• Home
  • About Us
    • Our Studio
  • Our Classes
    • Summer 2023
    • Preschool Program
    • School Age Program
    • Adult Program
    • SRL At Home
    • Join Us!
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • Book Us
    • Facility Rental
    • Join Our Team
SCOIL RINCE LUIMNI
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Studio
  • Our Classes
    • Summer 2023
    • Preschool Program
    • School Age Program
    • Adult Program
    • SRL At Home
    • Join Us!
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • Book Us
    • Facility Rental
    • Join Our Team

​411: The Benefits of Summer Camp

6/23/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Summer is here! That means long months of no school--which can be a benefit or a problem, depending on which side of the parent/child divide you're on. But since the 1870s, parents have been turning to the most active possible solution to keep their kids engaged during the hottest months…summer camp!
 
Connecticut has a long history with summer camps, with the first American summer camp having been founded in Gunnery, CT just after the Civil War. The idea caught fire and in a less than 20-year period around the turn of the century the number of summer camps in the United States rose from 100 to over 1,000. These first camps were all about removing children from urban environments to reconnect with nature, and this kind of summer camp hasn’t changed all that much since. But after WWII, parents were eager to return their children to a more innocent time and summer camps had a second boom—this time with a wider range of variety as special-interest camps such as sports camps and arts camps popped up all over the country.

Picture
​But what has made the summer camp an American institution? The skills taught at summer camps—be it outdoorsmanship or art forms like dance—have always been only part of the equation. The Harvard Graduate School of Education puts it this way: “All those classic camp dynamics—being away from home and parents, making new friends, being part of a team, and trying new things—are building blocks to crucial social-emotional [learning (or SEL)] skills.” Foundational, SEL skills include “self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making” and have been found to be crucial for both success in school and in later, professional life. But, unfortunately, due to the restraints placed on teachers by state-mandated curriculums, we often see this type of learning not prioritized in the classroom. Americans have been turning to a solution outside of school for 150 years now, and we have the data to back it up: a 2005 study conducted by the American Camp Association found consistent and significant growth in SEL skills (and self-confidence) in children after only a single summer camp session!
 
As important as SEL skills are, there’s another factor that’s helped give summer camps such staying power: the physical benefits. The majority of summer camps have always included a focus on physical activity, and in our increasingly digitized world, finding a healthy and active outlet for kids is more important than ever. We all know that our country has been facing issues for years when it comes to the health of younger generations—but it turns out summer camp could be of help. In a 2011 edition of the Journal of Adolescence, a study reported that adolescents with no organized summer activities were at the greatest risk of obesity, while a 2010 study found that day camp campers who were exposed to active peers and active teachers were more likely to be physically active even after camp ended. While a week of physical activity is definitely good, the way camps instill the habit of exercise is even better!

Picture
While our registered dancers here at SRL Irish Dance Academy (from Pre-Beginner level up!) know all about how fun one of our summer camps can be, what about someone who’s never attended an Irish dance class? Don’t worry, we have a great option for even the newest dancer, as well! SRL is hosting two, week-long “Intro to Irish Dance” Summer Camps this year. Each week consists of five straight days of one class a day (at work-friendly times for parents!) to give new dancers a real feel for our year-long programs. Click the link above to learn more about our two upcoming sessions from July 18th-22nd and August 15th-19th. We hope to see you there!
 
This camp is multipurpose, for not only will it ease a parent’s mind about how interested their child is in Irish dance before enrolling for the year, but it will provide that social and physical  outlet kids need every summer (but this one especially!) Even if your child finds out Irish dance isn’t right for them, they’ll still be invited into a fun, welcoming environment, taught to stretch and move their body in new ways, and be able to interact with their peers as both team mates and friends while they increase their self-esteem by learning a new skill. We’ve been holding classes in our clean, appropriately socially-distanced studio since September without any issue, and are excited to introduce your child to the world of Irish dance!

Picture
We could go on and on about the benefits of starting dance early (and we already have! check out our post about it,) but the real takeaway from SRL’s intro program is the same as any camp: increasing your child’s SEL skills while allowing them to express themselves in a healthy way and have fun! This opportunity creates a break from technology, lets them develop a sense of independence, let all that silly energy out, and have more and varied social interactions. And, not to mention, it gives parents a much-needed break, too!
 
Learn more about our “Intro to Irish Dance" Summer Camp—which comes with a very special package deal for the Fall! Or feel free to reach out by phone or email (office@irishdancect.com) for more info. We look forward to dancing with you soon!
​

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    SRL News

    Find all of our latest news on our Scoil Rince Luimni Facebook page!

    Categories

    All
    411
    Adult Classes
    Classes
    Competitive
    Core Values
    Dancer Spotlight
    Family Spotlight
    Fun Facts
    In The News
    Irish Dance
    Irish History
    Irish Mythology
    Modern Ireland
    Offers
    Origins
    Performances
    Recommendations
    SRL
    Staff Spotlight
    Summer Camp
    Technique
    Testimonials
    Tiny Jig
    Yoga

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    September 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    August 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    August 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014

    RSS Feed

Scoil Rince Luimni is registered with An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha, Irish Dance Teachers of North America, & New England Irish Dance Teachers
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Studio
  • Our Classes
    • Summer 2023
    • Preschool Program
    • School Age Program
    • Adult Program
    • SRL At Home
    • Join Us!
  • News
  • Contact Us
    • Book Us
    • Facility Rental
    • Join Our Team