Why is Summer Camp the Best Gift You Can Give Your Boy?

1.) It’s a boy-centered institution with male mentors

… which is something increasingly hard to find.

At boys’ camp, boyhood is celebrated. There is no need to be weighed down by the pressure of “trying to impress” the opposite gender, or fitting into traditionally masculine behaviors or activities. This means that boys have more freedom to be themselves, and assume roles that fit their personalities and interests.

This report on single-sex schools found that all-boys environments are beneficial for strong mentoring, value-driven living, and experiential learning, all of which help boys succeed.

Boys see their male counselors lead by example as their caretakers. Their counselors look after their physical and emotional needs, in what would stereotypically be a female nurturing role. The cabin of boys are also expected to clean up together, performing domestic duties like caring for their living and dining spaces. Camp counselors are trained to advocate for their campers and encourage them to try new activities without being self-conscious of what might be seen as “feminine” or “masculine” in another setting. Boys can embrace their interests and just be their true selves without societal pressures, all while being surrounded by strong male mentors.

2.) It’s unplugged from technology

We all know the mental benefits that come from putting down your phone and going outside. But for young men, getting time offline is even more important. Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist, co-founder of Let Grow, and author of The Anxious Generation, says that youth today are experiencing a phone-based childhood rather than a play-based childhood.

NextGenMen says that “young boys are increasingly exposed to harmful online communities that promote hate and violence.” Research from White Ribbon found that 73% of educators are “concerned about harmful online content targeting boys and young men.”

At camp, boys are allowed to experience “boyhood unplugged,” where they are playing and communicating with peers face to face, outdoors, in a safe, supportive, and screen-free setting. They’re able to challenge themselves, try new things, and learn that they have what it takes - all without the pressures of social media or online groups.

3.) It’s an antidote to male loneliness

This PBS piece found that “Only 21 percent of men in the U.S. say they get emotional support from friends every week. That’s compared to 41 percent of women.” Worse, for younger generations, the same piece said that for “men under the age of 30, 15 percent say they don’t have a close friend. And that’s up from 3 percent in 1990.”

At camp, boys live in a community setting with their peers, led by young male role models as cabin counselors. Relationships are crucial to boys’ success, and building these friendships away from home fosters a sense of belonging, resilience, emotional well-being, empathy, communication skills, and conflict resolution strategies.

The same goes for the college age counselors at camp - the perks of belonging to a community extend to the young men on staff as well. Both returning campers and staff consistently report that friendships are the reason they come back to camp each year.

I really made some awesome friendships throughout the summer that I’m sure will last for life. Camp is a place where you go and leave all your life and concerns behind, and it gives you a chance to really connect with people without screens and also with God.

Johann Graf von Westarp, Puebla, Mexico (staff ’24-’26)

4.) Core values and ceremony

Having shared values is important for the development of young men, as are ritual and ceremony. This American Institute for Boys and Men commissioned report found that “expert interviewees frequently emphasized the importance of ritual and ceremony as an important mechanism for developing character and inculcating shared values.”

At Falling Creek, we pledge to live by the Code, a set of enduring traditional values that provides the framework for everything at camp. As Camp Director Yates Pharr says, “Camp is a place where everyone helps, tries their best, and does the right thing. We ask each camper and staff member to live by the Falling Creek Code every day.”

We discuss these values daily during Evening Embers, a nightly ritual that boys participate in with their cabinmates where they share parts of their day and discuss thought-provoking questions related to the Code. Ritual and ceremony are also found in camp traditions like Campfire, Church, Honor Council meetings, and the Keeper of the Flame process.

5.) The benefits aren’t limited to just campers

Though camp is a gift you can give your boys as campers, it’s an important environment for the young men who work on staff as well. Young adults are seeking purpose. Working at camp not only gives them the chance to make a difference, but also gives young adults invaluable experience, responsibility, and professional development skills that will benefit them no matter what career path they pursue in the future.

As boys reach college age, they reach the next stage in their Falling Creek journey. Rather than being “too old for camp,” it becomes their time to return and “pass it on” for the next generation of campers. Many former campers enjoy the chance to have an impact at camp, the same way their counselors positively impacted them.

The last paragraph of this New York Times article on the “boy crisis” says,

A century ago, men stepped up to build spaces for boys and were cheered on for doing so. The need today is just as urgent. We have boys seeking guidance. We have men seeking purpose. We have civic institutions desperate for male volunteers. We need to match the outpouring of civic energy, institutional innovation and readiness to experiment with risky new ideas that marked the ‘boy problem’ reformers a century ago.

Summer camp is a mutually beneficial solution for both boys and young men, seeking to find their purpose, a place to belong, and a place to grow.