CAMP GUIDE
You are considering a summer
camp, but how to choose? There’s
a camp that is ideally suited for
every child, providing a summer of
growth and fun whether your child
attends a day or overnight camp, a
specialized or traditional camp. With
a little help from the camp professionals
at the American Camp Association,
here’s some sound advice that
helps parents sort through the choices
and benefi ts that camp delivers. As
spring approaches, parents and children
can look forward to planning for
the future — a future that includes
the opportunities for exploration and
discovery that arrives with summer
camp.
How to decide when your
child is ready for camp
Children are ready for new experiences
at different stages. Parents
know their children best and these
questions can help gauge whether
this is the summer your child will
start camp:
What is your child’s age, and
what is your perception of his
readiness level? Children under 7
who have not had overnight experiences
may do better with a day camp
as their fi rst camp experience. If you
think your child might not be ready
for an overnight camp experience,
consider the day camp experience to
prepare them for future overnight
camp.
How did your child become interested
in camp? Does your child
talk about camp on a sustained basis?
How much persuasion is necessary
from you?
Has your child had positive
overnight experiences away from
home? Visiting relatives or friends?
Were these separations easy or diffi -
cult?
What does your child expect
to do at camp? Learning about the
camp experience ahead of time allows
you to create positive expectations.
Are you able to share consistent
and positive messages about
camp? Your confi dence in a positive
experience will be contagious.
A camp for every child —
the perfect fi t
Camp can last for just a few days
or stretch to all summer long. It’s well
worth the trouble to investigate the
variety of choices offered by camps
before your child packs a backpack.
These questions help you consider the
options:
Near or far?
Where do you want your child to go
to camp? Locally or far away? While
each camp experience has something
unique to offer your child, this is an
opportunity for families to assess
what they value for their campers.
Benefi ts of camp nearby
• Easier to evaluate and visit
• Friends and family are likely familiar
with camp
• Minimal travel costs
• Likely contact with classmates or
children from same region
Benefi ts of camp far away
• More choices
• Different experiences, different
geography, e.g., mountains or oceans
— even different languages
• Promotes independence, particularly
for early and late adolescent
campers
• Diversity of campers
• Chance for family to visit and vacation
at close of camp
Session length offers
another choice
Camps offer widely varying options
to help parents and children
reach their goals for summer fun and
exploration. Talking with your child
about the goals you both share helps
determine which choice is right for
you.
Benefi ts of short sessions (one–
three weeks)
• First-time or younger campers
have a chance to learn new skills
• Bonds develop with other campers
and staff
• Great exposure to camp experience
with less expense
• Minimizes homesickness
Benefi ts of longer sessions
(four–12 weeks)
• Strong sense of belonging to camp
community
• Chance to learn new skills
• Development of specialized skills
• Multiple opportunities for learning
and enrichment
• Lifelong friendships
• Opportunities to contribute to
camp culture
Boys only, girls only, or
co-ed?
Now may be the opportunity to explore
the choices and benefi ts of all
boys, all girls, or co-ed camps.
Benefi ts of single-sex camps
• Breaking gender stereotypes —
girls interact with women in positions
of authority and boys interact
with men who act as nurturers
• More opportunities to “be yourself”
without impressing or competing
with the opposite sex
• Camp philosophy may be tuned
into gender strengths and weaknesses
• Brother or sister camps may
share activities
Benefi ts of co-ed camps
• Breaking gender stereotypes —
girls interact with women in positions
of authority and boys interact
with men who act as nurturers
• Mirrors and prepares campers
COURIER L 30 IFE, FEB. 22–28, 2019 PS
for everyday living in a co-ed world
• Allows families with a boy and a
girl to attend the same camp
• Offers diverse points of view
• Breaks through rigid divisions
set up in school when campers participate
in equal footing
A camp for every child —
traditional, specialty, and
special needs
Choices abound when it comes to
camp programs. One may highlight
a wide variety of activities geared to
campers of all ages and skill levels,
others, because of their setting and
expertise, may concentrate on one
or two activities while providing traditional
activities as well. Parents
of children with special needs are
pleased to learn about the range of
camp activities that help kids be kids
fi rst.
Benefi ts of traditional camps
• Wide variety of activities
• Chance for campers to try new activities
• Exposure to more campers and
staff at varying activities
Benefi ts of specialty camps
• One or two specialized activities
(often combined with traditional offerings)
• Expectation for increased profi -
ciency during camping session
• Deepens knowledge and skill in
particular area of interest or ability
Benefi ts of special-needs camps
• Activities geared to campers’
abilities
• Knowledgeable staff with expertise
to understand campers’ strengths
and challenges
• Supportive and fun atmosphere to
share with others
The value of camp for
every child
What happens when you make the
decision to choose camp? You open up
a world of discovery and learning for
your child, a world that values children
for who they are and who they
will become. Camp gives each child a
world of good.
For nearly 100 years, the American
Camp Association has been serving the
camp community and families considering
camp. Visit www.CampParents.
org, to learn more about the camp experience,
search the Find a Camp database,
and explore the world of child and
youth development. For more information
about child development and the
camp experience, visit www.CampParents.
org or call (800) 428–CAMP (2267).
Originally printed in CAMP Magazine,
reprinted by permission of the
American Camp Association © 2015
American Camping Association, Inc.
Ready, set, camp!
With a short-session camp, fi rst-time or younger campers have a chance to learn new
skills.
/www.CampPar-ents.org
/www.CampPar-ents.org
/www.CampParents
/www.CampPar-ents.org
/www.CampParents