 Summer Camps
For Every Child If you think it’s too early
to start thinking about summer camp, think again. Especially if you
are a first-timer!
According to the American Camp Association (ACA), there are approximately 7,000 residential camps across the United States. How do you know which one is right for your child?
Camps basically break down into two categories: General camps, which offer campers the opportunity to try a wide variety of activities, and specialty camps, where the focus is on a specific sport, interest, talent or hobby.
Within those camps are subsets including single sex camps, co-ed camps, faith-based camps and more, each with its own unique experience. There are even camps for children with physical and mental disabilities, chronic illnesses and other special needs.
“There is a camp for every single child,” assures Ann Sheets, immediate past national president of the ACA. “You might have to search a little, but it’s there.”
Where to begin?
One of the most important things to consider when you begin the search for a residential camp is whether or not your child is ready for the experience. The thought of spending the night away from home, much less two weeks or more, is frightening to some children. Most residential camps will not accept children under the age of 7, but even some 7-year-olds aren’t ready for the experience.
“It really depends on the child,” says Sheets, who adds that day camp is a great place for parents to introduce their youngsters to the camping experience. “Day camp can eliminate the homesickness factor,” she says.
One of the best ways to determine whether or not your child is ready for camp is simply to ask. Not all children are interested in camp, and just because you think it is a good idea doesn’t mean your child will get on board right away. Another way to determine readiness is to look at how willingly and how often your youngster has spent the night away from home.
If your child packs a bag and never looks back, chances are the camp experience will be a delightful one. If you consistently have to retrieve your child from a sleepover at 2 a.m., it might be wise to wait a year or two before exploring a residential camp. Regardless of whether your child is ready at 7 or 17, it is important to involve him or her in the selection process to make sure the experience is a rewarding one.
How do I choose?
So once you determine that your little camper is physically and emotionally ready to leave home for a few weeks, how do you find the camp that is the best fit? For some families, a particular camp is as much a family tradition as a college or university. For others, however, it is not so simple, and the choices can be overwhelming.
A good place to start is by asking friends for recommendations. Families with generations of campers are usually happy to share their experiences. It is also important to consider your child’s interests and your own expectations. What do you want your child to take away from the experience? What are your child’s unique interests or abilities?
“I recommend camps with a variety of different activities for younger children,” says Sheets. “It allows them to discover new interests or talents they didn’t know they had. Once they get older and develop specific interests, you might consider a specialty camp,” she adds.
Look at several different camps and ask for brochures and literature. Most camps have Web sites that provide a wealth of information about the programs offered, and some even offer “open houses” where families can visit the camp, participate in activities and see firsthand what the program is all about.
“Visit with the camp director and make sure that the camp’s philosophy matches your own and what you want for your child,” suggests Sheets.
According to the ACA Web site, some general questions you should ask
the director include:
• What is the program emphasis?
• What is the camp director’s background?
• What type of training do the counselors receive?
• What is the counselor-to-camper ratio?
• What are the ages of the counselors?
• What are the desired qualities in the camp staff?
• What percentage of counselors returned from the previous year?
• How are behavioral and disciplinary issues handled?
• How does the camp address special needs?
• How does the camp handle homesickness and other adjustment issues?
• Does the camp provide any references?
• Is the camp licensed by the state?
And finally, one of the most important factors to consider: Is the camp ACA-accredited? Why does that matter?
“The ACA is the only national accrediting body for camps,” explains Sheets. State and federal laws and regulations address basic issues regarding sanitation, food service and safety and are required of every camp.
Accreditation by the ACA is voluntary, and the standards are very specific in areas of programming, personnel, health care and management practices. If a camp is ACA-accredited, it has met up to 300 additional standards over and above those required by the state for licensing. And, while there are plenty of fine non-accredited camps out there, ACA accreditation provides parents with extra assurance and peace of mind.
Is it worth it?
With so much to consider before sending your child away from home, you may begin to wonder if camp is really worth the effort. The answer is simply, Yes!
Studies show that camp helps to build self-confidence, self-reliance and social skills. Children are exposed to things they might not normally experience, and it allows them to explore new interests and ideas. Most importantly, it gets them off the computer, away from the television and back into the great outdoors.
“It is very important, in today’s world, that children participate in human-powered activities,” says Sheets. “By that I mean things that don’t require a plug.”
Camp also allows children to meet people from different walks of life, and it teaches them the social skills they need to build relationships that often last a lifetime.
“Camp is a great leveling experience,” says Sheets. “All of the campers are in the same boat, choosing from the same activities and living in the same cabin. They develop relationships with people from other parts of the country, different faiths, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds.”
|
