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Can Camp Help Young People Thrive at School? The Skills That Last Beyond Camp

1st September 2026

Can Camp Help Young People Thrive at School? The Skills That Last Beyond Camp

For many parents, choosing an international summer camp or ski camp is about much more than finding something exciting for the school holidays. Of course, they want their child to have fun, make friends and experience something completely different, but they may also be wondering what lasting benefits an experience like camp can offer.

Can spending two weeks away from school really help a young person thrive when they return to the classroom?

At Camp Suisse, we believe it can. Not because camp is an extension of school, but because it gives young people opportunities to develop many of the skills that support them in school and beyond. Confidence, independence, resilience, communication and teamwork are all developed through real experiences, often without children even realising they are learning.

Learning Doesn’t Only Happen in a Classroom

Education is often associated with lessons, homework, exams and academic achievement. These things are important, but they are only part of a young person’s development. Some of the most valuable learning happens when children are given the opportunity to try something unfamiliar, make decisions for themselves and work out how to overcome a challenge.

At camp, a young person might need to communicate with someone they have only just met, navigate an unfamiliar environment, encourage a nervous friend or keep trying after finding an activity difficult. These may not look like traditional learning experiences, but they are helping to develop skills that are valuable in every classroom.

The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) recognises that outdoor adventure learning may support wider outcomes including self-confidence, self-efficacy, motivation and teamwork, although it is also clear that the evidence linking outdoor adventure directly to academic attainment remains limited.

That distinction matters. Camp is not about promising better grades. It is about giving young people opportunities to develop the confidence, resilience and independence that can support them as learners.

Building Confidence Through Real Achievement

Confidence is one of the most important foundations for success at school, but it is difficult to develop through instruction alone. Young people build genuine confidence by doing things they once thought they could not do, whether that means completing a challenging hike, learning to ski for the first time, trying a new activity or simply finding the confidence to introduce themselves to someone from another country.

Each achievement becomes evidence that they are capable of more. This can be particularly valuable for children who lack confidence at school or are reluctant to put their hand up, try something new or take a risk in front of their peers. An international camp gives them a completely different environment in which to discover their strengths.

Research into adventure learning supports this idea. In an EEF-funded trial, pupils described challenging activities as opportunities to demonstrate greater confidence and self-regulation, develop teamwork and strengthen relationships with staff and peers. The researchers also found that activities designed to be challenging but achievable could help pupils experience success and develop their sense of self-worth.

For a child who arrives at camp unsure whether they can ski, climb, make new friends or manage being away from home, successfully navigating those experiences can be powerful. They return home with something more valuable than a list of activities completed – evidence that they can face something unfamiliar and give it a go.

Independence That Carries Home

Modern childhood can be highly structured. Young people often have carefully planned school days, organised activities and plenty of support from parents and adults, so being away from home can provide a valuable opportunity to do a little more for themselves.

At camp, children begin making small decisions independently. They learn to manage their belongings, organise themselves for activities, navigate new social situations and take responsibility for aspects of their own day. None of these tasks are particularly dramatic, but together they can make a meaningful difference to how a young person sees themselves.

That independence can carry into school life too. A child who has learned to manage an unfamiliar situation at camp may feel more comfortable approaching a teacher, joining a new group, solving a problem independently or taking greater responsibility for their own learning.

At Camp Suisse, our summer and ski camp programmes gives children and teenagers the opportunity to experience independence within a safe, structured and supportive environment. They are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves while knowing that experienced staff are there when they need support.

Resilience: Learning That Things Don’t Always Go to Plan

School does not always go according to plan. There will be difficult lessons, disappointing results, friendship problems, challenging homework and moments when something simply does not work. Learning how to respond to setbacks is therefore just as important as achieving success.

At camp, young people encounter challenges in a supportive environment. They might struggle to master a new skill, feel nervous about an activity or find themselves outside their usual social group. Rather than removing every obstacle, camp gives them the opportunity to work through challenges with encouragement from staff and friends.

Over time, these experiences can help children understand that finding something difficult does not mean they cannot do it. Sometimes, they simply need to approach it differently, ask for help or keep going. That is an important lesson for the classroom, but it is an even more important lesson for life.

Communication and Teamwork in an International Community

One of the most distinctive aspects of an international camp is the opportunity to live and learn alongside young people from different countries and cultures. At Camp Suisse, campers join us from around the world, and they may find themselves sharing a room, completing an activity or sitting at dinner with someone whose language, culture and experiences are completely different from their own.

This naturally develops communication skills. Young people learn how to listen, explain themselves, compromise and navigate differences, while discovering that there is more than one way of looking at a situation. They become more comfortable communicating with people they do not already know, which can be particularly valuable when they return to a busy school environment.

An international camp adds another dimension too. Making friends with someone from another country can encourage curiosity about different cultures and perspectives, while using another language in everyday situations can make language learning feel much more natural. At Camp Suisse, these experiences happen alongside the fun of camp, rather than feeling like another lesson.

