Six Traits To Look For in A Summer Camp
Finding a Summer Camp for your child takes some work up front. First decide if your going to a Coed Summer Camp or a sigle gender camp, like a all girls.
Each have their own benefit. Maybe a Coed Camp is best for your child. Next, help your child to find a camp that will increase their interests or expose them to new activities. After you have 3 or 4, here are the top 10 questions to ask a summer camp director. This list was compiled by the American Camp Association.
What’s the camp’s philosophy? Is it one you’re comfortable with? Is it a good match for your child? Is competition or cooperation emphasized? If it’s a camp run by a religious organization, what religious observances or practices are part of the program? If you’re looking at a sports camp that touts an affiliation with a celebrity athlete, how much time–if any–will the sports star actually spend there?
How does the camp recruit, screen and train its staff? Do counselors have criminal background checks? First aid training? Drug Testing?
What about return rates? How many counselors are returning this year? How many campers are returning? ask the director why?
What’s the ratio of counselors to campers? ACA guidelines for overnight camps call for a 1:6 ratio for ages 7 and 8, 1:8 for ages 9-14; and 1:10 for ages 15-18. Day camp guidelines call for 1:8 for children ages 6-8; 1:10 for children ages 9-14; and 1:12 for ages 15-18.
What’s the age of Staff ? Eighty percent of the staff be 18 or older and that all staffers be at least 16 and a minimum of two years older than the campers they supervise.
Is a Nurse at hand? The ACA recommends that an sleepaway camps have a physician or nurse on the site daily. If your camper has medications, food allergies or a medical condition, be sure you ask all your questions and are comfortable.
How does the camp handle conflicts and Discipline? Find out what the camp’s rules are and what breaches would result in a camper being sent home. You should be comfortable that the camp’s practices are in line with your parenting practices.
What does a typical daily schedule look like? This will help you decide if your child will be happy with the level of physical activity or the amount of time devoted to arts and crafts. Ask how much freedom a child has to choose activities.
How does the camp provide transportation? How often are the van inspected? Who is driving, what’s the training.
Get References and more References, Get the names of parents with children who have attended the camp. They will tell you what makes camp so special and why they want to return.
Still looking for ideas to help you make an informed decision? Check out Summer Camp Advice A FREE Summer Camp Directory
Want to find out more about Childrens Summer Camp, then visit Swift Nature Camp a perfect Homeschool Summer Camp filled with Traditional camping activities and learning science. Boys and Girls ages 6-15.
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