Our school years are a crucial part of our lives. It is where a lot of development and character-building happen and can shape the people we become in the future. It can also be a scary time, especially for those lacking confidence. But students nowadays don’t have to go through their academic careers with low confidence.
A school camp is a fantastic way to help kids develop self-esteem and confidence. It swaps textbooks for tricky trails and homework for high ropes. This time away is the fastest way to build resilience, celebrate personal strengths, and turn that shaky self-doubt into genuine determination.
We’re diving into exactly how a school camp builds this deep, lasting confidence, helping students unlock their full potential and truly boost their self-esteem!
What is confidence, and why is it so important for kids?
Before we talk about climbing walls and riding in canoes, let’s look at what confidence actually is. Confidence is a quiet, inner belief in a student’s own ability. It’s knowing that even if something looks hard, they have the skills, determination, and resilience to try it and to handle the outcome, whatever it is. It’s about them feeling comfortable in being themselves.
How confidence is built
Confidence is actually a skill, and much like all other skills, it needs to be nurtured and developed. While children are all born with different levels of genetic influence on their confidence, it is mainly shaped by their environment and factors such as upbringing, encouragement, and experiences.
To help grow a student’s self-esteem and confidence, consider following this simple, repeating cycle:
- Action: A child takes a positive risk (attempts a challenging obstacle course).
- Competence: They successfully perform the task, or simply make progress on their last attempt
- Belief: They start to gain self-belief when they see that the task at hand is not impossible, and instead of making it halfway through the course, they might get all the way to the end!
- New action: This belief encourages them to try an even harder challenge.
This cycle is the perfect example of why school camps are so effective: they provide safe, structured activities that lead to real competence and, ultimately, self-belief and greater confidence.
Why confidence is important for students
Confident kids aren’t afraid of making mistakes. They see a challenging math problem or a scary new school camp activity and think, “I might not get this right away, but I’m going to work hard and figure it out.” This drive to keep trying is what fuels all their academic and social learning!
Confidence can also help kids fight stress and anxiety. When they face pressure, like taking a big test, joining a new team, or standing up for themselves, confidence acts like a shield. They trust their preparation and abilities, which helps them stay calmer, manage their stress, and focus on the task, rather than letting worry about failing take over.
Finally, it helps them develop greater independence and resilience. Confidence tells a child, “You don’t need an adult to solve this for you.” This is why school camps are so brilliant! Confidence fuels their desire to manage their own time, organise their own gear, solve their own little problems, and ultimately grow into independent, self-reliant young adults ready for life after school.
How to boost confidence through school camp activities
Every activity at a school camp is chosen to encourage a moment of internal decision that builds long-lasting self-belief and confidence. If you think back to the cycle that builds confidence that we discussed earlier, most school camp activities follow a similar structure. Here are some ways school camps help build students’ confidence and self-esteem.
Building bravery
Activities that involve height, like climbing, abseiling, or the Giant Swing, are true tests of bravery. Students get the chance to conquer that voice in their head that says, “Stop!” Every inch gained up the climbing wall is a moment of personal triumph.
These challenges teach students to deal with fear by confronting it and acting anyway. The feeling of success when their feet touch the ground (or they reach the top) is so powerful that it makes future risks, like presenting a project to their future boss, feel minor.
Building self-worth
Team challenges that require one student to rely on a group of friends or classmates are essential for building their self-esteem. The Jacobs Ladder, for example, is built to be climbed together. The climber learns to trust their peers, and the supporter understands that their strength is necessary for the team’s success.
When a student is successfully lifted or supported by their friends, they will realise that the team could not have succeeded without them. It shows them that they have value amongst their friends or classmates. This external validation of their value is essential for building internal self-worth.
Building leadership skills
Activities that shift leadership roles quickly, such as navigating or leading a team through an obstacle, give students who might not usually speak up in class the chance to take control.
The one holding the map, for example, has an important role and might be the leader in an orienteering activity. They must communicate clearly by directing the group and trust their judgment, by not second-guessing themselves.
Successfully leading the group to the goal is a massive confidence builder for students who may be shy in a school or classroom setting, because it shows them they are more capable of taking control than they initially thought.
How a student’s peers can help them develop confidence
The group environment at a school camp can significantly change how students view themselves and their peers, as they interact with their classmates in a setting beyond the school playground. They are also put under different pressure, like working with students they might not know so well, which can help them develop better communication skills and build confidence in group speaking scenarios.
A school camp or trip can create a sense of mutual support amongst the students. When a student is struggling on the low ropes, the entire group cheers them on. This positive atmosphere teaches students that their friends are there to support them, and this encouragement turns into confidence in the task at hand.
How parents and teachers can help maximise the confidence boost
School camps are amazing at lighting the confidence fuse, but we all know that spark needs fuel to keep burning bright back home and in the classroom! The truth is, the magic doesn’t end when the school camp ends.
Teachers and parents are the support crew who can keep these benefits rolling. By making a few simple moves before the camp and reinforcing the wins after, you can help lock in those self-esteem and confidence gains for good.
Before the school camp
The secret to success starts with how you frame the school camp adventure. It’s important to frame the challenge positively. Instead of dwelling on any worries or what they might struggle with, like being away from home for a few nights, focus on the incredible things they will gain, like new friends.
Keep the kids excited with the language you use, like “You’re going to try so many new things and find out how strong you are!” This gets them pumped up and not worried.
Remind them that they are always in control of their effort. The camp is an adventure they get to experience, not some stressful test they have to pass. Knowing they can choose their level of challenge removes a massive amount of pressure and can already give them a short boost in confidence before they even start the school camp.
After the school camp
The job isn’t done when the kids come home after an incredible school camp. You need to reinforce the Wins to make sure that the confidence sticks. A great trick is to ask them, “How?” Not Just “What?” Instead of asking, “Did you climb the wall?” ask, “How did you talk yourself into trying the Abseil?” or “How did you feel when you helped your team?”
Focusing on the process and their effort is what reinforces their self-esteem gains. Then, you need to connect the camp to their school lives. Point out moments where they use camp skills back in the classroom. Saying, “That’s great resilience! You used that same focus you had when you were trying the flying fox!” makes those confidence gains transferable to their everyday lives, in and out of the classroom.
Let PGL help your students build confidence!
Every activity at a PGL school camp is led by trained instructors who understand the art of boosting confidence through hands-on adventure. We don’t just run activities; we set the stage for success! We create a safe, supportive environment where students feel empowered to take positive risks, the kind of risks necessary for real confidence growth.
We know that students’ self-esteem is the ultimate goal of any school camp. When students jump back on the bus, they aren’t just tired from all the great activities they’ve participated in; they leave stronger, braver, and absolutely more prepared for life!
Whether you are looking to send your primary student on a confidence-building adventure or planning a camp for your secondary school students, PGL has the perfect program built for incredible growth.
Find the confidence-building camp for your kids today! Request a quote or get in contact with us to start planning your students’ next adventure.
A qualified teacher and former university lecturer, Steve has been our Guest Experience Manager at Campaspe Downs for many years. Steve’s work at Victoria University, setting up the “Iramoo Sustainability Centre”, focused on restoring and protecting the native grasslands of western Victoria, as well as advising schools how to set up indigenous gardens. He has lectured on science, indigenous education and outdoor education.
