14 Benefits of Sending a Scout to Camp

What happens when a Scout spends a week at Camp Minsi? They have fun... and they grow.

Scouts jumping into a cool lake on a hot day, an archery bow stretched tight and aimed at a bullseye, roasting marshmallows over an open campfire — these are the images of Scouts at summer camp. However camp provides much more than just outdoor adventure and a week away from home. Hidden within the adventure lie the true benefits of a Scout’s week at camp.

If you’ve ever been to Camp Minsi, you won’t be surprised to hear about the benefits that a week at summer camp holds. Dedicated staff and top-notch programs provide Scouts with the pinnacle of the Scouting experience. But if you haven’t been to camp, you may not realize just how good the experience really is. Camp is a creative, educational, and cooperative outdoor living experience. Camp Minsi utilizes the natural surroundings and the Scouting methods to contribute significantly to physical, mental, spiritual, and social growth of it's campers.

Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement, once said: "A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room." And national BSA surveys show that a Scout leader has a 300% better chance of retaining a Scout in the program if they attend summer camp during their first year. Camp provides a week of living the Scouting program! 

So why else should you send your son to a week a summer camp? Here are our top reasons.

1. They'll spend their days being physically active

We spend so much time these days inside and sitting down, camp provides a wonderful opportunity to get out, get up, and move – days at camp are full of running, swimming, jumping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, climbing, and more! A week at Camp Minsi is full of action!
 

2. They'll earn advancement and experience success

Camp Minsi provides Scouts with ample opportunities to work on merit badges and other rank requirements on the trail to Eagle. Scouts will set goals for themselves and then follow clear routes to achieve them. Whether mastering their aim to hit the bullseye at the archery range or perfecting their strokes to pass their swim test, there are new accomplishments and success-stories every day at Camp Minsi. Camplife builds self-confidence and self-esteem by providing great opportunities for Scouts to succeed, grow, and advance.
 

3. They'll unplug from technology

When kids (and adults) take a break from television, cell phones, and the Internet, they’ll rediscover their creative powers and engage the real world — real people, real activities, real adventures, and real emotions. They realize, there’s always plenty to do, develop social skills, and experience nature. Days at Camp Minsi seem longer, fuller and richer. It's not a video game, Camp Minsi is real adventure!
 

4. They'll have the freedom to get dirty

A Scout is clean... but he’s not afraid to get dirty! What kid doesn’t love playing in the mud? Scouts can step outside their comfort zone and become more adventurous and get dirty at camp. The Camp Minsi Muck Hike is one unique experience that takes Scouts through the muddy swamps as they hike (and occasionally swim) through thick mud (where else can they do that?). At the nature lodge Scouts can handle snakes, fish, frogs, and bugs! Living and exploring in the outdoors is what camp is all about. But don’t worry, the camp has a great shower house for Scouts to clean off at the end of a day filled with sweat, dirt and mud.
 

5. They'll conquer their fears and try new things

A Scout is brave. There are a lot of ways that a week at camp encourages Scouts to develop courage and try new things. The kind of encouragement and support that Scouts receive at camp makes it a great environment for them to try new (and therefore a little frightening) things and discover that improvement comes when you give something another try. Scouts can conquer a fear of heights to climb a 30–foot spar-pole, manage stage-freight by performing a skit at a campfire, or overcome homesickness simply by being away from home for the first time. Camp Minsi helps Scouts gain resiliency.
 

6. They'll explore careers and develop life-long skills

Camp Minsi provides the right instructors, programs, equipment and facilities for Scouts to explore new careers, develop new hobbies, build new skills, and have new adventures. With over 45 merit badge classes to chose from, the sheer variety and depth of activities offered at Camp Minsi makes it easy for Scouts to develop skills for life and to discover what they like to do. Camp Minsi has 15 unique program areas with hundreds of different fields to explore and skills to gain – including such subject areas as: aquatics, athletics, arts, crafts, citizenship, communicating, conservation, ecology, first aid, history, outdoor skills, safety, sports, science, trade skills, and more. There's something for everyone! Camp Minsi expands a Scout’s abilities and helps them be prepared for life.
 

7. They'll be creative and productive

Scouts have to opportunity to be productive and creative at camp. They can create new things at Handicraft, build cool camp gadgets at ScoutCraft, or cook a meal for their patrol in their campsite. Scouts can express themselves through songs, skits, and art projects. There are problems to be solved and creative solutions to be found at camp. When coupled with learning useful life skills, this results in truly productive outcomes. Scouts also experience personal growth by applying their skills and creativity through service. At camp, Scouts gain a positive sense of self-worth and usefulness by applying their creativity and skills - helping teach others, working together, cleaning their campsite, waitering at meals, and doing other service projects throughout the week.
 

8. They'll grow more independent

Camp is the perfect place for Scouts to practice making decisions for themselves without parents and teachers guiding their every move. Scouts manage their daily routines and choices in the safe, caring environment of camp. Scouts can use this freedom to blossom in new directions. Camp Minsi helps Scouts build personal responsibility and develop who they are.
 

9. They'll build social skills and develop teamwork

Scouts live as part of a community at Camp Minsi, functioning as members of a patrol, a troop and as an overall camp citizen. A week of summer camp is truly a week of living the Scouting life. Living together everyone must cooperate and respect each other. When you live in a tent with another Scout and in a campsite with others, you share responsibilities, resolve disagreements, and find out firsthand the importance of sincere communication. Camp Minsi fosters a sense of community and builds teamwork.
 

10. They'll enhance their spiritual growth

At camp, Scouts have time to consider and reflect on life. Strong personal values and character are shaped as Scouts are encouraged to live by the Scout Oath and Law. Scouts take a part in decisions that impact others, they help one another, they contemplate their relationship with God, reflect on their personal values, and participate in patriotic and spiritual activities that help develop their duty to God and country.
 

11. They'll reconnect with nature

As Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, once wrote: "The open-air is the real objective of Scouting and the key to its success." Camp Minsi is located along the shores of Stillwater Lake in the heart of the beautiful Pocono Mountains. The camp encompasses more than 1,200 acres of Pennsylvania woodlands where nature and wildlife abounds. The natural landscape of the area provides unique experiences that will enrich a Scout’s perception of the world around them. A week at Camp Minsi gets Scouts outside and into the open air and the wilderness. Scouts will develop a deeper appreciation for the natural world at camp.
 

12. They'll make true friends

Camp Minsi is the place where Scouts can make friends that will last a lifetime. Free from the social expectations pressuring them at school, camp encourages Scouts to relax, have fun and make friends easily. All the fun at camp draws everyone together— singing, laughing, talking, playing, doing almost everything together. Every day Camp Minsi creates new friendships.
 

13. They'll have lots of fun

This one is pretty self-explanatory, but a week at Camp Minsi is full of fun! Sailing on Stillwater Lake, shooting bows and arrows, singing silly songs in the dining hall, paddling a giant war canoe on the lake, getting covered in mud on the Muck Hike, doing cannonballs off of a water trampoline, staying up late to go star-gazing, catching fish, whitewater rafting, launching rockets, playing games… a week at Camp Minsi is packed with fun adventures for Scouts!
 

14. They'll become more awesome

A week at Camp Minsi gives Scouts the ultimate answer to the inevitable question: “so what did you do on your summer vacation?” Scouts who go to camp will definitely have some cool stories to share with their classmates, friends, family members, teachers, and fellow Scouts. Everyone will think that they’re totally awesome (and they will be).
 

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