"The biggest plus of camp is that camps help young people discover and explore their talents, interests, and values," said Dr. Peter Scales, a developmental psychologist specializing in positive development of children, in an interview with the American Camp Association. "Most schools don't satisfy all these needs. Kids who have had these kinds of (camp) experiences end up being healthier and have less problems which concern us all."

Dr. Scales added: "At camp, children learn to problem-solve, make social adjustments to new and different people, learn responsibility, and gain new skills to increase their self-esteem."

A Break from the Screen

By now, it's well-known that too much screen time can be detrimental to one's mental and physical health - no matter their age, but especially for children. Too much time staring at a glowing screen can affect sleep, cause irritability, reduce concentration ability, and more.

However, going to summer camp forces children to get off their computerized devices and participate in indoor and outdoor activities that are social and physical. The more children engage in these activities, the more likely they are to enjoy them and want to do them again. There's nothing more habit-forming than something you enjoy doing. According to the American Camp Association, 63 percent of children continue doing activities they first experienced while in summer camp.

Build Confidence Through New Experiences

Summer camps often offer creative, play-based curricula that give children new experiences. When children are taken a little out of their comfort zone and presented with new challenges, they gain confidence and independence.

Dr. Eve F. Whitmore, a clinical psychologist from Western Reserve Psychological Associates in Stow, Ohio, tells the Washington Parent that summer camp gives children the opportunity to "be more independent, [and] practice making decisions for oneself" because of the new experiences and activities children engage in at summer camp.

New experiences lead to new skills and new knowledge. When children build on these assets, they become stronger and more adaptable, which will help them as they grow.

Build Social Skills

The past year hasn't been easy for the social life of children. Many schools have been closed and parents have been wary. But this summer will be more open and children will get some needed social skill development at summer camp. According to the American Camp Association, 96 percent of children make new friends at summer camp.

Audrey Monke, the author of Happy Campers: 9 Summer Camp Secrets for Raising Kids Who Become Thriving Adults, conducted research on the social skill improvement rates of children who attended summer camp. In a study involving 167 children between the ages of 6 and 15 in three states, Monke found that children overwhelmingly had positive social experiences and deepened their understanding of social interactions.

For example, 74 percent said they were able to learn more things about their friends and 62 percent said they were able to better understand their friends' emotions. In addition, every child said they made new friends, with 44 percent saying they made 10 or more new friends.

Monke says the structure of summer camp, including group activities and an emphasis on team-building, is a major reason why summer camp is a great opportunity to exercise social skills.

"Making friends is an important part of the camp experience, and with the help of their counselors, children learn and practice their friend-making skills," Monke wrote on her blog. "Given that camp programs emphasize forming new friendships and rekindling old friendships, the finding that children felt their social skills improved as a result of camp supports the hypothesis of this study and anecdotal testimonials."