Island Camps Offers Scholarships
Specializing in surf & skate camps for over 25 years. Our instructors have taught over 150,000 individuals on how to surf and skateboard. Whether you join our winter, spring and summer surf camps in Deerfield Beach & Boca Raton; or our skate camp.....our goal is to get kids on a board to have fun.
However, for many families the cost of Summer Camp in South Florida is way out of their reach. Island Camps hopes to be a safe and welcoming environment for kids who might be struggling, going through a difficult time, having a hard time finding their place, or just need a little confidence boost.
We are thankful to our various community partners like the Kiwanis Club of Deerfield Beach and several individual donors that continue to help us provide camp scholarships.
TO DATE, SCHOLARSHIPS HAVE HELPED SEND OVER 300 KIDS TO OUR SURF OR SKATE CAMP
SENDING YOUR KID TO CAMP
If you are considering camp for your child, you may be wondering if skate or surf camp is the right fit for your child's personality. Although each child is a unique individual, we know camp is beneficial for every child!
Camp helps children develop important social, emotional and cognitive skills. Plus, kids create memories that last a lifetime.
What Is It Like to Go to Surf or Skate Camp?
As adults, you might look back fondly on camp as a child. Camp is not just a way to pass a school break, but a vital part of who kids become. At Island Camps, children grow, explore and learn about themselves and the people, world and environment around them. Plus, they have fun throughout the entire process.
What is a typical day like in camp?
Of course we surf and skate, but Island Camps is about so much more. Campers play team building games, learn about the environment, visit local attractions, do crafts and our skate camp even has the opportunity to design their own skateboard decks. We incorporate STEAM principles throughout the week, so the learn without even realizing it.
And, lets face it, we live in South Florida. It’s a harsh reality but its gonna be flat most the summer! Floridians also are used to a quick afternoon summer storm before the sun comes out for the rest of the day. In the event of bad weather, camp still goes on. However should there be thunder and lightning we take the kids off the beach immediately and seek shelter under the covered pavilion. There we are safe to do arts and crafts and play games with the kids till the bad weather passes and it is safe to return to the beach. Plus...worry not my about our future shredders, we have a ton of fun and radical ways to make sure the fun never stops at surf camp or skate camp!
Surf Camp Activities Include:
- Trips to Island Water Sports to learn about surfboards and how to put one together.
- Pier Walks
- Beach activities like Tug of War, Relay Races, Arts and Crafts, Fort Dodge, Capture the Flag, and more...
- Environmental & STEM Education (Check out our curriculum here)
- Trips to 7-Eleven for slushies
- Watch surfing movies at Playa Bowls
Skate Camp Activities Include:
- Skating you favorite South Florida parks
- Visiting local places we love like Tates comics or the Pinball Museum
- Heading to the movies until the park dries
- Grabbing lunch or snacks at our favorite spots
- Create-A-Skate
- Friendly Competitions with Surf Camp
Although each camp offers a special variety of activities, both camps offer the opportunity to make friends, learn new skills and grow as a person.
Why is summer camp important, and what are the benefits of summer camp for kids?
1. Camp helps develop lifelong skills.
At our beach games, campers learns how to work on a team, communicate with each other and solve problems on their own.The learn to lead when needed, make decisions, face challenges and overcome obstacles. Trying a new thing like surfing or skating helps kids to face their fears, get up when they fall, and keep working to a goal.
Surf and skate both encourage a sense of community and appreciation for individual differences.
2. Camp build independence.
At camp, a kids experience time away from a parent which helps them develop their own sense of identity. Kids learn to become more self-reliant. As they explore new interests, they discover their strengths and weaknesses, and lear t trust their inner voice instead of depending on a parent or teacher to tell them what to do.
This independence is vital to becoming a self-sufficient adult. Camp teaches responsibility, encourages exploration and provides a safe environment for them to make decisions independently.
3. Camp allows kids to play.
Free time to play is important to a child's development because it helps kids to learn to develop creative thinking skills and explore their imagination. At school, children are used to routine. Although still structured, summer camp offer more freedom and a chance to creatively explore and learn through fun. Camp provides a safe environment for kids to express the thought and emotions. They learn to interact with the word around the, resolve conflicts, negotiate and work with others, and they remove stress in a healthy way.
4. Campers learn how to work as a team.
Knowing how to work in a team is a useful skill for life. Campers work together throughout the day i events like beach games, learning activities and more. They push each other to catch a wave and hold each other hands as they learn to drop in on a ramp. They learn to work together.
Understanding teamwork helps a campers realize working with others is sometimes the best way to get things done. They learn that thy do not need to handle tasks on their own. As a result, children often grow up with an eagerness to be active members of their community, become encouragers, and develop a healthy sense of working with others.
