What do Kiddos Learn at Bike Camp?

What do kiddos learn at bike camp? (Spoiler alert: it’s not just about the bike!)

Guest Blogger: Iea Toner, Cascade Summer Camp Instructor

Summer is right around the corner, and with it comes Cascade’s Summer Camp Program, an empowering opportunity for youth to develop interpersonal skills, gain more bicycling experience, and have a week’s worth of fun biking around Seattle. During camp, the bicycle is used as a tool to facilitate personal growth, to foster community and to develop good and safe decision-making.

But camp isn’t all about the bike. Camp is a space that emphasizes everyone belongs and is encouraged to be their authentic self. Within a week, 12 youth become a strong cohesive group, encouraging the expression of each other’s skills and talents, while making new friends. Each week, campers get to identify their own goals and expectations. And as the week progresses, it is remarkable to see their bike skills improve as they become better with their bike-handling skills, communication and hand signaling, and generally being safe at intersections.

The camp week also creates memorable moments to be goofy and silly, like taking a break to play in sprinklers and invent jokes. There are also endearing moments. Last year, when a camper got to the top of a hill, he suddenly dropped his bike and said, “oh, I ran out of gas.” And there are profound moments; like when a kid, who has the experience of being disruptive in school, gets celebrated as being a helpful leader in the group and wants to make sure her mom is told at the end of the day.

If you have not yet signed up for Cascade’s summer camp, go to cascade.org/camps and enroll your kid(s) in one of the many programs. During the week they attend they’re sure to develop and grow (and have fun!) through bicycling.

If you would like more information, contact Michele Finkelstein.