It may be standard practice to pack the kids off to summer camp across the pond, but it isn’t really the case here in the UK. With the cost-of-living crisis still rumbling on, it may not feel like a good time to send your children to camp at home or abroad… but the benefits outweigh the costs as you’ll see. Children have been bouncing back and forth between school, home and after school activities for months now. It’s time for a break!
5 reasons to send your children to summer camp:
1. A change of scenery
Everyone enjoys a change of scenery, seeing the same four walls day in, day out can be demotivating for anyone, no matter your age. A summer camp is a golden opportunity to let your children see and experience somewhere new. Just take the French summer camp at CIA Nice: your kids get to go to the beach, soak up the city, explore the French Riviera and try local delicacies like socca whilst they perfect their French skills. It’s a summer holiday and French course rolled into one! With all-inclusive prices starting at 995 € per week, you get a lot of bang for your buck too.
2. A confidence boost
It can be nerve-wracking visiting somewhere new on your own and having the speak a language that isn’t your mother tongue. Anyone would be anxious. The good thing is that every other person in the summer camp has been in the same boat as your children and understands exactly how they feel. Once they get into the swing of things and realise that they are thriving in a new environment among new faces, their confidence levels will go through the roof. Navigating their way through everyday life in another language works wonders on their independence too… who knows, they may even do the washing up without you having to ask!
3. Friends for life
There’s no better way to bond than by sharing experiences with your peers and making memories. The sun is shining, you’re getting to know new people and cultures, you’re trying new foods together, visiting new places together and you’re all speaking a language that isn’t your own with all the belly laughs that brings. Putting your children in a “foreign” setting is a great way to dial up your children’s social skills and coping mechanisms too.
4. Travel broadens the mind
Experiencing new countries and cultures is vital for a young mind as it opens it up and makes children more accepting. It helps them see that there isn’t just one way of doing something, there isn’t just one way of dressing, there isn’t just one way of living… the world is their oyster. It will give them a sense of wanderlust, so they will seek out new experiences rather than stick to the tried and tested methods. It will also make them more innovative in their mindset and inspire them to think outside the box, which is a great way to get ahead in their adult lives.
5. Hone talent
If your children have a knack for linguistics or need a confidence boost to unlock their love for language, a summer camp is a great way to go about it. They are completely immersed in the country, surrounded by people who all speak the country’s language because that’s the only language they can all speak together, the TV is in that language, you go out on the street and you see billboards in the language… you get the picture! There’s no escape, so the only way is up!
If you’d like to find out more about our study abroad programmes and where your children could go on their next summer camp, please get in touch with your child’s age and tell us which language/ country you’re interested in for them on info@activelanguages.co.uk
See you soon!
Contact Active Languages for our range of Study Abroad options: French language courses for adults in France, Summer camps for Teens in England and in France, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy England football camps in the UK.
Contact Active Languages today: Contact us