Many of us live in suburban neighborhoods with nice yards, but without children in them often enough. We’re out to dinner and notice a silent family, faces tilted toward their individual screens. Or maybe that family is us.

In a social media culture, more than ever, the tried and true benefits of summer camp are being lauded for the value they’ve always held. Camp encourages real connection, grit, self-reflection, optimism, and self-confidence, and it does so without dependence upon technology. By implementing the proven principles of camp in our own homes, we can provide our kids with the tools they need to develop into thriving adults.

Summer camp is attended by more than 12 million kids every year and research in positive psychology has proven that kids are just plain happier at camp. Happy Campers explores the reasons why, and offers parents nine secrets of summer camp that they can use to reap the benefits of camp for their children at home. Extra resources are included at the end of each chapter, such as questions for connection, family meeting topics, and activities to help families implement each summer camp strategy at home.

Chapters include:

Connection Comes First,

Positive Practices Produce Optimistic Kids,

Grit is Grown Outside the Comfort Zone, and

Coach Kids to Better Friendships