Camping has a positive impact on youth.

In a landmark study commissioned by the American Camp Association, Philliber Research Associates concluded that camping benefits youth in the following ways:

• Youth become more confident and experience increased self-esteem
• Youth develop more social skills that help them make new friends
• Youth grow more independent and show more leadership qualities
• Youth become more adventurous and willing to try new things
• Youth act more helpfully and respectfully.

Find Out More:

• Youth Development Outcomes of the Camp Experience (2005 ACA Study)

Camping is a high quality, intensive experience.  Compared to many other out-of-school programs, residential camping is very intensive and involves youth in nearly eighty-five hours of structured and supervised activities weekly. The outdoor environment, peer group experiences and carefully planned program all combine to create a significant educational and developmental experience for youth. It would take nearly one and a half years in other kinds of youth group programs to equal the quality time spent in one week of residential camp.

Camping can be an effective bridge for the summer learning gap.  Research shows that many students experience learning loss during the summer vacation. Camps that provide structured learning activities and opportunities for self-evaluation can help youth retain knowledge, sustain motivation and acquire additional cognitive skills during the summer. 

Camping offers a positive work experience for adolescents.  Not all employment is beneficial for young people.  Some adolescents work long hours at jobs where they may develop negative attitudes and values about responsibility.  By contrast, camping offers leadership training, mentoring, and opportunities to care for children while living and working in a positive peer culture and outdoor setting.

Camping has an economic impact on the community. 4-H camps in New York contribute more than $2.5 million in purchases, wages and capital improvements to the local and state economy each year.  They employ more than 500 young adults and adults during the summer. 4-H camps help meet the needs of single parents, limited-resource families, military families, and youth in rural and urban settings through scholarships and other assistance programs.

4-H camping helps to connect kids to Cornell.  4-H camps in New York have access to research-based youth development and outdoor education resources throughout the nationwide extension system.