Unless you live on 100+ acres of grassy fields, on a lake, complete with swimming pools and tennis courts, an equestrian center and hundreds of your closest friends (and if that is the case, lucky you!) then it may be hard to stay as busy and active at home as you do when you are at camp. When you spend your summer at camp, you are surrounded by nature, you have access to almost every sport and activity you could imagine, and it is easy to spend your days literally running from one adventure to another. Campers can’t help but feel exhausted at the end of the day; thanks to all of the activity they do on a daily basis.

When it’s time to come home, some campers find it easy to fall back into their more laid back routines, consisting of a lot of computer time, TV time and video games. Some campers start to spend more time sitting down inside than enjoying the outdoors, and this can lead to unhealthy snacking, weight gain and an overall feeling of sluggishness.

However, it is easy to take some of the things you learned at camp and apply them to your normal routine when you are back at home. You may not live on a lake, but you can still get outside and enjoy the sunshine. You may not have access to a soccer field, but you can still get outside with a few friends and kick a ball around. You may not have a swimming pool in your backyard (or live in a place where swimming is realistic during the fall and winter) but you can still go for a run, start a pick up game of baseball with other kids in the neighborhood, or put together a dance routine to impress your family after dinner. There are many ways to stay active while you are at home, and you don’t need a huge campus or counselors to help you do it.

Staying active during the fall and winter months is very important to your overall health. When you feel good physically, other aspects of your life seem to follow. Your confidence begins to improve, which helps you build healthy and strong relationships. Exercise has been scientifically proven to release hormones that help you focus in school, help you get a good nights sleep, and help to promote strong bones and muscles. It is great for your heart, and the endorphins released when you exercise gives you an overall great sense of happiness.

Many campers are introduced to a sport while at camp, and then choose to continue pursuing that sport throughout the school year. If you loved soccer at camp, why not try out for the school team? If you really loved gymnastics at camp, why not look into joining competitive after school team? By staying active during the school year, you give yourself months of practice before returning to the sport at camp over the summer. You will be amazed at the progress you can make from one summer to the next, simply by sticking to it throughout the fall and winter.

Staying active at camp is easy, it just comes with the territory. Staying active at home doesn’t have to be hard, and can help improve all areas of your life when you are home. Being active makes you happier and healthier, and is something all campers can do to boost their confidence in the months when they aren’t at camp.