Three summers ago, our then-five-year-old wanted absolutely nothing to do with camp. The idea of going somewhere without Mommy and Daddy? Hard pass. The tears were real. The hesitation was strong. And if I’m honest, I wasn’t completely confident either. I never went to summer camp growing up, so I couldn’t relate, but I knew it would be good for her.
Fast-forward to today, and we’re sending our now 8-year-old back to day camp for the third summer in a row.
This time, she’s excited. She’s inviting friends who’ve never been. She’s even entertaining the idea of trying overnight camp someday — a milestone I genuinely didn’t think we’d reach.
What changed? Well, she’s been before. She knows what camp feels like now.
And more importantly, she’s not who she was at five years old.
She’s grown. She’s braver. She’s stretched that comfort zone a little bit more.
So why do we send our most precious gifts away from the “safety” of home for hours — even days at a time?
Change happens when we're uncomfortable.
As adults, we know this is true. The moments that shaped us most rarely felt easy at the time.
Growth often looks like awkwardness. Like nerves. Like trying something new and wondering if we can handle it.
It’s no different for our kids. And honestly, they’re way better at handling those situations sometimes. They have to restart school every year with a new bunch of kids and navigate all those new friendships.
Camp provides another safe space for those same kinds of interactions, but in a different environment. It gently pushes them beyond what feels familiar. It removes the constant safety net of home and gives them space to discover, “I can do this.”
And that realization? It builds confidence in a way few other things can.
Another big benefit?
Camp gives kids much-needed time away from screens.
It allows our kids to be immersed in the beauty of creation.
Instead of tablets and TVs, they get hiking trails. Instead of video games, they get rock walls. Instead of scrolling, they get to explore in canoes and kayaks.
They try new activities — zip lines, creek hikes, horseback riding — and sometimes discover passions they didn’t even know they had.
They learn how to have conversations with other kids IN PERSON, away from shorthand texts (for those that have phones). They also get to meet new kids who may not look like them, think like them, or live exactly like them.
They spend their days together and learn to practice kindness, selflessness, inclusion, and teamwork.
The most important benefit of sending kids to camp, notably a Christ-centered camp:
Camp can have a powerful impact on a kid’s faith journey.
Summer camp on its own is incredible. But when summer camp is also a Christian camp, it can be genuinely life-changing.
At a place like New Life Ranch, fun and faith aren’t separate. They’re woven together.
Campers sing fun songs about Jesus. They interact with high school and college-aged leaders (way cooler than their parents) who genuinely love the Lord. They hear the same truths that we parents may be teaching at home, but in new ways that spark their curiosity. They see faith lived out in leaders sharing their testimonies, and even in a kid jumping off the zip-line tower for the first time.
And something powerful happens when kids realize their faith isn’t just “Mom and Dad’s thing.” It becomes their own
In summary, yes, camp is fun. But the benefits run deeper:
- It stretches them beyond their comfort zone.
- It surrounds them with godly leaders.
- It gives them a safe environment to practice an active faith outside of home.
- It encourages ownership — of their choices, their confidence, and their relationship with God.
by Melody Albritton, camper mom.
