“Camps are always a good idea.” – Audrey Hepburn. Okay, she might have said “Paris is always a good idea”, but we are sure she would have agreed with our minor edit! There are many reasons why parents are great believers in camps. They give your child the opportunity to learn something new, to form new friendships, and to gain independence. It doesn’t matter if they join a day camp or a sleepover camp, an art camp or a wilderness camp, if they participate for a week or for two full months; your children will grow from this amazing experience. But with so many camp options, how do you choose just one? We think you don’t need to. Why not create a wholesome experience by immersing your child in a variety of activities? Here are 5 reasons why an art camp should be a part of that experience:

1. Specialty Camps have grown in popularity

Specialized Camps have become more and more popular throughout the years. While traditional camps offer a small glimpse of many different activities, specialized camps allow children to deeply immerse themselves into a new or favourite activity. Language Camps, Science Camps, Soccer Camps, Adventure Camps are just some of the many possibilities out there. They usually run on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, which means kids can try out many different camps throughout the summer.

Art Camps give your child the freedom to express themselves, to be creative, to develop fresh ideas, to take risks, and to dream.

2. Taught by professionals

The type of instruction at a specialty camp far exceeds that at a community centre. Most camp counsellors at community centres are students returning home for the summer. They are capable of teaching the basics of many different activities but they are not usually experts in any one. Children do not gain real value from these types of programs, in fact, it ends up becoming a glorified baby sitting service.

Our Art Camp is taught by professional artists that not only lead our summer camps but who teach in our studio throughout the year. Art is their passion and they want to share that with their students.

3. Makes for a well-rounded child

Similar to school, being exposed to different activities diversifies a child’s skills. It is important for your child to try new things and to discover new passions. Throwing in a week of French Immersion at a language camp could get them excited about learning French in school, and learning how to canoe at an outdoor camp will satisfy their need for adventure. A week in volleyball camp will teach them hand-eye coordination and how to work as a team.

Exposure to art will teach them how to interpret information, how to visualize their ideas, to criticize, to make choices, to develop cultural awareness and appreciation of the arts.

4. Develops important life skills

Specialized camps provides children with the tools that will help them achieve in life. They develop a wide range of skills that will carry them throughout school and adulthood.

Through art education, kids will improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Students develop the ability make observations and to draw conclusions. They learn to develop thoughtful interpretation. They must support their reasoning with evidence and improves academic performance. These skills are only the tip of the “art benefits” iceberg. PBS Parents wrote a great article showcasing the many benefits of art education. Fine motor skills are improved in young children as they learn to use different artistic tools. Exposure to art terminology and jargon contributes to language development. Making art such as drawing, sculpting, and painting enhances visual-spatial skills.

5. Allows for infinite creativity

Art education gives children the opportunity to be creative. More often than not, we forget how necessary creativity is. Whether at work or school, we have been taught to follow a certain format or to adhere to certain guidelines. Art education allows children to simply be who they are, to tap into their inner world, and to interpret that into their art. They feel liberated when they are free of goals and exceptations. When kids join our art camp, we want them to be as comfortable as they can be, as creative as they can be, and as expressive as they want to be. The beautiful thing about art camp is that they get to take their masterpieces home with them!