camps
Self-Determination at
camp
BY HEIDI SMITH LUEDTKE, PHD
P
arents spend a lot of time trying to motivate kids. We use chore charts, checklists, reminders and rewards to get them to feed the dog, clean their rooms, and complete schoolwork. But these techniques don’t change behavior long-term. Real motivation must come from within.
The Psychology of Summer Camp
Time at camp may be all it takes to spark a little selfdetermination in your kid. I know it sounds too good to be true. Your school-age slacker – the one who expects you to find his homework and pack his lunch – might start doing some things for himself. And your often-bored tween might come home with more pep in her step. Psychologists use self-determination theory (SDT) to explain why some experiences make us feel engaged and excited while others drain and deplete us. The premise is simple: when an activity meets our needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, we are energized and empowered. Kids’ basic needs are no different from adults’. Kids want to do things for themselves. They crave a sense of accomplishment and routinely seek feedback. (“Look what I made, Mom!”) And kids thrive on connections with loved ones and peers. Feelings of belonging will boost their self-worth. Summer camp offers loads of opportunities to meet all these needs. And that should make kids (and the parents who love them) very happy campers indeed.
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ABOVE & BEYOND CENTER FOR CHILDREN 972-870-9282
Autonomy
The need for autonomy is satisfied when kids control their own lives. At camp, your son will have endless opportunities to care for himself. Staff won’t select his clothes, organize the contents of locker, or remind him to put on deodorant. No one will delay dessert until he eats his veggies. Independence is what camp is all about. Don’t worry. The world won’t stop if your son wears the same shirt three days in a row. His peers will speak up if he gets super stinky. During the school year, many kids jump from one regularly scheduled activity to the next with no unstructured time in between. Camp puts kids in charge of their own activities. Maybe your daughter will take a hike. Maybe she’ll paint pottery. Maybe she’ll write you an email. It’s up to her to decide how she’ll spend her free time. One thing is certain: she won’t sit around whining about having nothing to do. And if she does, you won’t be there to hear it.
Competence
The need for competence is satisfied when kids learn new things and get positive feedback about their efforts. Your kid might choose a camp focused on art, science, sports, or music. Or he may opt for a good old-fashioned sleep-away experience, complete with row boats and weenie roasts. Some camp activities may be outside your kid’s comfort zone. Stretching is good. Your child may be unsure she can cross the slippery log over the creek. She may tremble with excitement
ADVENTURE DAY CAMPS 972-338-5438 www.adventuredaycamps.com ADVENTURE KIDS PLAYCARE Flower Mound 972-899-2060 Frisco 972-668-5990 Highland Village 972-317-4158 Southlake 817-488-4600 Plano 972-612-5400 www.adventurekidsplaycare.com AMERICAN GYMNASTICS ACADEMY 817-741-7723 www.americangymnasticstx.com AQUA TYKES 214-585-2406 www.aquatykestx.com ASPIRING MINDS MONTESSORI 972-370-8295 www.aspiringmindsmontessori.com BEDFORD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 817-545-5437 www.bedfordchristianacademy.org BLACK MUSTANG RANCH 817-915-8455 www.blackmustangranch.com
camps BOB JONES NATURE CENTER 817-491-6333 www.bjnc.org BROOKHAVEN COLLEGE 972-860-4600 www.brookhavencollege.edu/youthprograms CAMP INVENTION 800-968-4332 www.campinvention.org CHARIS HILLS 888-681-2173 www.charishills.org CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY CENTER 214-755-5603 www.firstirvingfamily.org/cdc.html CHILDREN’S TREEHOUSE BUCKINGHAM 972-530-8438 www.treehouse4kids.net CITY OF ARLINGTON 817-277-5001 www.naturallyfun.org suburbanparent.com
about her role in the theater production. Peers and counselors will coax her along and give constructive advice. By the end of camp, she’ll be the star of her own adventure stories. If your kid is an experienced camper, encourage him to share what he knows with newbies. Being an ambassador or mentor affirms kids’ competence in a big way. Teaching a peer how to trim a sail or chip a golf ball out of the tall grass will take your son’s skills to a higher level. His confidence will soar in response.
