6 reasons to attend holiday camps

So much more than child care

If only parents could take several weeks away from work during the school holidays, wouldn’t that be terrific?! Unfortunately, it simply isn’t possible for most of you, and we appreciate the plight of many working parents across the country looking for childcare whenever school breaks up.

First of all, if you are one of those parents or carers, then we are only too happy to provide the support you are looking for. But we think our camps are about more than this – so much so, many children come along to our camps even when they don’t need childcare! There are so many reasons to attend holiday camps.

Enriching young lives

There is so much goodness wrapped up in our holiday day camps that ensure children leave us feeling enriched, ready the thrive and contented. And in today’s blog, we’re taking a closer look at our camps to show you how we do what we do and more so, why hundreds of children across the UK join us during their Easter holidays, Half-term holidays and Summer holidays!

Ready? Let’s zoom in and check out United Education’s Top Six reasons to attend holiday camps!

Forge friendships

Whether your child has been to a camp before or attending their first one, we can guarantee you that they will make many friends! For starters, a welcoming camp leader is waiting to help your child settle in from when they arrive at camp – that’s at least one companion who makes sure their camp time is nothing but incredible!

Then there is the multitude of campers searching for the same outcomes as your child – a fun-packed holiday hanging out with other children just like them. It’s why we put our campers into groups based on their age, connecting them to people they are more likely to share interests with and enjoy spending time together.

Of course, they can always bring a school friend or two to the same camp. It’s a great way to ensure they see their BFFs outside of class as much as they do in class!

Stay physically active

If you’re wondering how much running around your child will do at camp, then don’t be – the answer is LOTS! Our timetable is jam-packed with activities where children can’t help but keep moving. Whether it’s a well-known sport they are familiar with – like football or basketball – or perhaps one that’s a little different – like ultimate Frisbee – we keep campers on the go as much as possible. With plenty of time in between to catch their breath, of course!

It’s widely known how good physical activity is for young developing minds, and it’s why we place this front and centre, giving campers lots of opportunities to release endorphins and feel great! It’s the same case at all of our holiday day camps – from our Adventure Camps to our Sports Camps to our Performing Arts Camps. And guess what? All of that exercise ensures they have a better night’s sleep too!

Put tech to one side

It’s not that we don’t like tech – far from it, using IT systems to help our leaders run our day camps smoothly, from morning registration to releasing children at the close of play. But there is a time and place for tech and, as far as our camps go, that’s an activity best done at home.

With one exception, of course – our Young Coders camps! Because learning to embrace technology is something children need to do, and with the rise in online games like Roblox and Minecraft, coding is now capturing the minds of many young people who want to build their own virtual worlds from scratch. If this sounds like the type of camp your child would love sticking their techy teeth into, visit our Young Coders web page for more details!

Dare to be different

If you are completely new to our camps, prepare to be dazzled by a smorgasbord of activities we call our timetable. We pack so much variety into each day that our schedule might even be a little overwhelming initially – to you and your child. But camps are designed that way for a reason: to provide plenty of familiar activities and new ones too.

In our experience, most children appreciate the opportunity to try something different. Perhaps they love a challenge or the chance to tap into a part of their personality, brain or physical ability they didn’t know existed. Maybe it’s something as simple as building a den for the first time or cooking Smores on a campfire. Perhaps they had never tried playing tennis before or attended a kids’ yoga class. At United Camps, variety is the spice of life, and we encourage everyone to try at least one new activity while they are with us. And don’t worry, because if that doesn’t suit your child, we will never push them to do something they’re uncomfortable with.

Embrace nature

There is nothing we repeat NOTHING like spending time outdoors. Most of our activities happen outdoors in the fresh air at our holiday camps – yes, even when it’s raining! Remember, children rarely feel the cold like us adults do and are happy to run, jump and play outdoors, whatever the weather.

For our youngest campers – our Mini Explorers, as we fondly refer to them – some activities are easier to do inside, such as painting or crafting. Don’t worry, though, as we make sure we vary our timetable to ensure even the littlest campers spend as much time outdoors as they do indoors. As for our ‘bigger’ kids aged 5 and upwards, they’ll do most of their activities outdoors from bouncing balls around to bushcraft.

Enjoy a change of scene

Because who wants to look at the same four walls (or garden fence) all summer! If there’s one thing you’re guaranteed at our camps, it’s plenty of new!

Even once you’re at camp, the backdrop will change regularly as you move from one to spot to the next for your activities. You might be in a field one minute, playing ball with other children as the sun shines down. The next, you might be wandering a wood-filled forest, following a track with only the branches above you providing shade. One thing is sure, the adventure changes rapidly throughout each day on camp, and no two moments are ever the same. It’s where memories of all shapes and sizes are made and cherished forever!

TOO many reasons to come to camp!

It’s true, there are LOTS of reasons to attend holiday camps. What a shame there are only a limited number of school holidays to enjoy them!

But did you notice yet what all of these reasons have in common? It’s this:

School holiday camps improve mental health.

Pure and simple. There are so many positives that result from spending just one day at camp, and collectively, they give any child a well-being boost. The physical activity, the social aspect of camp, the friendships, the time spent outdoors, the immersion in nature – these all help towards their feeling United. Campers leave us feeling all kinds of emotions at the end of the day – sometimes, they’re completely exhausted! But above everything, they are happy. And isn’t that all you want for them as a parent?