Amazing how in the depths of winter, suddenly planning for summer becomes a pressing need. If you’ve already found a perfect camp for the kids, than no angst necessary… but if you don’t know where to start, here are some thoughts on how to approach the overwhelming options that abound.
   
First, if you are considering sleep-away camp, assess your child’s needs, and the family’s.   

“Traditional” camps remain the most popular, but each year new specialty options emerge– from rollerblading camp to scuba camp to language skills camp. Be sure to consider your child’s real interests, session lengths, distance from home and cost.

If you want to start researching on your own,

A good starting point is the American Camping Association’s website, where you can access a camp planning calendar, browse through camp options by multiple criteria, and check to make sure camps in which you are interested are accredited.

www.acacamps.org/parents
 
   
Once you’re ready to interview a few, here’s a helpful list of questions to ask the directors:

  • What is the camp’s philosophy?
  • How long have you owned and run the camp?
  • Where do most of your campers come from?
  • How do you handle homesickness?
  • What is the camper/counselor ratio?
  • How much selection is there in the schedule? How structured is the schedule?
  • What are the evening activities?
  • What is the level of competition?
  • Will my child’s special needs be met (i.e. allergies)?
  • What types of trips are there? How do they travel there?
  • What is the telephone/email/visiting policy?

And to make this all much simpler– you can get your own “camp counselor” to guide you.

Several of the questions above came to us from one of these advisors, The Summer Lady, one of several reputable camp advisory services that offer families free personalized consultations to help match your child with the perfect camp for them. (The Summer Lady’s Ann Travis works with over 500 camps around the world). To learn more:

visit TheSummerLady.com or call 866-566-CAMP (2267)
 
  
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