Anyone would feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment after scaling a forty foot wall and then whizzing down a zip line or perhaps, while attached to a harness of course, taking a giant leap of faith off a perch with a great view. But when the person is under the age of sixteen, the feeling is unmatched. This is the sense of elation that camp adventure programs bring to campers every summer. Adventure is one of the most popular programs at camp. But what’s the point of all that climbing, jumping, and zipping around you ask?
For starters, high and low ropes courses have been used for some time now as team 
building event, probably the most commonly known reason for their usage. In the case of a high ropes course, which is often at least thirty feet above ground and is sometimes as high as fifty, courage is one of the first words that comes to mind. Quite simply put, it takes a lot of courage to shimmy up a ladder or patiently work your way trial and error up a climbing wall and then attempt to maneuver across beams or rope of miniscule width with the ground looming below, even if one is safely secured to a harness and cables and spotted by trained professionals. Trust is really what high ropes courses are all about. A high ropes course challenges campers’ comfort levels and forces them to put trust in their fellow campers and camp staff, who also share in the inevitable sense of pride after successfully finishing a challenge.
Low ropes courses, on the other hand, encourage team building. They feature such elements as webbed rope nets, trust falls and activities that challenge participants to get their entire team between platforms by building a bridge, or to move from wide cables to narrow ones. More specifically, at camp, low ropes provide a great way for campers to bond with one another and encourage cabins to work together as a unit.
Nature programs also often compliment outdoor programs by helping campers reconnect with nature and understand the importance of preserving the environment. Fishing is another part of many outdoor adventure programs. While fishing is a perfect relaxing social opportunity, it’s also a great way of increasing children’s patience level.
So it’s no wonder that these outdoor adventure programs are not popular merely for the lofty challenges that they provide, but for the thrill and sense of pride campers feel for having had the courage to accept and achieve them.
Tags: American summer camps, benefits of camp, camp adventure programs, high and low ropes courses, nature programs at summer camp, outdoor adventure, summer camp 2011, summer camp activities, team building
