Why Summer Boot Camps Are Promoting Paint by Numbers?

When imagining summer boot camps, we picture athletic drills, obstacle courses, and competitive games. Summer boot camps engage participants in intensely challenging and active experiences that leave little or no time for quiet introspection or reflection. In the last couple of years, however, we have seen an interesting trend developing, one that is infusing some creativity into the traditional camp experience.

Camp organisers worldwide, including Paint by Numbers Australia, are beginning to incorporate artistic activities, like Paint by Numbers, into their boot camp schedule. What we perceive as the calmness juxtaposing the traditional intensity of typical boot camps is, in fact,  part of a larger intention of enhancing the overall participant experience of the program. So, what is going on here? Why are summer boot camps getting on board with hobbies associated with lazy summer afternoons, and with individuals who can't draw?

Let's look at why Paint by Numbers has become a can't live without element for summer programs, and how it is creating a new spin on personal development.

Balancing Action with Mindfulness

Boot camps are, nature, intense. Fitness focused, personal development, team building, or whatever the focus may be, the schedule is almost always scheduled to the max with challenging activity. While the physical body is fatigued, at times the nature of the activities can also be mentally exhausting—especially for younger people. 

Having an intentional creative outlet like painting fills in the counterbalancing schedule of movement. It allows guests to unwind, reconnect with themselves, and reflect on their experiences. Paint by Numbers requires focus and awareness, however, the focus can be done in a gentle, meditative manner. Since whatevercolourss we would like are allocated to specific numbered areas, we don’t have to worry about people not being "artistic" or being hesitant.

Finding a balance between movement and mindfulness provides a more complete program. Participants leave not only more physically capable but also more mentally settled and emotionally recharged.

A Boost in Emotional Intelligence

Modern-day boot camps offer more than strength training or endurance builds; they are often created to incorporate development of soft skills, like resilience, patience, and emotional intelligence. One medium of art that fosters patience and reflection is painting, especially painting quietly with a group. 

While participants intentionally work on their painting, they learn to be present and slow down. Mistakes become part of the painting, not a reason to give up. From start to finish, creating the finished canvas required multiple considerations of discipline and self-trust. 

Practising discipline and self-trust can create positive outcomes in emotional regulation, especially for kids and teens. In a fast-paced culture of movement and constant peer competition, painting gives kids an opportunity to slow down, create, and self-express within a safe, judgment-free space. That's a huge win for any learning or development opportunity.

Encouraging Creativity and Confidence

Another benefit to Paint by Number is building creative self-esteem. Sometimes campers are hesitant to engage in artmaking because they think, "I don't know how to do art!". The nice thing about this method is that the hurdles are removed entirely. With the outline, colours, and map already identified, campers can simply enjoy filling in the colours and bringing their picture to life. They don't have to worry about being original or perfect, and the result will always be something they are proud of. 

This can be meaningful in a camp "boot camp" environment where success is often measured physically or performance-wise. Here is a time when everyone can be successful, on their terms. A completed canvas is a marker of clear effort, patience, and growth.

Fostering Teamwork and Social Connection

Though painting is often seen as a solitary activity, it can quickly become a social bonding experience. Boot camp leaders have discovered that organised group painting sessions allow campers to talk, joke, and support each other in a low-pressure format.

Campers share paint, offer suggestions, and ooh and ahh over each other's paintings and at times will collaborate on larger canvas paintings. The experience becomes a shared experience that fosters cooperation and celebrates a person's signature style.

This is especially good practice for camps prioritizing the building of social skills. More than other activity, painting provides a natural vehicle for conversation and connection without the stresses associated with structured icebreakers or competitive games.

A Gentle Introduction to Art Therapy

For a long time, the wellness sector had recognized the healing powers of painting. In summer boot camps (particularly focused on mental wellness, or youth development), the act of painting represents a low-barrier and powerful art therapy. 

Some camp directors in locations like paint by numbers australia are intentionally using these kits in workshops around stress reduction, emotional development, and reflection. Campers are often asked to consider their feelings as they paint (sometimes they reflect on what certain colours symbolize in terms of moods or events), or if the painting reminds them of anything. 

Of course, it isn't formal therapy, but it is planting the seed of awareness around feelings and self-care. For many campers, it is their first suggestion that creativity can be a meaningful way towards positive well-being.

Accessibility and Ease of Implementation

Logistically, Paint by Numbers is a viable option for camps. The kits are inexpensive, come with all materials, and no one needs specialised training to use them. This allows you to quickly add this to the programming of any size.

They are less messy than other crafts. The acrylic paints in most kits dry quickly and are easily cleaned up. Camps can set up an art corner or designated "calm zone" with little time and energy. Campers can also relax when they are not doing physical activities.

The kits also come in many themes, nature, animals, landscapes, abstract art, and so on. Organisers can choose kits for their camp mission or camper age.

A Keepsake to Take Home

Another distinct benefit of painting at camp is that it offers individuals a tangible and durable remembrance, whereas many camps provide a t-shirt or a few pictures, and while those items are mementos as well, a finished painting provides a different kind of emotional journey. 

It is something they built, piece by piece. It tells a tale of the whole camp experience, not through videos or pictorial representation, but rather colors and compositions. For many campers, it provides an earnest and thoughtful remembrance of not just what they did—but how they felt. 

Also, parents enjoy the souvenir. It gives parents a window into their child’s experience and learning but also starts a great conversation about all of the memories that their child loved.

Final Thoughts

The rise of Paint by Numbers as a summer camp option is an indication that something bigger is changing in the way we perceive what success, growth, and engagement means. Camp directors are realizing that engagement in camp development is not only about growth and pushing limits physically, it is also about creating an environment for reflection, expression, and emotional health.

As Paint by numbers and painting are incorporated into the boot camp programs, our camps are becoming more inclusive, holistic, and powerful, sending kids and adults home stronger in body but also more empowered, more relaxed, and more creatively expressed.

So, as boot camps and camps into 2023 continue to expand the programming to include an art component, you may be unshocked. It may be the thing that kids and adults remember most about their experience.