Growing up, my summers were all baseball—every inning, every pitch. Camp wasn’t part of my world. But watching my kids spend seven weeks off the grid has completely changed my perspective- credit 100% Mom. No screens, just sunshine, sports, goofy games, and camp traditions. It’s been eye-opening, and I truly admire the family that has kept this camp running in central Pennsylvania for generations.

Not long ago, I read an article titled “Overnight Summer Camps Are Better for Your Kids than SAT Prep Classes.” One part stuck with me. The author, a mother, mentioned how another parent asked, “Do you even like your children?” when she said she was sending them to overnight camp. It made me laugh, but her response was perfect: “We do it because we truly think it will help our kids be successful in life… camp is one of the best competitive advantages we can give our children.”

The beauty of camp is the chance it gives kids to unplug and think creatively. How does that connect to college? Well, while camp won’t directly help with calculus, it absolutely prepares kids for campus life. A former dean of admissions at Harvard put it this way: “What can be negative is when people lose sight of the fact that it’s important to develop broadly as a human being, as opposed to being an achievement machine. In the end, people will do much better reflecting through some down time in the summer.”

Studies back this up. Camp enhances leadership skills, self-control, independence, decision-making, and self-esteem. Dr. Michael Thompson summed it up perfectly: “There are things that, as a parent, you cannot do for your children, as much as you might wish to. You cannot make them happy (if you try too hard, they become whiners); you cannot give them self-esteem and confidence (those come from their own accomplishments); you cannot pick their friends or micromanage their social lives, and finally, you cannot give them independence. The only way children grow into independence is to have their parents open the door and let them walk out. That’s what makes camp such a life-changing experience for children.”

Research highlights the skills that predict long-term success, and camp fosters them. A former Princeton dean even recommended that high schoolers return to camp as counselors instead of chasing resume-padding internships. The Partnership for 21st Century Skills outlines what major employers want from graduates: communication, collaboration, creativity, and leadership—the very skills kids build at camp.

As the camp mom and author concluded, “My kids might not have anything ‘constructive’ to place on their college application from camp, but they will reflect, unwind, think, and laugh. They will explore, perform skits, and make lifelong friends. The result will be that when they come back from the summer, in addition to having gobs of creativity and independence, they will be more comfortable with who they are as people.”

In the end, those life skills make camp priceless. They equip kids to navigate college and beyond, confident in their abilities to adapt, connect, and thrive. Camp, it turns out, is one of the best investments we can make in our kids’ futures.

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One of the most unforgettable camp traditions is the Rope Burn—exactly what it sounds like. Picture a massive bonfire, opposing teams working together under arcane rules, and, of course, lots and lots of fire. It’s more than just a game; it’s a test of teamwork, resilience, and quick thinking. The thrill of finally burning through that rope, after countless attempts and smoky setbacks, leaves kids with a sense of accomplishment they’ll never forget.