How to Choose a Summer Camp

If you are wondering how to choose a summer camp for your children, these suggestions will help you pick one that you will feel comfortable with.

Camp can be a great experience for kids.

• Consider your child's interests first.

If your child is already involved in a particular sport or activity, then consider a summer camp that focuses on him or her. You can also consider one that gives your child new challenges. Part of the fun of going to camp is trying new things, and you want to make sure that your child has this opportunity.

• Ask your child for some ideas.

Since your child is the one who will be going to camp, it makes sense to ask him or her for some ideas about the kind of camp and activities he or she would enjoy.

• Get your child involved.

When you are reviewing websites or brochures from summer camps, let your child look at them too. Give him the chance to talk about what he likes about the camp, and also about things that he doesn't find appealing. This information will help you narrow down the choices to a short list that you can use to make the final decision.

• Think about how your child will react to being away from home.

Some children adjust readily to being at camp from a young age, while others are not ready until the tween or teen years. There is no "right" age to send a child to camp, and even children in the same family mature at different rates. If you feel that your child would have trouble being away from home for an extended stay at camp, then find a camp that offers sessions that are relatively short. You can always arrange for a longer stay the following summer or whenever your child seems ready to do so.

• Check to see whether the camp is certified.

The American Camp Association is one organization that rates camps. You can find a list of approved ones on the ACA web site. There are good quality camps that don't have this accreditation, too. If you are considering one of them, be sure to ask how the camp's programs have developed over time and what improvements have been made to the camp over the years.

• Find out about hiring practices and staff ratios.

The camp administrators are responsible for hiring counselors and other staff members, and you need to know about the process they use to screen applicants. Does the camp perform background checks?

• Ask for references.

Once you have a short list of camps, contact each one directly to ask whether you can contact families that have sent children there in the past. This is an opportunity to find out what made them choose the camp and whether they had any concerns or issues with the program or the staff. You will also want to ask about the food served and whether they would choose that camp again.

• Visit the camp.

Visiting websites and looking at brochures are helpful when you are considering how to choose a summer camp, but a personal visit will give you a better idea of whether you are making the right choice for your child. If possible, visit the camp while it's in session. You may want to take your child with you, since you are looking for a good camp for him or her.

If a personal visit is not practical, contact the camp administrator or a senior staff member by phone. Since your goal is to get a "feel" for the camp, make a point of asking open-ended questions and really listen to the way the other person answers. Take notes during the conversation so that you can refer to them later on.

These suggestions will help you to choose the right summer camp for your child.

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