For many kids, heading off to camp for the summer is a real rite of passage. It’s likely their first time away from their parents and home for more than just a sleepover down the street, and the best sleep-away camps provide a taste of independence while still supporting the social and emotional needs of young campers.
To that end, one of the major goals of Camp North Star is to help campers learn how to make and keep friends during their time in Maine. For many young people, making friends at camp is easier than at school, and research shows a full 96 percent of campers say that camp helped them to make new friends. Camp North Star is dedicated to teaching this life skill in three major ways.
1. Take Away Technology
Camp North Star is a tech-free summer camp for kids, and for good reason. There’s growing evidence that texting and communicating via devices instead of face-to-face communication is hindering kids’ emotional intelligence and ability to connect with others. Camp North Star offers the rare opportunity to disconnect from TV, video games and smartphones. Instead campers spend time having real-world experiences instead. Without the crutch of a device, kids spend their time reading each other’s faces and developing their interpersonal skills the old-fashioned way — a crucial 21st century life skill.
2. Add a Dash of Nature
Taking away the tech is hardly a punishment, because Camp North Star replaces it with unbeatable scenery and a connection to the natural world. Set in a pristine location on 200 acres, Camp North Star offers a wide range of sports, waterfront and outdoor activities that get kids moving and working together to problem solve and play. Psychologists tout the benefits of time in nature as everything from reduced stress to more creative thinking, and structured activities provide kids a framework for interacting with each other and making new friends.
3. Provide Program Support
At Camp North Star, counselors are trained to guide the development of each individual camper. This includes an attention to helping kids develop communication skills. With attention to social, emotional and physical elements of communication brought to every activity, camp staff guide campers to treat each other with respect and provide the tools to build lasting friendships.
Camp North Star’s mission is to help campers become the best versions of themselves. Making friends is built into the philosophy of everything they do. Come to Camp North Star in Maine to see just how easy it is to make new friends that will last a lifetime.