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Community Corner

Invest In Your Children by Choosing the Right Summer Camp

As parents, the greatest investment we can make is in our children. We work hard to ensure that they have all that they need as we prepare them for a healthy and successful future.  We have an obligation to develop their spirit, character, resiliency and independence, with hopes that they will utilize each piece of knowledge to live a life of fulfillment and integrity. The right summer camp provides a unique opportunity for children to develop these crucial life skills.

 

What to Look for in a Summer Camp:

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Seek out a camp that is set in a natural environment designed entirely with the needs of children in mind.  It should be completely safe, both emotionally and physically. The best camps are filled with well trained, caring and passionate counselors, specialists and adult leaders who make sure that campers feel accepted, loved, included and capable. In this supportive setting, children can stretch beyond their comfort zone and take healthy risks in a place where they are set up to be successful.

 

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Be sure to check out the daily and weekly camp schedule. You want your child to participate in a well-organized camp program. When children are part of such a camp it gives them an exceptional chance to widen their horizons, create new and lasting friendships and discover their strengths. Along with teaching valuable skills like how to swim or hit a baseball, which build self-confidence, the real heart of what camp teaches is how to be a fully developed person. When children attend camp, they learn how to make friends and how to be a friend. They build awareness and responsibility, gain self-esteem and resilience and they cultivate an appreciation for the natural environment.

 

There are many types of summer camp programs available. It is important to visit the websites of various camps and request information be sent to your home. Schedule a time to tour any camp you are seriously considering to see the facilities, meet the directors and talk with them in person.  Choose a camp that has an open door communication policy where you feel comfortable inquiring about your child and feel their needs will be met. Ensure that communication is a top priority of the camp you choose.  When you entrust your child to a camp, there should be a sense of partnership in treating your child as a unique individual so that they can thrive.

 

The best camps provide the perfect combination of nurturing, exploration, fun, friendship and safety so that kids can flourish and grow while having the time of their lives. Excellent camp programs have a good balance of structured and unstructured activities while providing experiences in a variety of areas like sports, aquatics, arts and adventure that the children might not otherwise have exposure to in their everyday life. A traditional outdoor camp setting offers children the freedom to safely explore.

 

For campers as young as three, playgrounds and creative play areas allow campers to exercise both their bodies as well as their imaginations. Camp differs from the environment at home or at school by providing many opportunities for children to grow physically, emotionally and socially by emulating and interacting with the older campers and counselors while learning to communicate during unstructured play times. These types of exchanges foster confidence, while building a sense of community.

For older children, the right program often gives them choices so that they feel in control of their camp experience. It promotes feelings of competence and independence, which allows campers to be better problem-solvers in new situations.

We all strive to give our children the world. What we really should focus on is giving them the tools needed to prepare them for their future. By forming a bridge between school years, the right camp allows children to continue learning and growing in new and exciting ways – and transforming into the person they are meant to be!

 

Banner Day Camp is the premier day camp on Chicago’s North Shore serving the Chicagoland area. It is a safe place for children ages 3-12 to make friends, accept challenges and have a summer filled with fun. A ratio of approximately three campers per counselor ensures that staff members meet the individualized needs of each camper. Banner’s experienced, highly trained staff, professional arts, music, swimming and sports specialists, paired with our state of the art facilities, provide the opportunity for a transformative experience for each camper. Camp’s goal is for campers to grow to their fullest potential and have an extraordinary summer. Banner prides itself on creating strong parent partnerships with ongoing communication to ensure a successful summer. Give your child the building blocks for a lifetime of success by experiencing Banner and all it has to offer! Banner Day Camp is in session from June 16-August 8. For more information, visit www.bannerdaycamp.com or call (847) 295-4900.



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