An Environment for our Children to Thrive

We have all experienced change in the last few years. I think we can agree that our world is creating a problem for our children. Kids are missing out on truly getting to be kids, but Camp Huawni can help. Your child can experience the magic of childhood on our campgrounds. Huawni provides consistency in an inconsistent world. We realize we may not be able to solve every problem, but we can provide your child with an experience that will set them up for future success by providing a place for them to grow in friendship, confidence, and understanding their true significance and purpose.

Right now more than ever, we need to create environments that allow our children to flourish emotionally and socially. Our world is taking shortcuts to provide them with quick entertainment and gratification. We are becoming over-committed, distracting ourselves with worldly things on our televisions and phones, and giving in to what our children want because it’s easier. The result of our preference for convenience is robbing our children of learning and growing in patience. We’re not creating space for them to reflect and process. Children need downtime, and they need people to be present with them. They need environments that allow them to explore, process and make decisions. If we don’t take action to create these environments for them, it’s likely that they may experience more stress, struggle to make healthy decisions on their own, or miss out on developing essential character qualities that are vital for future success.

After writing about the challenges that our children are currently facing, it is extremely easy to communicate how summer camp can help them to thrive emotionally and socially. First and foremost, camp gives kids extended time away from screens and immerses them in nature. In this space, kids are forced to be still, stop, and begin to engage in face-to-face conversations with their peers and role models. Summer camp is also an ideal place to learn patience. Whether it involves being patient with cabin mates, waiting for 1st period to start, walking a half a mile to get to the favorite night activity, or waiting for the shower to become available, summer camp provides endless opportunities for campers to learn patience and experience delayed gratification in an “I need it now” culture. On top of all of this, campers are surrounded by college-age role models who don’t carry phones, meaning kids get undivided attention from the people they look up to. 96% of campers said that camp helps them make new friends (ACA). Camp also provides multiple opportunities for kids to struggle in healthy ways, leading to their growth. 74% of campers try new things at camp that they are normally afraid of doing at first (ACA).

Kids struggle having to share space with 11 other campers, outside of their comfort zone and away from their “stuff,” taking risks in challenges, and making new friends. And, summer camp provides daily opportunities for downtime, or free play. At Huawni, we purposely do not overly schedule things so that kids really can just be. These moments are often the very catalysts for campers’ most cherished memories. At Camp Huawni, we strongly believe in the impact and importance of summer camp. We believe that by creating an environment where kids unplug from technology and society, your child will have the space to process, build character and walk away with meaningful relationships that they’ll carry with them the rest of their lives. Send your kids to summer camp where they can grow and thrive in ways that they can’t at home!