Camps Reduce Stress in Children

Overview

Camps reduce stress in children by providing repeated, supportive routines. They include daily time outdoors, sustained physical activity, structured small groups, and trained adult supervision. These actions lower physiological arousal and break cycles of rumination. Because camps can reach many children, these practices scale as low-intensity prevention that builds emotion regulation, peer support, better sleep, and self-efficacy. We recommend camps as a practical component alongside clinical care.

Key Takeaways

Regular nature exposure at camp reduces rumination, lowers cortisol and blood pressure, and restores attention.
Daily sustained physical activity (multiple MVPA blocks) improves sleep, boosts mood, and buffers the body against anxiety and depression.
Consistent small-group structures and trained counselors build peer support and role modeling that lower stress reactivity and strengthen coping skills.
Mastery experiences, predictable routines, and limited screen time boost self-efficacy, stabilize sleep, and support resilience.
Camps offer scalable, low-intensity stress reduction and complement clinical care. Effects vary by camp type, session length, and staff training, and the evidence base for children remains limited.

Why Camps Matter Now: the scale of the problem and the public-health opportunity

We, at the young explorers club, see a clear and urgent need. Childhood and adolescent mental-health problems are widespread: “10–20% children mental disorders (WHO)“. Early-life emotional difficulties are already common, with “1 in 6 children aged 2–8 (CDC)“. This contributes to the broader adolescent mental health burden and reduces functioning at school, home, and with peers.

Stress sits beside clinical diagnoses. It isn’t the same as a disorder, but it raises the chance a child will develop one and it impairs day-to-day life. Reducing stress early lowers those risks and improves coping skills. Camps are uniquely placed to offer that prevention because they deliver repeated exposure to supportive environments across days and weeks. They also provide activities that build emotional regulation, social confidence, and resilience.

The U.S. camp sector already has scale. The American Camp Association estimates “14,000+ camps (ACA)” and that “11 million children attend camp annually (ACA)“. That population reach plus repeated exposure makes camps a practical platform for low-intensity interventions and universal stress reduction. We use those realities to shape programming that promotes calm, social skills, and problem-solving. You can read more about how camps support mental well-being and relieve stress.

What camps can deliver at scale

Below are the practical, repeatable benefits camps can provide across large groups of children:

Stress-buffering routines that lower physiological arousal and improve sleep.
Consistent adult supervision that models coping and scaffolds emotional regulation.
Peer-based social practice that reduces isolation and strengthens support networks.
Low-pressure achievement experiences that boost self-efficacy without clinical intervention.
Active, outdoor time that shifts attention from worry and promotes mood regulation.

We design activities with population-level impact in mind: simple, repeatable, and easy to implement across many sites. That combination—wide reach, repeated exposure, and stress-focused programming—creates a public-health opportunity to reduce risk before disorders arise.

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 3

Nature and the physiology of stress reduction

We, at the Young Explorers Club, rely on solid experimental and synthesis evidence showing how green settings change stress biology and cognition. A landmark lab/field comparison found that a “90-minute nature walk reduced rumination (Bratman et al., 2015)”—participants who walked in a natural setting showed lower activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex than those who walked in urban areas (Bratman et al., N=38, 90-minute intervention). That study links short, focused time outdoors to reductions in maladaptive repetitive thought.

Broader reviews reinforce this pattern. A meta-analysis of 143 studies (Twohig-Bennett & Jones, 2018) reports consistent associations between greenspace exposure and improved mental-health outcomes and reduced stress-related health risks. Physiological data converge with those cognitive effects: nature exposure lowers physiological stress markers (cortisol, blood pressure). Reduced rumination, enhanced parasympathetic tone, and restored attention operate together to lower arousal and improve emotion regulation.

We encourage camps to build routines that reflect these findings. Simple, repeated access to natural settings—rather than one-off events—amplifies benefits. For guidance on program design and mental well-being outcomes, see our note on more time in nature.

