A’ Camp Galileo-ing They Will Go

This summer my boys are going to camp to fail.

Yes, you read that right. I don’t mean it in a discouraging way. Quite the opposite, really. You see, at Camp Galileo, part of their mission is to teach kids to dive in — to take risks and solve problems. Because when you do that, you don’t always get it right, but in the process, you learn things that inform your next big adventure. You build confidence, enthusiasm, and creativity.

In our house, whenever the kids come running with a complaint in the form of an observation — “My milk spilled!” “He’s on my half of the couch!” “I don’t understand this homework!” — we ask, “Is that a problem, or a solution?”

I want so much for my kids to see a challenge and know that they can be part of a creative, effective solution. At this point, it’s most often a matter of rephrasing a complaint into a request (“May I have the sponge so I can clean up this milk?”), but as they get older, the problems will be bigger, more complex, and more intimidating.

So, when I read Galileo’s Mission Page on their site, I loved the philosophy of letting kids fail — in the best possible way — in order “…to nurture and inspire a daring new generation of fearless innovators.” The best part? They do that through really interesting art, science, and outdoor activities — using a different theme to drive each week of camp, so you can attend multiple weeks and enjoy different adventures.

I’ve been hearing about Camp Galileo for years, and I’m really excited to see more for myself through my kids’ eyes this summer. If you’re in the Bay Area, check out Camp Galileo to see if it’s your style. Chances are there’s one near you and I’d love to hear about it if you sign up! (Or, if you think your kiddos would enjoy attending with mine, message me and I’ll give you the scoop.)

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Camp Galileo, but all opinions are my own.

Photo courtesy of Camp Galileo.