This story is part of a series in our Summer 2026 issue
This summer, change the way your kids learn
It may look like unbridled fun, but camp is what learning can look like in the summer. Sheryl Bennett-Wilson talks to education experts about what your child can learn during their time off
Photo Credit Depositphotos_13886736_XL
At Ottawa’s Dovercourt camps, staff make sure that kids are having so much fun, they don’t even realize that they are actually learning something.
“We call it ‘hiding the vegetable,’” chuckles Marc Chamberland, director of recreation at Dovercourt. He adds that as much as the activities are based on fun, kids are also building confidence, using their imaginations and increasing their communication skills.
Marc Chamberland. Photo Courtesy Marc Chamberland
“Our counsellors encourage kids to participate and join in,” says Chamberland. “It gives them a sense of belonging and increases their social skills so they can make new friends that are different from ones that they have from school or their own neighbourhood.”
With many activities to choose from, Dovercourt has something for every interest, and that provides an opportunity to try something new and even develop a new skill set.
Marc Chamberland, left, with campers at Dovercourt Camp. Photo Credit Marc Chamberland
Campers at Dovercourt Camp. Photo Credit Marc Chamberland
“We get feedback from parents all the time,” says Chamberland. “They are often surprised because their child now wants to make cakes at home or they get an explanation about taking care of farm animals. And they are delighted to see their sons’ or daughters’ confidence and independence increase as well.”
For Chamberland, it’s all about opening minds and providing opportunities. “Whether it’s our band class where they can keep up with their instrument from school; our designer camp that gets them creating computer games; our forensic camp solving crimes or off-site excursions to beaches, farms and museums, there is an opportunity for everyone to not just have fun, but to keep developing. And we’re exploring hosting camps in French next year. Same fun, now in French.”
At Camp Can Aqua, it’s not thinking outside the box, it’s more like thinking outdoors. “Our education is outdoors,” says Andrew Martin, director of Camp Can Aqua, “and we focus on activities that keep kids outdoors and set up an environment where they are in control.”
Campers sit in hammocks at Camp Can Aqua. Photo Credit Derek Lukosius
Martin says that campers can choose the activities that they want to participate in to inspire a culture of independent thinking. “They get to choose what they want to do,” says Martin. “It could be a fun thing, or it could be something that requires instruction and they have to learn. We want to encourage a sense of responsibility for the choices they make and to get them to challenge themselves to be their best.”
Campers (and friends) at Camp Can Aqua. Photo Credit Derek Lukosius
Martin says that sometimes a camper doesn’t get their first choice of activity, so they have to choose another activity which changes the dynamic. “We try to be unique in our approach to youth development,” he says, “and to get our campers to understand what it means to compromise when they don’t get their first choice. But the thing is, they often are surprised with the activity they end up with and they discover something new.”
The focus at Camp Can Aqua is hands-on and campers learn useful life skills. “We did a demonstration on changing a car tire,” says Martin. “And when one of our camper’s family had a flat, they knew how to fix it much to the surprise of the parents.” During the camp’s family weekend, Martin enjoys seeing parents interacting not only with their child, but the other adults as well. “We often see families forming friendships with each other and making lasting connections,” he says.
Held since 2010, camps at Acadecap feature a different theme each year. This year’s camp, inspired by the excitement of the Artemis Mission, is space travel, says Lucie Lalonde, founding director at Acadecap.
Lucie Lalonde. Photo Credit Kara Jenkins
Lalonde says many parents are looking for ways for their children to keep learning as well as having fun. Acadecap’s summer camps always include a STEM component, but “we make sure that there is lots of time to just chill out,” says Lalonde, “and to participate in sports, as well as learning something new.”
An astronaut at Acadecap. Photo Credit Kara Jenkins
Lalonde says that when her children were growing up, she wanted a camp that was small enough so they weren’t overwhelmed, and with interesting and challenging content and good instructors. And that is exactly what is offered at Acadecap.
“Our counsellors keep coming back,” says Lalonde, “and our senior students can become instructors in the summer. It’s a great way for them to put their knowledge into a practical situation and it reflects our principles for them of working with children of all ages.”
Lalonde says that children today know a lot and the camp just helps them continue their curiosity so they don’t lose it over the summer. Staff ask the children what they want to learn about and build programs around that. Lalonde says the programs are revamped every year, with a new theme that is well-researched by the staff.
Within summer camp hours, Acadecap offers Orton-Gillingham based sessions for students with reading and writing learning differences. Lalonde says the sessions are incorporated seamlessly during the camp day to continue literacy development over the summer.
Lalonde expects lots of four- and five-year-olds at Acadecap’s camps this summer, and says explanations about space will be adapted for them. “They’ll learn terminology in a bilingual setting, but we’ll also be focusing on imaginative play and motor skills because that’s learning too,” she says, adding that her staff know how to quickly adapt to keep campers being creative with animation or games. “Yes, it’s playing,” she says, “but it’s about engaging and learning too.”
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