Relatedness
Your biggest concerns about summer camp may center on the social scene. Your child may not know anyone on arrival. That’s okay. Camps create connections in many ways. Your kid will be instantly bonded with bunkmates because they share a home base. Family-style dining and friendly competitions encourage interaction. The pursuit of shared goals – like building a robot or putting a frog in the counselor’s sleeping bag – cements kids’ camaraderie. Extroverted kids may make lots of friends at camp. Less sociable souls may not. What matters most is that kids have opportunities to talk, play and live with a diverse group of peers. They won’t all become fast friends. Learning to navigate the choppy waters of friendship formation is a big part of the camp experience. Your kid’s social skillset will expand – even if she doesn’t find a new BFF. No matter what your kid takes to camp, he’ll come home with a suitcase full of memories and a renewed sense of self-determination. You’ll see it as soon as he wakes from his long post-camp nap! SP
CITY OF IRVING SUMMER SPLASH CAMP www.cityofirving.org
DANA’S DANCE ACADEMY 972-259-1258
CLUB SCIENTIFIC DALLAS 214-530-5979 www.clubscientificdallas.com
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COPPELL MONTESSORI ACADEMY 972-462-8311 www.coppellmontessori.com COVENANT CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 817-281-4333 www.convenantchristian.net CROSSFIT ODYSSEY 214-234-0299 www.crossfit-odyssey.com CST SOCCER CAMP CLUB 972-318-2881 www.cstsoccerclub.com CUB CREEK SCIENCE CAMP 573-458-2125 www.myanimalcamp.com
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EXPLORATIONS PREPRATORY SCHOOL 972-539-0601 www.explorationsprep.com
DALLAS SUMMER MUSICALS ACADEMY 214-498-5434 www.academyatdsm.com
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FIRST PRESBYTERIAN GRAPEVINE 817-488-8526 www.fpcgv.org
GREAT LAKES ACADEMY 972-517-7498 www.greatlakesacademy.com
FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY 817-255-9300 www.fortworthmuseum.org
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HOLY TRINITY ACADEMY 972-490-7060 www.holytrinityacademy.com HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC SCHOOL 817-421-8000 www.holytcs.org HUNTINGTON LEARNING CENTER North Dallas 214-363-9500 www.north_dallas.huntingtonhelps.com Coppell 972-745-4343 I COLLEGE PREP 214-287-0904 IRVING ARTS CENTER 972-252-2787 www.irvingartscenter.com IRVING AQUATICS 972-264-2774 www.differentstrokesswimschool.com IRVING GYMNASTICS ASSOCIATION 972-721-2344 www.irvinggymnastics.net JCC DALLAS www.jccdallas.org
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972-219-3939 www.lcapreschool.org LAS COLINAS CHILDREN’S ACADEMY 972-870-1616 www.lccatx.com MARINA ALMAYEVA SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL BALLET 817-788-0818 www.ma-balletschool.com MARTIN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 817-354-9038 www.martinmethodist.org
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OAK CREST PRIVATE SCHOOL 214-483-5400 www.oakcrestschool.org
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MISS BLOOMINGDALE’S ACADEMY 972-869-9145 www.missbloomingdales.com MUSIC & DANCE PRESCHOOL 817-225-8188 www.musicdancepreschool.com NORTH CENTRAL BALLET 817-428-8232 www.northcentralballet.com NORTH RICHLAND HILLS MONTESSORI 817-281-9992 www.nrhmontessori.com NOVUS ACADEMY 817-488-4555 thenovusacademy.org
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PRIMROSE SCHOOLS www.primroseschools.com Bedford 817-545-5485 Bent Trail 972-380-1275 Breckinridge Park, Richardson 972-671-5437 Coppell 972-304-8888 East Allen, Allen 214-547-7267 Eldorado, McKinney 972-529-2091 Deerfield, Plano 972-208-1754 Firewheel, Garland 972-496-0011 Frisco West, Frisco 469-404-4222 Griffin Parc, Frisco 214-618-2700 Hall-Johnson 817-416-0404 Heritage 817-741-5044 Highland Village 972-317-9332 Keller 817-337-0717 Lakehill, Frisco 972-668-4300 Las Colinas 972-831-1000 Mid-Cities 817-485-8993 N. Lewisville 972-434-4001 North Plano, Plano 972-964-6826
PRIMROSE SCHOOLS www.primroseschools.com N.E. Flower Mound 972-691-3815 N.E. Green Oaks 817-543-2626 Old Orchard 972-315-9495 Parkwood Hill 817-281-5322 Prestmont, Plano 972-712-7746 Prestonwood, Dallas 469-791-9131 Stone Brooke, McKinney 972-529-6863 Valley Ranch 972-444-9500 Walnut Creek 817-477-0880 Wellington 972-691-9595 West Plano, Plano 972-403-3444 PRINCE OF PEACE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL 972-447-0532 www.popcs.org PRO MARTIAL ARTS 817-337-7869 www.promartialarts.com/keller REX PROGRAMMING 972-215-9962 www.rexprogramming.com R.I.S.E. (Rockwall Indoor Sports Expo) 972-772-9061 www.riserockwall.com RIVERCHASE MONTESSORI 972-745-1500 www.riverchasemontessori.com
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RIVERSIDE BUTTERFLY SCHOOL 972-745-0372
SAFESPLASH SWIM SCHOOL www.safesplash.com
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SMU IN PLANO 972-473-3412 www.sum.edu/summeryouth SOUTHLAKE TUTORING ACADEMY 817-251-6950 www.SouthlakeTutoringAcademy.com STEPPING STONES CHURCH CAMP DINOSAUR 972-548-1300 www.campdino.com ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE CATHOLIC SCHOOL 817-284-2228 www.stjs.org ST. LUKE CATHOLIC SCHOOL 972-253-8285 www.stlukeschool.us
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TEXAS KARATE DO 972-258-8333 www.texaskaratedo.com
ST. MARIA GORETTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL 817-275-5081
TEXAS PREMIER YOUTH SPORTS 469-834-8450 www.texaspremieryouthsports.com
ST. MICHAEL ACADEMY PRESCHOOL 817-358-0555 www.smapreschool.com
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ST. MONICA CATHOLIC SCHOOL 214-351-5688 www.stmonicaschool.org STONEGATE CHRISTIAN 972-790-0070 www.sgca.net
THE GUTHRIE SCHOOL 972-596-6929 www.guthrieschool.com THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE 972-539-7017 www.thelearningexperience.com
SUNSHINE GLAZE 817-424-1417 www.sunshineglaze.com
THE MASTER’S TOUCH SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS 817-488-6903 www.themasterstouchschool.com
TCU BASEBALL CAMP www.tcubaseballcamps.com
THE PADDOCK STABLES 469-583-1402 www.thepaddocksstables.com
TECH EDVENTURES 972-905-1777 www.techedventures.com
THE SLOAN SCHOOL 972-659-1199 www.thesloanschool.com
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THE SUGAR & SPICE RANCH CAMP 830-460-8487 www.sugarandspiceranch.com
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WESLEYAN ACADEME 972-252-4733 www.wesleyanacademe.org
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