How Camp Prepares Kids for the Future By Learning and Practicing 21st Century Skills

There is an added bonus to going to camp, gifts that will keep on giving throughout a child’s life. Camps that intentionally weave into their mission a commitment to teach and practice skills that will make their children “Life- Ready” is that gift.

Being ready for life means that campers will possess the grit and perseverance to take on challenges that confront them. Campers will be able “to confront and succeed in life by demonstrating self-awareness, self-management, social-awareness, responsible decision making, and relationship skills”. (Panorama Education)

In an article entitled “Comprehensive Guide to 21 st Century Skills” Jenna Buckle lists the competencies that a person will need to succeed going forward. Those skills include:

• Critical Thinking
• Communication Skills
• Creativity
• Problem Solving
• Perseverance/Grit
• Collaboration
• Self-direction
• Social Skills
• Civic Responsibility
• Social Responsibility
• Thinking Skills

By practicing these life skills campers will be more prepared to get where they want to go. They are life’s “soft skills” that when mastered allow an individual to succeed in school, work, with significant others, with the community and in their personal journey toward self-actualization. Let’s see how we get from theory to practice with a selection of the talents listed above:

Creativity: The Creative Arts Programs allow children to express themselves through many different mediums. Dance, Art, Pottery, Cooking, Ropes Training, and Theater are only a few of those outlets available at camp. Free expression feeds creativity.

Perseverance/Grit: Accomplishing tasks that a child believes are outside of their skill set or comfort level. Hanging in there despite challenges, roadblocks or nay say-ers to realize some new physical or emotional challenge that required a child to be determined and patient as they faced their fears.

Collaboration: Working together toward a common goal is something that every person should try to master through life. To succeed in a collective effort requires campers to listen, to demonstrate empathy toward others, to compromise, and to work together.

Social Skills: Living in a group setting and navigating all the challenges that entails is a learned skill. The power of kindness plays a big part of that process. Learning to be friendly, approachable, to project availability and to reach out to others that may be different from you will serve that child well in any interaction with someone other themselves.

Social Responsibility and Gratitude: Community relies on the good will of its members to succeed. Appreciating that not every kid gets to go to camp like they do, is not a right it is and an amazing privilege. It is a gift that requires an acknowledgment of that reality by being a positive participatory member of the community and by “paying it forward” through community service. This a big and humble thank you and show of gratitude about their experience. Not one that should ever be taken for granted.

Resilience: Moving forward despite life’s challenges, losses or wins, being uncomfortable or scared about the many things that may cause you to freeze rather than persevere. 2020 gave all of us chance to hone our resiliency skills.

Empathy: This character trait may be the silver bullet that can solve almost any issue. Being able to walk in someone else’s shoes gives you a more affective understanding of what they need from you. To be able to really listen to someone else in a way that shows you understand their perspective. It doesn’t mean folding it means acknowledging the value of their opinion and their right to express it.

Social and Cultural Awareness: What better way to practice love than to appreciate and celebrate the many difference
between people and other cultures than to live, eat and play together! Learning about customs and treasures of people from other countries than your own makes for less judgement and prejudice.

Conflict Resolution Skills: The art of negotiation and compromise are needed skills which informs almost every human interaction. Camp helps children learn to hear other points of view, to consider how those differing opinions meshes with theirs and often leads to positive win-win outcomes for everyone.

Camp professionals can be the most important people that kids get to know and learn from. Outside the classroom talents will complement the hard skills one needs in life to succeed. Summer camp, if implemented in an intentional way, will teach those 21st
Century skills to campers.