Attending Christian camps can enhance your child's spirituality.
Sending kids to camp has become increasingly popular. Some parents choose to enroll their child in Christian-based camps, hoping to increase their child's faith and knowledge in God. Many types of camps exist including day camps at your local church, overnight denominational excursions or month-long camps focusing on specific Christian themes.
YMCA
The YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) was founded in 1844 by 11 friends who organized the group to provide Bible study and prayer for young men. Through the years, the YMCA has evolved to include locations in over 10,000 neighborhoods across the United States. Many locations host overnight, day or specialty camps. Check online for camp locations. In addition, an annual YMCA Christian Values Conference is held in North Carolina for both junior and senior high school students.
Mission Trips
Many youngsters choose to go on a Mission Trip to experience life as a missionary. Teen Missions International, located in Merritt Island, Florida hosts a two-week primitive camp for those ages four to 13. The primary purpose of the camp is to teach teamwork and unity amidst realistic conditions on the mission field. Group work camps engage young people to provide hands-on help in the real world. Attendees help families who can't afford to make repairs or are disabled, assisting with basic carpentry, painting and drywall.
International Christian Camp
Attending a Christian camp in a different country can be a life-changing experience. CFOI (Camps Farthest Out International) hosts over 125 camps in Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Camps are held throughout the year, usually for two to three days, and include meditation, singing, devotion in motion (balancing the body, mind and spirit) and sharing God's faithfulness. Look online for a location near you.
Specialty Christian Camps
Several organizations host youth camps focusing on specific activities such as sports, arts, dance and music. Kanakuk Kamps in Missouri specializes in sports camps for youth ages seven to 18. Kanakuk offers one-week, two-week and month-long camps ranging in price from $950 to $3,550, as of 2011. Over 70 sports and activities are offered, both traditional (football and soccer), as well as non-traditional (rappelling and rafting). Christian athletes run the camps and serve as mentors for the kids.
Green Pastures Christian Campground and Retreat Center in Meredosia, Illinois strives to recapture the arts through its Christian Performing Arts Camp. The camp is held for two days in June and is open to those in grades five through 12. Campers obtain hands-on experience, performing both independently and in groups focusing on dance, music, drama and art.
Tags: Attending Christian, camps focusing, camps focusing specific, Christian Camps, dance music, focusing specific
