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Hailey Eisen, Our Kids Go to Camp 2012
Camp Life Skills :
1. How to Make More Friends 2. How to Overcome Challenges 3. How to Get Fit 4. How to Love the Earth 5. How to Lead
With video games, Facebook and smartphones all vying for a young person's attention, the national epidemic of obesity and inactivity won't be easy to overcome.
A recent Statistics Canada study found that only seven per cent of youth aged six to 19 got the recommended hour a day of exercise they need.
Enter summer camp, where physical activity is well disguised in the form of fun and games, allowing youth to adopt a healthy lifestyle, often without even realizing it.
"Our study found that campers' attitudes toward physical activity really improved toward the end of the camping session," Glover says. "When given a choice, these campers will now choose physical activity because they realize it makes them feel good and contributes to their well-being."
Along with banning the use of electronics, many camps provide a daily routine that involves waking up early, getting lots of physical activity, eating regular meals and spending extended periods of time outdoors.
"At camp you're always on your feet, always on the move, even if you're just walking to a meal," Glover says. "So, it's not about forcing kids to spend 20 minutes on a treadmill, but rather easing them into an active lifestyle that includes lots of walking, engaging in team sports and playing outside with other kids."
At many camps like Base de Plein Air Mont-Tremblant in Quebec, campers have access to activities such as boating and waterskiing, mountain climbing, archery, forest games and camping—all providing exercise but disguising it as play.
"Camp life is much different than city life," says the camp's director, Jean-Pierre L'Heureux. "Here, we have no TV, no Internet access and no cellphones, so kids have no choice but to socialize with their friends while participating in activities."
Video games and social media may prove to be tough competition, but once kids realize how much fun and accessible physical activity can be, it's much easier to get them off the couch and out the door.
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