Camp for Kids: How Day Camps Can Benefit Your Child

two young girls hugging each other at day camp for kids

Why Pick a Day Camp for Kids?

Considering day camp for kids? Day camp is often your child’s first steps towards independence and can help your child develop important life skills and interests that will last a lifetime. Not to mention day camp is just FUN! From swimming to arts & crafts to special event days, camp packs a whole lot of excitement into just a few weeks over the summer. Check out these great reasons why day camp can be so beneficial for your child.

Psst…If you are starting to look for day camps for your kids, check out The Best Day Camps for Kids in New York

Independence

Being away from you, even if just for the day at camp, allows your child to work on skills without your assistance and to explore their interests all by themselves. As a result, children gain confidence that they can do things on their own. Katie Duffy, Director of Camps for Asphalt Green in Manhattan says, “From taking the bus to and from camp to getting changed for swimming independently without the help of mom and dad, campers are practicing independence daily and feeling good that they have conquered something on their own.”

Communication

With children spending hours each day engaged in screen-based activities, it’s no surprise that children have lost the art of communicating face to face and being able to recognize the emotions of others. Gordon Josey, Director of Breezemont Day Camp in Armonk, NY comments, “I believe that camp 20 or 30 years ago was nice to do but wasn’t as necessary as it is today. Camp is a place for children to disconnect — where children can just talk and laugh with each other, practicing face to face communication. You can be the smartest kid in school but if you don’t know how to communicate and listen to others, you aren’t necessarily going to be successful in the 21st century.”

Community

Camp is an intentional community that your child is instantly welcomed into. Campers and staff share rituals and traditions unique to the camp which helps everyone become part of a tight-knit and supportive community. “We have a dedicated group of people who work full time as camp professionals and only think about camp. It’s how we are able to create the culture and community we have,” says Josey. Gordon explains that camp is about team building and creating a safe place for children to try something new or hone skills they have already been working on. “Whether it’s a child who plays baseball during the school year and just hit a home run or the child who struggles athletically but just hit the ball off the T in T ball, the whole group cheers them on because the whole purpose of the game being played at camp is to be part of a team and work together to succeed.”

Making Friends

Duffy says that camp is one of the best places to form friendships. “Children are together all day and enjoying fun activities. They sing songs, swim, talk over lunch and play games and sports together in a relaxed environment that feels very different than school.”

Play

The American Academy of Pediatrics states the importance of play in promoting healthy child development and believes it allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity and physical and cognitive, and emotional strength. “Unfortunately, today’s children no longer play,” comments Josey. “Whether it’s because of social media and video games or we as parents no longer let kids just go outside and knock on a neighbor’s door to play, camp is where a child can play the way we played as children.

Expert Instruction

Want your child to get quality sports instruction this summer? Many day camps offer expert sports instruction while also allowing your camper to participate in traditional camp activities like arts & crafts and archery. “One of the best parts of camp is that children are exposed to so many different sports and activities, which allows kids to realize what they like,” says Josey. “Along with traditional camp activities, we offer expert instruction for our sports with a tennis professional teaching tennis and a NCAA Basketball pro teaching basketball, so if you are looking for quality sports instruction, it can be found at day camp.”

Confidence

School is great for learning math, reading and writing, but not every student walks away from the school day feeling confident. What’s so great about camp is that there are no tests or scores — only activities designed to help children build confidence. “Confidence comes in different ways at camp. When a camper performs in the camp talent show and gets a loud round of applause or when a child sets the goal to move up a swim level and then achieves it, they are gaining confidence and walking away feeling good about themselves,” says Duffy.

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Purchase College Youth and Precollege Programs

<p>Welcome to the Summer 2024 Youth and Precollege Programs in the Arts!</p> <p>For more than 40 years, these programs have been much more than camps. Summer students from grades 7-12 learn new skills in a rich environment full of exciting beginnings, new friends and achievements, growth and independence.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Summer 2024 Youth and Precollege Programs in the Arts. Serious Foundation. Serious Fun.</strong></p> <p>Ignite your passion for performing arts, creative writing, filmmaking, songwriting and music production, journalism, voice, auditioning, photography and photo editing, or visual art in these intensive enrichment experiences, led by experienced educators and teaching artists. Students in grades 7 – 12 engage in 1-, 2- and 4-week, full day programs designed to foster growth and independence while gaining new skills and meeting new friends with similar interests!</p> <p>Join the instructors you know and love in daily sessions that teach new skills and provide social interaction. We have kept the same low staff-to-student ratio and quality instruction that you have come to expect. They are immersed in a variety of exciting and enriching learning opportunities, such as songwriting, acting, visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, digital arts, voice, and musical theatre. We hope that you choose Purchase College for your child’s summer experience. It is sure to create many treasured memories for your entire family.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Programs:</strong></p> <p>- Programs meet 9:30 am – 3:30 pm, Monday–Friday, with early drop-off and extended</p> <p>day options also available.</p> <p>- There are no programs Thursday and Friday, July 4 & 5.</p> <p>- 10% discount for early registration and Purchase College faculty/staff discount</p> <p>- Session I: July 1 – July 12 Session II: July 15 – 26 Session III: July 29 – August 9</p> <p> </p> <p>Each program concludes with a performance, exhibit, reading, film screening, or other culminating event for families and friends to showcase the skills that they have learned.</p> <p> </p>

Deer Mountain Day Camp

<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;" data-sheets-value="{" data-sheets-userformat="{">At Deer Mountain Day Camp, we provide more than just a great experience. We craft each of our activities with ingenuity, depth, and diligence—ensuring real skill building and substantial, lasting takeaways. Our goal is to expose your child to all we have to offer in creative, thoughtful ways—while keeping fun and awesomeness top of mind.</span></p>

Beth Sholom Day Camp

<p>Beth Sholom Day Camp, located in Roslyn Heights, NY is a Summer Camp for children aged 3-15 years old, serving Nassau & Queens. Their program encourages children to try new activities, build friendships and develop skills in a safe and nurturing environment. Activities include music, dance, drama, arts and crafts, karate, as well as outdoor sports, an adventure park, and pedal go-karts.  American Red Cross swim instruction is offered in their three heated pools. This summer, camp will be 8 weeks long with a scheduled start date of June 28th through August 22nd. A minimum of 4 weeks is required. For summer 2023, their program includes a hot Glatt Kosher lunch, an afternoon snack, door to door, air-conditioned bus transportation and New for 2023 - Towel Service!<br /> <br />BSDC offers full- and mini-day nursery programs. Fifth-eighth graders participate in a camp and trip program. They also have a C.I.T. program for 9th and 10th graders. Their camp staff implements an engaging curriculum, with intentional games as well as age-appropriate activities. Beth Sholom Day Camp pride themselves in their ability to know each child as an individual and facilitate positive relationships through team building and group activities. They are proud to offer a dynamic summer experience where children can play, learn, and grow.</p>