MONDAY 5TH JANUARY WE HAVE A ONE DAY CAMP RUNNING AT MORTON COMMUNITY CENTRE! BELFAST BACK-TO-SCHOOL CAMP
All of our usual clubs and options from sports, dance, drama, arts and crafts etc. One more great day of fun before school starts back for 2026. There will be limited spaces available, so early booking is advisable!
A day camp on January 5th isn’t just a convenience for parents—it’s a vital “soft landing” for children. After the late nights, sugar rushes, and unstructured freedom of the Christmas holidays, diving straight back into a rigid school desk can be a shock to the system.
Here is why a day of camp “fun” is the perfect bridge before reality hits:
1. The Routine “Warm-Up”
Transitioning from a 10:00 am wake-up call to a 7:00 am school alarm is tough. A day camp acts as a dress rehearsal for the school routine. It gets them dressed, out the door, and following a schedule, but replaces the “stress” of a classroom with the “excitement” of a game. It wakes up their social and physical muscles without the pressure of a spelling test.
2. Social Reconnection
Many children feel “first-day jitters” about seeing their peers again. A day camp provides a low-stakes environment to practice social skills.
- The Benefit: They get to navigate group dynamics, take turns, and make new friends (or reconnect with old ones) through play. This builds a “social confidence” that they carry into the classroom the next morning.
3. Burning Off the “Festive Energy” before goingback-to-school
Let’s be honest: by January 5th, most kids have spent a lot of time indoors with screens or new toys. A camp—especially a sports or outdoor one—allows them to vent that pent-up energy.
- The Result: A child who has spent the day running, swimming, or crafting is a child who will sleep better on Sunday night, making the actual first day of school much smoother.
4. Psychological “Closure” on the Holidays- our camp can help!
Going back to school can feel like a “loss” of fun. A January 5th camp turns the final day of the break into a “Grand Finale” rather than a “Countdown to Doom.” It gives them one last bank of happy memories, meaning they head back to school feeling fulfilled rather than deprived.
5. Building Resilience and Independence- lets go for the 5th-january
Camps often push kids slightly out of their comfort zones—trying a new sport, meeting a new coach, or mastering a craft. Successfully navigating a day at camp gives them a “can-do” attitude. When they face a challenging math problem on Tuesday, they’re still riding the confidence boost from the obstacle course they conquered on Monday.
Helping children who feel anxious about returning to school after the Christmas break is about more than just ensuring they “show up.” It is a vital window to build their emotional resilience and ensure they start the year with a healthy mindset.
Here is why your support is so critical during this transition:
1. It Validates Their Experience
After weeks of high-stimulation—presents, late nights, and constant family time—the transition to the “grind” of school can feel like an emotional “letdown.”
- The “Anxiety Iceberg”: What looks like a tantrum or stubbornness is often just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface, they might be feeling “anticipatory anxiety” about a difficult subject, social pressures, or even the loss of the safe “holiday bubble” they’ve lived in for two weeks.
- Why help? When you acknowledge their feelings by saying, “It’s okay to feel both worried and brave,” you teach them that their emotions are manageable and normal, not something to be ashamed of.
2. It Prevents “School Refusal”
Anxiety that isn’t addressed can snowball. If a child feels overwhelmed, they may begin to experience physical symptoms like stomachaches or headaches to avoid the source of their stress.
- The Bridge: Helping them through the Jan 5th transition (perhaps via a fun day camp or a “soft start”) prevents these feelings from hardening into long-term school refusal. You are teaching them how to face challenges rather than avoid them.
3. It Restores Their “Sense of Control”
Holidays are often unpredictable. Helping them transition back to school—through visual schedules or checklists—gives them back a sense of agency.
- The Benefit: A child who knows exactly what their Monday morning looks like (who is dropping them off, what’s in their lunchbox, and which friend they will see first) feels significantly less “at the mercy” of a big, scary change.
4. It Buffers the “Dopamine Crash”
The holidays provide a constant surge of “feel-good” chemicals (dopamine) from gifts and treats. When this stops abruptly, children can feel physically depleted and unmotivated.
- How you help: By planning a “Grand Finale” (like a day camp or a special family outing) on the final day of the break, you provide a “buffer day” that prevents a sudden crash, making the return to reality feel like a step forward rather than a drop-off.
top-tips-for-social-skills-development.pdf
