Why Kids Need A Break From Covid

Children are currently under huge physical, emotional, social and physiological stress. With isolation, over-reliance on screens, lack of sports and play and prevailing fears, experts are reporting an increase in behavioral, academic and emotional problems including anxiety, low grades and depression. 

At Sugar Bay, every child’s health and safety have always been and will continue to be our number one priority. We will do everything in our power to protect your child emotionally as well as physically. We have always had very strict hygiene and safety protocols in place to reduce the risk of infections at camp. With the new Covid-19 regulations, these have been expanded so we can ensure the safety and well-being of all our staff and guests.

When children come to Sugar Bay, we want them to leave with a greater sense of personal efficiency, a broader outlook on life and skills to succeed in the world.

Our camp programs and activities are designed to support the emotional, physical and social development of children including:

1. Build Self-Confidence

Our choice of careers, relationships and other important life decisions are heavily influenced by how we see ourselves. Fear and doubt is affecting all our minds right now and is leading to lower self-confidence and self-esteem. Children in their formative years are most vulnerable to these negative effects. Self-esteem is learned through taking action and earning results. Camps provide numerous structured opportunities for children to succeed both independently and as a team. Counselors provide encouragement, acceptance, support, a ‘can do' attitude which is calculated to enhance their confidence and feelings of well-being. A wide variety of activities provide many opportunities for students to experience a sense of achievement. Whether by catching a fish, dancing on stage, or learning to spin poi, every child will develop higher levels of self-confidence in a non-competitive camp environment. Camps empower children to change the conversations in their minds so that they can be their best selves despite the uncertainties around them. Students will leave with a new sense of self-worth having been empowered to value themselves.

2. Promote Resiliency

Children are quick to pick up on anxiety and they will emulate the feelings of others. At this time of a worldwide panic, there can be no more crucial time for our kids to develop resiliency. To be resilient means to get up and push forward after an inevitable setback. Homes are safe cocoons but they provide little opportunity for children to overcome obstacles and develop resiliency, one of life’s most essential skills. Camps provide the ideal environment where children can face challenges, practice overcoming obstacles, try new things and develop a sense of resiliency. We encourage determination, patience and a drive to succeed. We teach the value of effort and help kids believe in themselves. A child might not stand up the first time they try to surf, but they learn not to give up and keep trying. Once they succeed, they will feel stronger and more resilient than they did before. Away from parents, children are often more willing to try something new and learning new things, which in turn, teaches positive outlets to cope with life struggles.

 

3. Ignite Creativity

Children have so little time for free play with their days jam-packed with school, travel, homework, sport and extra murals. While they do have some structure, camps are more relaxed and provide time and freedom for spontaneous play. There are countless benefits to unstructured play. It’s how children express their thoughts and emotions, make friends, resolve conflicts, build negotiating skills and relieve stress. But most importantly, it’s how children explore their imagination and develop their creative thinking skills. Creativity is the cornerstone to success and progress. It inspires people to make a difference to the world around them. The natural environment of camp will stimulate student’s creative wild side as we encourage their creative minds to run free.

4. Develop Social Skills

One of the most important life lessons is the ability to interact well with others. Social skills are built through opportunities to interact with peers in different settings. This important skill must be learned during the crucial formative years. During this pandemic, children have been deprived of opportunities to practice and develop social skills. Camps allow children to practice decision-making, improve their communication and develop their social skills in a relaxed setting. Children will strengthen established relationships as they try new activities and overcome challenges. They will develop new friendships with children of similar interests in a fun and relaxed setting, free of pressure and media distraction.

5. Provide Individual Support

Many childhood problems originate from a sense of isolation and lack of attention. At Sugar Bay, our high student: counselor ratio and 24-hour supervision mean that children receive a lot more individual attention than at school. Our carefully selected, trained and supervised counselors are equipped to convey teachable moments in a variety of settings whilst developing and building upon personal competencies. Children thrive when they receive personal support in a nurturing, safe, and positive environment. They get to know and form new relationships with dynamic, energetic, enthusiastic and caring role models.

6. Be Technology Free

Children are currently spending more than eight hours a day in front of a screen. Too much media time reduces time spent sleeping and reading and has a negative impact on performance in school. Camp helps children connect to the joy of life beyond the screen by providing endless opportunities to engage their minds in ways they'll enjoy. Regardless of what your child's interests are, they will learn and socially interact in a healthy real-world setting. Time away from the screen is vital to a child's brain, body, spirit and future, and could benefit us all.

 

7. Encourage a connection with nature

Speaking of time away from technology, kids also need nature in their lives. Too much time indoors dulls the senses and deprives children of simple pleasures in life. Camps provide a huge range of outdoor activities in a safe natural environment. The benefits are endless and the rewards are life-changing. Nature stimulates all the senses. When a child is outdoors, they get to see, touch, hear, smell and sometimes even taste nature. Sensory development makes life richer, fuller and all-around more pleasurable. Nature helps children experience the magic and wonder of childhood, and it gets them thinking about life's greatest mysteries.

8. Inspire A Sense Of Adventure

One of the biggest benefits of summer camp is it takes children out of their comfort zone and pushes them to try new things, as well as explore their already established interests. They will leave camp with a stronger sense of identity and a better idea of what they love, which may help them choose a career path in the future.

9. Promote Active Lifestyles And Improved Fitness And Health

Being active is vital for physical, mental and emotional health. It helps maintain a healthy weight which in turn boosts confidence and helps manage stress. Even before lockdown, only one in three children were physically active every day. Without physical activity in childhood, one is less likely to carry good exercise habits into adulthood. Camps encourage healthy eating and physical activity by giving them opportunities to participate in a variety of fun new physical activities at any skill level. Children have the freedom to choose their activities which encourages participation and involvement. They thrive in being able to run, skip, jump, climb, laugh, play and breathe fresh air while benefiting from a healthy dose of natural Vitamin D. No digital devices. No overwhelming social media. Just good clean fun.

10. Promote Independence

Independence is vital to becoming a self-sufficient adult. With more and more time spent in the home, children are at risk of becoming too dependent on their parents. We need to encourage children to explore by giving them a safe environment where they can make decisions independently. Camp nurtures all these elements. Children will take responsibility, manage decisions and develop their own sense of self as they explore new interests and discover their own strengths. They learn to trust their inner voice instead of depending on a parent to tell them what to do. For some children, this may be their first time away from home. They may feel very anxious about leaving their safety-net. The safe and nurturing environment of the camp is the ideal stepping stone for them. Our staff is experienced in dealing with homesickness and takes care to guide them in their transition to independence. Most children exceed their expectations and return home with a new sense of independence having learned to care for themselves, each other and their environment. 

 

Click here to read about the COVID-19 safety protocols we follow at Sugar Bay.

Click Here to download a PDF version of our COVID-19 safety protocols. 

If there is one thing that the lockdown period has reminded us of is the importance of family and friends. Should your child want to escape the indoors in search of adventure, Sugar Bay is always here for you. Visit www.sugarbay.co.za for more information.