Summer Beyond the Screen: How Sports Camps Help Kids Grow, Make Friends and Build Real Confidence

Eight-year-old Maya clutched her mum’s hand as she approached the TAC Sports camp entrance on her first morning. She didn’t know a single person, hadn’t ridden a bike without training wheels and wasn’t sure she could kick a football straight. Three weeks later, she bounded through the front door chattering about her new friend Aiden and how she’d finally mastered riding solo around the entire playground.

For thousands of Canadian families this summer, scenes like Maya’s are playing out across Toronto, the GTA and surrounding areas as children discover what happens when they step away from screens and into spaces where real growth begins.

Getting Kids Out of Their Comfort Zones

While Canadian children average 7.5 hours daily of entertainment screen time, TAC Sports camps offer something different: a safe space where children aged 3.5 to 16 can try something entirely new without the pressure of perfection.

From Adventure Camp and Learn to Bike programmes to Basketball, Soccer, Multi-Sport, Dance and Volleyball, every child finds something that sparks genuine interest. The beauty lies not in immediate mastery but in the willingness to attempt something unfamiliar surrounded by peers doing exactly the same thing.

The camps operate across ten locations including Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Scarborough, Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Aurora and Whitby. This broad age range means younger children witness older campers attempting new skills, whilst teenagers model resilience and determination for the little ones watching.

TAC camps are designed to build confidence, develop skills and create lasting memories. Every programme focuses on personal growth rather than competitive achievement.

Confidence That Lasts Beyond Summer

Research from the University of Waterloo’s Canadian Summer Camp Research Project confirms what parents observe: children return from camp more outgoing and socially confident, with enhanced emotional intelligence and improved problem-solving abilities.

The confidence earned through youth sports activities – scoring that first goal, nailing a new dance sequence or cycling independently around the playground – doesn’t vanish when September arrives. Instead, it becomes part of how children approach challenges in school, friendships and family life.

When children succeed at something they genuinely doubted they could do, that success reshapes their self-perception in lasting ways.

Friendships and Social Skills Without Screens

Perhaps the most significant change happens in how children relate to one another. Without the mediation of screens, they learn to read facial expressions, navigate minor disagreements face-to-face and discover the genuine pleasure of shared accomplishment.

The Kids Mental Health Foundation reports that 34% of Canadian parents worry about their children’s lack of in-person socialisation due to excessive screen time. Camp environments address this directly by creating scenarios where children must communicate, cooperate and resolve conflicts without parental intervention.

TAC Sports maintains low camper-to-staff ratios, ensuring children receive individual attention whilst still learning independence. Certified coaches and instructors guide activities but allow children the space to form their own friendships and work through social challenges naturally.

The magic often happens during unstructured moments – waiting for their turn, sharing snacks or celebrating someone else’s breakthrough. These interactions teach empathy, patience and genuine emotional connection in ways that structured classroom environments cannot replicate.

Support for Working Parents

For parents juggling work responsibilities with children’s summer needs, TAC Sports camps provide more than quality childcare. Modern summer camps recognise the dual need to support both child development and parental wellbeing. Lunch and snacks are included at select locations, with multi-week and sibling discounts making the programmes accessible to families with multiple children.

Knowing their children spend days with certified coaches in safe environments allows parents to focus on their own responsibilities without constant worry. More importantly, they witness tangible changes in their children’s confidence levels, social skills and willingness to tackle new challenges.

The camps run throughout the summer across the GTA, providing consistent structure and routine that children crave whilst delivering the variety and excitement that keeps them engaged week after week.

The Summer That Stays With Them

Long after the last whistle blows and the equipment is packed away, the real victories remain. Children who discovered they could ride independently, make friends with someone completely different from themselves or support a struggling teammate carry those experiences forward as proof of their own capabilities.

With only 39% of Canadian children meeting recommended daily physical activity guidelines, programmes like TAC Sports camps serve a crucial role in establishing healthy, active lifestyles that extend well beyond summer.

For parents watching their children navigate this summer of growth, the small changes matter most: the child who now volunteers answers in class, includes the new student at lunch or attempts the climbing frame they previously avoided. These moments represent the true value of summer learning experiences – unplugged time spent building real skills alongside real friends.

Registration for TAC Sports’ 2025 summer camps remains open, with limited spots available at select locations. Full programme details and registration information can be found at www.tacsports.ca.