Essential Qualities to Look for in a Summer Camp for Teens

If you have a teenager, even the mention of summer camp can cue the largest of eye rolls. While some teens may associate camp as an experience solely for younger kids, summer camp can actually offer some real benefits to teens — fun being the biggest one!

If you’re looking to send your teen to summer camp, there are some qualities to look for to ensure your child has a great time, while even scoring you some serious cool cred. Here’s what any teen-friendly camp should have on offer:

The chance to choose

Muskoka Woods offers “Senior High Soars” for campers ages 14 to 16. This ultimate camp experience allows campers to choose their own adventures whether they want to hone their athletic skills, hang at the beach with their friends or tackle their skills at fashion design or digital photography. There are also camp games and a competition to win the Kamati Cup!

The opportunity to lead

Learning leadership skills is important for teens as they embark on their teenage years. These skills can also carry them through into adulthood as it teaches them about perseverance, negotiation and decision-making. It can also give teens a serious boost in self-esteem and confidence. Look for a camp that has programs and/or workshops that incorporates leadership skills in the camp curriculum. Muskoka Woods has developed a program specifically to help teens develop personal skills and leadership abilities teens need to become the CEO of their own lives. The CEO program, which stands for Challenge, Experience and Opportunity, is four weeks and includes a canoe trip, a high school credit and practical work experience. 

The thrill of taking safe risks

A lot of teenagers are thrill-seekers. They want to push boundaries and test their skills to their highest abilities. Look for a camp that offers enticing activities like heart-pumping rock climbing, zip-lining or wakeboarding. The adventure-seeking teen will love you for it.

The opportunity to rise to the occasion

When teens go to camp, parents have no choice but to ground their helicopters and let teens experience their own accountability, responsibility and independence. Look for a camp whose motto is to grow your teen’s independence in lieu of babysitting them. This will help nurture their transition from teens to young adults.

About the Author

Rachel Naud lives in Toronto with her husband, 16-year-old son and Old English Sheepdog, Stanley. When she's not busy with the three boys in her life, she is also the founder and editor of INBETWEEN magazine, a digital magazine geared to parents of teens. Rachel can often be seen on morning shows across the country, talking about trends and products relevant to that demographic. She has appeared on The Morning Show, Breakfast TV, CTV Winnipeg, CTV Ottawa and more. In addition, Rachel is also the coordinator of the Lifestyle Media program at Centennial College in Toronto, where she also teaches students a variety of subjects in Lifestyle Media. To unwind, Rachel loves to cook while mostly blasting The Chicks.

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