Many parents are dreading that warm summer day in June when their children don't have to get up to go to school. In fact, just getting them out of bed before noon is a tug-of-war of epic proportions. And camp leaders are also wondering what they might select as an activity for their campers this year!
But more important than this: what do you do with them while they are home? How do you keep them entertained? And here's the most important question: how will you keep their plastic little brains from atrophying while they're out of school?
Research is revealing what parents have known for decades -- that most kids forget over summer break what they learned during the school year. The reason for this is simple: they don't have to apply themselves while school is out of session. Well, if you're looking for an activity that not only keeps them occupied and happy, but also builds character, teaches them the importance of setting and then achieving goals, and gives them the confidence to be good leaders, then may we suggest a Summer Kids theater camp.
The Benefits of Theater Camp
The very fact that you've found this post suggests that you already understand that summer camp is a great way to keep young minds fresh. But what makes theater camp one of the most popular choices among parents compared to other types of camp is the hidden educational elements that trick your children into learning new skills they'll use for the rest of their lives under the guise of having a good time.
For instance:
memorization (you've got to remember your lines)
timing (you've got to hit your cues)
leadership and public speaking (you've got to project and engage an audience)
camaraderie (you have no choice but to learn who all the other campers are)
Combine these new life skills with the friends and memories they're going to keep with them for years to come and you've got a recipe for a more happy and active child.
So What's Camp Like?
It's impossible for me to say with certainty how every theatrical summer camp in the world is run, but what I can tell you is that when a summer camp chooses to supplement their camp curriculum with one of our kids theatricals, it's a blast! -- so that even if you don't happen to live in the tri-state area, you can still get a general idea of what to expect.
Our Camp Shows are geared around walking the children through the step-by-step process of putting together an actual movie that the kids can then premiere for their parents at the end of camp. During this time, students will work with acting coaches and friends to remember their lines, act and participate in the production of their movie, and be introduced to some of the more technical aspects of theater (for instance, lighting and sound) in a very basic way that kids can comprehend.
An Eye on the Future
While I'm not suggesting that you can go straight from a summer camp to Broadway or Hollywood, what I am telling you is that instilling that seed of interest in the arts does two things: firstly, it feeds the curiosity of your child (a trait which carries over to all parts of life) and, secondly, it has the potential to encourage a child to pursue a career in film production -- a career path that has many branches.
And having the confidence to stand in front of a camera and perform is a life skill that could potentially allow them to someday climb the corporate ladder or persevere as owners of a small business. The memories and associations made at a theatrical summer camp have the potential to have long-reaching effects on the rest of your child's life.
Pen Pals and Other Benefits
Keep in mind, like all summer camps, it has the potential to foster friendships between the campers that could last throughout the year. With the advent of the Internet, it's clear that the days of seeing your friends for one week per year at summer camp are a thing of the past. Using social media, the friends your child makes this year could easily become his or her friends for years or even decades. And technically, there's homework to be done. When the child isn't here with us filming scenes, they'll be at home learning lines and recounting the exciting parts of their day at the dinner table over plates of spaghetti and hot dogs.
This turns summer camp into an all-day affair that can be shared by the whole family.
All About Us
The camps that we are generally a part of range from camps in NJ, PA and DE. The kids have an opportunity to see the inner workings of a real theater. Our instructors are actual theater professionals and actors who can impart their real-world experiences in the theater to inspire and educate the next generation of potential theater patrons, cast, and crew.
And can I just say that fostering an interest in the arts is more important today than it has ever been in the past given the recent changes to curriculum and the slashing of budgets for primary and secondary schools across the nation. Now more than ever, any chance to expose young minds to the arts (of any kind) should be an opportunity we always take.
I would encourage you to consider checking out our Web site for more information.
Also, if you have any questions, you should feel free to contact us directly at: 609-377-9125