After more than 20 years running school holiday programs, one thing has become very clear to us: no two children are the same.
Children respond differently
We’ve watched siblings attend the same camp, on the same day, and come home with completely different experiences. One spends the day playing sport, another disappears into the art room, while the third is happiest making new friends and trying a little bit of everything.
If you’ve got more than one child, you’ve probably had that moment where you stop and think: how have I created two children who are so different?
Why choice matters in school holiday programs
Same parents, same routines, often the same opportunities, and still completely different personalities, interests and ways of seeing the world.
One child will spend every spare minute outside with a ball in hand.
Another would much rather paint, build, perform, or get completely absorbed in making something from scratch.
Some kids jump straight into a group and make friends in five minutes. Others are quieter, happier in a smaller circle, and need a bit more time to settle in.
That’s normal. What’s less helpful is when school holiday programs assume every child wants the same kind of day, at the same pace, doing the same activities.
How Camp Blue approaches school holidays differently
That’s one of the big reasons we’ve always done things differently at Camp Blue.
Instead of mapping out every minute for them, we give children real choice in how they spend their day.
Across the day, campers at both our Northern Beaches and Inner West school holiday programs can choose from sport, drama, creative arts, science, outdoor adventures and strategy-based activities. Some stick with what they already love. Others mix it up and try a bit of everything.
What happens when kids have real choice
It changes the feel of the whole experience. Kids tend to be more engaged when they’ve had a say in what they’re doing.
They’re often more willing to try something new when it feels like their own decision, not something they’ve been pushed into. Along the way, they build confidence in small but important ways by choosing, participating and figuring out what they enjoy.
Most of all, they enjoy themselves, which is really what school holidays should be about.
Finding the right fit for each child
Parents often tell us their kids come home full of stories, not just about what they did, but about what they discovered they liked. Even two children at the same camp can come home talking about completely different days.
And that makes sense. No two kids are the same, so why should their school holidays be?
Many parents start searching for school holiday activities in Sydney hoping to find something that will suit all their children. The challenge is that every child is different. What excites one child may completely miss the mark for another. That’s why the best school holiday programs make room for different interests, energy levels and personalities.
For families on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and in the Inner West, finding a school holiday program that genuinely caters to different personalities can make all the difference. Whether your child loves sport, creative arts, drama, science or outdoor adventures, giving them choice helps create a holiday experience they’ll actually look forward to.
