Children and teenagers who go to summer camp don’t return home just with good memories. According to a recent study by Canada’s University of Waterloo, these young people also experience remarkable levels of development in several areas. Here are some interesting statistics that were revealed by this study: 

• Summer camp is a good remedy for shyness. 65% of the young people studied improved their ability to make friends and resolve conflicts. 

• Emotional intelligence is refined. About 69% of participants had an increased ability to recognize and analyze their own emotions as well as those of the people around them. 

• Summer camp is excellent for improving self-confidence. Some 67% of the young people felt more independent and had more confidence in themselves after attending camp. 

• In the age of global environmental awareness, summer camp can play an extremely useful role. In the study, over half of the young people learned how to better protect the environment and to act appropriately with regards to it.

• Camp helps children be less sedentary. Being in a group and having easy access to the outdoors increased children’s interest in physical activity. At the end of their camp, 61% of participants felt more interested in sports.

Even if children have already participated in a few summer camps, the experience is always beneficial. Each new camp brings its share of challenges and positive growth, and that contributes to their development. And best of all, it’s fun.