“Research shows that children are spending half as much time outside as they did 20 years ago – and much more time doing ‘inside activities,” writes researcher Juster, F. Thomas.
According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average kid listens to 2.5 hours of music each day, watches almost five hours of TV and movies, and spends three hours surfing the Internet and playing video games. Yikes! That’s no way to spend a summer vacation. So, it is up to you, as a parent, to help fill your child’s summer with fun, engaging, and physical activities that exercise both the mind and body.
“Parents occupy a privileged position in terms of influencing their children’s physical activity,” says Cheryl A. Zecevic et al.
Get Your Kids Up & Active
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends that children get moderate to vigorous activity for a at least one hour, per day.
“Children have a great need for physical exercise and activity and a chance to use their muscles to run, swing, jump, skate and ride a bike, and to be out in the fresh air and sunshine,” says Dr. Kathleen Alfano. And a 2010 study conducted by One Poll in the UK reported 85 percent of children ages 6-12 want more adventure in their lives – camping, biking, hiking, climbing – which are all activities “generally promoted for their positive effect on children’s physical health,” says Dr. Amika Singh.
Summer Camp Helps Get Kids Outside & Moving This Summer
Only about 10 percent of children spend time outdoors every day, according to a nationwide poll conducted by The Nature Conservancy. This lack of outdoor time can have a direct impact on the health of your child, both physical and emotional.
“In a distracting digital world, camp offers valuable space where kids can slow down, connect and focus,” says Christa Melnyk Hines, Indy’s Child.
Terrapin Adventures, conveniently located in Howard County, Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington DC, offers three fun and exciting summer camp experiences designed to challenge your children physically and intellectually, and help them develop important life skills.
- Ultimate Adventure Camp: Each day, campers will embark on an exciting adventure, learning new outdoor leadership skills along the way. They will have a thrilling week participating in mountain biking, kayaking, ropes and much more!
- Rock N’ Adventure Camp: Earth Treks Columbia once again to bring you our Rock N’ Adventure program, which introduces campers to the basics of Rock Climbing.
- Adventure Expeditions Camp: Campers will discover their inner adventurer during their week at Adventure Expeditions Camp! We provide campers instructions as they try new outdoor adventure skills including camping, climbing, kayaking, biking, archery, slacklining, and more!
“The environment and activities at camp incorporate all of the elements of healthy youth development,” according to a study conducted by Harris Interactive. “Summer camp provides young people with productive and creative uses for their time by offering a valuable mix of both physical and intellectual activities.”
Sign Up for Summer Camp!
Give your child a new experience that they’ll remember for years to come. We maintain a ratio of one Camp Counselor for every six campers, providing encouragement, support and a helping hand when needed.
If you have any questions, please call Terrapin Adventure at 301.725.1313, or email us at info@terrapinadventures.com to learn more.
Sources
- Alfano, Kathleen . “The Benefits of Outdoor Play.” Fisher Price, 2 Aug. 2017, www.fisher-price.com/en_US/parenting-articles/outdoor-play/the-benefits-of-outdoor-play. Accessed 25 Sept. 2017.
- Davis, Julie. “Exercise Boosts Kids’ Brain Health, Too.” WebMD, HealthDay, www.webmd.com/children/news/20180105/exercise-boosts-kids-brain-health-too.
- Dineen Wagner, Karen. “Mental Health Benefits of Exercise in Children.” Psychiatric Times, UBM, www.psychiatrictimes.com/child-adolescent-psychiatry/mental-health-benefits-exercise-children.
- Hines, Christa Melnyk . “8 Benefits of Summer Camp.” Indy’s Child Parenting Magazine, 28 Feb. 2017, indyschild.com/the-benefits-of-summer-camp/.
- Juster, F. Thomas et al. (2004). “Changing Times of American Youth: 1981-2003”, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan. Child Development Supplement
- Rapaport, Lisa. “Childhood obesity climbing with media use, European doctors warn.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 14 Dec. 2017, www.reuters.com/article/us-health-childobesity-europe-media/childhood-obesity-climbing-with-media-use-european-doctors-warn-idUSKBN1E834R.
- Ryan, Richard M., et al. “Vitalizing effects of being outdoors and in nature.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 30, no. 2, 2010, pp. 159–168., doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2009.10.009
- “Study Shows Kids Tethered to Technology.” ABC News, ABC News Network, 20 Jan. 2010, abcnews.go.com/WN/kids-electronics-study-shows-kids-spend-hours-day/story?id=9616699.