Educating the Whole Child

The American Camp Association® (ACA) believes the organized camp experience is a vital component in the development and education of the whole child. ACA supports year-round educational opportunities and actively supports the extension of organized camp experiences to all children.

Explore 30 Camp Reading Program
Research shows that children can experience “summer learning loss” during summer months. Beginning this summer, the American Camp Association is launching the Explore 30 Camp Reading Program, which addresses summer learning loss by providing youth with at least 30 minutes of reading time per day.  Learn more.

Related Articles 

• The School-Camp Partnership: Working Together for a Brighter Future for Our Students
• Summer Camp Should be Mandatory for a Child. It Changes Lives.
• The Boy in the Boat: Life Lessons Learned at Camp
• The Great Education Debate: Camp Has A Place In Childhood Development
• The Case for Camp: Why Kids Need It Now More Than Ever
• Keep Camp in Summer

Resources and Tips for Parents/Families

• Tips for Summer Reading
• Parents' Summer Reading Ideas
• The National Center for Family Literacy Research Resources
• Reading Rockets Tips for Parents

Advocacy

• ACA Responds to President Obama's Discussion on Education Reform
• Support Child-Centric Education Reform: Are Education Reformers Focusing on the Right Issues?
• Open Letter to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan