What age did you or your child go on their first residential and how long was it?

[BippityBopper]

Just off the back of another thread.

DS' school offered a residential for Y4 for a week. It was at an outdoor activity centre 30 miles away, so close enough to pick up if things went awry.

We didn't send DS because we thought he was too young and the information that the school provided was scarce. They had offered an inormation evening but my understanding was that this was for more detailed logistics as it took place after the deadline to sign up.

My first residential was in Y7 (to Spain). DS school has also offered one for Y6, 1.5bours away
, which he will be joining.

I saw on the other thread some primary schools do residentials to other countries! It made me start to think I'm being way too precious with DS. Other parents at the school merrily signed their kids up with the two paragraphs of info we initially received.

I'm just wondering what general thoughts are on a minimum age for a residential?

Our school does one in Y2 but mine had already been on Beaver camp before that.

First overnight was age 8 one night cub camp. Both were too young imo but I let them go and they were ok but didn't love it.
Then they went on a four night camp about 5 miles away in Y6 and really enjoyed it. Massive difference between age eight and ten/eleven.

DD's school do a 1 night residential in year 3.

I did 2 nights in year 3 as my first in the late 80's. Then 2 nights in year 4 and a week each in years 5 and 6.

DD1 and DD2, aged 6 - 1 night with Rainbows
DD2 - 2 nights aged 7 with Brownies, and 4 nights away with school at 10

Year 1, but it was only 15 mins away and just for one night. They loved it!
It then got longer and further away the older they got but they did every year from years 1-6.

DS was 8, scouts, two nights away. He was fine. Loved it 😂

I think I was around 10.

DD went away for one night with Brownies at age 7/8 - she hadn’t stayed away from us before (no family nearby), but they were staying in a museum so the novelty of that helped. It was one hour away.

She went on her Year 6 residential in Feb, when she was almost 11 (three days/ two nights). It was at an activity centre about 1.5 hours away. She was a bit apprehensive, but her closest friends were going, and she’d been on a couple of sleepovers with friends by this point. I think about two-thirds of the class went. Her future secondary school does a couple of residentials as well, including a trip abroad.

We didn’t have a primary school residential trip (1980s), but did have a Year 8 trip to an activity centre and there was a trip to France in Year 9, I think (I didn’t go).

DS1- overnight stay close by in Year 2, Year 3 would have been a two night residential but cancelled because of COVID, they then did two residentials in year 4 instead- a one night one, and then another residential for 2 nights in Year 4, two nights in Year 5, two nights at the start of Year 6 and then end of year trip to France (for a week).
DS2- one night residential in year 3, two nights in Year 4, three nights in Year 5 and Year 6 and then end of year trip to Spain in Year 6 (for a week).
Both of mine have residential chamber music camps since age 9 for a week- drop off on Monday, pick up on Friday and listen to the concert.

Mainly it teaches them a great deal of organisational skills. How to look after your stuff, how to pack, how to deal with things going a little bit off in a group, learning to speak up for themselves.