When you think about your favourite season, what is it that stands out the most? For those that love the coming of spring, it’s the bright colours and new growth that keep them constantly in awe. For those that love the summer, imagine all the beach trips and family vacations. Winter brings the cooler weather along with the buddy festivities.

And then, there’s the autumn in all its rust-colored glory. Picture autumn: iconic rolling landscapes with richly colored leaves, full harvests in the fields, complete with a scarecrow. Autumn brings Halloween parties and brightly-lit pumpkins, kids with their hands outstretched for more candy. The changing of the seasons, the first frost.

For many parents, autumn brings a sigh of relief. The kids finally go back to school! The peace is short-lived, however. Autumn break comes too soon, with many parents scrambling to find wholesome activities to keep the kids busy and learning. Instead of fighting against their short attention spans, enroll your children in an autumn camp. There’s something for everyone-- arts and crafts, basketball, soccer, volleyball, science, coding, drama, photography, and more.

Many people don’t know that the reason we have seasons is because of our planet’s tilt as it makes its orbit around the sun. Autumn camps are the perfect opportunity to learn about the four seasons, how they vary in different parts of the world, and the events they create. What events, you ask? Well, animal migrations to name a few!

Autumn brings a variety of weather, from sunshine to wind and fog and rain. Autumn is an ideal time of year to show children different weather patterns. What causes the weather? How can we predict it? Not only will children learn to think critically about the conditions around them, but how weather might affect other people around the world.

Autumn isn’t just about witches and skeletons and monsters. Halloween can be a fun opportunity to learn about Halloween traditions and its origins. While many believe that “Day of the Dead” is like Halloween in Mexico, the holiday is more of a memorial for those who have passed. Kids have the opportunity to learn about similar festivals in other countries and think empathetically. By widening their perspectives, we are allowing our children to develop more fully. Dive into those new foods and fun traditions!

While the state of travel remains uncertain, it can be tempting to get caught up in our own small worlds. Okay, so maybe you didn’t have a family vacation this year. But that doesn’t mean the kiddos can’t zip off to Mexico, or Portugal, or Japan, or Russia in their imaginations! Autumn camps help socialize children and stimulate their minds, especially crucial since many of them relied on remote learning during the pandemic.

Good camps provide new themes and topics each year to keep the kids engaged. And let’s be honest, as parents we’re grateful for any enrichment activities. But at home, kids are relegated to use skills they already know with people and routines they are already familiar with. The routine can become stagnant, for both the parent and the child. Great camps provide the education and involvement needed to learn a new skill or find a new hobby. With counselors and fellow campers with an array of skills, your young one is sure to pick up a new passion. Or at the very least, a seed is planted.

School-aged American children spend up to six hours each day watching and using screens. And it only gets worse as they get older! But remember, our kids have been raised with screens, and sometimes removal of screens can result in anxiety. While it might be hard to unplug at home, autumn camps offer the perfect opportunity for kids to unwind and get away from the pressures of social media.

Once the screens are gone, we often neglect to replace that empty space with something positive. At home, that space can turn into boredom or resentment. At autumn camp, the lack of screen time can be replaced by something tangible. It’s time to get those hands dirty! They can play a contact sport, make some art, or just meet new people.

Speaking of meeting new people, do you remember what’s it like to make a new best friend? Similar to other camps, autumn camps bring together kids from different walks of life that might not normally meet. Sometimes, kids need to be pushed out of their comfort zone-- just a little bit-- so that they have a solid grasp of the young person that they are becoming.

If you’re worried about your child’s development during the pandemic, give them the space to work it out. Autumn camps give kids the opportunity to make friends and learn how to work efficiently as a team. Through a variety of games and recreational activities, autumn camps challenge children to work with others to solve problems. Even more, autumn camps encourage children to practice empathy, in addition to expanding their knowledge.

Unless you’re really lucky, your child’s school is probably lacking when it comes to creative resources. Sure, there’s mathematics, grammar, literature, science, history. But what about art? Or music? The simple act of creating builds confidence. Autumn camps allow children the resources, tools, and freedom to explore new avenues of creation that they were not previously exposed to.

Growing up can be scary sometimes, and staying away from home for the first time can be stressful. While a child should always feel safe and secure, autumn camps offer a structured path for growth. The peer pressure doesn’t hurt in this case, either. Autumn camps provide a safe way for kids to learn about themselves and explore their surroundings. And in the process, they grow up...just a little bit.