Photo Courtesy Crista Camps

There are many things working against healthy relationships today. One that we may not know the full impact of yet is the decline of emotional intelligence. Camp may be one solution to this problem.

In a study of 6th graders who went away for five days of nature camp, researchers found their ability to recognize nonverbal social cues improved. Apparently, after time spent playing outside, having adventures without any screen time, fully unplugged, students are able to look at someone and read their facial expressions and tell if they are upset or happy, concerned or excited. Understanding these emotional cues is crucial for good relationships and social development. The power of camp is good for the emotional well-being of kids. Just one more reason to send your child or teen to camp!