The mercury is rising (or the digital thermometer numbers) and school will be out soon. This begs the age-old question, “Where are the kids going to go?” Day camps, like the very ones we have at Sparkles! at Fair Oaks and Chantilly, are the places for fun, safe and educational childcare for your kiddos once that final dismissal bell has rung. Whether you’re a working parent or you’re a stay-at-home parent just looking for something fun for your kids to do this summer, you can take advantage of our flexible drop off and pick-up times. Here are 11 reasons why day camps are good for kids.
- Routine – Children thrive on routines, and when school lets out it’s easy for their little worlds to spiral into chaos without the structure of a school day. Day camp provides that much-needed structure to keep everybody happy and productive during the summer months.
- Fun – Summer is supposed to be a time for relaxation. Although your children will have structured days, that doesn’t mean fun goes out the window. Day camps provide all sorts of creative, fun activities for children.
- Excursions – Who doesn’t love a field trip? Your kids don’t have to miss out on fun day trips just because you have to work. Sparkles offers field trips to Wolf Trap, Luray Caverns, The Spy Museum and more.
- Weekly themes – Kids won’t have the opportunity to get bored with fun weekly themes like Mad Science Week, Water Works, Discovering Dinosaurs and more.
- Safety – Sparkles has many security measures in place to make sure your little ones are safe. You can use MyToddlerLink and Watch Me Grow secure remote cameras to view what’s going on in your child’s classroom. We have added security measures like fingerprint scanning for check-in and check-out, coded doors and a Procare child management system that logs who is checking your child in and out at all times.
- Friends – Kids get the opportunity to mix with new peers and meet new friends that they might not normally meet. Summer camps are a great bonding experience.
- A good alternative to sleep-away camp – Maybe your kids aren’t quite ready to be away from you for a longer period of time for traditional sleep-away camp. Or maybe you want to have your kids close by so you can spend quality time together in the evenings. Day camp gives your children all the chances for summer fun and bonding with friends and the opportunity to go home each night and spend time with you.
- Cure for the “I’m bored” blues – There are only so many do-it-yourself crafts you can think of to keep the kids occupied for an entire summer. Day camp staff members do the planning for you and come up with new ways to keep kids entertained.
- Teamwork – Working and playing collaboratively is a big part of the day camp experience. Camp activities and play time teach cooperation and sharing.
- A little “me time” for mom and dad – Parents work hard, whether they work inside or outside of the home, and deserve a little break. Day camp can provide a safe, fun environment so you can sneak in a gym session or coffee date guilt-free, knowing your kids are having the time of their lives.
- Education – When kids are out of school for several months at a time, a lot of the things they learn start to fade into the background of their memories. Staying active at camp, both physically and mentally, will keep your kids’ minds sharp. Plus, we find creative ways to educate your children while they have a fun summer experience.
Learn more about our summer camps by visiting our summer camp webpage and downloading the activities calendar for your preferred location.