Physiological mechanisms and camp-level actions

Below I summarize key mechanisms and how we translate them into practical camp practices:

Reduced rumination and neural quieting — The “90-minute nature walk reduced rumination (Bratman et al., 2015)” finding shows natural settings interrupt perseverative thought. At camp we schedule blocks of uninterrupted green time (quiet walks, observation periods) to give kids the same cognitive break adults experienced.
Lowered cortisol and blood pressure — Evidence that nature exposure lowers physiological stress markers (cortisol, blood pressure) means kids leave high-arousal states more quickly after outdoor activities. We mix active play with calm nature activities to help parasympathetic recovery and stabilize mood across the day.
Attention restoration — Natural scenes demand soft fascination. That restores focused attention without heavy cognitive effort. We use short sensory tasks (leaf ID, sound maps) before skill-based activities so campers perform better and feel less frazzled.
Shared developmental physiology — Adults and children share core stress systems (HPA axis, autonomic regulation, attention networks). Many experiments rely on adults, but those systems function similarly in kids, so nature exposure at camp likely reduces children’s cortisol/physiologic arousal, lowers perseverative thought, and improves emotion regulation. We therefore adapt adult-tested doses (e.g., cumulative ~90 minutes of uninterrupted nature exposure per day when feasible) into age-appropriate segments.
Practical implementation points we follow:
- Prioritize daily, continuous green-time rather than fragmented five-minute stints.
- Blend active group challenges with solo/paired quiet nature time.
- Use shaded, safe routes for longer walks to maintain comfort.
- Train staff to cue mindful noticing and simple breath anchors after energetic games.
- Monitor behavioral signs of stress (sleep changes, irritability) rather than aiming to measure cortisol in routine settings.

These mechanisms give a clear, actionable framework. We design schedules that exploit the cognitive quieting, parasympathetic shifts, and attention restoration produced by natural exposure so campers leave calmer, more focused, and better able to manage emotions.

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 5

Physical activity at camp: meeting guidelines and buffering anxiety/depression

We, at the Young Explorers Club, structure daily programming so kids easily meet 60 minutes/day physical activity (CDC). Our typical sessions often exceed that minimum; many camps provide 1–3+ hours/day of structured activity, giving sustained MVPA rather than short, fragmented movement.

Typical scheduling and MVPA exposure

The day repeats active blocks to build cumulative MVPA. Examples you’ll see at camp include:

Morning games that raise heart rate and social energy.
Skill-focused sessions (swimming, climbing, team sports) with sustained effort.
Midday nature hikes and active skill drills.
Afternoon free play and friendly competitions that extend MVPA.

Mental-health effects and practical framing

Meta-analytic evidence shows small-to-moderate effect sizes for reductions in internalizing symptoms after regular physical activity, and exercise reduces anxiety and depressive symptoms. Regular MVPA at camp provides repeated physiological buffering — better sleep, lower stress-hormone spikes, and short-term mood boosts via endorphins. Social and psychological effects follow too: group challenges build competence, peer support reduces isolation, and focused activities distract from rumination.

Compare a typical school day (limited PE and brief recess) with a typical camp day (multiple sustained activity blocks) and the difference is clear. Camps increase overall MVPA exposure and deliver repeated opportunities for both physiological regulation and psychosocial growth. We design schedules to layer active blocks and recovery, which helps kids manage stress across a busy day.

We recommend parents prioritize camps that advertise structured daily activity and variety. For guidance on how camp experiences support children emotionally, see our resource to support mental well-being.

Summer camp Switzerland, International summer camp 7

Social connection, peer support, and counselor relationships

We, at the Young Explorers Club, see how social support buffers stress every day. Camp life puts kids into predictable, repeated social settings where relationships form fast and stick. Those steady ties lower stress-reactivity and cut rates of internalizing symptoms.

Camp social structure and routines

Key features that create reliable social scaffolding include:

Small-group cabins of 8–12 children, giving each child repeated face-to-face contact
Consistent adult supervision with 1–2 counselors per group for modeling and coaching
Cooperative tasks and shared rituals that build trust and a sense of belonging
Structured opportunities for conflict resolution and peer-led problem solving

How social bonds reduce stress

Peer relationships provide immediate emotional support. Strong friendships mean kids have someone to talk to after a hard activity or a homesick night. That direct support blunts physiological stress responses and helps kids reframe challenges. Adult mentors reinforce that effect. Counselors guide coping, validate feelings, and model calm responses, so children practice adaptive strategies repeatedly.

Biologically, camp bonding encourages oxytocin-linked social affiliation, which lowers perceived threat and promotes calm. Behaviorally, regular group interactions give kids low-stakes practice of social skills—reading cues, taking turns, apologizing, and repairing trust. Those repeated successes raise confidence and reduce the trajectory toward social anxiety.

ACA outcome summaries frequently report high percentages of campers saying they made new friends and felt more confident, reinforcing these mechanisms. For practical advice on translating that into lasting effects, I point readers to resources on mental well-being and programs that prioritize social learning.

