Sing-a-longs; theme days; identical twins who meet and switch places to mess with their parents.

Summer camp’s a-maze-ing.  

Still, Parent Trap stories notwithstanding, there’s more to camp than just t’weens and sleepaways. What if your little one is between the ages of 2 and 12? What if they need a day camp where they can get their little feet wet? 

Is there a place for them?

Yup!

There are so many good reasons to send your preschooler to summer day camp – for you and them. 

We’ve got (at least) five. Such as? 

Preserve precious progress: Remember that day when your little one (finally) raced off with friends at daycare, minus the dramatic moment spent clinging to your leg? Yeah – that’s progress you want to protect. Summer camp dodges separation-anxiety backslide, thus upping the odds that next year’s preschool (or kindergarten!) starts off with a happy face. 

Let ‘em play like the big kids: It’s hard being little – especially when being little means watching the big kids go off and have all the fun. Preschool camp means little ones have playtime too – but in just the right size. Even better? Your pint-sized camper will come home talking about water play and arts & crafts, just like their big sibs. And why should the older kids have all the fun anyway? 

Watch ‘em go the distance: Age 3 or 4 is jumping time and running time and testing-out-how-far-little-feet-can-take-you time. And what better time than summer to do that? Extra outdoor hours give budding daredevils the space to test out speed and land legs. Fringe benefit: while they’re out testing their limits – they won’t be testing yours. 

Let ‘em investigate: Space? Bugs? Sea life? Yeah – camp’s got that; a marvelous, messy, mighty extravaganza of water, art, and experimenting. Not to be forgotten, while exploring, they’ll also be picking up some new skills (language, STEM, art) that are sure to come in handy come September – and grade school. 

Stoke confidence: Make new friends? Oh yeah. Small groups and a little extra attention have a way of emboldening kids – even little ones. And there’s just something about the lazy, hazy days that bonds friendships for the long haul. And don’t forget the community for parents. “I need my summer camp community as much as I need my community the rest of the year,” says one mom.  

Need more? The above is just the short list. 

Don’t forget, camp for preschoolers is a practical solution to summer child care, too, answering parents’ time-honored summer question, “How am I going to work between June and August?” 

So sun, water play, a place to blow off steam and be like the big kids… Cowabunga! 

Click here to find a Bright Horizons Summer Explorations program for your preschooler near you.