Summer Camps: Misconceptions

What does going to “summer camp” really mean? The phrase “summer camp” means many different things to many different people. It has been portrayed in T.V. and in movies as a place with clumsy counselors and nerdy campers. It is also stereotyped as a setting where awkward teenage romance comes to blossom. Having been a summer camper myself I've found neither of these Hollywood notions to be accurate. There is much misinformation as to what summer camp truly is and what it is not. This report intends to educate the reader about the reality of summer camps by dispelling myths, the varieties of summer camps, new interests camps can create, social benefits, and the lifetime gains.

There are many misconceptions about “summer camps”, One common

Although children might feel insulted about going, the positive outcomes of these camps outweigh the embarrassment. These camps provide children with nutritional improvements, but most importantly other kids they can relate to which is the best avail (Ellin). The best way to overcome a problem is to be put in an environment with people that face the same struggles and can relate. “Fat Kid” camps not only gives one the ability to lose weight while attending, it teaches ways to keep the weight off which is helpful twenty years down the road (Ellin). The benefits and knowledge that come from these camps give children ways to become healthy but they also make them

going to summer camps allows kids to do things they wouldn't normally experience at home or during the school year (“Benefits of Camp: Psychological Aspects”). Going through the same routine everyday doesn't prohibits children from expanding their experiences.”The biggest plus of camp is that it helps young people discover and explore their talents interest and values,” says Peter Scales Ph.D of the Search Institute (“Benefits of Camp: Psychological Aspects”). When given the ability to try new things children can find something they truly love or are exceedingly good.. Summer camps provide one with a wide array of sports and activities that children might not have been able to do in the comfort of their own home (Merryman, Mezei).Besides finding a new love for an activity, summer camp can also teach children how to properly do an activity. “One girl says she learned how to properly use workout equipment, which will help her down the road to prevent injuries and make working out even more fun (Merryman, Mezei). Everyone needs to find something they excel at and summer camp can lead children down that path to