Mastery, routine, technology breaks, and sleep: building resilience

We, at the young explorers club, design programs so children repeatedly experience small wins that add up. I center activities on the principle that “mastery experiences increase self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977)”. Short skill progressions, coachable challenges, and consistent feedback let campers convert effort into measurable competence. Camps provide structured opportunities to learn new skills, supported challenge-by-choice experiences, and incremental mastery moments that lower perceived stress. ACA and program evaluations report increases in independence, leadership, and problem-solving (ACA). I highlight those outcomes in staff training and parent communications.

I limit screens to create a clearer separation between high-focus activities and downtime. The recommendation of “9–11 hours sleep ages 6–13 (National Sleep Foundation)” guides our nightly schedules. Camps with limited screen access often produce earlier bedtimes and more consistent sleep schedules, which reduce irritability and physiological stress reactivity; in practice, a screen-free camp increases sleep consistency. I set evening routines—quiet reflection, low-light activities, predictable lights-out—to stabilize circadian cues. Counselors reinforce routines through simple rituals so kids internalize them quickly.

I tie mastery and routine to measurable resilience gains. Collecting brief pre/post self-efficacy ratings lets me track shifts in confidence after a skills block. Activity logs capture minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which correlates with stress reduction. Sleep diaries or actigraphy document improvements in duration and night-to-night regularity. I use camper vignettes to humanize the data: one child learns archery, receives counselor encouragement, then reports higher willingness to try new challenges.

Practical measurement ideas you can use

Pre/post competence/self-efficacy ratings: simple 1–5 scales for confidence in key skills and social situations.
Activity logs: daily minutes of MVPA recorded by staff or wrist devices to show dose–response on mood.
Sleep monitoring: sleep diaries or actigraphy to validate that screen-free camps increase sleep consistency and reach 9–11 hours sleep ages 6–13 (National Sleep Foundation).
Behavioral anchors: checklist items for independence and leadership tied to program outcomes cited by ACA.
Camper vignettes: short narratives that describe the skill learned, counselor prompt, and observed confidence change.

I connect these practices back to overall mental health messaging and parent resources, and I link program takeaways to broader goals of mental well-being so families see the concrete value of camp. mental well-being

Safety, measurable outcomes, and limitations: what the evidence supports (and what it does not)

We, at the Young Explorers Club, keep safety and measurable outcomes central to program design. We follow ACA staffing guidance: staff-to-camper ratios (ACA standards) commonly used for overnight camps are 1:6 for ages 5–6, 1:8 for ages 7–8, 1:10 for ages 9–14, and 1:12 for ages 15–17 (ACA). Staff complete core training in child safety, first aid/CPR, behavioral management, and increasingly mental-health first aid. We maintain clear referral pathways to clinicians for children who need assessment or ongoing treatment, and we document incidents, follow-up, and clinician contacts.

When summarizing evidence I report study details and limits. Key, concrete findings include a 90-minute nature walk that reduced rumination (Bratman et al., 2015; N=38, 90-minute intervention) and a meta-analysis covering 143 studies showing broad health associations (Twohig-Bennett & Jones, 2018). I also note ACA industry context: 14,000+ camps and 11 million children attend camp annually (ACA). These scale facts matter when you interpret population-level impact.

I make three practical recommendations about reporting and use:

Always include sample size, age range, study setting, and effect size when citing studies. That allows readers and stakeholders to judge applicability.
Treat camp benefits as complementary to clinical care. Not a substitute for clinical care is a strict rule we state in parental materials.
Understand heterogeneity: effects vary by camp type, session length, staff training, child baseline characteristics, and measurement method. Most experimental evidence on mechanisms (for example neural markers of rumination) comes from adults; direct randomized trials in children are limited.

I encourage program-level monitoring. Track baseline symptom measures, session length, and follow-up timing. Use validated tools and report effect sizes. For practical implementation, integrate trained staff, low ratios for younger campers, and explicit clinician referral protocols. For practical reading on how camps support emotional resilience, see our piece on mental well-being.

Evidence box — key items to report

Below are essential facts and studies to include in any article or report:

WHO: 10–20% children with mental disorders (WHO).
CDC: 1 in 6 children aged 2–8 have a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder (CDC).
CDC physical-activity guidance: 60 minutes/day (CDC).
ACA industry facts: 14,000+ camps; 11 million children attend camp annually (ACA).
Bratman et al. (2015): N=38, 90-minute nature-walk intervention reduced rumination (Bratman et al., 2015).
Twohig-Bennett & Jones (2018): meta-analysis of 143 studies showing health associations with green space.
National Sleep Foundation: recommended sleep ranges for children (National Sleep Foundation).
Bandura (1977): foundational theory of self-efficacy relevant to mastery experiences at camp (Bandura, 1977).