How to Choose a Summer Camp for Your Kids
What’s the best way to choose a summer camp? Ask around. Talk with every adult you come into contact with who have kids of summer camp age. Word of mouth is an almost flawless method of tracking down the best summer camps around you. Better than camp brochures, better than internet sites. Nothing beats a personal recommendation from a parent who has sent his kid to camp. Nothing, that is, except for a personal recommendation from the kid. Provided he’s not a weasel who’s just trying to trick you into sending your kid to Kamp Krusty. Always ask your kids for advice on which other kids to trust; you don’t want to take advice from the school jerk or bully.
Of course, just because you get a glowing summer camp review from a parent or a kid doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to get the same glowing review from your kid. Summer camps today are very differentiated from each other. It’s not just about rowing and swimming and hiking and campfire songs anymore. If all you know from summer camp is the Bill Murray movie Meatballs, you maybe should be doing even more research after you read this article.
It is to be hoped that you aren’t just sending your child to summer camp in order to get rid of him or her for two weeks. It is to be hoped, as well, that you are an actively engaged parent who takes an interest in what your kid enjoys. There are enough camps around that there’s bound to be something that your child will find interesting, if not captivating. You should know your own child well enough to realize that sending her to a camp that focuses on water sports isn’t going to earn you brownie points if your child is deathly afraid of water.
Of course, it goes deeper than that. The best way to choose a summer camp has nothing to do with they offer that sounds cool to you, but rather what sounds cool to your child. If you see your son or daughter spending significant amounts of time drawing in a notebook or painting on canvas, try to locate a summer camp that is heavily involves in arts and crafts. Many summer camps are taking advantage of technology. It may be your intention to expose your children to horses and rope swings, but if you know your child would enjoy a camp that offers the opportunity to learn how to make movies with digital cameras while also throwing in some outdoor activities, look into it. On the other hand, if your boy or girl has shown an aptitude for sports, then by all means look into a competitive sports camp.
Okay, I can some groaning out there. But isn’t summer camp also an excellent opportunity to expand your child’s horizons a little bit? Show them something new they don’t get every day? Sure, and if your child is the adventurous type, they’ll probably enjoy it. But they’re going to be away from you for two weeks or longer. Why ship them off to somewhere that’s going to make then even more miserable? Again, choosing the right summer camp involves knowing your child. If you honestly believe that your introverted bookworm is going to enjoy the experience of team sports, then try it out. If you have any doubt, why not find a summer camp that leans more toward educational activities?
Another thing to be acutely aware of when choosing the right summer camp is knowing when your child is ready to handle being away from you. If your child screams bloody blue murder when push the shopping cart around the aisle and he thinks he’s lost, then maybe a summer camp isn’t the best idea in the world. But that will teach my child self-confidence and independence! Yeah, maybe it will. You better hope so, because if it doesn’t, chances are you’ll be making the drive in the middle of the night to retrieve a totally traumatized little boy or girl. If the case isn’t extreme, but still questionable, consider the possibility of sending a friend from the neighborhood with him.
If you do find yourself with the opportunity to personally check out some camps, here are some things to take notice of.
�The kinds of activities and programs the camp offers.
�How many counselors are there and what are their qualifications.
�Is there both group and private instructional opportunities.
�Are there any required activities and if so, what and how often.
�Will the campers be making any field trips and if so where.
�Talk to all the camp directors, if your gut tells you to stay away, listen to it.
If you’re really determined to find absolutely the best summer camp for your child, then consider getting a copy of The Parents Guide to Accredited Camps, which is published by the American Camping Association. Roughly 3,000 summer camps are accredited under the auspices of the American Camping Association, which requires that accreditation be checked ever three years. The ACA doesn’t recommend camps; it merely lists them so that you can better find the camp services and activities you are looking for.
