Summer camp programs can provide some of the most vivid and cherished memories of your child’s entire life. But children that have been at home for awhile might experience difficulty as they approach their first day with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Listening to your children’s concerns is important in helping them overcome these fears.
Ask your child what he or she is worried might happen at summer camp. Children often feel anxiety because they are not sure what is going to happen to them, and the best way to overcome those anxieties is to make summer camp more familiar, friendly, and understandable for them. Here are three fun ways to help extinguish your child’s fears:
- Sit down with your child and go over all the fun actitivies and the schedule they will have while they are at summer camp. Then, act out a typical day at camp with your child in your living room or in your backyard. It may be helpful to compare it to what your child has already experienced at preschool or child care, or in kindergarten. If they have friends joining the program, see if you can meet them at the door. Having a buddy is often very helpful!
- Try out some of the activities your child will be experiencing at summer camp. Take your child for a nature hike or make a craft together and let them know that if they enjoyed this, they will get to do more of the same types of fun activities at summer camp.
- Encourage your child to write a story, with illustrations, giving him or her and idea of what they will experience at summer camp. Encourage him or her to be as creative as possible. After your child gets home, he or she can write and draw a “sequel” to the story about their real summer camp experience.
At Lightbridge Academy, we know that your first camp experience needs to be a positive one! We know that transitions can be a challenge for both parent and child and you can expect that we will be here to support you through it and that your child will enjoy summer the way it should be – with fun, exciting activities, new friendships and spontaneous shenanigans!
