Summer Camp Rockville MD

The first time away from home at a summer camp in Rockville, MD can be intimidating for any child. Sleeping in a different bed, eating different food, and going without the usual conveniences of home often takes some getting used to. It’s completely normal for many kids to feel homesick when going to summer camp, especially for the first time.

You might not be aware but it is also normal for parents to worry about the kids while they’re away for the first time as well. This means that not only children can feel homesick but even the adults at home can have a budding worry that something is going to happen to their child.

Tips For Combating Homesickness 

Here are some steps that families can take to prevent homesickness:

Be Enthusiastic 

Before the child even goes to summer camp, you need to start being enthusiastic about the trip. Talk about the exciting new experiences your child will have at camp. If your child has a sibling who’s been to camp, you should ask them to share some of their best memories to help get your child ready and excited. You should also take this time to discover potential challenges and talk about them positively.

Practice

Before sending your child to an overnight summer camp, try practicing the idea of sleeping somewhere besides their own bed. This could be at one of their friend’s houses or even relatives just to get the idea of being used not being home. It may also help to have your child prepare their own suitcase or backpack with some camping equipment.

Acknowledge Feelings 

Let your child know that missing home is perfectly okay. You should also reassure them it is okay to miss home and that other kids and adults feel the same way sometimes. During this, let them also know that they can still have fun even if they are missing home. Don’t brush their feelings away and act like it’s not a big deal.

Stay Connected 

Before you send your child to camp, make sure you know your camp’s policy on cell phones and other electronic communication ahead of time and honor it. Make sure your child knows about this as well and make a plan on how to stay connected through their time at camp. This means you may need to find a different way to communicate, like sending letters or postcards. You should also talk with the staff and sign up for emails and social media pages that your camp might use to communicate with you as the parent.

Go With Your Gut 

While most incidents of homesickness will pass in a day or two, there are some severe cases that do happen. If your child is not eating or sleeping, then it is time to go home. Don’t make your child feel like a failure because they didn’t stay at camp, but focus on the positive and encourage your child to try the camp again next year. 

Summer camp in Rockville, MD can be a big step and we here at Koa Sports know that and are here to answer any more of your questions that you may have about our camps! 

Benefits of Summer Camp for Kids

If you are wondering how to keep your child entertained and busy for the summer, consider sending him or her to summer camp. While your child may feel homesick at first, camp can provide many benefits, including:

• Promote independence. As a parent, it is important to give your child a little independence at some point. If you send your child off to summer camp, you can do just that. At summer camp, your child can’t rely on you to do everything. Your child will have to learn to make certain decisions on his or her own. When your child returns from camp, he or she may do more things for him or herself.

• Make new friends. When they are not in school, some children mainly spend time with their parents, siblings and other relatives. Summer camp also gives children the opportunity to make friends with other children their age. They may even stay friends with some of these kids for many years.

• Reduce screen time. Nowadays, many kids are glued to their computers, smartphones and televisions. Unfortunately, this makes children too sedentary, which can lead to obesity, heart disease and other health problems. This is another good reason to consider summer camp. At camp, your child will get to partake in many physical activities outdoors, such as swimming, volleyball and other team sports.

• Increase confidence. At summer camp, children may also participate in activities out of their comfort zone. For example, they may have trouble climbing a wall at camp at first. However, if they keep trying, they may eventually climb to the top. If your child overcomes these types of challenges at summer camp, it could increase his or her confidence.

• Teach teamwork. If you send your child to camp, he or she will also participate in activities that involve teamwork. Being a good team player is a valuable skill to have and can serve your child well in school and future jobs.

• Connect with nature. As mentioned above, kids these days spend a lot of time indoors in front of a screen. By sending your child off to summer camp, he or she will have a chance to be one with nature. Your child can get vitamin D from the sun and get fresh air, which are both beneficial to health.