If the thought of the long school holidays has left you with the fear of how you’re going to occupy the kids all summer long, then it’s time to start thinking about summer camps- arguably one of the best activities for your child to stay entertained and continue their learning outside of the classroom.
These 2-month long summer programs can help your child in many ways: not only do they keep them amused and entertained, but they also teach them a variety of social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills that will stay with your little one for a long time.
Here's 6 reasons why your child needs to be enrolled in a summer camp over the holidays!
- Teach children independence. By being away from his/her parents for the day, summer camps help children to develop some independence and prepare them for pre-school. Children often find it difficult to be away from their parents when they first start nursery, so joining a summer camp for a few hours each day is a great way to test the waters, slowly but surely.
- Learn invaluable social skills. Taking a break from parents and being around other kids is a great opportunity for children to learn to interact with others. Summer camps are all about sharing, taking turns, and having fun with others in a range of different activities, and all of this helps to build confidence, and a child who is friendly and empathetic in the future.
- Provide an opportunity to prepare your child for nursery. If you’re planning on registering your child for their first day of pre-school in September, summer camp is a great way to introduce them to what is to come. Camps can give them a taste of what they can expect at nursery because it familiarises them with concepts such as structure, schedules, classroom rules, communication with others, sharing, having meals, and independence.
- Keep your child physically active. Instead of spending the summer watching television or playing on an IPad, summer camps provide an opportunity for your child to be involved in all kinds of physical activity. It is often effortless because this physical activity is disguised into fun and entertaining activities that offer your child a new skillset. More than that, physical activity is what leads to stronger hearts, lungs and bones, enhanced energy levels, and superior emotional well-being.
- Continue learning during the school holidays. If your little one has spent the full year at nursery learning and growing, the discontinuity in the summer can have a negative impact on this process. Camp is a great place to apply all of the cognitive and emotional learning done at nursery during the year.
- Summer camps are also great for parents! Generally speaking, summer camps have a lower number of students enrolled, which means that it is easier for you, as a parent, to forge meaningful relationships with the other parents of the nursery. In that way, by having your child enrolled in summer camp, not only will you have more time for yourself and your personal business, but you will also get more time to socialise.
If you’re now convinced and would like to enroll your child in a summer camp in the Capital, then Kids First Group nurseries will be running full programmes of fun activities especially designed for your child’s education and entertainment at each of their Abu Dhabi branches- Odyssey nursery in Khalifa City, Redwood Montessori nursery in Al Bateen, Khalifa City, or Saadiyat Island, and Ladybird nursery in Al Bateen.
Click here to learn more about these nurseries and to register today!