5. Surfing and skateboarding teaches resiliency.
Being resilient means to get up and push forward even after you fall down. Learning to surf and skate provides the perfect condition to learn both resiliency and perseverance. Campers learn to face challenges and practice overcoming them. Campers learn the value of effort, how to believe in themselves, and that overcoming these challenges takes determination, patience ad a drive to succeed. These are all great life-coping skills that will be usd for years to come. Plus, campers love to cheer one another one. Having that support system, makes facing challenges much easier.
6. Camp takes them away from constant screen-time.
Did you know that children spend and average of 8 hours a day in front of some kind of screen? To much screen-time diminishes our ability for a good night sleep and may have a negative impact on performance in school. When we kids to fun away from the screen, they learn how to socially interact in a healthy real-world setting.
7. Our camp encourages kids to connect with nature.
Natures engages a child's senses. I engages a child's sensory development for the smell of the salt air, to the feel of the sand, to the warmth of the sun. Time outside encourages movement, physical activity, and mental and emotional health. Fresh air and a good dose of Vitamin D does the body good.
Campers also learn to be good stewards of the world around them. They learn about the environment with partners like Gumbo Limbo.They participate in skatepark and beach cleanups to learn about environmental stewardship. They explore activities about marine and environmental science. This develops an appreciate for the Earth we live on that goes well into adulthood.
8. Camp helps develop a growth mindset.
Did you know that kids minds develop skills when they try new activities and develop new skills doing the things they love? Learning to surf and skate takes children out of their comfort zone and pushes them to try new things. As an individual sport, they are only competing against themselves. They learn to push themselves, build confidence, and do the hard work. Campers learn that falling down (or failure) is a way to grow and that their efforts and attitudes help to grow their abilities. They develop skills that help them to mentally succeed in life.
9. Surfing and skateboarding build self-esteem.
As an adult we often make decisions based on how we see ourselves. Our careers, relationships and make other important decisions are heavily influenced by our self-esteem.
According to the YMCA, "Children learn self-esteem through taking action and earning results, and by contributing to their community. They learn to value themselves as a result of hard work and achievement." When a child firsts looks a wave or a ramp for the first time, they may have fear or doubt telling them that dropping in is impossible. But, when they get on a board for the first time and take the plunge, the increase in confidence can be seen through the huge smiles! They may have been scared, but they now realize they can be brave, They may have felt weak of incapable, but that first ride shows them they are strong and capable of more than they could have imagined. With each new ride, we see their confidence grow.
10. Surfing and skateboarding promote a healthy lifestyle.
Did you know that one one in three children is physically active every day according to the US Department of Health & Human Services?
Physical activity is crucial for a healthy heart and a healthy weigh. It boosts confidence and helps manage stress. Kids that learn the importance of physical activity as a child, often take that healthy habit into adulthood.
11. Campers make friends!
We've said it before but in skateboarding and surfing, WE LOVE TO CHEER EACH OTHER ON! And that cheering often allows kids to be open to making new friends, even if they are from a different school or background. Camp is a bonding experience as they face challenges together, encourage on another to get up and try again and celebrate together when they make progress. All this makes the perfect enviroment t open up, trust others, and build deep friendships.
12. Teaches Kids to Respect Differences
In summer camp, children will learn to work with other children to accomplish common goals, whether that be to build a shelter or win a baseball game. While engaged in a variety of activities, children will gain exposure to different viewpoints and opinions. They will learn to accept not everyone has the same perspective or beliefs they do. They will also learn that to accomplish a goal with others, or to live and play in harmony, they must respect and work with differences.
Also, summer camp creates an environment that encourages respect and consideration for others. Children get praise for including others and behaving respectfully.
13. Camp keeps kids intellectually engaged
From learning about marine life to the physics involved in both skateboarding and surfing, camp provides mental stimulation and curiosity out of the school environment. Kids get the chance to participate in activities that interest them, and learn valuable lessons that make learning fun!
14. Camp promotes a growth mind-set.
Camp provides freedom to have fun in a safe, comforting and structured environment. Campers will still follow a schedule and routine with trained leaders. This structure gives kids a sense of security, teaches responsibility and helps them learn self-control. Camp gives kids a safe place to explore their interests, play, laugh, express themselves, and learn who they are.
15. Camp give youth a sense of purpose
Both surfing and skateboarding rallies around community. When a campers help one another learn and cheer each other on, they grow up to value community. Campers participate in beach and skatepark clean-ups, they learn to make a positive impact on the world around them.These opportunities teach a child they can make a difference that matters and gives them a sense of belonging. And, belonging combats loneliness and improves overall well-being for us all.
What's the Next Step?
Campers return from camp with a new confidence, greater independence, and a stronger sense of identity. The develop new skills, make new friends, and create memories that will last a lifetime.
Our camps are offered every winter, spring and summer. For more information, click on the button below.