Although the summer camp season has officially passed, some aspects of your child’s experience can show up in unexpected ways. Here are five things we learned about your child this summer that you may see popping up in his/her school, on the sports field, or in your home!
Creativity
Did you know that there are three types of creativity? It was a joy to spend time with your children this summer, as they demonstrated creativity. Once you know what various forms of creativity look like, you may realize your child has been exhibiting them in their day- to-day life as well!
Problem-Solving
From coding to woodworking, your children were presented with a lot of “problems” (or challenges) to solve. Rather than immediately asking for help, we noticed the children stepping back and looking at the challenge from different angles. We often heard statements like, “I wonder what would happen if I…” or “maybe it will work if I use this…”. Your child used their unique perspective to approach their challenges and often came up with solutions that were a joy to discover.
Imagination
This summer, your children daydreamed a lot. We don’t mean this in the sense that they checked out and went on a mental vacation (although there is nothing wrong with that!). But rather, they sat down in front of materials and imagined what could be. Where others may have seen a needle and thread, they saw endless possibilities.
Divergent Thinking
Of all the forms of creativity, this might be our favorite one. This summer, we witnessed your children challenging the status quo - contemplating ideas before forming opinions, asking questions that made the other kids (and us) think! In the loose confines of a camp environment that values them as they are, they learned to appreciate and embrace their unique way of thinking.
This summer, your child’s confidence shined brightly. We witnessed once-quiet voices speak up and share their creative ideas. We watched a soccer star try his luck at machine sewing. We heard the word “whoops” only for it to be immediately followed by “let me try that again!” Your children felt comfortable trying new things even if they felt afraid. If you’ve noticed your child seeming more comfortable in their skin and embracing the outside world with open arms, you’re catching a glimpse of our summer!
Have you noticed your child taking a sudden interest in new hobbies or topics? Perhaps even showing interest in your hobbies? The children were exposed to a wide array of activities at summer camp. We found that rather than focusing on one particular program - maybe one that made them feel comfortable - they wanted to sample many! The logic seemed to be, “Well, I liked baseball camp this week, so maybe I should try chess!”
While they may sound counterintuitive, it makes perfect sense. Having a positive new experience in one area led your children to seek other new experiences, no matter how different or unfamiliar they were.
We summarize this experience in the word “curiosity,” but what we’re really saying is your child wants to engage with the world.
We’re confident that you see this daily with your children. The profound way your children seemed to feel responsible for one another moved us—children as young as five lent a helping hand to their friends. Older children taught their friends when they had a skill to share, and everyone cheered and supported each other.
When you send your child to Sidwell Summer, you know that our staff will see them. We’re delighted to let you know they all see each other, too.
Have you noticed that they’re pouring their own cereal, or maybe being responsible for their own personal hygiene? Your children love to be able to do things on their own. Once they experienced the pride of completing something by themselves, they couldn’t get enough. Each age group sought out more opportunities for independence. Our youngest campers were excited to clean up after themselves, while our oldest campers learned how to be mentors to younger kids. We loved hearing campers excitedly get out of their cars each morning saying “I know where I’m going!” as they took off for their program. Once they realized they could spread their wings, they wanted to fly!
So, while we start to feel fall in the air, we hope you see little glimpses of summer - Sidwell Summer - in your child. We wish you and your family a great school year, and we can’t wait to be together again at Sidwell Summer!