The “Boost” Effect: How Campers Benefit Long After Summer Ends

Many people who enjoyed summer camp as a kid remember it fondly: the new friendships created, connection to nature and the chance to explore new challenges on their own, away from parents and typical everyday responsibilities. But did you know some of the most important take-aways from overnight camp are benefits that last an entire lifetime?

Research completed by the American Camp Association (ACA) suggests that a positive camp experience can give young people a developmental “boost” that strengthens skills and personal qualities both in the short term and long after the camp experience ends. 

At Camping4Girls, we believe that by supporting 4^th grade girls through a week-long camping experience, we are contributing far more than a week of adventure — we are setting girls up for a lifetime of confidence, resilience and the courage to pursue success.

Camp Creates Conditions for Growth

A five-year ACA National Impact Study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Utah, explored the impacts of organized summer camp experiences on young people — and the long-term benefit findings are encouraging.

According to the study, youth who were highly engaged at camp tended to experience an overall strong sense of belonging, supportive relationships with camp staff and opportunities for hands-on, experiential learning.

For Camping4Girls participants, growth comes from new experiences among a community designed to help her succeed. She has camp staff encouraging her every day, peers learning alongside her and opportunities to contribute as a unique member of a group. She experiences what it feels like to ask for help, offer her help to someone else and discover that she has value to contribute in different situations. 

That combination of belonging, positive adult and peer relationships and learning by doing is important to personal growth. Campers get to practice skills for cooperating, problem-solving and perseverance in real time. 

The “Boost” Follows Campers Home

The most encouraging outcome of the ACA study was high-quality camp experiences were associated with benefits, or “boosts”, both shortly following the camp experience as well as many years later. 

The short-term boost: Researchers found that campers experienced developmental boosts as early as the fall following summer camp. These boosts included openness to unfamiliar situations, learning to trust her own judgment and learning to lead, listen or help. Parents of campers also reported that their children had better friendships following a higher-quality versus lower-quality camp experience.

The longer-term boost: The study also found connections between high-quality camp experiences and positive outcomes for campers several years after camp attendance. Among them were greater willingness to try new things, grit, stronger friendships and appreciation for nature.

Overall, the findings suggest that what children practice and discover at camp may follow them long after camp. Skills strengthened for one summer can continue benefiting them as they return home, head back to school and encounter new experiences in the years ahead. 

From Camp to School

The research also illustrated that young people who had high-quality camp experiences generally had better school experiences by the following spring compared to their peers. The camp’s effects on social awareness, grit and willingness to try new things were partly carried forward through improvements in school experiences. 

Note: camp doesn’t exist in isolation from the rest of a child’s life. The ACA researchers describe camp as one part of a larger “developmental ecosystem” — an experience that can complement what children learn and experience at home, school and elsewhere.

Why Access to Camp Matters

For a 4^th grade girl and her parents, this research is exciting. A week spent becoming a little more independent, connecting with new friends and discovering “I can do this” can give her positive experiences and self-confidence to draw upon as she heads back to school and continues growing into adulthood.

Of course, not every girl has the same opportunities to attend camp. This unfortunate truth underscores why Camping4Girls exists.

The ACA study found that youth from families with fewer socioeconomic resources attended camp for fewer weeks and over fewer years than their peers, if at all. Researchers specifically recommended reducing barriers to camp access through approaches such as scholarships and partnerships with schools, churches and other community organizations.

By giving selected fourth-grade girls a cost-free week at summer camp and mentorship, Camping4Girls helps create these important experiences that offer potential for lasting positive impact to girls who might not otherwise have that opportunity. Better yet, our members get to meet our campers, provide individual support and offer ongoing encouragement even after her camp experience.

From Camp to Life

The week itself will end, but that’s what makes the “boost” effect so powerful. If you’re considering whether your daughter is ready for camp, you may want to also consider what she’d be missing without the experience. Camp gives girls a place to practice becoming more responsible, capable, connected and confident. These are skills they can take with them into whatever experiences come next. For Camping4Girls, one week at camp is just the beginning to great things ahead!