These are not simply useful skills for school. They are skills that young people will continue to draw on throughout their education, future careers and relationships.

Getting Kids Off Devices and Back Into the Real World

For many families, one of the attractions of summer and ski camps is the opportunity for youngsters to step away from screens. Young people are growing up surrounded by smartphones, social media, gaming and constant digital connection, and while technology has an important role in education and everyday life, children also need opportunities to experience what happens when they put the phone down and fully engage with the world around them.

The relationship between technology and young people’s wellbeing is complex. The World Health Organization’s research into digital environments and adolescent health highlights both the opportunities technology can provide for connection, creativity and exploration, and the potential risks associated with how digital environments are used.

For us, that makes balance particularly important. At Camp Suisse, campers have one hour of phone access each day to contact home, while the rest of their time is spent hiking, skiing, swimming, mountain biking, learning languages, making friends and taking part in shared experiences.

Getting kids off devices is not about rejecting technology. It is about creating space for the real-world experiences that technology cannot replace. Without constant notifications and digital distractions, children have the opportunity to be fully present, whether they are working together on an activity, laughing with friends at dinner or simply taking in the view from a mountain trail.

We explored this idea in more detail in our previous article, Why Kids Need More Wilderness and Less Wi-Fi, looking at why outdoor adventure can provide such a valuable counterbalance to an increasingly digital childhood.

Learning Through Adventure

There is something particularly powerful about learning through experience. A classroom can teach a child what resilience means, but an outdoor challenge gives them the opportunity to experience it for themselves. A teacher can explain the importance of teamwork, but working together to complete a mountain activity can make that lesson feel much more real.

At Camp Suisse, these experiences happen naturally throughout the day. A camper might be learning to ski, tackling a high ropes course, mountain biking through the Alps or working with a team to complete a challenge. Each experience gives them another opportunity to discover how they respond to challenge, work with others and push themselves beyond what feels familiar.

Importantly, these challenges take place within a carefully managed environment. Camp Suisse’s adventure activity programme has achieved AdventureMark accreditation bi-annually since 2012, recognising our approach to safety, risk management, organisation and staff competence.

Whether they are climbing, mountain biking, hiking, skiing or taking part in a team challenge, the aim is not simply to complete the activity. It is to give young people the confidence to have a go, learn from the experience and perhaps discover a new side of themselves along the way.

What Happens at Camp Doesn’t Stay at Camp

Perhaps the most rewarding part of an international camp experience is seeing what children take home with them. Parents often tell us that their child comes back more confident, more independent and more willing to try new things. Sometimes the changes are obvious, while other times they are small: packing their own bag, speaking more confidently, making a decision without immediately asking for help or being more willing to try something they would previously have avoided.

These are the moments that matter.

Camp is not designed to replace school, and it should never feel like another classroom. Its value comes from giving young people a different environment in which to learn about themselves and discover what they are capable of.

Whether it is a summer camp in Switzerland surrounded by mountains and outdoor adventure or a ski camp in the Swiss Alps learning a new skill on the slopes, children are constantly developing skills that can stay with them long after they return home.

Giving Young People Skills for Life

When parents search for the best summer camp for confidence building, an international camp for teenagers or a summer camp to help children become more independent, they are often looking for an experience that will make a genuine difference.

The answer may not be found in another lesson or another worksheet. Sometimes, it is found in giving a young person the chance to navigate somewhere unfamiliar, make a new friend, overcome a challenge and discover that they are capable of more than they realised.

The skills that help young people thrive at school are not always the ones that can be measured in an exam. Confidence, independence, resilience, communication and curiosity are developed through experiences, relationships and opportunities to step outside what feels familiar.

These are skills for school, certainly, but more importantly, they are skills for life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can summer camp help children become more confident?

Yes. Outdoor activities, new friendships and opportunities to try unfamiliar experiences can help young people develop confidence through real achievement. Camp gives children the opportunity to discover what they are capable of in a supportive environment.

Is summer camp good for children’s independence?

An international summer camp provides opportunities for children to practise independence away from home. Managing their belongings, navigating new social situations and making small decisions throughout the day can all help build self-reliance.

Can camp help teenagers develop social skills?

Yes. International camps bring together young people from different countries and backgrounds, encouraging campers to communicate, collaborate and build friendships with people they may not otherwise have met.

Is camp a good way to get kids off devices?

For families looking for ways to reduce screen time, camp provides a natural opportunity to step away from phones and other devices. At Camp Suisse, campers have dedicated device access time each day, while the rest of their time is filled with outdoor activities, friendships and shared experiences.

What can children learn at an international camp?

Beyond specific activities and language learning, children can develop confidence, independence, resilience, communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills. These are valuable skills that can support young people both at school and in later life.

Ready to discover the Camp Suisse experience? Explore our Summer Camp in Switzerland or discover our Ski Camp in the Swiss Alps.