By Jim Vitale

This article is part of our “Why you should send your child to overnight camp” series. The series introduction explored the current research on outcomes for overnight campers and offered a list of the most important outcomes. Here, we go more in depth with one of those outcomes.

Empathy is key to becoming a well-rounded human being. It’s an emotional skill that we begin to develop early and continue to hone for the rest of our lives. It’s critical to functioning well in society and, according to the American Camping Association’s National Camp Impact Study, it is a key outcome for youth who participate in overnight camps.

Empathy is the ability to tune into what others are feeling, to feel it with them, and to walk—for a little while—in their shoes. Empathy is what enables us to have compassion on others, to offer them grace and mercy, and to learn from their experiences.

It makes sense that camp would breed empathy. Overnight camp is a highly social experience. There are very few moments when you are truly alone. From cabin time to meal time to hiking, swimming, and worshipping, campers are almost always with their peers. This means that campers are constantly encountering people who are different from them and hearing about other peoples’ experiences. This provides prime space for youth to practice and develop their empathy skills.

If you come to camp, you can see this playing out daily.

I think of a longtime camper who was neurodivergent. He was a little older than most other campers, but he wanted to try camp. At our executive director’s encouragement, he signed up. He came to camp, loved it, and returned for many years. The kids in his cabin group treated him like one of their own and helped him out when he needed it. No one judged him. No one made fun of him. He was perfectly welcome. One camper reported that this sort of empathy and compassion doesn’t always happen at school, but it happens at camp!

Or I think of the little girl who was differently abled and couldn’t walk very well. But she wanted a camp experience and so she came to Camp Mount Luther. She had to take things slow, but her counselor and fellow campers helped her out, giving her plenty of piggyback rides. She always had a smile on her face. She loved camp and that was due, in part, to the welcome she received from her peers.

Empathy is on display around camp all summer long, often unprompted by the summer staff.

Sometimes, of course, youth need a little help in developing that empathetic response (don’t we all?). Lest you think that Camp Mount Luther is some sort of utopia, I can assure you that we have our fair share of disagreements each summer. But we do not leave youth to navigate conflict alone. In addition to letting empathy develop naturally, we also work to cultivate it.

If two campers are in conflict, we invite them to what we call the Peace Table. Anyone involved in interpersonal conflict can come to the Peace Table. This can be one-on-one or between two groups. Often a neutral party (in the form of a summer staff member) is there to people reach a mutually satisfactory agreement.

The Peace Table remains set up throughout the summer in a quiet location. The table is adorned in a nice table cloth and a white board sits beside it. Participants stand on the same side of the table and write the point of conflict on the board. Participants are instructed to focus on the issues, not the people involved.

To speak, participants touch the Peace Table. This ensures they don’t interrupt each other. Participants use “I” statements, focusing on your point of view (e.g. “I feel…” “I am frustrated because…” “I believe…” “I’d rather…” etc.), rather than “you” statements (which are usually accusatory). Participants are encouraged to be specific, not generalize or attack, and give concrete examples.

The mediator clarifies issues, facilitating the process, attending to the people, and addressing the problem. After the problem has been stated from all points of view, the group is asked to give alternatives as to how the problem can be solved. Participants look for a compromise.

When a solution is finally reached, the group celebrates being peacemakers.

It may seem like a trite or overly simple process—but it works! Sometimes even our summer staff use it!

Learning how to relate well to others is a key life-skill, and there are few better places to hone it than at overnight camp. The camp research organization Sacred Playgrounds found in their recent study that youth who come to camp often leave believing the following things about themselves:

“I know that I can make friends.”
“I am good at solving problems with a team of people.”
“I am happy about my life and who I am.”

Set your child up for success. Help form them as empathetic, compassionate, understanding people.

Send them to overnight camp and see the difference it can make!