My Child Is Shy - Will They Fit In?

Humans come in all different shapes and sizes; we are drawn to certain people and early on our character traits start to show. Some children jump into social situations naturally without thinking about it at all, others are more reserved and from an early age there may be some hiding behind a parent's body when entering new situations that they feel daunted by.

Shyness comes in many shapes and forms and you know your children better than anyone. They may be shy to the point of sitting out of games at a party or in tears when having to meet new people. Parents ask us frequently whether The Outdoors Project will be the right fit for a child they describe as very shy. Firstly, we always tell them that being shy is okay, we all can feel shy from time to time and being nervous in a new social situation is perfectly natural, even as adults we feel it ourselves. 

Although a group outdoors day with other children may seem like a recipe for disaster for a shy child, it couldn’t actually be a better fit. They often work as a team creating opportunities for showing their unique skills without needing to be the leader or having the outcome of a game resting solely on their shoulders. 

Shelter building and making campfires are examples of teamwork in a more gentle environment than say on the netball pitch. Teamwork can be equally good in a more competitive environment and our nerf games have been shown to bring children out of their shell, time after time. Our instructors stay with their group throughout a day at our holiday clubs and get to assess each child very early on during the open games. If your child is one of the quieter children that day, rest assured, we will know how to support them in having the best day, without pushing them too far out of their comfort zone but encouraging them just enough to get the most out of their day.

Parents report back to us that their child has come home full of stories from their day, having made new friends and most importantly they are proud of themselves for stepping out of their comfort zone and trying something new. Self-esteem is more important than whether a child is the loudest or quietest in an environment. To know that our clubs help to boost this is one of our main reasons for running them and a huge part of job satisfaction for our instructors. Why not bring your child along and let them try out a session, we promise it will be fun.

"He's usually shy and reluctant to try new things but always has fun at The Outdoors Project" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"I think it's helped my son gain confidence & try new things away from the beloved tech!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Even though she didn't know anyone else going she LOVED it. She came home muddy and very, very happy. Already asking when she can go back" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"As her mum, I can see how much her confidence has grown over the summer holidays, with the time she has spent with the Outdoors Project team. We've tried a few other holiday clubs, and nothing beats the OP for imaginative, creative play and learning" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

"Oscar (age 8 Year 3) hadn't been to a holiday club out of his community before. The night before, he was pretty nervous and unsure what to expect. He came home happy and full of stories of the brilliant time him and his friend had experienced. It was great for him to be realise that doing something new has a positive end! Thank you, he loved everything (his words not mine!)" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