3 Benefits of Summer Camp For Complex Learners
BBQs, beach outings, sunny days, and campfires – it’s official. Summer is really here! As we all look forward to longer days and a more relaxed schedule, it can be hard to try and decide what the summer should look like for your Complex Learner.
As a parent of a Complex Learner, you know the school year is normally not a breeze for your child. Between controlling their impulses, learning to regulate their emotions, using strategies to manage their school or social anxiety plus projects, tests, and presentations – Complex Learners work really hard each day they are in school. When summer is finally here – it can be tough to choose between a few months of no obligations and commitments or signing your child up for a summer program.
While every family’s decision has to be right for them, there are plenty of benefits of a summer program to share. Especially when you pick one that is designed for children who learn and think differently! And as the Wolf School’s summer program, Camp Confidence, kicks off this week, we’re sharing 3 benefits of a summer camp for Complex Learners!
1. Benefits of Sticking to a Schedule
While it can be tempting to want to let your child fully enjoy summer with late nights, no alarm clocks, and a wide-open schedule – for some Complex Learners this can actually be harmful. Many Complex Learners thrive on routines. Routines help ensure that your child knows what’s coming next and can prepare themselves for what to expect. Routines also help to make sure that your child is getting enough sleep so they are capable of regulating their emotions and body.
Summer camps provide the structure and schedule that Complex Learners crave but in a more relaxed setting. Wake-ups aren’t as early. There’s no homework. And typically camps only run for a few weeks during the summer. This can provide the best of both worlds. You have the flexibility you want from your summer break while also providing the structure your child needs.
2. Social Opportunities
Social skills don’t come easily to many Complex Learners. Luckily, the school day is filled with opportunities to build those social skills. Whether it’s a structured social lesson that’s taught in the classroom or an unstructured organic interaction with classmates at the lunch table – the more opportunities your child has to work on their social skills with peers the better. When summer vacation officially kicks off, all of those social opportunities disappear. But with a summer camp, they don’t have to!
Summer camps are a way to ensure that your child continues to make those social gains. At Camp Confidence, our students get to enjoy those unstructured moments of summer fun with their friends as they take part in outings, games, themed afternoons, water activities, snacks, and lunch but also built into the day are specific lessons and activities where campers get to learn and practice different social skills in a safe space. By continuing to practice their social skills, Complex Learners can grow in their skills and gain more confidence in their abilities!
3. Less Pressure + Learning = Fun!
Summer camp is never going to be an exact replica of the school year and that’s the way it should be! At a summer camp, your child gets to experience much less stress and pressure as compared to a regular school year. There’re no evaluations, no tests, and no homework. While this is a welcomed relief, many parents may get concerned about learning loss.
Like Camp Confidence, many camps designed for children who think and learn differently offer a combination of instruction and summertime fun! This is a perfect balance for Complex Learners as it helps avoid any summertime learning loss while still giving campers the traditional fun of a summer camp!
Summer camps can be the perfect balance of routine and summertime fun for your Complex Learner! Want to follow our Camp Confidence adventures?! Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages to catch up on all the fun!
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