20 September, 2026
Author: Irina Zaretcaia Cotruta
Why camp isn't a “holiday” but an investment in character
Children come back from camp different — and it's not just the tan. What the research says about camps' impact on confidence, independence and friendship, and how to choose a format that actually works.
Also available in:УкраїнськаRomână
What the research says
The American Camp Association conducted one of the largest studies of camp's impact on children — “Directions”. They surveyed more than 5,000 families from 80 camps — before the session, right after, and six months later. The results proved durable: the changes didn't fade when the child came home.
96%
of children say they made new friends at camp
92%
say camp helped them feel better about themselves
74%
did something they were afraid of at first
Source: American Camp Association, Directions: Youth Development Outcomes of the Camp Experience (2005)
Why it works
At home a child has “roles” — older sibling, the quiet one in class, the one who's bad at maths. At camp the roles are shed. A new environment, new people, and nobody knows “what you're like”. It's a rare chance to try being someone new.
Camp trains what is hard to train at a school desk:
- independence — pack your things, plan your day, figure things out without mum;
- social skills — negotiate, make peace, work in a team;
- resilience — fall off the surfboard and get up for the tenth time;
- courage — perform, propose an idea, try something new.
“Camp is a place where a child learns to be themselves when their parents aren't nearby.”
How to choose a camp that actually develops
- Ask about the programme: does it include projects with a result, not just “activities”?
- Find out who the counsellors and mentors are, and how many children per adult.
- Clarify how parents receive feedback during the session.
- Check whether there's a balance between learning, adventure and rest.
We've collected a detailed checklist of questions in the article “How to choose “the right” camp?”.
Ukraine, Greece or Portugal — at every Big Fish camp children try real projects, make friends and come home more confident.
Choose a camp ↗
