What are Summer Camps and what do they offer?

Summer Camps are residential children’s holidays, held in country houses, outdoor centres, schools, and occasionally under canvas. Each camp brings together children between 9 and 15 years old from many different schools and parts of the country for a week to have a great holiday and a lot of laughs together. They offer a wide range of holiday activities, from games of all kinds (indoor, outdoor, boisterous, sporty, or quiet and thoughtful), drama, singing, stories, handicrafts, etc., to exploring the countryside, outdoor pursuits or campfires in the woods, and a happy experience of community living. Children have an unforgettable time while gaining confidence, social skills, enthusiasm, independence, creativity, and a positive attitude to life in general.

Did you know? Despite these proven benefits, only 2% of 9-15 year-olds in Britain currently attend summer camps.

In most summer camps, children are divided into small groups of 8 or 10, often by age, with a young adult leader allocated to each group. These young leaders, usually aged 17 to 25, have undertaken a full residential week of training, and work hard at getting to know the children in their group to enable them to get the most from the summer camp. Many parents comment afterwards on the warm and caring relationship their children have had with the young leaders. The leaders also act as “animateurs” generating enthusiasm for all the camp activities.  

Overseeing the young leaders will be two or three senior staff. There will also be a full catering and domestic staff, plus a Matron to see to any health matters which may arise.

Research has shown that time spent at summer camp has a profound influence on the development of young people and their attitudes to the world around them, as well as being a hugely enjoyable experience.

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