From my own experience, I can confidently say that Solaris is a place where kids are empowered to challenge themselves and grow in confidence!
By Hannah Nichols
Attending Camp Sonshine – Solaris is more than just a fun summer overnight camp — it’s an experience that helps campers develop life skills, build confidence and character, and create lasting friendships and memories. While day camp can be as impactful, there is a unique and different experience that overnight camp provides, making it an opportunity every child should have at least once!
Developing Life Skills at Overnight Camp
Solaris offers an amazing opportunity for campers entering 3rd – 9th grade to continue developing important life skills.
Teamwork – Through activities like sports, group challenges, and cabin responsibilities, kids learn to work together toward a common goal. These moments are perfect for practicing how to communicate effectively, collaborate with others, and be responsible stewards of the things God has given us.
Social Skills – Spending a week as part of a group, with a counselor who is actively guiding conversations and encouraging community, helps campers grow essential social skills. They are encouraged to practice empathy, listen actively, resolve conflicts, and respect others’ perspectives—all of which are key to building meaningful relationships.
Independence – Being away from home for a week also teaches campers how to manage their daily routines and practice problem solving! Campers have the chance to make independent decisions, like choosing certain activities and how they manage their space and their belongings, which boosts their confidence in their ability to navigate new situations. They’re encouraged to think creatively and come up with solutions in real time, which sharpens their critical thinking and adaptability skills. Solaris provides a lot of opportunities for campers to grow in practical life skills!
Campers Overcome Challenges and Gain Confidence
Every activity at Solaris is carefully designed to give campers new experiences, build character, and reinforce valuable lessons. The Aerial Park is a great example of this! This activity is a highlight for many campers not only because it is exciting to fly across the zipline but because it also encourages campers to step outside their comfort zones and, for many, even face their fears.
Although it might feel intimidating at first, completing the course and making it safely back to the ground gives campers a huge sense of accomplishment and a confidence boost. That confidence carries over, helping them tackle future challenges with more resilience. By pushing through these moments, with support from their counselors and encouragement from fellow campers, they grow emotionally stronger and learn how to bounce back from setbacks.
Like most, if not all the activities at Solaris, it provides a practical lesson. The aerial park serves as a powerful metaphor for what it looks like to “step out in faith” with God, as campers learn to trust both the safety of the equipment and the guidance of their instructors and step out onto an element.
From my own experience, I can confidently say that Solaris is a place where kids are empowered to challenge themselves and grow in confidence!
