6 Life Skills for Teens at Summer Camp
Even during the best of times, parents wonder whether their teens are developing all the skills they need to be successful in life. So how do parents of teens know what to look for in the development of life skills? The short answer is progress. Parents want to see progress in their teens’ development of the top 7 life skills at summer camp and be mindful of what they can do to support them in doing so.
- Motivation for personal goals:
What the teens have to show: initiative, engagement, willingness to try new things, persistence, work ethic, commitment, and a drive to pursue interests and personal development.
What Explorer Camps do: range of interesting and fun activities; open and positive environment that encourages participation; daily Life Skill goal setting; freedom to choose activities.
- Executive functioning skills:
What the teens have to show: planning ahead; organization; execution and completion of projects; informed decision making; judgment; concentration; and self-monitoring.
What Explorer Camps do: personalised goal creation; daily camper responsibilities; leadership opportunities; eXplorer camps Escape Room.
- Independent living skills and self-reliance:
What the teens have to show: self-management with regard to money, cooking, laundry; public transportation; and job experience (with job application, interviewing, working hard, accepting criticism and following directions).
What Explorer Camps do: camper cookouts; constant peer, group and counsellor feedback; daily reflection sessions; independant living (away from parents).
- Physical fitness and healthful habits:
What the teens have to show: value and self-care in relation to exercise, sleep, eating, health maintenance, and limitations on risk taking, substance use and media overuse.
What Explorer Camps do: camp hygiene policy; 30+ different sports & activities; healthy eating; healthy risk taking opportunities; morning and evening relaxation / destress programme.
- Emotional awareness, reflection and regulation:
What the teens have to show: recognition and appropriate expression of feelings; empathy for others; ability to control impulses; and coping with negative emotions.
What Explorer Camps do: focus on growing Emotional Intelligence; all staff trained in positive communication; daily reflection sessions; constant support & guidance in dealing with negative emotions.
- Social skills:
What the teens have to show: ability to size up interpersonal situations; cooperation with others; communication skills; conflict resolution skills; gaining perspective; and accurate self-appraisal in groups.
What Explorer Camps do: diverse campers and staff with different cultures & approaches; conflict resolution actively taught & reinforced; daily peer, group and counsellor feedback.
Now what should a parent do with this list of qualities? Well, the worst thing is to preach, lecture and talk too much about them to their teen. That would be like throwing fruits and vegetables at teens and expecting them to see it as good nutrition.
The goal should be to enage their child is as many social activities as possible, encouraging them to step outside of their comfort zone and to challenge themselves as. This can be done by joining a sports or recreational club, travelling, spending time with peers from different backgrounds. Or …. attend camp!
