Resilience is associated with better academic performance, better behaviour and even has an impact on future employment and relationships.
It’s not just about self-esteem, it can mean having the ability to see challenges in a positive light, manage stress and interact confidently with peers.
At PGL we’re endlessly enthusiastic about the benefits of the outdoors and an active life, we also recognise that an outdoor adventure camp can change a child’s outlook and the way they interact with others.
Wellbeing is correlated with resilience, providing children with the capacity to cope with day-to day stress and challenges. The readiness to persevere when faced with unfamiliar and challenging learning situations creates the opportunity for success and achievement.
This quote comes from the government’s early years learning framework document ‘Belonging, Being & Becoming
How can school camp help with resilience?
Personal challenges
Activities like climbing or leap of faith take a personal challenge where courage can waver and add the positive dynamic of peer encouragement.
Creating a feeling of positive community within a school group promotes respectful relationships, allowing children to be confident in expressing their ideas and more receptive to suggestions from others.
Learning how to fail – and persevere!
One way to create resilience is learning how to fail – and then persist with a challenge to achieve success.
Our plan-do-review article shows how we support this with the raft-building activity.
Positive peer relationships
Being in an unfamiliar environment together helps connect children with others, interacting with people outside their normal friendship groups.
Skills of cooperation and collaborative working with others are key to a positive school community.
Manageable stress
Benefits can be had from taking a learning adventure in times of significant change – such as the transition from Primary to Secondary school.
In a Year 7 orientation camp children can improve their resilience with structured activity sessions and challenges.
Recognising achievements
Activities such as Initiative Exercises and Team Challenge promote both creative thinking and critical thinking.
Throughout the tasks we encourage children to support one another and celebrate team successes.
Last but definitely not least… The Great Outdoors!
Spending time in nature can help to lower stress and anxiety, especially if twinned with a digital detox (leave the phones at home!). Being away from the distractions of home and school life can allow a child to focus better.
We are conscious that lifelong memories are made on school camp, often of the kind that contribute to a child’s self-image. A positive attitude to challenges can go a long way to improve resilience, and we can have a lot of fun on the way!
If you want to book a school camp with us then call 1300 859 895 to discuss your requirements.
